The Best Meatloaf Sandwich - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Meatloaf:
1/2 cup onion, finely minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup MUSSELMAN'S(R) Apple Butter
3 tablespoons MUSSELMAN'S(R) Apple Cider Vinegar
1 dash hot sauce
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
20 round butter crackers, crushed into crumbs
2 tablespoons MUSSELMAN'S(R) Apple Butter
Sandwich:
8 slices sourdough bread
Softened butter for bread
8 slices Gouda cheese, thin
4 slices apple butter meatloaf (above), thick
4 butter lettuce leaves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Lightly spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a small skillet, add the onions and butter. Sprinkle with the salt and cook over medium heat until they are soft and translucent - around 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple butter, apple cider vinegar, and hot sauce. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the cooked onions and mix in the ground beef, egg, and crushed crackers. Add in 2/3 of the apple butter hot sauce. (Reserve the rest for making the sandwiches.)
Press the meat mixture into the loaf pan. Brush the top with an additional 2 tablespoons of apple butter, and then bake for 1 hour until done.
For the sandwich, heat a large skillet over medium heat.
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place 4 slices of bread butter-side down in the skillet.
Add a slice of cheese to each slice of bread, and then a slice of the prepared meatloaf (above) to each slice of bread.
Spoon the reserved apple butter hot sauce on top of the meatloaf slices. Add a leaf of lettuce to each, followed by another slice of cheese.
Top with another piece of buttered bread butter-side up. Press the sandwiches slightly and flip to grill the other side. Serve hot.