For the love of all things bacon...

Ours is not to ask why...it is to ask why not...

Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Cupcakes

Ingredients (for 12)

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 12 slices of bacon

• 4-6 potatoes
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Making the Meatloaf: Line your muffin tin with the bacon so that each tin is circled by one strip.
• Mix together the beef, bread crumbs, onion, egg, salt, pepper, tomato paste, sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce.  Form the meat into 12 equally sized balls and place them into the bacon-lined muffin tins. Fold the top of the bacon over, if needed.
• Pop them into the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat is cooked through and the bacon is crisp.
• Making the Potatoes: While the meatloaf is cooking, prepare your mashed potatoes. Dice up the potatoes and boil them in salted water until they’re soft. Drain the potatoes, pop them into a mixing bowl, and mash them with a fork until they’re completely smooth. Add your butter, cheese, milk, salt, etc and mix until fully combined. Move your mashed potatoes into a piping bag (or a zip-lock with an edge cut off) and save it until the meatloaf is ready.
• Assembling the “cupcake”: Once the meatloaf is ready, take em out of the oven, and pipe them with the mashed potatoes! After they’re all piped, pop them back into the oven, and turn your heat up to 400-500 degrees. Heat until the tops of the potatoes are golden brown (it should be very quick – no more than 5-6 minutes).
• Remove them from the oven, let cool for a bit, and enjoy!

Originally from: http://www.yummly.com/blog/2013/01/bacon-wrapped-meatloaf-cupcakes-with-mashed-potato-topping/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=pagepost&utm_content=bacon&utm_campaign=bacon-wrapped-meatloaf-cupcakes-with-mashed-potato-topping

Buon Appetito!