Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are two foods that are well established as ”comfort foods”. They are a delicious reminder of Sunday dinners with the family but, that doesn’t mean they have to always be made in their classic forms! Here is what’s for dinner at my house as well as their original classic versions for those that simply prefer it!
Chicken Spinach Meatloaf
SOURCE:https://www.naturesyoke.com/recipe/chicken-spinach-meatloaf/
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 2 lbs ground chicken
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Nature’s Yoke egg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except oil in a large bowl and mix together well.
- Grease a rimmed baking sheet with 1 T. oil. Turn mixture onto a baking sheet and shape it into a roughly 8X5 inch loaf.
- Drizzle with 1 T. oil and rub to coat loaf all over.
- Bake at 425 degrees F. for 45-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees F.
- Allow sitting 10 minutes before slicing.
In making this recipe I had to make a few adjustments to fit not only what I had on hand but also to fit our taste preference. First, I used fresh baby leaf spinach as opposed to frozen spinach. I omitted the nutmeg and milk, and I also used 3 or 4 cloves of garlic. One of my additions to this recipe is that I heated some olive oil in a skillet to pre-cook the spinach, garlic, fresh parsley, and onions down which then was mixed into the ground chicken, egg, and bread crumbs.
Classic Beef Meatloaf
https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/recipes/recipe/55558/classic-beef-meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds Ground Beef (93% lean or leaner)
- 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup ketchup, divided
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Combine Ground Beef, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, egg, Worcestershire, garlic, thyme, pepper, and salt in a large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape beef into 8 x 4-inch loaf on rack in an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.
- Place on the upper oven rack in a 350°F oven. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center, registers 160°F; brush with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup during the last 10 minutes, if desired. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices.
Smashed potatoes
SOURCE: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/smashed-potatoes/
Ingredients
- 2 pounds medium red potatoes (about 7), quartered
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup 2% milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Place potatoes and water to cover in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, until tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Drain; return to pan. Mash potatoes to desired consistency; stir in remaining ingredients.
In making this recipe I omitted the nutmeg and the sour cream. I added more garlic and about a stick of butter. I also used russet potatoes as they were what I had on hand.
Classic Mashed Potatoes
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/classic-mashed-potatoes-recipe-1923133
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes, and place them in a large pot of boiling salted water. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return them to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter is melted.
- Using a handheld mixer, break the potatoes up and at low speed slowly add the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add the sour cream, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and whisk to combine. Serve hot.
What to do if you have leftovers? Make breakfast!
I used a round cake pan, a half stick of butter shaved into thin slices, leftover mashed potatoes, leftover chicken meatloaf, and three eggs to make this breakfast. Start by placing half of the butter shavings evenly around the bottom of the cake pan. Top the butter with the remaining mashed potatoes until the pan is nearly full and pressed out evenly to the sides.
Break apart the remaining chicken meatloaf into chunks and pace sporadically on top of the potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste and add remaining butter shavings to the top. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the oven and carefully crack the eggs in between chinks of meatloaf, leaving the yolks intact. Bake until whites are no longer runny. Salt and pepper to taste, eat while warm and enjoy!
