Super Yummy mini meatloaf

Super Yummy mini meatloaf

I love meat loaf and so does the family. So since it seems like I have to make more and more cause we are eating it up like little piggies. This cannot be good in the long run. So I decided to now make mini meat loafs (think more like large meatballs) Hopefully we can now portion control our meatloaf desires. Plus they are perfect size for school lunch boxes (bento). I pull out 2 for each person and freeze the rest. Kiddo says this is the best meatloaf ever, so I guess I did good.

I figured this recipe usually makes one nice sized loaf and upon dividing it up we all had two balls (hubby then went for a 3rd) and though we wanted to eat more we didnt and I had a bunch left over to freeze. THIS NEVER HAPPENS when I make a regular loaf. So we filled our plates with more veg and I was proud of how I was able to portion it out more healthy for dinner.

Ingredient list

half a large onion diced

3 TBL of pureed roasted peppers (a must have in your fridge or freezer, have made without but with it is just got a little more yum)

1 heaping tsp of minced garlic

1 cup GF stuffing mix (Udies)

1 lb of good ground beef

1 lb of ground pork ( have used chorizo in the past and it was FAB but too spicy for kiddo)

2 eggs

1 TBL Dijon mustard

1 TBL Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp+ Red hot sauce (wing sauce) more if you like more spicy/tangy

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme (or Italian seasoning is fine)

Basting sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar (brown sugar Splenda use half so 1/8 cup)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp wing sauce (also again more if you like)

(in a pinch I used store bought BBQ sauce and even used Splenda Brown sugar since my father is diabetic and it all worked great using my cooking method of basting it below)

Before you start loaf put all the basting sauce into a small pot and simmer to dissolve sugar, remove from heat.

1. sweat the onions in a pan with 1 TBL olive oil

2. add the puree peppers cook for a min or two then add garlic cook for another minute and remove from heat and set aside

3. in a large bowl add the two meats and mix well

4. add the cooled onion, pepper and garlic mix, egg and spices then mix

5 add the dry stuffing (Udies) mix all together til well blended

6. line your baking sheet with foil

turn on broiler

7. Using a ice cream scooper, scoop up mix and place on baking sheet, leaving a bit of space where you can just get your basing brush through. (I made 18 balls)

8. flatten out slightly and using a fork or fingers indent tops so you have places for sauce to go into nooks and crannies

now place in broiler for a min or so WATCH IT when it just starts to get a little brown take out of oven

Baste with sauce in a THIN layer and place back under broiler

WATCH for it just to bubble and brown a bit

REDUCE temp to 350

Baste again with a thin layer, do this every 10 min (2-3 more times)

cook 20 – 30 min ( I cooked 30)

ENJOY

Take out again and baste with a bit more sauce and

Momma Says: My must-have is the puree roasted peppers I buy mine freshly roasted down in Pueblo at a farm and then puree mine in a blender at home. I can some and have it in the fridge ready for use. I save the rest in baggies in the freezer flattened out so I can break off what I need also. This stuff is worth its weight in gold I recommend you make some for yourself I have added it to everything now it is so good.