Provence Meat Loaf

Ingredients
1/2 lb Pederson's Applewood Smoked Bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 each brown onion, diced small
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed & sliced thin
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 each large gala apple, peeled, cored & diced
2 lbs Bristol Farms 22% ground beef
2 large eggs
1/2 lb Roquefort cheese, crumbled into large pieces
1 cup fresh sourdough bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon Reggiano Parmigiano

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, add bacon and cook until browned and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon remove cooked bacon and set aside. Pour bacon drippings into a measuring cup.
3. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of bacon dripping back into the heavy bottom sauce pan, return to heat add onions, mushrooms, garlic, kosher salt and pepper. saute until vegetables are cooked through, adding more bacon drippings if necessary. Add diced gala apples and saute until tender. Remove vegetable and apple mixture from heat and chill.
4. In a large bowl mix ground beef, cooked bacon, saute vegetables, apples, eggs, Roquefort, bread crumbs and fresh herbs just until well combined. Do not over mix.
5. Place mixture into a 12 x 5 loaf pan, press down gently and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake meat loaf for 1 hour or until internal temp of 140 degrees. Remove meat loaf from oven and let rest in pan for 10- 15 minutes.
6. Pour off fat from loaf pan. Invert meat loaf onto platter and slice

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