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I don’t know if I can classify this as a win since I didn’t eat it, but it’s not entirely a fail since everyone else ate it without complaint.  When I first saw the recipe in my People magazine, I was really drawn to the idea of making stuff in a cupcake tin.  Mini meatloaves! In a cupcake tin! How cute!  Then I read the recipe and saw that it called for not only ground turkey (bleh), but also shredded broccoli coleslaw to be folded into the mix (insert head scratching).  Still, I hitched up my apron and decided that a true chef has to be willing to try new things.  Just because my palate hasn’t progressed past PB & J or a burger and fries doesn’t mean something good can’t come of this.

I assembled my ingredients, though there was a fleeting moment at the butcher counter where I almost caved and bough ground beef instead of ground turkey.  I whipped out my handy-dandy Pampered Chef Food chopper and it several satisfying whacks to get my broccoli slaw nice and fine.  I dumped everything into the mixing bowl and proceeded to thoroughly acquaint the turkey with the onion, ketchup, oats and spices.  Because I do love a kitchen gadget, I tried filling the cupcake wells with my cookie baller, but unfortunately, that didn’t work.  The baller is meant for cookies, not meatloaf mix, so I did it by hand. The recipe said you’ll end up with about 9 meatballs. Mine were pretty substantial, about lacrosse ball size, and I still ended up with 12.  I have to admit, the raw turkey, despite being colored by the ketchup and the confetti-esque nature of the broccoli slaw, was pretty unappealing. I was kicking myself not getting beef, even as I slathered the tops of each loaf with ketchup.   With all my prep done, I put the pan in the fridge and went about the rest of my day.

Let me tell you, there is a lot to be said for proper prior planning.  I can’t even begin to describe the whirlwind of activity that made up the rest of the daylight hours, but it was a sweet relief to just pre-heat the oven and throw that pan in there for 30 minutes.  I had some minute rice ready to go and while I did steam up some broccolini for a side, I almost didn’t seeing as there was a hefty amount of greens in the loaves themselves.

As it happens when I make dinner, by the time everything was ready — table set, drinks poured, napkins in the laps — turkey and veggie meatloaf minis were the absolute last thing I wanted to eat.  So, while the hubs and the girls tucked into dinner, I sat back and admired my handiwork.  Sure, the girls didn’t ask for seconds, but I didn’t have to say, “Co, eat your dinner. Co, eat your dinner. Co, eat your dinner,” for the duration of the meal.  As a matter of fact, after her first bite, her eyes widened, she flashed me a thumbs up and said, “Mmmf mf meemee gmmf” (This is really good).  As for Mo, she may have played with it a little bit, but it gotten eaten. She’s more of a rice and broccolini girl.  Even with the big reveal that I made dinner in a cupcake tin, it wasn’t enough to have them fill their bellies, pockets, or other hidey holes with extra dinner.

I think the allure of cooking in a cupcake tin is what is going to keep this recipe in my arsenal (after I sub out the turkey for beef and maybe replace broccoli slaw with chopped green pepper).  There are tons more recipes out there that you can make using non-traditional cooking elements.  I have done lasagna in the cupcake tin and I really want to do breakfast cups (toast, egg, bacon).

Mmmm. . .bacon. . .

Happy Friday, y’all!

Turkey and Veggie Meatloaf Minis

 (courtesy of Hungry Girl via Cooking Channel)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion
• 1 1/4 pounds raw lean ground turkey
• 3 cups bagged dry broccoli cole slaw, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons

DIRECTIONS