Foggy days and Mondays always bring me down. I know; it’s supposed to be “rainy days,” but foggy days can be just as gloomy. My midwestern roots know exactly what to do, make a meatloaf. Meatloaf is one of those down-home classics that cures the blues and warms the soul. There are so many different ways to make this dish, but, in attempt to be somewhat healthy, I like to use ground turkey meat instead of the traditional ground beef. I use dark meat ground turkey not ground turkey breast. Ground turkey breast lacks enough fat to make a tasty meatloaf. Fat is not a 4-letter word, it’s a cooking necessity that adds flavor and keeps this meatloaf from drying out. Go to the dark side!

Turkey Meatloaf

Prep time 15-20 minutes, Cook time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1.25 pounds ground turkey (dark meat)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 of a green pepper, diced
• 2 medium-sized carrots, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 5 oz. crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup of ketchup
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add in onions, carrots, green pepper, and celery. Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In the mean time, combine eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Then, add in cooled veggie mixture. Next, fold in the ground turkey and mix (I just use my clean hands) to combine. Place meatloaf mixture in a greased(I use olive oil cooking spray, but good ole-fashioned butter works as well) 9-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the top of the meatloaf with a few grinds of salt and pepper.

Put your meatloaf in the pre-heated oven and cook for 45 minutes. Around the 40-minute mark, you’ll need to prep your sauce. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the ketchup, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. At the 45-minute, spread your sauce on top of the meatloaf and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, until the sauce is warm and slightly bubbly on the edges.

Let cool for 10 minutes so your meatloaf can settle and “loaf up.” Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and you have a plate of comfort.