Mondays just got a whole lot more fun! 😉

And we sure needed something to put a smile on our faces, cheer us up a bit, without having to fuss and just keep it real.

And this old classic, blast from the past, did the trick! It’s a VERY old recipe that I used to make back in my younger working-two-jobs-and-still-broke days!

$2.01 an hour waitressing didn’t go very far. And waiting on mostly seniors on a strict budget – –  didn’t exactly pay the electric bill, either. But it sure did teach me a lot, and I wouldn’t trade my penniless past for anything! 😉

So you just start with 1 pound of extra lean ground beef. *If you don’t already have any cooked bacon on hand, bake or sauté that first, and you can use a just a little tiny bit of the bacon grease to cook the beef in if you’d like (for extra flavor). I always have some cooked bacon in the freezer, though. It’s always a wonderful, handy, time-saver! 😉

 

 

When the beef and onions are done, drain the grease (if any), and add your pre-cooked bacon and cook about 1 more minute to crisp it back up and let the flavor infuse.

Stir in your soup, sauces and seasonings, and simmer for a little bit until thick.

 

 

Slice off the top third of a loaf of french bread, and gather whatever ingredients you normally enjoy on a cheeseburger!

 

 

Pick out the bottom inside of the loaf leaving approximately a 3/4″ thick shell, and lightly toast in the oven so it won’t be too soggy later.

 

 

Next, add your simmered and thickened meat sauce!

 

 

Slice your Sharp Cheddar Velveeta and cover the whole top. Don’t worry about slices not being perfect, it will all melt beautifully in the end! 😉

(*The hubs doesn’t like the bread overly crisp, so I like to wrap ours in a little foil.)

Butter your top and place it alongside the filled loaf…..

 

 

…and pop it into the oven to bake and melt!

While your cheeseburger-filled bread is baking, prep your toppings! 😀

 

 

We enjoyed ours this time with shredded lettuce, chopped grape tomatoes, finely chopped mild red onion, and a little ketchup and mustard! 😀

 

 

*I’ve listed an array of wonderful toppings to choose from below! 😉

Then just place on the top and slice with a sharp, serrated, bread knife! 😀

 

 

It’s just that easy! 😉 😀

 

 

And it’s also extremely economical to boot! A 3″ wide slice is PLENTY for me! You should get anywhere from 5-8 servings from just one loaf of bread and one pound of hamburger! Not bad, eh?! 😉 😀

 

 

You can serve whatever you enjoy with your stuffed cheeseburger bread such as homemade fries, a baked potato, chips, potato salad or cole slaw, mac ‘n cheese, a cup of soup or chili, tossed salad, fresh fruit and cottage cheese, or homemade applesauce! 😉

Whatever puts a smile on your face! 😀 I do hope that this quick and easy recipe comes in handy when you need it, too! It’s simple, but, sometimes, that’s all we need. 😉

 

 

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed French Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean quality ground beef
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 strips lean quality crisp-cooked bacon, finely chopped
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 Tbl. barbecue sauce
• 1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
• 1/16 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. spicy brown mustard
• 1 (1 lb.) loaf French bread
• 2 Tbl. soft butter
• 6-8 oz. Sharp Cheddar Velveeta cheese, thickly sliced, (*can sub American cheese, pepperjack for a spicy flavor, or any cheese to compliment chosen toppings such as provolone or mozzarella)

Additional Toppings:

• shredded lettuce
• thinly sliced tomatoes
• more bacon if desired
• pickled jalapeño slices
• pickle relish, dill or sweet
• dill or sweet bread 'n butter pickle slices
• thinly sliced or finely chopped red onion
• sauteed mushrooms
• grilled onions
• fresh or sautéed bell pepper slices
• mustard, ketchup, relish and/or mayo

Instructions

Cook ground beef and onion, drain grease. Stir in chopped bacon and sauté one more minute or so.

Add soup, sauces and spices, simmer 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice top third off of bread, hollow out bottom half of loaf, leaving a 3/4-inch shell, save bread chunks for stuffing or croutons, or feed to the birds!

Spread top slice of bread (cut side), with butter.

Place hollowed out bread on cookie sheet and broil until lightly browned.

Take out of oven and fill with warm meat mixture, top with cheese slices.

Place buttered top next to it, put back in oven at 350º; bake till heated through and top is toasted a little, about 15 minutes is all. *Watch buttered top and cheese, and remove if getting too browned. (All ovens are different and yours may run hotter than mine.)

Top melted cheese with toppings of choice.

Put the top on, slice into wide slices for sandwiches, about 3-4" wide. Or smaller for appetizer/party-sized slices.

Notes

*For Party-Style: Double or multiply recipe according to servings needed. After removing from oven, place onto long wooden serving boards or serving platters, slice filled meat loaves, slice tops to match. Do not place on tops. Set next to loaves Set out assorted toppings for guests to choose from and let them build their own.
*Great for adolescent and teen birthday parties, as well as super fun football grub on Sundays!