Rainy Day Meatloaf

It's a rainy, yucky mess here on the Outer Banks of NC. It's so bad even the dog looks at me like I'm nuts when I send him out to do his business. It's chilly, rainy, windy.....blech! I need comfort food, stat! Everyone has their own interpretation of comfort food, but you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have meatloaf on that list. Making anything is a challenge for me as I have a small problem and his name is.....The Hubby. Mr. Man has some serious texture/visual issues when it comes to food. I've stopped trying to make sense of it and have instead channeled that energy into either hiding certain ingredients in a recipe or coming up with new things that cater to his wackiness....errr.... "individual palate." (insert eye roll) Anywho, The Hubster likes meatloaf but doesn't like any of the usual additions because of the texture or the way it looks. That's where the old food processor comes in. Blitz it enough and you could add a '57 Buick to meatloaf and no one would know. Ok that might be stretching it. So, here's how I do mine.

Shelley's Meatloaf

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef

1 lb. Ground Chicken

1 lb. Ground Pork

2 Stalks Celery

1 Medium Onion

1 Green, Red or Yellow Pepper

1/4 C. Sun-dried Tomatoes or two Carrots

1/3 C. Milk

3/4 C. Bread Crumbs

1/3 C. Parmesan Cheese

3 Eggs, scrambled

1 1/2 tsp Pepper

2 tsps Salt

2 tsps Paprika

2 tsps Garlic Powder

2 tsps Onion Powder

1 tsp Thyme

1/4 C Parsley Flakes or Fresh, chopped

Topping:

1/2 C Ketchup

2 Tbsp Mustard

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

Using a food processor, mine is a mini one with veggies done in batches, process the celery, onion, pepper and tomatoes until a paste is made. 

If you don't have sun-dried tomatoes you can most definitely use 2 carrots. Either of these just add a little sweetness. In a large bowl, add your meats and your veggies. Scramble the eggs and milk together to help combine them. 

Add the egg/milk mixture and all the remaining ingredients to the meat.

Now, using an electric mixer or by hand, mix until well combined. 

Form into a loaf. You can either bake it at 350 degrees for about an hour or, as I've done here, you can place it in the crock pot and let it cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5.Depending on your preference you can add the ketchup mixture to the top during the last 15 minutes or if you're a gravy person you can certainly top it with that.

Sometimes I'll take the meatloaf out of the crock pot once it's done, placing it in a baking dish and top it with the ketchup mixture then pop it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, just to get some color on it. Enjoy!