Mike's Meatloaf US Style according to a German recipe from the 70s

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ kg ground meat, mixed, or just ground beef (US favorite)
• 2 rolls, stale, soaked, squeezed
• 3 onions, hot or mild
• 3 large eggs, whisked
• 2 tbsp parsley, dried or fresh
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 250 g Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 10 small chili peppers, red, dried, spiciness of your choice
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• pine nuts
• Herbs of Provence
• Paprika powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 40 minutes

An old classic German recipe from my mother, adapted for the Americans (US barracks) back then.

For the meat dough, combine all the prepared ingredients with the ground beef in a bowl. Knead everything into a formable meat dough and season well. You really should take your time with the kneading. Mix for at least 15 minutes or longer so that the egg whites combine. Using a food processor or by hand is irrelevant. I always do it by hand, as you can tell when the consistency is right. Once that’s done, cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let the spices and cheese develop their flavor. Take it out of the fridge and shape the meat dough into the right dish. So, into a casserole dish, roasting pan, casserole dish, cast iron skillet, or similar, whatever will fit in the oven, and according to your preferences. In short, shape it into a nice shape and round off the ends slightly. Preheat the oven to 180°C and roast the meatloaf for around 70 minutes. I don’t have exact times; everyone has different ovens, so check every 50 minutes. A thermometer would be better, but unfortunately I don’t know the internal temperature; I just go by feel. Tip: Covering it with ham, like in the “Bacon Bomb” recipes, is a good idea. By the way, you can find tons of matching side dishes here. It’ll take me a while; I’m still sorting through my collection, and they’ll be coming in bit by bit. Have fun and good luck.