Cold weather means meatloaf

I’m not usually a meatloaf person–it’s too dense, too meaty and frankly too “butch” for me.  However as the weather gets colder and colder, I’m looking for any excuse I can to turn on the oven and warm up our kitchen a bit.  With a new diet that focuses on more meat I have also come to the realization that I’m going to have to come at meat with more of an open mind.  Turkey Sage Meatloaf with Cranberry Mustard Glaze, a recipe my mother, Boulder’s self-proclaimed Vegetable Queen, gave me, then seemed like the ticket a few nights ago as I looked out the window to clouded skies and the threat of snow.  This was also a perfect way to use up the half-empty jar of plum-cranberry sauce left over from Thanksgiving.  I used hamburger for the recipe instead of turkey (I was a little tired of poultry) and loved the mellow frutier flavor that the plum-cranberry sauce added to the top of the meatloaf.  Next time, I think I’m actually going to make more sauce.

I was a little burnt out on being in the kitchen after I finished the meatloaf so I just sauteed some chard, garlic and red peppers as a side dish for the meatloaf.  With chard, I’ve learned that you can saute the stems as well.  Just cut them off, wash them and throw them in the pan with the peppers to cook for a few minutes before adding the chard leaves.

Here’s the meatloaf recipe:

2 medium eggs

1/2 medium onion

2 tsp. rubbed (not ground) sage

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 lb. ground turkey (both white and dark meat) or lean hamburger

1/2 cup canned whole cranberry sauce

2 tbs. stone ground or grainy mustard

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Spray a large (5″ x 8″) loaf pan with olive oil.

2.  Crack eggs into pan and beat lightly with a large fork.  Add diced onion, sage, oats, salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Break turkey or hamburger into small pieces, add to egg mixture and knead everything together with your hands.

3. Spread mixture across pan in an even thickness, then create a small trough at either end of loaf where excess grease can drain.

4.  Place on top rack of preheated oven and bake 30 to 45 minutes (I would start checking it at 25 or 30 minutes–I think I overcooked my loaf a bit)

5.  While meatloaf cooks, combine cranberry sauce, mustard and cardamom in a small mixing bowl and whisk together with a fork.  About 10 to 15 minutes before meatloaf is done baking, spread about half of sauce over the top of meatloaf, then continue baking as directed above.

6. Serve cooked meatloaf with remaining cranberry sauce on the side.

Advertisement