#1,803: Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I ended up throwing this recipe into my oven a little late, and knew my family was too hungry to let this cook for an hour if I made it into a loaf pan.  So I got out my trusty pampered chef square brownie pan and made these mini size so they would cook faster.  I flipped these over when they were about 3/4 of the way done cooking so both sides could brown up more, which I'm glad I did, but the brown sugar/BBQ sauce that was on the bottom got a little overdone, hence the darker spots you see in the photo.  My family LOVED this.  Especially my non-meat eating 4 year old!  Seriously, we had to cut him off after asking for more 4 times.  I will definitely make this again for my crew!!

½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup BBQ sauce

1 small onion, small diced (about 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

2 eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup finely crushed Ritz Cracker crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.  Lightly spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

Spread the brown sugar into the bottom of the pan evenly. Top the brown sugar with the BBQ sauce. Set the pan aside.

In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients and using your hands mix everything together evenly. Try not to over work the meat, which will result in a dense loaf.

Place the meat on top of the BBQ sauce and press evenly into the pan.

Bake the meatloaf for 60-70 minutes until the juices run clear or a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F/70°C. (I baked mine at 375 degrees for about 15 min, then turned the heat up to 400 for about 15 min or so). 

Allow the meat to rest for 15 minutes. Drain the excess fat and transfer the meat to a platter to serve. (Because I used ground turkey AND made these in mini form, there was no excess fat to drain off). 

#1,787: 3 ingredient stuffing meatloaf

There is no shortage of meatloaf recipes on this blog!  We also absolutely love stuffing muffins at our house, and my non-meat-eating picky 4 year old loves meatloaf stuffing muffins, so when I found this recipe that only uses 3 ingredients, I knew I wanted to try it.  It's always so hard to get dinner on the table during the week.  Although this recipe needs 45-60 minutes to cook, you can get it in the oven very quickly, so you have time to go through backpacks, check homework, or sit down and pretend you can't hear your kids calling you while you watch Real Housewives (that's not me, lol).  

1.5 – 2 lbs of Hamburger (I used ground turkey)

1 box of Kraft Stove-Top Stuffing Mix

1/2 cup of Milk

Add all three ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything evenly distributed.  Place the mixture into a baking dish and cover with foil.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then place your meatloaf into the oven, and bake for one hour.  (I uncovered mine at about 35 minutes and I added some ketchup to the top the last 10 minutes of baking. Mine did not take a full 60 minutes).  

#1,670: BBQ Meatloaf Minis

As I've stated before, we are a meatloaf loving family and I make some sort of it on a fairly regular basis, especially in the fall and winter months.  If you're like me and you prefer the edges of the meatloaf, you'll probably enjoy this recipe because each piece kind of has a nice crispy edge.  

This recipe is super easy to throw together and I even made it a few weeks ago.  Just mix the water, bbq sauce, stuffing and ground meat together and portion out in your muffin tins.  Cover with wax paper and freeze (still uncooked).  Once frozen, pop them out of the muffin tins and place in a gallon ziplock bag and freeze until ready to use.  When you are ready to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then place them back in the muffin tins and bake as directed below.  

1 package (6 ounces) stuffing mix

1 cup water

2 tablespoons hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce (I used honey bbq)

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I used mozzarella)

Additional barbecue sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine stuffing mix, water and 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Place 1/3 cup mixture into each of 12 ungreased muffin cups, pressing lightly.

Bake, uncovered, 18-22 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Sprinkle tops with cheese; bake 2-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. If desired, serve with additional barbecue sauce.

#1,415: Club Crackers Meatloaf

I asked Brian what he wanted for dinner tonight and he told me he wanted meatloaf.  Since he wasn't specific enough about which meatloaf recipe he wanted, he left tonight's dinner open for me to try a new recipe.  This recipe is called "the best meatloaf ever," however I think everyone thinks their recipe is the BEST ever.  I'm changing the name of this one to "club crackers" meatloaf since that's the main binding agent in this recipe....and "best meatloaf" doesn't help me remember which recipe/meatloaf I'm looking for.

My family really enjoyed this meatloaf.  Although Brian thought some of my crackers weren't crushed enough...everyone is a critic!  This made a big meatloaf for our family so we ate it two nights in a row.  I'd say that's a win if everyone will eat it not only once, but twice!

1 1/2 lb Ground Beef (I used ground turkey)
2 eggs
1 1/2 packs of club crackers
1/3 cup Brown Sugar 
3/4 cup Ketchup
Lawrys Seasoning Salt (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

For Sauce
2/3 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl put your ground beef, all your crackers crushed by hand, brown sugar and seasoning (for salt pepper and seasoning I would add a dash or sprinkle).  Then add in your ketchup and your eggs.   Then mix well by hand. Pack well in your meatloaf pan and place in oven for approx. 45 minutes or so. 

While the meatloaf is cooking you can make your sauce.  Mix the Ketchup, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.  You will spread this on top the last 10 minutes of cooking.

#1,373: Paleo Mini Mexi-Meatloaves

I hate when I take a picture of a recipe and then go back and realize it is the worst picture ever!  Sorry about this one!!

I was SO afraid to make this meatloaf recipe for my family because of the cilantro.  But, I figured it couldn't hurt to make them try it...so I did.  :)  Shockingly, they all really enjoyed this one.  It was pretty moist too considering I used ground turkey.  We were fans of this one and I would definitely make it again.

By the way, I was too lazy to make the tomato sauce recipe listed below so my version was un-paleo since I just squirted catsup on top.  :)

For the sauce topping:

4 oz tomato paste

4 oz water

2 Tbsp red bell pepper, finely diced (I omitted)

2 tsp cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 pinches of sea salt

black pepper to taste

1 Tbsp coconut oil, duck fat, or bacon fat

1 small onion, finely diced (1/2 cup)

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or grated (1/2 Tbsp)

2 eggs, beaten

2 lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp corriander

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper – or more to taste

2 carrots, grated (I used 1/2 carrot...that was pushing it for my family)

1 bell pepper, any color, grated (or very finely diced) (I omitted)

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375F.

In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, combine the tomato paste, water, bell pepper, cilantro, chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper and simmer for about 5-10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients into the meatloaves – stirring occasionally to prevent burning. If your sauce reduces too far and looks like it may burn, add more water 2 tablespoons at a time and whisk to combine. The sauce should have a fairly thick consistency, almost like ketchup, not loose like a pasta sauce.

In a medium skillet, melt the oil and sautée the onions over medium low heat until they are translucent and the edges begin to brown. Add the minced garlic and stir for about a minute.

In a large-sized mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then place the ground meat into the bowl with the beaten eggs. In a small mixing bowl, combine the spices, carrots, bell pepper, and cilantro. Then add the spice and vegetable mixture to the meat and egg until well combined.

Divide the meatloaf mixture into 2 parchment paper lined mini loaf pans (or use 1 large tin, baking time may vary), filling them up and slightly over the top as the mixture will shrink a bit in cooking.

Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce onto each loaf, spreading it into an even layer to coat the top and reserve the remaining amount for dipping after the loaves are baked.

Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the loaves reaches 160 degrees F.

#1,298: Beast (Paleo) Meatloaf (Weird name...not sure why)

Sorry for the odd photo...I wasn't home yet when the family dug into this!

I have a pound of ground turkey sitting in my freezer and I'm itching to make some more turkey burgers...but I figured my family might enjoy something different for a change.  We haven't had meatloaf in quite a while, and since this one is on my current eating plan, I figured it would be a great one to serve for the family (w/a side of mashed cauliflower!).  The girls and I really enjoyed this meatloaf and asked for leftovers the next day.  Brian however was not a fan and claimed all he could taste was salsa.  I personally would definitely make this again.  He however requests we don't.  :) I say try this one! 

2 lbs of lean ground turkey
1 cup all natural mild salsa
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I used Ezekiel bread)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper (to taste)
Fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine turkey, salsa, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper in large bowl.  Press mixture into 9x15 inch loaf pan. 

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until center is no longer pink and meat is cooked through.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Cut into 8 slices and serve garnished with parsley.

#1,198: Not Your Momma's Meatloaf

I have had this recipe on my Pinterest Board for a very long time.  I keep thinking I've made it and then realize I didn't.  So when I had some extra ground turkey waiting to be used, I figured it was about time I made this recipe.  I also made this in my crockpot so it could cook all day while we were at work.  Turns out just as good as it does when I make it in the oven (in my opinion) EXCEPT the texture is softer/more tender/mushier (let's be honest). 

Brian really liked this recipe, but it was a little too soft of a texture for my liking.  I think it was because of the bread pieces instead of bread crumbs.  I might try it again with breadcrumbs.  I ended up eating this on a ciabatta roll as a meatloaf sandwich.  That was good!  The kids thought this was okay but prefer meatloaf muffins instead.  Probably won't make this recipe again for our family, but it certainly wasn't bad.   

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 egg
3/4 c of milk
3 slices of bread torn into small pieces
1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c catsup

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT CATSUP) in a large bowl.  Spread mixture into an ungreased loaf pan.  Spread catsup on top.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.

Here is how I made this recipe:
Combine all ingredients (EXCEPT CATSUP) in a large bowl.  Place into a container that will fit inside your crockpot.  Freeze.  When ready to cook pop out the frozen, raw meatloaf mixture and place into a foil lined crockpot (just the meatloaf, not the container you froze it in...obviously).  Pour catsup on top of meatloaf.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (I cooked mine for 9+ hours).  

#1,129: Mini Pork Meatloaves

Let me start by saying that I enjoy meatloaf, but I do not love pork.  So I was a little nervous about making this recipe and it's been sitting on my pinterest board for about 6 months! We had a huge difference of opinions on this recipe (which is NOT pretty).  Of the five of us, FOUR of us LOVED this recipe.  Brian on the other hand did not like it at all.  Matthew, my 21 month old ate 1 1/2 of those mini meatloaves!!  Because the kids enjoyed this recipe so much, I'm sure I will make it again...maybe on a night that Brian isn't coming home for dinner.  In my opinion, I'm sorry I waited so long to make this one.

1 pound ground pork
1 14-oz jar pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups Italian cheese blend, shredded
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, salt-free blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil, (optional)

In large mixing bowl combine ground pork, 3/4 cup of pasta sauce, 1 cup of cheese, bread crumbs, egg, seasoning and salt. Shape mixture into 4 oval-shaped loaves (about 6 inches in length) and place on a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. 

Top each loaf with some of the remaining pasta sauce, remainder of the cheese and fresh tomato slices. (As you can see from the photo above, I was too lazy and omitted this step).

Bake in 425 degrees F oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through to a final internal temperature of 160 degrees F.  (Mine cooked for about 30 minutes and I needed to drain off some of the grease half way though).  Garnish with basil leaves if desired and serve with any remaining sauce.

#1,014: Paleo Meatloaf

This meatloaf was so easy to throw together.  I made it one day, stuck it in a loaf pan and we cooked it the following day.  It's a great make ahead meal that would be easy to freeze as well.  (I think I might have to do so!).  We all enjoyed this one.  Well, Chloe not so much, but that's just Chloe.  This was very, very good.  We did not add tomato sauce to the top of ours and usually I have to eat my meatloaf with catsup, but I didn't with this recipe.  We will definitely make this again.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 medium sized yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
⅓ cup of chicken broth
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2½ pounds ground chuck (I use a combination of 85-96% lean)
½ cup of almond flour
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees if you have time to cook your meatloaf for 1 hour or more. If you are pressed for time you can preheat your oven to 400 degrees and bake your meatloaf for 45 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions and minced garlic and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown.

Turn off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, almond flour, salt, pepper and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork.

(I omitted this step) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread the tomato sauce evenly on top.

If are cooking at 325 degrees, bake for 1 to 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. If you are cooking at 400 degrees, bake for 45 minutes.

(I omitted this step) Place a pan of hot water in the oven, under the meat loaf. This will keep the top from cracking and keeping your meatloaf moist. I just filled a smaller loaf pan with two inches of water and it sufficed.

 

#920: Parmesan Meatloaf

I had about 1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey in the fridge so I decided to use it on this recipe.  I was going to make it as described with the combo of ground beef and chicken, but then decided it wasn't worth an extra trip to the grocery store.  This was definitely an easy recipe to make.  I made it the night before and then just stuck it in the fridge until we were ready to make it. 

This is quite a delicious meatloaf.  I don't think I would call it my favorite one, but we definitely all really enjoyed it.  I would definitely make this again. 

1 lb ground turkey (I used 1 1/2 lbs)
1 lb ground beef (I omitted)
2 eggs
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup marinara pasta sauce 
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey and beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Try not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

#906: BBQ Meatloaf Muffins

On our way home from school Allison asked what we were having for dinner.  I told her Meatloaf Muffins (but not that it was a new recipe) and she got super excited!  I didn't realize she liked meatloaf muffins that much!  We all like meatloaf muffins, except for me because I have to clean the muffin pan when we are done.  Last time I made them I tried baking them together in a cake pan.  I had grease everywhere and they were soggy.  I had to brown them up in a frying pan first.  Fail! 

This time I decided to make them in a foil lined muffin tin.  The tops were crunchier, the clean up was a snap, but the bottoms still weren't as crispy/dry as we like them.  So I think I'll have to just get used to the fact that I'll have a muffin tin to clean when done. 

Anyhow, back to THIS recipe.  These meatloaf muffins were pretty good.  You can definitely taste the BBQ sauce in it, but we surely didn't mind.  Everyone seemed to enjoy it too.  I'd make these again. 

1 egg (I used egg substitute)
1 pound extra lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/2  red pepper, minced  (I omitted)
2 ribs celery, minced  (I omitted)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 white onion, minced
1/2 cup smoky barbecue sauce
2 tbsp whole grain mustard  (I used yellow mustard)
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and spray a muffin tin with non fat cooking spray.  In a small bowl, stir together the barbecue sauce and whole grain mustard.

In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, celery, red pepper, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 of the barbecue sauce and mustard mixture. Mix until just combined to keep the meat from toughening up.

Fill each muffin tin with the meat mixture to create 12 meatloaf muffins.

I skipped this step: Then using a spoon or pastry brush, brush a layer of the barbecue sauce and mustard mixture on each muffin.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until kicked through.

 

 

#824: Mini Skillet Meatloaves

Once I started making meatloaves in the crockpot, I rarely make them any other way now (unless I'm making super easy meatloaf muffins!).  So when I came across this recipe, I had to seriously debate if I wanted to stand over the stove cooking these or not.  But since we are now into the 800's for number of new recipes tried (shameless pat on the back for myself), I figured we should give this one a go. 

This was definitely easy to make.  I got 6 (unevenly sized) mini meatloaves from this recipe.  All 5 of us enjoyed this, although it wasn't my favorite meatloaf I've ever eaten.  It was still good though.  I liked that it cooked a lot faster than a typical meatloaf in the oven.  It was done in about 25 minutes...a lot more do-able when coming home from work and not having to wait an hour or more for dinner to be done (like regular meatloaf does). 

Would I make this again, yes.  Would I make this again on a regular basis, probably not.
 

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 large egg

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 small onion, finely minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced

1 1/2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and/or veal) (I used ground turkey)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup ketchup

1 to 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

 

Mix the breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into six 3-to-4-inch oval loaves.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the loaves and brown about 3 minutes per side.

Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and brush a few tablespoonfuls over the meat. Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, cover and simmer over low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Transfer the loaves to a plate. Add the remaining ketchup mixture to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes.

#822: Turkey Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of my favorite things to make on a freezer cooking day because you can make a lot of them in very little time.  It's basically a dump-it-all-together and freeze kind of thing.  That's what I love about it! 

We use ground turkey instead of beef for almost everything we eat.  We don't notice a difference in taste and it's much healthier for our family.  This recipe is very, very easy to throw together and besides the ground turkey, we had all of the other ingredients in our pantry or on hand. 

We all loved this one.  This is definitely a keeper for our family and we will be making this again soon.

1 cup chopped yellow onion

2 tsp. olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. fresh thyme leaves

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup chicken stock

½ tsp. tomato paste

26 oz. ground turkey breast

½ cups bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup ketchup

 

Preheat oven to 325°. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with two slices of bread to soak up the grease during cooking.

In a medium sauté pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme until translucent but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock and tomato paste. Mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well. Press into the loaf pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 ½ hours until the internal temperature is 160° and the meatloaf is cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

We got about 4 (large) servings out of this recipe at 6.5 ww+ pts each.

#535: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Meatloaf

Here's a freezer meal that I made a few weeks before Matthew was born.  We finally took it out of the freezer and made it for dinner tonight.  We all enjoyed this, but Brian was not a fan of the bacon.  I however, loved it!  I'd definitely, definitely make this again for dinner (with the Bacon...Brian can just pull it off).  :)

1-1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp rosemary
3/4 cup unflavored bread crumbs
1 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
8 slices bacon, cut in half

In a large bowl, add the ground turkey, garlic, rosemary, Worcestershire, bread crumbs and egg. Use your hands to mix together lightly until well combined. Add in the green pepper and onion and combine.

Divide mixture into four servings. Shape each into a mini-loaf shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and/or tin foil. Freeze for up to one month.

Last Minute Preparation:  Allow meatloaves to defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using four of the bacon pieces for each meatloaf, wrap the bacon tightly around the top of each loaf. Place loaves on lightly oiled baking sheet and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

#455: Magic Meatloaf

Quite a while ago, I stumbled upon a recipe from Food.com for Magic Meatloaf.  We eat a lot of meatloaf in our house because it's easy, cheap, and I can throw it it my crockpot.  This got really good reviews so I figured we'd give it a try.  Well this got mixed reviews from our house!  Brian enjoyed it, Chloe thought it was okay, Allison and I didn't like it at all.  :(  So for this family, we won't be making this again. 

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 egg , beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 slices bread , crumbed

1/2 of a small onion (chopped)

1/4 cup ketchup

Mix egg, milk, salt and bread crumbs. Allow for mixture to soften. Thoroughly combine with hamburger. Shape into a loaf and place in Crock Pot. Top with ketchup. Cover and set to High for 1 hour then turn to low for 6-7 hours.

#402: Melt-in-your-mouth Meatloaf

This is another recipe from my Taste of Home The Ultimate Ground Beef Cookbook.  Brian enjoyed this but the girls and I really didn't like it all too much.  Not for any particular reason, but it was a little soft and just not super special.  Sadly, I wouldn't make this again for myself.

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage (I omitted)

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well (mixture will be moist). Shape into a round loaf; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160°.

In a small bowl, whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over the meat loaf. Cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

#373: Mini Meat Loaves

I haven't posted a recipe from my Betty Crocker 300 Calorie cookbook in a while, but here's another recipe from it.  This was very, very easy to make and I had a bunch of extra foil mini loaf pans leftover from last Christmas (which I had hoped to use as gift containers but they were too small).  So I balled this meatloaf mixture into 5 small loaves (I doubled this recipe) and froze them until we were ready to use them.  I pulled them out of the freezer this morning and put them in the oven mostly frozen.  This baked up pretty quickly since they were so small. 

We all enjoyed this meal, but Brian probably liked it best.  I think I must have added some dried Italian seasoning to the mixture, and I could really taste it, so next time I probably should add a little less seasoning to this!  :)

1 tbsp skim milk
1 egg white
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp bread crumbs (any flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I probably used closer to 1/2 cup!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, beat milk, egg white and Worcestershire sauce with a fork.  Mix in beef, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Shape into 2 loaves.  Place in ungreased 8 inch square pan.  Brush with BBQ sauce. 

Bake 18-22 minutes until meat thermometer inserted in center of loaf reads 160 degrees.  Let stand 5 min before serving.

#254: Southwest Meatloaf

We are a meatloaf loving family.  It is so easy to make and generally low in WW points.  I found this recipe on a website/blog that posts a lot of weight watcher recipes so I figured we'd give it a try.  I was a little leery about the onions and peppers, but I can typically cut them small enough that my family doesn't notice them.  That was NOT the case with this recipe.  Even I was picking out the chunks of onion.  The girls only at a few bites and Brian claims it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be, and he IS taking it for leftovers tomorrow so that's a good sign, but I personally, will not make this recipe again.  If you like onions though, you might love this!

16 ounces ground turkey
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 3/4 cup Hunt's chunky tomato sauce -- (one 15-oz. can) divided. see recipe
1 1/2 teaspoon chili seasoning
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar Twin (I just used brown sugar)
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with olive oil-flavored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine meat, cornmeal, onion, green pepper, 1/4 cup tomato sauce and chili seasoning. Mix well to combine. Pat mixture into prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce, Brown Sugar Twin, parsley flakes, and garlic. Pour mixture evenly over meat loaf. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Place baking dish on a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Cut into 6 servings.

1/6 of this = 3 ww+ pts

#175: BBQ Glazed Meatloaf

Attention meatloaf fans: MAKE THIS!  We LOVED this one!  This is definitely going on next month's menu...at least once.  LOVED IT!  See how nice and crispy the bottom and the edges got?  Mmmm....and no, I didn't share the ends!

I made this on my freezer cooking day, formed into the meatloaf shape, and then froze it in my silicone loaf pan.  When it was frozen, I popped it out and bagged it up.  This time, I let it defrost in the fridge for 2 days before making it, next time I'm going to try making it still frozen.  It is supposed to cook for 6-8 hours on low, but we are gone for about 9 1/2 hours so this cooked a little longer than it should.  I thought it was a tad dry, but Brian didn't agree.  I wonder if he'd notice if some of his lunch for tomorrow was missing?? 

I found this recipe on weightwatchers.com.  It was extremely quick and easy to prepare and low in points. 

1 1/4 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
1/3 cup(s) dried bread crumbs, seasoned
1/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, shredded 
1/4 cup(s) onion(s), minced
1 large egg(s), lightly beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp packed light brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Heinz Spicy Brown Mustard, or other brand (I used yellow mustard...and Mr. I-don't-like-mustard couldn't tell)

Fold a 24-inch length of foil in half lengthwise. Fit into the bottom and up the sides of a 5–6-quart slow cooker insert.   (Forget all that math...just pull off 1 or 2 medium sized pieces, ball them up and place the meatloaf on top!) 

Put the turkey, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, egg, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; mix with hands until well combined. Shape the mixture into a loaf and place on the foil in the slow cooker.  Cover the slow cooker and cook until the meatloaf juices run clear or an instant read thermometer inserted in the center of the meatloaf registers 165°F, 3–4 hours on high or 6–8 hours on low. 

Combine the ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture over the meatloaf, spreading it smooth.  Cover the slow cooker and cook until the glaze is heated through, about 30 minutes longer.  (I added the sauce when I put it in the crockpot and let it cook w/the meatloaf all day.  Then when I came home, I whipped together a little more and added it on top of that.  I just let it cook until everything else was ready.  Who has 30 more minutes to wait??). 

With the help of the foil, lift the meatloaf from the slow cooker and transfer to a platter. Discard foil and cut the meatloaf into 6 slices. Yields 1 slice meatloaf per serving.

1/6 of the meatloaf = 4 ww+ pts.

#118: WW BBQ Meatloaf

I found this recipe in my Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook.  Since we made meatloaf in the crockpot last week and liked how it turned out I figured I'd try making this one in the crockpot as well.  It was so soft and juicy, and the BBQ sauce really thinned out and almost made a sauce for it.  The edges stuck to the pan and got a little over done, but personally I like the ends, so I thought that was the best part.  I made this on my last freezer cooking day, and froze it in a silicone pan then popped it out when I was ready to cook it.  I let it begin to defrost overnight in the fridge, but it was still mainly frozen when I turned the crockpot on in the morning.  I let it cook all day, and it was ready when we got home from school!

1 pound ground round (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided (I used about 1 1/4 c divided instead)
1/4 cup frozen chopped onion, pressed dry
1/4 cup Italian-Seasoned dry breadcrumbs
2 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine meat, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, onion, breadcrumbs, egg whites, and pepper in a large bowl; stir well.  Shape mixture into a 7x5" loaf on a rack in a roasting pan. Spread remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over loaf. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or to desired dfegree of doneness. Yeild: 4 servings.
Points: 5

MY VERSION:
Combine meat, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, onion, breadcrumbs, egg whites, and pepper in a large bowl; stir well.  Shape mixture into a 7x5" loaf.  Place in crockpot.  Spread remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over loaf.  (I used about 3/4 - 1 c)   I would assume if it was not frozen it would cook on low for 4 hours or until cooked through.  For me, it was frozen, and I cooked on low 10 hours. Yeild: 4 servings.