"Ma the Meatloaf!" Meatloaf

It's October and the air is getting cooler, leaves are beginning to change ombréed with colors of brown to yellow. When the weather begins to change, I begin to crave comfort food. Meatloaf is a comfort food.

Admittedly the definition of meatloaf is not particularly appetizing. Meat seasoned, shaped into a loaf and baked doesn't make my mouth water. So many of us have meatloaf horror stories of overcooked, dry and gray masses of meat served to us by grandparents, diners and hairnet clad lunch ladies.

Meatloaf should be flavorful, moist and comforting not some gray lump on a plate you need gravy in order to stomach. This meatloaf doesn't need gravy! The secret to this meatloaf is in the preparation. Don't think by just chopping and not mincing the vegetables you'll reach the same results. Soaking the breadcrumbs is also key.


Recipe for "Ma the Meatloaf!" Meatloaf

Ingredients 
- 1 lb ground turkey (not turkey breast)
- 1 lb ground beef chuck
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups of homemade bread crumbs (I used roasted garlic bread. Yum!)
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 2 carrots
- 2 ribs of celery
- 1/2 white onion
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tblsp unsalted butter 
- 2 tbslp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbslp apple cider vinegar
- center cut bacon
- ketchup


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Prepare your mise en place
• chop onion, parsley, carrots and celery ribs
• tear bread into pieces and make breadcrumbs in a blender or food processor
3. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl with the whole milk and allow to soak
4. Place vegetables in a blender or food processor and chop to a fine mince
5. Sauté vegetables in butter on medium heat until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire and mix into vegetables off the heat
6. Add vegetables to breadcrumb and milk mixture
7. Mix beef, turkey and three eggs with vegetable-breadcrumb mixture with your hands
8. Shape into one large loaf and four smaller individual loaves. Top each loaf with ketchup and a criss-cross of bacon.
9. Bake the smaller loaves for 30-35 minutes.
10. Bake the larger loaf for 45 minutes to an hour

There are no photographs of these meatloaves because, in fact, they are gone. You'll know these meatloaves are done when they appear cooked, the bacon is crispy and the juices run clear. DO NOT OVERBAKE. You can always put the meatloaves back in the oven.