The meatloaf that keeps giving (patty melt sans bread with balsamic brussels sprouts)

I never tried a patty melt until Law School.  We just never had them in my house or at the school cafeteria that I know of.  My law school boyfriend loved them and turned me on to them.  I really haven't had one since we broke up nearly 10 years ago. Anywhere we would go for lunch or dinner, if it had a patty melt or Mr. Pibb on the menu, he was ordering it.  I am that way with duck.  And Brussels sprouts.  I had some leftover meatloaf and thought that making a low carb feeling riff on a patty melt would be a good creative leftover use for it.  And an excuse to make Brussels sprouts on the side.  I usually make the balsamic drizzle from Eat 80/20 to go with roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli, but I chose the easy route and used bottled balsamic glaze.

This is certainly not a regular patty melt.  For starters, there's no bread.  And there's less cheese. And there's no grilling of the bread to melt the lots of cheese.  So basically this is really not a patty melt at all, just an excuse do a leftover makeover with some of my favorite things and blog about it.  It still tasted great and kind of gave the patty melt feel.  But I am also into year two of the little to no carb lifestyle.  I am  trying to keep my girlish figure and you have to cut where you can!  Full recipe after the montage!

The Cast.  My new and not better Rouses had only the expensive stalk of sprouts.  Budget be damned, I will have my little bitter sprouts!





They are so pretty!
Even prettier rubbed in bacon grease and covered in Trader Joe's garlic salt grinder!
Chop some onions into half moons
Get them good and browned


Cook the leftover meat on all sides to make it have that grilled feeling
A nice crust, just like a regular patty melt!
This stuff is awesome.  Really good over chicken salad in an avocado too, trust me!
Who needs bread and a ton of cheese?  
Leftover meatloaf surprise:(if you want a real patty melt, trust the Pioneer Woman)

Leftover meatloaf
one medium onion cut into half moons
Olive oil
a sprinkle of cheese if your meatloaf didn't have a cheese coating

Add some olive oil to a heated non stick skillet and add onions.  Cook on medium, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until they are caramelized.  Remove from pan.  Add leftover meatloaf and heat on all sides for 5 minutes per side to get a crust on it.  Serve topped with onions and optional sprinkling of cheese.

Happy Cooking!

Missy

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