Day 165!
only 201 left to go....
ack!
In honor of Retro Week, I finally made meatloaf last night in the crockpot. If you google meatloaf in crockpot or crockpot meatloaf you will get a bazillion different ways to make meatloaf in the crock. I got overwhelmed reading them, and decided to make it the way that I always make meatloaf: throw in what I feel like at the time and hope for the best.
The very first time I made meatloaf kind of traumatized me, so I don't make it very often.
We were living in a 2-bedroom apartment with shag-green carpet, and the kitchen was teeny-tiny. My eldest was a newborn, maybe only 6 to 8 weeks of age, and the kid DID. NOT. SLEEP. like at all.
I hadn't gone back to any sort of work yet, and had regained some energy, so I decided to pop her into the sling and walk to the store, hoping she'd fall asleep on the way. She did. I called Adam and told him I'd make whatever he wanted for dinner. He picked meatloaf. Okay, then, meatloaf it was. I gathered the ingredients I thought I would need, and remembered to sway and jostle properly, so the baby wouldn't awaken. I somehow managed to get home the mile walk from the store, with a bag in each hand without waking the baby.
I was ecstatic.
I unloaded everything--except the baby. There was no way that I was going to disturb her sleep for anything.
I remember flipping on the stereo, and opening the front door and the windows to get a bit of air into the stuffy apartment while I got to work on the meatloaf. I had no idea what I was doing, but started cramming different shredded vegetables, breadcrumbs and pasta sauce into a bread pan.
I cracked an egg, and heard a bellow from the open front door, "UPS!"
I screamed, and dropped the egg.
Into the sling, and onto my newborn's head.
She was covered in raw egg.
And she woke up.
And we both cried.
I didn't make another meatloaf for four years.
BUT! I made one yesterday. For you people. ;-)
The Ingredients.
This is what I did. You can use your favorite secret family recipe.
--1 lb lean ground turkey
--1/2 lb lean ground beef
--1 chopped red bell pepper
--1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
--1 14.5 oz can of tomatoes with Italian seasoning (the whole can, juice too!)
--1 T A-1 sauce
--packet of onion soup mix
--1 egg
--1/4 cup (or so) of ketchup
The Directions.
--in a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the ketchup and mix. I always use my hands, because that's what my mom does. Remember where you put your rings!
--squirt the ketchup all over the top.
You can put the entire meat mixture directly into your crockpot, or you can put it into a heat-resistant dish inserted into your crock. It is your choice. I used my 6qt Smart Pot, and put a loaf pan into it. What I like about using the loaf pan is that the fat kind of bubbles up and out over the top of the pan and then collects in the crock.I wish I had one of those insert things that goes in the loaf pan for meatloaf with the little holes so the fat can drain. But I don't.
If your crock is only 4 qts, just plop the meat into the crock. You can suck away some of the fat that collects on the top with paper towels a few hours into cooking time if it grosses you out.
Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8. The meat is done when it is brown and fully cooked when you cut into it.
Let the meat sit for about 30 minutes before you slice and serve.
The Verdict.
I didn't let my meat sit long enough and it fell apart. It was kind of like meatloaf hash. It tasted wonderful, but I was bummed that it didn't slice the way that I knew it could if I hadn't rushed the process.
My parents came for dinner and liked it, and took home some leftovers. They fed the kids while Adam and I went for a run, and the kids ate it for them. I think grandma and grandpa should come over for dinner more often---the kids eat MUCH better for them.
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