Florida Loaf

First a little back story on the name Florida Loaf. On New Year’s Eve 2000 some friends and I drove down to Florida for a 2 week vacation. While we were there we learned how to make this meatloaf. Because it was so unique, and it was our first time having it, regardless of all of us being from Ohio, including the person that made it lol, it went down in history as Florida Loaf. I’ve considered changing the name for recipe purposes, but now looking back, after 20 years, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Some of you may have seen this recipe before, and you can call it whatever you want! For us, it will always be Florida Loaf.

3 lbs. ground beef 1 C. crackers or breadcrumbs 2 large eggs 2 cans of tomato soup 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup 1 block of velveeta cheese 1 white or yellow onion Enough potatoes and carrots to surround the loaf in very large baking pan

Start by prepping your veg, peel and chop potatoes, carrots and onion into big chunks. Open velveeta and split cheese in half long ways, and then in half again for long quarter blocks, then chop in big squares. Mix your meat, crumbs, and eggs together gently and quickly as not to over mix to mush, beef will become very tough and dry if you do that. Build a flat loaf in the pan, and then put half of the velveeta inside of the loaf, cover completely with the meat and build a loaf as not to see the cheese.

Surround your loaf with potatoes carrots and onion, place the remaining blocks of cheese in with the veg around the loaf. Mix each can of soup with the same amount of water per can in a glass to thin the concentrate, and then gently pour over entire meatloaf and veg. Repeat for all 4 cans. Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours or until bubbling. I always use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp. Finish with salt and pepper and enjoy!!

This is one of those meals that isn’t very pleasant on the eyes and doesn’t take perfect culinary pictures, but in the 2 decades I’ve been making this, every single person I’ve cooked it for, has liked it! Everyone has the same reaction, but it’s well worth the try!!