19 September 2009

Rock Star mini-loafs

My kids are not super huge fans of meat loaf, but I am so, awhile back I did some searching around and found a recipe that I changed up and made my own. The first night that we had it, I was a little weary that they might not take to it too kindly, so I was prepared to make something else if need be.

Much to my surprise, the whole fam LOVED it. The kids called me a rock star that night and packed the left overs for lunch. I told Leah ( my best friend) about it and forgot to send the recipe to her. Being that we are having if for Sunday night dinner I thought I would share it with everyone.


INGREDIENTS
2 pounds ground turkey
2 eggs
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon steak seasoning ( a pre-mix mccormick thing I use)
1/2 teaspoon essence
1 small yellow onion, diced
6-8 slices bacon
8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into small chunks
1/2-1 cup bbq sauce

***spice measurements are a guess, Im more of a dash of this pinch of that person***


DIRECTIONS
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F
Combine ground turkey, eggs and 1/2 cup of bbq sauce in a large bowl. Mix well, then add bread crumbs, seasonings and onion.

Set mixture aside. Line the bottom of a one row of a muffin pan with bacon. Fill half of each "cup" with the meat mixture across the top of the bacon. Lay 3 of the 4 pieces of Cheddar cheese across the center of the meat. Cover the cheese with the meat mixture and mold the meat into a mounded shape. Pull the ends of the bacon up and around the loaf. Plop some bbq sauce on the tops of each. repeat the same with the next row of "cups" in the pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 40-45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F . Remove from the oven.

If bbq is thinned out or slightly dry looking, add a little more. Top each with the last of your cheese and return the meat loaf to the oven and continue baking until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the meat loaf to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I would place the muffin pan on top of a lined baking sheet if I were you, because the oils from the cheese ran all over the top and sides of the mini loafs and down into my oven.

Also sometimes, if I cannot get my ground turkey, I will use beef, tastes just as yummy. Also, will leave the onions out too sometimes, since not everyone likes them either.

I serve this with garlic potatoes and steamed corn.

Hope you try it, if you do, let me know how you like it!!!!

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