firecracker shrimp oreo meatloaf w/ firework oreo cookies

I'm always game when it comes to trying new foods, so when I saw on Instagram that Firework Oreos were coming to stores, I knew I had to incorporate it into some sort of meatloaf for the 4th of July. Luckily in my list of meatloaf ideas on my phone there was something called "firecracker shrimp" that I knew would fit with the concept of Firework Oreos. 

Firecracker shrimp is an Asian appetizer that is basically spicy shrimp. 

This is actually the 2nd attempt at this meatloaf, as the first one had Pop Rocks in it, but the Rocks made the meatloaf taste artificial. Plus I used canned baby shrimp instead of cocktail shrimp, since they're closer to a ground meat consistency than their larger counterparts. (To me anyway), canned shrimp tasted weird, like it just came from the ocean and was devoid of any shrimp flavor. 

I knew I should've gotten more shrimp- you see, I was at my local supermarket and I was debating between getting 12 oz. of cocktail shrimp or 1.25 pounds- I should've picked the latter, as 12 oz. of cocktail shrimp is really only a puny 8 oz. when you remove the tails, which is why this meatloaf came out so mushy. My dad tried to make me feel better by saying there was 20 shrimp in each meatloaf and I had 1 entire one per meal just to fill me up, but if we're counting calories, that's only 130 calories(for comparison, 4 oz. of ground beef is 260 calories- double that of shrimp). 

It's always better to get more meat or fish than you think you need(within reason- that doesn't mean get 5 pounds of it from Costco when you really only need 1 pound for 4 servings of meatloaf!) when it comes to making meatloaf! 

Firework Oreo Taste Test: 

When I ate one of these Oreos without anything else, I didn't feel a popping sensation in my mouth- just a really crunchy cream filling(which is not a bad thing either). However, the cream pops just like Pop Rocks when exposed to liquid, as in a meatloaf mixture, both auidibly and gastronomically. It's actually kind of cool to hear a meatloaf mixture sizzle without any exposure to heat. Plus the cream doesn't taste artificial, unlike actual Pop Rocks! 

Surprisingly, the sweetness of the Oreos pairs well with the spiciness of the buffalo sauce- plus the shrimp flavor was pretty obvious. 

My dad didn't like this meatloaf- he thought it was too spicy(he doesn't like spicy things) and spit the meatloaf out into the garbage(off-camera, of course- he's only trying to make my food look good even when he hates it). 

HELPFUL LINK: Firework Oreos: https://www.amazon.com/Oreo-Firework-Sandwich-Cookies-10-7/dp/B072F4LVRJ/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1498933526&sr=1-1&

You will need: 

For the cooking equipment: 

A large bowl
A large plate
A lasagna pan 
Nonstick cooking spray

For the meatloaf: 

2/3 tbsp. onion powder
2/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp. buffalo sauce
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of oregano
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
14 Firework Oreo cookies(see HELPFUL LINK)
12-18 oz. cocktail shrimp(at least 41 cocktail shrimp)

1. Put the first 8 ingredients into a large bowl. 
2. Separate the cookies from the cream of the Firework Oreo cookies. Place the cream into the large bowl. 
3. Put the cookies into a Ziploc bag or food processor and crush them up until they have the consistency of breadcrumbs. Put the crushed Oreo cookies into the large bowl. 
4. On a large plate, remove the tails from all of the cocktail shrimp and discard the tails. Crumble the shrimp up by twisting the body until you get the consistency of ground meat. Place the crumbled shrimp into the large bowl. 
5. Mix all the ingredients up until you get a firm meatloaf mixture.
6. Spray a lasagna pan with nonstick cooking spray. Form 2 loaves from the meatloaf mixture. 
7. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven just for 5-10 minutes(otherwise the popping candy inside the cream will dissolve). Bon appetit! 

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