Rio Grande Meat Loaf

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 Cup chopped onion
1/2 Cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 Cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp minced seeded jalapeno pepper (I left this out.)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 taco shells, finely crushed (I used crushed tortilla chips.)
2 large egg whites
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs ground round
1/2 Cup salsa

1. Coat a 3.5-quart electric slow cooker with cooking spray. Tear off two sheets of aluminum foil long enough to fit in bottom of slow cooker and to extend 3 inches over each side of slow cooker. Fold each foil sheet lengthwise to form a 2-inch-wide strip. Arrange foil strips in a cross fashion in cooker, pressing strips to bottom of cooker and extending ends over sides of cooker.
2. Combine beans and next 11 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl. Crumble beef over vegetable mixture; stir just until blended. Shape mixture into a loaf the shape of slow cooker container. Pleas loaf in slow cooker over foil strips. (Foil strips become "handles" to remove meat loaf from slow cooker.)
3. cover with lid; Cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting; cook e2- to-3 hours or until done. Use foil strips to lift meat loaf from cooker. Let meat loaf stand 10 minutes; cut into wedges. Spoon 1 Tbsp salsa over each serving.
Yield: 8 servings

Makes GREAT leftovers. Thank you again, to my friends at Cooking Light (Slow Cooker Cookbook, 2004)