Meatloaf {sorta} Just Like Mom Used To Make

I say SORTA because I took my Mom’s original recipe and made several changes – so many, in fact, that my version is but a distant cousin to hers. Maybe the title should be “Definitely NOT Mom’s Meatloaf!” The most significant change is that I use ground turkey instead of beef, and as such, the seasonings are different.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine:

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 package (1.25 lb) ground turkey
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup Cajun Power Garlic Sauce (or Heinz 57 Sauce if you can’t find it)
• 1/2 packet dry onion soup mix (or a full packet if you like, the turkey can use the salt)
• A few dashes seasoned salt
• Coupla dashes pepper
• Coupla dashes poultry seasoning, thyme, and/or herbes de provence (whatever tickles your fancy at the time)

And when I say “combine,” I mean squish and squeeze the ingredients together with your hand(s) – it’s fun! Form the mixture into a loaf in the middle of a glass baking dish, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

Combine 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can diced tomatoes, coupla dashes of worcestershire sauce, and a coupla dashes of poultry seasoning/thyme/HdP.  Pour the sauce over the meatloaf and return to the oven. Bake until cooked through, another 30-40 minutes.

I always like to serve the meatloaf with garlic/sour cream mashed potatoes, and in terms of timing, I start the potatoes (unpeeled and quartered) when I pour the sauce over the meatloaf, and they are boiled and mixed by the time the meatloaf is ready. I also love serving meatloaf and mashed potatoes together with cooked petite peas.