My Meatloaf

Last night, I found this recipe jotted in my notebook in an entry from over a year ago. It reminded me that it was so tasty. I want to record the recipe for posterity.

1# 85/15 ground beef

½ - 1 carrot

small handful of button mushrooms

1 clove garlic

½ chipotle pepper and some sauce

2 green onions. Use the white and green parts, people. I even include the little roots in this.

a few parsley stems, including leaves

1 egg

breadcrumbs, or some other carby crumbs

Cowboy Ketchup. This product has been discontinued, so supplies are very limited. If you can’t find it, use ketchup mixed with salsa and a little extra smoked paprika or chipotle.

smoked paprika

cumin

salt and pepper

1 - 2 tablespoons cheddar or similar cheese, cut in to small cubes

water

Preheat oven to 350°

In a small food processor, finely chop the carrot, mushrooms, garlic, green onions and parsley stems.

In a bowl, combine these chopped veggies with the other ingredients (except for the water) until well mixed.  Go ahead, taste for seasonings. Correct as you like them.

Loosely form into a loaf shape on a baking sheet. Bake until cooked through. I would guess this takes 30 – 40 minutes. Midway through baking, top with more Cowboy Ketchup (or what ever ketchup-type product you are using) diluted with a bit of water to make it more pourable. It will reduce in the heat of the oven, so this ensures that the texture will still be nice.

Allow loaf to rest for a few minutes before serving. I prefer to lift it onto another plate before slicing, so the slices don’t soak up all of the fat that has cooked out of the meat. The little bits of cheese make it extra delicious!

-Elena