Saturday, April 7, 2012

Mini-Meatloaf: The kids will love it!



I found this Mini-Meatloaf idea on Pinterest and decided to try it out.  The original Pin had basic instructions, but I thought you could use a few more....you know, to make your first try be successful.  Above was my first try.  They tasted AMAZING...like always, but that's because I used my TnT (Tried 'n True) Amish Meatloaf recipe.  I'll share that a little later.  You're welcome.


Step 1: Prepare your favorite meatloaf recipe.

Step 2: Pack the muffin pan tightly with meat mixture.  If you fill it to the top, make sure you place a layer of tinfoil below the pan, or place it on a cookie sheet to catch grease drippings.  Mine didn't drip at all from the metal pan, but did slightly from my silicone muffin pans.  

Step 3: Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes. Make sure your drippings run clear.
Step 4: Add a bit of sauce on top and let it bake for 2-5 minutes extra.
Step 5: Add a medium size cookie-scoop of your favorite mashed potatoes on top.
Step 6: Devour! Then come back here and leave me a comment on how awesome I am.  :)


In my first try, I didn't pack the meat in very tightly.  I knew it would shrink up, but I was afraid of grease spilling out and possibly catching fire, or causing the Earth to blow up, or just having to deep clean my oven...something catastrophic like that.  
While some of the mini-meatloafs came out like full size flat-topped cupcakes, the others turned into scrumptious meatballs.  I ate them regardless.


Amish Meatloaf

3/4 cup Oatmeal (Use Gluten-Free Oats if needed)
1 cup Milk

2 lbs ground beef

2 eggs

1/2 medium onion (optional)
Salt & Pepper

Sauce:
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Ketchup
2 tsp Yellow Mustard
Several dashes of Worchestire sauce
(Combine all these ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil...stirring constantly.) 

Directions:  

Combine oatmeal & milk into a mixing bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and mix with hands or stand mixer until meat is well mixed and soft.  If you've ever eaten a meatloaf that tastes like someone just took the meat from the package and cooked it...this is why.  Always mix your meatloaf extremely well.  It makes it moist.  

::Follow directions above or put mixture into a loaf pan (bake loaf for 1 hour at 350*)::

Enjoy!!