Meatloaf Muffins & Sassy Mashed Potatoes

© 2012 Jamie V.

We decided to try out a few new recipes, and they turned out pretty good. I've never made meatloaf before, I've never eaten parsnips before... so this meal involved several firsts for me.

The original reason I chose meatloaf muffins was because we were looking for something to cook quickly, using some ground turkey that we had already thawed out. I didn't have any oats, so I used breadcrumbs. I didn't use parmesan cheese (I forgot... but we really like them without it). I used tomato sauce in the meatloaf, and then topped them with ketchup (I'll put more on the tops, next time I make these).

The sassy mashed potatoes was just something that I saw one day on the Rachael Ray show. I didn't even know what a parsnip was. The show was talking about sneaking vegetables into dishes, so that kids will eat more vegetables... I don't have kids, but I have a problem getting enough vegetables into my diet (I just don't really like a very wide variety), so I thought it'd be worth a shot.

Overall, everything turned out very tasty. The meatloaf muffins were delicious! The sassy mashed potatoes were pretty good, but they need something because the flavor is very bland (we're going to at least use more garlic, next time we make them). When I had leftover potatoes, I melted some cheese into it... I think I liked it better that way.

Meatloaf Muffins

Adapted from here

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

© 2012 Jamie V. 

1/2 small onion, minced (we used 1/4 cup frozen minced onion)

1.3 lbs ground turkey or ground beef

1/2 cup breadcrumbs or oats
1/3 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
1 egg

1 tsp marjoram
1/2 cup tomato sauce or ketchup (plus some for the top)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
Whatever other veggies you have on hand (onions, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, spinach, lentils…)

Directions:

1. Saute onions in a skillet with olive oil. Set aside (cool down).
2. Heat oven to 350ºF.
3. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
4. Press the meat into ungreased muffin cups (you should be able to get 8 to 12 out of this amount of meat).
5. Top with tomato sauce/ketchup on each one. (we used ketchup on the top - we'll be more liberal with it next time)
6. Cook for 30-35 minutes.
7. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
8. Serve two per person.

(Using 1 egg, 93/7 Ground Turkey, 1/2 cup of ketchup and dividing into 10 meatloaf muffins, the calorie count is about 110 per muffin)

Sassy Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from RachaelRayShow.com and DrWeil.com

© 2012 Jamie V.

Ingredients:

2½ to 3 lbs red or white new potatoes, washed and cubed (we used red potatoes)

2 (or more) parsnips, peeled and cubed

4 to 6 cloves of garlic (we only used 2, but will use more next time), crushed
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter

black pepper
salt

cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Put the potatoes, parsnips, and crushed garlic cloves in a large pot with water, making sure that the water completely covers them.
2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium, then cover and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spoon.
3. Test the tenderness of the potatoes with a fork; they should pierce easily and be tender, yet firm.
4. Drain any remaining liquid and mash the potatoes with a potato masher until there are no visible lumps.
5. Add the milk and butter and continue to mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
6. Stir in seasonings, and beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon until all the seasonings are completely mixed in. (stir in cheese - optional)
7. Cover and serve warm.