Meatloaf

For many Americans, meatloaf is one of those iconic comfort foods. For years, my kids associated meatloaf with Sunday dinner, along with either baked or mashed potatoes, another side (usually green beans, peas, or corn), and dessert.

While it's been a while since I've fixed meatloaf, I still have good memories of those Sunday dinners.

So, in honor of those Sunday dinners, here are six yummy meatloaf recipes, including two Old-Fashioned Meatloaf recipes (one from VeryWellFit, the other from Paula Deen) and Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Enjoy!

MUSHROOM MEATLOAF

Yield: 8 servings

View online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/739.shtml

Source: Secrets of Good-Carb Low-Carb Living

Ingredients

1-1/2 pounds 95-percent-lean ground beef or ground turkey

2 cups very finely chopped fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup very finely chopped onion

3/4 cup quick-cooking (1-minute) oats

8-ounce can tomato sauce with roasted garlic or Italian herbs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free egg substitute

1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place all of the ingredients except for 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in a large bowl, and mix well.

Coat a 9-by-5-inch meatloaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and press the mixture into the pan to form a loaf.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Spread the remaining tomato sauce over the meatloaf and bake for 30 additional minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink inside and a meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees.

Remove the loaf from the oven, and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 160; Protein: 20 g; Fat: 4.4 g; Sodium: 399 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 1.6 g; Dietary Fiber: 1.7 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 3 Low-Fat Meat, 1 Vegetable

OLD-FASHIONED MEATLOAF

This is from VeryWellFit, and begins, “This lighter meatloaf recipe is similar to the one most of us enjoyed during our childhoods, but without all of the extra fat. Choose a lean ground beef or, better yet, ground turkey to cut down on the fat. And since you can't make meatloaf without breadcrumbs, why not replace the white, unrefined with whole wheat for added fiber? Also, using two egg whites in place of one whole egg will reduce the calories and fat while still helping to bind the mixture together.”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Total Time: 70 minutes; Servings: 8

This can be viewed online by clicking here.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground meat (85% to 90% lean, or ground turkey)

1 cup breadcrumbs (whole wheat)

1/4 cup onion (finely chopped or 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes)

2 cloves garlic (minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon sage

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup water (or low-fat milk)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients. Mix well, using your hands, but don't overmix because you will toughen the meat.

Turn mixture into a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for about 1 hour.

To be sure the meatloaf is done, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the center of the loaf. The temperature should register 155F when it is done.

About 10 to 15 minutes before you think the meatloaf will be done, you can cover it with barbecue sauce if you like.

International Meatloaf

If you are looking for a different kind of meatloaf, try kofta kebabs, a Middle Eastern grilled ground meat recipe. The spices in this meat mixture (traditionally lamb) are a delicious change of pace from the usual. If you don't have the time or inclination to place them on skewers, you can make them into oblong-oval shapes that look like sausages without the casings.

EASY HOMEMADE MEATLOAF

Servings: 6

View recipe: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/45.shtml

Ingredients

1 egg

2 tablespoons green pepper, chopped fine

2 cups lean ground round (15% fat or less)

1 teaspoon salt

2 slice bread, cubed fine

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 cup catsup

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/3 cup onion, chopped fine

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients well.

Form into a loaf.

Place in foil-lined 5x9 pan.

Bake until done (15-20 minutes).

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 258; Protein: 7 g; Fat: 15 g; Carbohydrates: 7.5 g; Exchanges: 1/2 Bread; 3 Lean-Meat; 1-1/2 Fat

OLD-FASHIONED MEAT LOAF

A.K.A. ‘BASIC’ MEAT LOAF

This is from Paula Deen on The Food Network website.

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy


To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix all meatloaf ingredients well and place in a baking dish. Shape into a loaf.

Topping:

Mix ingredients for topping and spread on loaf. Bake for 1 hour.

MEXICAN MEATLOAF

This comes from Stephanie Gallagher, who wrote for The Spruce Eats. Stephanie wrote, “This Mexican meatloaf recipe gets its zing from salsa and Mexican cheese blend. If you're a fan of make-ahead cooking. you can make this easy meatloaf recipe and freeze it, either before or after cooking.

“If you freeze it before cooking, shape the meatloaf and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put it in a zip-loc bag.“If freezing it after cooking, wrap the meatloaf tightly and store in an airtight container. Be sure to defrost the meatloaf overnight in the refrigerator before cooking or reheating.”

Note: Unfortunately, the old link that I had for this recipe no longer works. This is one of the many recipes that disappeared when About.com morphed into .dash (dot dash), and its many channels. If I ever run across a link to it, I'll post it, but I did want to post this yummy recipe and give credit to Stephanie for coming up with it.

Ingredients

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (cheddar and Monterey Jack)

3/4 cup tomato salsa, divided

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound ground pork

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine Panko, eggs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the salsa, mustard and meats.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape meat mixture into a loaf on the baking sheet.

Spread remaining 1/4 cup of salsa on top.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatloaf (as measured with a thermometer) reaches 155 degrees. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

TURKEY MEATLOAF WITH FETA AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

This is from Giada de Laurentiis on the Food Network show, Giada at Home.

Total: 1 hr 5 min; Prep: 15 min; Inactive: 5 min; Cook: 45 min; Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced, optional

2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons whole milk

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.