Day 8, Recipe 7: Meatloaf Muffins

I realized today that in the 3 year span that I've been cooking, I've never even attempted to anything that could be classified as meatloaf. Truth be told, I'm terrified of the stuff. I hated it when I was a kid- next to liver, there was no family dinner I'd rather pass up. Maybe this is what caused me not to ever attempt it, but then I decided- we're not really a meatloaf generation. I don't think you can buy it premade, so that probably causes most urbanites to steer clear.
I don't know why, but I had a craving. Cravings lead to googling. And googling leads to deliciousness! Found this on a website that boasted it was a "toddler meal"...here's hoping my boyfriend isn't as fussy as a two year old!

2 T          extra virgin olive oil
1              medium onion, chopped finely
3 cloves    garlic, minced
1-1 1/2 lb  ground turkey
1 carrot     shredded
1 C           fresh spinach, chopped finely
3/4 C        bread crumbs
1/4 C        parmesan cheese
1 egg        lightly beaten
1 t            salt
1 t            pepper
1 T          worstershire sauce
1/2          fresh green pepper- finely chopped
1/2 C       white mushrooms, finely chopped

Sauce:
1/2 C      salsa
1/2 C      ketchup
3 T         brown sugar
1 T         mustard
1 C         cheese, shredded

In a bowl, combine all sauce ingredients except for cheese and set aside.
In a skillet, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic until fragrant and onion is translucent.
In a large bowl, mix turkey, carrot, spinach, bread crumbs, cheese, egg, salt, pepper, green pepper, mushrooms and worstershire sauce until all the mixture is coated.
Cover bowl with cling wrap and place into the fridge for 30 minutes to help mixture bond together.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a coat of cooking spray onto a muffin tin. Fill each muffin tin to the top and lightly pat down. Spoon sauce mixture over top.
Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle each little loaf with cheese; return to oven and bake additional 5 minutes.

These freeze really well, just leave the cheese off & be sure to store in a container deep enough that the topping doesn't rub off : ) They turned out really well, and weren't dry at all! The original recipe called for a pound each of ground turkey AND ground beef which just seemed like way too much meat for my liking. I opted to use the ground turkey the make this dish a little lighter. Using the muffin tin is a great way to help with portion control too! They were so cute and tasty, I think I've gotten over my hatred for meatloaf- yay!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★/ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
5 out of 5 for yum factor-seriously