I remember when my mom would say we were having meat loaf for dinner, I’d frown and be disappointed, yet I’d eat it like I was supposed to.  When I think about it though, other than hamburgers, I wasn’t really a big beef person.  I’d much rather have chicken, ham, or pasta than a steak on any given day.  I haven’t eaten beef in about twenty years so I’m pretty used to substituting ground turkey in recipes.  This recipe for Cheesy Turkey Meat Loaf is slightly adapted from the original recipe which called for ground sirloin and is made into individual portions.  Ground turkey has a tendency to become dry so I was a little worried that straight up using it in place of the sirloin wouldn’t be enough to save this meat loaf from heading to dry city.  Boy, was I wrong!  This meat loaf was so moist, juicy, and flavorful that I couldn’t stop eating it!  I added smoked paprika (one of my favorite new spices) to the ketchup on top of the meat loaf and I’m so glad I did.  Instead of cubed cheese, I used shredded cheese because it was what I had on hand but I didn’t really notice it much, not that it mattered.  This meat loaf is loaded with flavor and this recipe is a keeper.

The ingredients:

In a pan coated with cooking spray, cook onion and garlic until soft.

Add cooked onions and garlic to a bowl with ground turkey and all other ingredients except for half of the ketchup.  Mix ingredients together with your hands, careful not to overmix.

Place turkey mixture into a loaf pan or shape into individual loaves as per the recipe.  Pour remaining ketchup (mixed with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika if you like) over the turkey.

Bake in a 425°F oven until a meat thermometer reads 165° or 170° (about 45 minutes).

Additions: 

• Smoked paprika

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

• 93% Lean ground turkey
• Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• Panko for fresh bread crumbs

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine