I have to try that too Cookie. I'll have to pass on the beans though. What actually binds everything together? You have a lot of moisture going into this with the onions, chili, pepper, and salsa.

Your right, if my meat-loaf has to much moister, sometimes I might add some bread crumbs, or not add the liquid from the beans.

You can also put the beans on top with your cheese, beans first then cheese, (you don't even need to use beans at all.)

I do kind of wing this recipe. It's like pot-luck dish. I think the taco mix helps bind it together, and deffinetely adding 1/4 cup of bread crumbs (plain) with more meat than a 1lb. You can put the whole taco mix pkg. in the loaf depending on your taste.

I put this in a loaf pan I usually cook it for over 30. min on 350-400. When it comes out and if there is some moisture around the meat I will just tip and drain into a cup.

I really do wing this one, usually off the top of my head but to my amaisment it really turns out Good! Cookie

I agree with you Cookie. Especially with meatloaf. It's really hard to do a recipe for meatloaf because as I say, "I throw some of this in and dump some of that". Doesn't sound to appealing.

My basic meatloaf is using a pound or so of ground beef. I mix in a pack of Lipton's Beefy onion soup mix, add some garlic, extra pepper, add an egg and enough plain bread crumbs to bring it to the consistency that I like. I shape my mixture into a loaf shape and set it on a wire mesh rack over a sheet pan to bake. I start off at about 425* to get a nice crust started on the outside to seal it and then lower the temp to 350* and bake until it's done. I use another pack of the soup mix and some better than bullion stock to make a nice gravy. I usually sneak a bit of horseradish into the gravy to give it a bit of a kick. I actually baste the meatloaf with some of the gravy mixture. If I'm not making a meatloaf, I'll use the meat mixture for Salisbury Steaks or for Swedish meatballs.

IC I love your idea of baking the meatloaf on a wire rack, that would be better for you than in a pan swimming in it's own grease. Although I also do like Cookie and drain my dripping off as soon a I pull it out of the oven.

I am not sure I can remember the exact recipe but I recall a recipe that uses undiluted Cream of Mushroom soup on top of the meatloaf, and it came out tasting great!