Ma! Meatloaf!

Meat happens to be one of my least favorite things to eat. However, I LOVE meatloaf. There is just something about it that is so homey and rustic. Up until yesterday I had never made a meatloaf of my own. I have eaten many a meatloaf, criticizing and picking through saying "I could make this better." So naturally yesterday when I was trying to pick a recipe to try, mixed with the fact that we had meat already thawed and ready to be made into a meatloaf, the choice seemed pretty obvious. I watch the food network pretty religiously and recipes could be likened to my choice of pornography therefore I've collected quite a few recipe that I'm sure I'll eventually use someday. However, I have only ever been interested in one meatloaf recipe I have found. One day while half watching the television series "The Next Food Network Star" I briefly heard one of the judges compliment a contestant named Mary Beth and say that she would always use buttermilk in her meatloaf from then on. After I heard that I knew I needed that recipe.

Unfortunately sometimes when you are cooking you don't always have the ingredients listed in your recipe. Don't be afraid to substitute! Last night as I made this recipe, I realized I didn't have everything I needed and the grocery store definitely wasn't calling my name. I decided I would make do with what I had and my meatloaf turned out better than I could have ever expected. I'll give you Mary Beth's recipe but I'll put in parentheses what I used as well. Never be afraid to experiment!

Meatloaf (source Mary Beth Albright)
Makes 12 Cupcakes

For the Glaze
1 cup ketchup or (1 small can tomato sauce)
1 cup barbeque sauce or (2 parts barbeque sauce and 1 part sriracha) 
1/2 cup brown sugar

For the meatloaf
1/3 cup panko crumbs or (1/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes)
1 cup whole fat buttermilk or (1 cup milk- any percentage you like but preferably 2% or above and either 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice or 3 Tablespoons vinegar. Either of those mixed with your milk makes buttermilk)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 Cup small diced onion
1/4 cup chopped parsley (I did not use this because we didn't have any instead I added green bell pepper)
1/3 cup chopped basil
2 Tablespoons tomato paste (I used tomato sauce. After taking out the 2T I used the rest for the glaze so you don't waste opening more than one can)
1/2 pound ground beef (85/15)
1/2 pound ground pork ( I used 2 pounds of ground beef instead of 1/2 a pound of each. It makes a denser loaf)
1 Cup grated parmesan cheese (I used Feta)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 425º. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (try not to brown). Add parsley, (green bell pepper), basil, and tomato paste or sauce and cook for about a minute. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl combine panko or potato flakes with buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes. Then in a large bowl, place beef, pork, cheese, salt, pepper, your onion mixture and your panko or potato flake mixture. Mix with hands until well combined.

Now here is where I deviated from the recipe. I didn't want to make a loaf so instead I make meatloaf cupcakes. I used cupcake papers to line my cupcake pan but with the amount of liquid and fat in meat you don't have to use anything. You can just place your "meatballs" directly into your cupcake pan if you aren't interested in the look of a real cupcake. However if you do use a liner I recommend using an aluminum one instead of paper so it wont soak through.

Make individual balls of meat and add to your cupcake pan, they should be about level with the top of the pan. If you have excess you can make more. I just added my excess meat to each slot to make them a little bigger. Put your pan in the oven for 30 minutes. Now baking time will always be different based on individual ovens. Mine were perfectly done at 30. To check if your meat is done you can cut one open while still in the oven and it shouldn't be pink on the inside. It should also be considerably shrunken.

While your meatloaf is baking prepare  your potatoes. I actually used a box of instant red potatoes and added butter and milk for a creamier consistency and salt and pepper to taste. It took all of 10 minutes, I love that!

You can also mix your glaze while you wait. Very simple just add all the ingredients in a bowl and stir! When your meatloaf is done baking take the pan out and spoon your glaze over the top of each ball. Replace in the oven for 5 minutes. When your meatloaf comes out, put a scoop of mashed potatoes on top of each and sprinkle cheese (optional) over the top and stick back in the over for 5 minutes or until your cheese gets kind of melty.

Et Voila!! You have meatloaf cupcakes!

Please let me know if you try this and how it turns out! Also, If you know what movie the title of this blog came from you get a high five from me!


Beaucoup d'amour, de rire souvent, et bien mange
xoxo,
Susan