Meatloaf Burgers

I picked out this recipe because Publix had their French Hamburger Buns on sale this week. I knew it was the perfect time for burgers because I have lots of ground beef in the freezer. But I didn't want regular burgers. How about some Meatloaf Burgers? I found the perfect recipe. I would normally cook burgers on the grill, but I felt to have the true meatloaf taste these needed to be baked in the oven. I loved the way they turned out. Very moist and lots of flavor. Ella wasn't interested in trying any, but Clay enjoyed them. I served his with Ore Ida fries and mine with roasted cauliflower. Yummy night for dinner in my house!

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 onion, grated or minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons ketchup
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
hamburger buns

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix beef, onion, parsley, breadcrumbs, parmesan, egg, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire and salt and pepper. Mix just until combined with your hands. Do not overmix.

Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a 4-inch patty. Place on prepared baking sheet. Transfer to oven; bake until cooked through, about 14 minutes, flipping if necessary. (I cooked mine on a rack in a baking pan to help some of the fat and juices drip away from the patty.)

Serve dressed with cheese, lettuce and onions on a hamburger bun.

**Haha...you can tell that I didn't use the buns that were on sale at Publix. I just checked out the ad, and those are tiny! I bought mine at Sam's ($1.78/8-pk) when I returned some formula for Emme. When you get to know your price points, its easier to see a deal and pick something up when you see it. I knew that the buns at Publix were 2-something so I grabbed the one's at Sam's while I was there.



Enjoy!



(adapted from Everyday Food)

Bacon Cheeseburger Calzones

I don't know if I'm just tired, but I just can't think of an intro for this! This was good, but not fabulous. I enjoyed the Italian Sausage Calzones better. The recipe was pretty basic, so you could use additional ingredients to jazz it up a bit. My husband enjoyed it though. He just likes meat and cheese, so that's how I fixed it. Once I had my piece plated, I added mustard and pickle relish. Now, it really tastes like a cheeseburger! Play around with it, and come up with a version that your family enjoys. And if you haven't already, check out the other calzone recipe too. Yummy!



2 tubes pizza crust (I used thin crust)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
4 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 cup shredded cheese
ketchup
mustard (optional)
pickle relish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef and onion. Drain off excess fat. In a separate skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain and combine with the beef mixture. Add the Worcestershire sauce and cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Roll out one dough and top one half with half of the meat mixture. Top with additional shredded cheese if desired. Squeeze ketchup over the top (no more than 1/4 cup per calzone) Fold over to seal. Crimp edges with your fingers and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with other dough. This could be done carefully on the baking sheet so that the calzones don't have to be transferred (that's what I did).

Cut a slit in each calzone to vent. Brush with olive oil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.



Enjoy!


(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)

Bacon Sloppy Joes

BI must admit that Sloppy Joes are usually made with Manwich at my house! This is almost as easy, and much more tasty! I used ground turkey instead of beef and added a bunch of fresh veggies. The bacon gives it great flavor. I did use the bacon drippings to cook the veggies, but you could certainly cook the bacon in the microwave and saute the veggies in olive oil. Its a little healthier that way! Publix had Smithfield Bacon B1G1 this week ($.55/1 coupon). This is a great way to sneak veggies in for your kids too. Husband in my case! Add some carrots and green peppers if that's what you have in the fridge. This was really good and I will be making this one again!



4 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-1/2 lbs. ground turkey (mine was 1.3 lbs)
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 hamburger buns, toasted


In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Take out to drain on a paper towel. Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of drippings. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic to the 1 tablespoon bacon drippings and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Push to the side of the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up larger pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about another 7 minutes. Drain off any excess juice or fat with a baster bulb. Stir in ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve on the toasted buns (I like to add yellow mustard and sliced cheese).



Enjoy!



(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)

Turkey Mini Meat Loaves

Ground turkey has slowly started to make its way into my house. I started using it mixed 1/2 and 1/2 with ground beef in spaghetti and taco salads. You really couldn't even tell the difference. Leave it to my niece Hannah to ask why some of the meat wasn't turning brown! The turkey does look a little different. It doesn't brown like beef does. But, it is better for you and is a lot more readily available than it used to be. And when you can catch it on sale, like this week at Publix, its even cheaper than the ground beef. I was definitely pleasantly surprised with how well this turned out. My husband really enjoyed it as well. If you haven't tried ground turkey yet, this is one way to start. The meat stays moist with the egg, breadcrumbs, and ketchup mixed in. And the Worcestershire sauce gives it a slightly beef-y flavor. And of course, nothing is complete in my house without a little cheese. I used a 50% reduced fat white cheddar and it was delish! I rounded out the fast, easy meal with boxed mashed potatoes and canned green beans...a real rarity in my house! I made homemade mashed potatoes last night...why, oh why, did I throw them out?!



1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon olive oil
6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb. ground turkey (or ground turkey breast)
1 large egg, whisk slightly
4 tablespoons ketchup (plus more for topping)
Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or reduced-fat cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion and saute 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Combine onion and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Spray 12 muffin cups or 6 mini loaves (I have an 8-loaf mini loaf pan that looks like a muffin pan) and divide the mixture evenly. Brush tops with extra ketchup. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (depending on which pan you use) or until thermometer registers 165 degrees. Top with the shredded cheese the last 5 minutes of baking.


Enjoy!


(adapted from Cooking Light- April 2007)

Cheeseburger Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

I had never made meatloaf until a couple of years ago. Never eaten it, in fact! Crazy, I know. The only recipe I have used is the one from a Betty Crocker cookbook. When I saw this I knew I had to try it because my Ella LOVES cheeseburgers. Publix and Winn Dixie had good prices on ground beef. Publix had pickles B1G1 and Idaho potatoes for $.49 lb. I was really impressed with this one. It had a moist consistency. I made it into two smaller loaves and baked it in stoneware. I ended up cooking it almost 30 minutes more than the recipe calls for, so check yours often. It really does taste like a cheeseburger! I will be making this one again.


2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (I omitted this)
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sweet relish, drained of liquid
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 lbs. new red potatoes (I used Idaho)
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used 1% milk + 2 T butter)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese, and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4- by 12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chunks and place them in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the milk or cream.

Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.


Enjoy!


(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)


**I left my camera at work last night. I am going to try to get a picture tonight and post it later on!!

**Taking pictures of leftovers just isn't the same. So, I'm not going to post a picture. Click on the link to the original recipe to see a picture. It is delicious! Make your own and see for yourself.