meat loaf with bacon

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped with seeds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 pounds meat-loaf mix (1 pound lean ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground veal or lamb)
• 4 strips thick-sliced bacon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium skillet, over medium heat, heat the oil with the onion, celery, garlic, and jalapeño and cook until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add the salt, cumin, and nutmeg. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then blend in the milk, tomato sauce, and bread crumbs. Add the meat and cooked vegetables and stir or work with your hands to combine. Pat into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Cut the bacon strips in half and lay over the loaf, tucking the ends in.
2. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the meat loaf registers 150° F. Remove from oven and pour off the fat. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.