Manfood

Let's face it- meatloaf has a bad reputation. We don't hate it, we don't love it and we all eat it. Every family needs a proper meatloaf recipe. I may be in the minority but looking back on childhood dinner plates, I was never excited when the blob of meat made it's way onto our menu. I didn't hate or gag it down bite by bite, but I don't remember ever once requesting that my mother make it for dinner. With that being said, aside from her meatloaf, my Grandma Vera's meatloaf was probably the only other meaty blob I would happily eat. I think it's one of those dishes that is only okay to eat when it comes from your family's kitchen. I do love my mom's meatloaf, it just seems to disappear from my radar. Poor meatloaf has always gotten the short end of the stick.

I have noticed, however, that meatloaf is popping up on menus in chic restaurants and higher end eating establishment. Comfort food has become trendy and well...since I'm all about the food trends, I decided to jump on board. I almost wouldn't feel American if The Moore house didn't have its own meatloaf recipe. Giada makes meatloaf! I think it's okay for me to make it, too.

After scouring recipes online, I found that there were three ingredients that were in almost all of them; ketchup, Worcestershire and breadcrumbs. With my own twist, I created a pretty tasty loaf. Dubbed by my BFF as Manfood, Mark was a happy camper and ate every last bite. I feel as though we have christened our kitchen by partaking in this classic American comfort food meal.

We have our very own meatloaf recipe.

Turkey Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground lean turkey

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion

1/4 red pepper, finely diced

1/4 green pepper, finely diced

1/4 yellow pepper, finely diced

1/2 orange pepper, finely diced

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped oregano

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a skillet. Saute garlic, onion and peppers for 3-5 minutes. Mix ground turkey in a large bowl with sauteed mixture, basil, oregano, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Let the meat sit in the refrigerator and soak in the flavors for about 30 minutes. Place the meat onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and form into a loaf. Top with crushed tomatoes and bake for 70-90 minutes.