French Onion Soup Inspired Meatloaf- with a crispy twist

In the crock pot of course.

Once we first moved here, and discovered the oven wasn't working well I figured out how to make most of our normal dinners, and a couple of new ones between the stove top, toaster oven and a crock pot. Now that it has sort of fallen into a pattern I have been trying to switch things up a bit with a few kitchen experiments. Lately I have come up with several alternative meatloafs, inspired by other meals. French onion soup, a soup my husband really enjoys, inspired this meatloaf.

1 lb ground meat (I used ground turkey)

3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

1/2 cup french's fried onions 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 beef bullion cube dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water

2 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 egg

2 inch x 2 inch piece of cheese 

(I used mozzarella, but gruyere would make it more like french onion soup)

Topping:

1/4 cup of shredded cheese (again I used mozzarella but gruyere would be better)

1/4 cup french's fried onions (lightly toasted)

First mix together the dry ingredients.

Mix the wet ingredients with the meat.

Then add the dry ingredients, and mix well.

Make a bowl shape the the meat, put the block of cheese in the middle and form the loaf around it.

Place in a greased crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours, with the crock pot on the high setting for the first hour, switching to low for the remaining cook time.

During the last hour put the shredded cheese and french's onion mixture on the top of the loaf.

Delicious!
Bubba refuse to try it, as usual.
Oh well more for us :)