I consider myself a good cook. I’m not usually very good at throwing things together, but I can read a recipe and follow it (thank you, mom). Once I have a recipe figured out, I start to experiment with different ingredients and making something new (thank you, dad). When we got married three years ago, one of the (many) cookbooks that I received was the ever popular Looneyspoons Collection. I made the ‘All You Need is Loaf” recipe a few times, and then changed a few ingredients here, added some there, and made it my own. I turned it into a turkey meatloaf and make it every few months (especially when I have company). It’s super simple, and Christopher says it’s the best thing I make, so I will likely continue to make it for years to come. I made it the other night, and thought I would share the steps with you today.
Ingredients.
- 1/2 kg ( approx. 1 lb.) of ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1-2 tbsp of basil, and other seasoning (like oregano, parsley, rosemary, etc)
- 1/4 cup of your favourite barbecue sauce as well as 2-3 tbsp of (honey) Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup of feta (or parmesan cheese)
- 1 cup of spinach (finely chopped)
- 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs or crushed croutons
- Start by preheating your oven at 350°F. Next take your ground turkey and mix it up in a big bowl (you’ll be putting everything in the bowl, so make sure it’s big enough). After you’ve mixed up your turkey, add one egg (already beaten) and mix it together.
2. Next you will need to add your breadcrumbs. I usually use Panko, but had forgotten that I ran out them the last time I made this and haven’t been to Costco to pick up more. I thankfully had some croutons in the pantry so I cut those up and added them in. Mix your breadcrumbs into the mixture well.
3. Now take your spinach and cut it up finely. Adding spinach is the perfect way to sneak some greens into your diet. The more finely you chop up the spinach leaves, the easier it will be to add more and make it blend in well.
4. Add your herbs. I am obsessed with basil, so I always go heavy on that. I would usually just add oregano as well, but I’m out at the moment, so I grabbed the pizza seasoning because it has a really good combination of oregano, basil (you can never have too much, right?), marjoram and gran garlic. Rosemary and parsley are also good ones to use.
5. I used to use parmesan (which is what the original recipe called for), but switched to feta during one of my experimentations. I just love feta, so I’ll take any excuse to use it. You can definitely tell the difference between feta and parmesan, but my husband who hates feta (remember, we have very little in common), rarely complains about this addition. I think all the other flavours in this recipe totally overpower the saltiness of the feta, so it’s not very noticeable. (ps. I cut up the feta on the same cutting board as the spinach, so that’s why there is green in there).
6. Add your sauces. You might remember that I love the combination of barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, so of course I have to use it in this recipe. Add as much or as little as you like (I actually never measure this step properly anymore). The sauces keep your meatloaf from drying out, so don’t be stingy!
7. Put your meat mixture into a greased pan (I use a coconut oil cooking spray). Add some extra sauce and cheese on top, then put it in the oven (which was heated to 350°F) for 45-50 minutes. Next, watch an episode of The Office, read a chapter in your latest read, and wait for the delicious smell to feel your kitchen.
8. Add some veggies for a side (we had steamed green beans) and enjoy, and let me know if you try it!
What is your favourite meal to cook? Do you have a speciality?
