Comfort Food - Meatloaf

Comfort foods....we all love them. I think about Cracker Barrell when I think of comfort foods...chicken-n-dumplins, hashbrown casserole, breakfast foods, roast beef and meat loaf.

Meatloaf is a love it or hate it item. I really like meatloaf, just not very often. And its certainly NOT a healthy option with 2-3 lbs of ground round, eggs, breadcrumbs, ketchup and other sinful things. 

MANY years ago (I think on round #1 with WW), I found this recipe for meatloaf and instantly fell in love. I've made it countless times over the years, but NEVER have I made it the way I made them Saturday night. I made Meatloaf Muffins.  As far as portion control, this couldn't be more perfect. Each "muffin" is 4 pts. (as opposed to making it in a loaf shape - 8 slices- each slice is 5 pts and tend to fall apart easily).

Manhandler Meatloaf

Approx. 20-30 minute prep time.

Recipe makes 2 Loaves - 8 servings per loaf

Or 22 Meatloaf Muffins- 4 pts per muffin

SERVING SIZE:  4 oz serving (8 slices per loaf) or 1 muffin

POINTS:  5 pts per slice (or 4 pts per muffin)

 

Ingredients

1 (6 oz) box pork-flavored Stove Top stuffing mix
1 (8 oz) carton egg substitute - (Egg Beaters)
1 cup mild thick n' chunky salsa
1/2 cup honey barbeque sauce
1 (14 oz) pkg fat-free smoked sausage
2 lbs lean ground beef (I use ground venison - my hubby is a deer hunter and I have a freezer full)

 

Glaze

1/4 cup grape jelly
1/2 cup honey barbeque sauce
2 tbsp salsa

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

With a blender or food processor, grind up the  stuffing mix bread crumbs into fine bread crumbs.  

In a large bowl, combine  egg substitute, salsa, BBQ sauce, bread crumbs, and seasoning packet from stuffing mix.  Stir well until combined.  

Cut sausage lengths into 1 inch pieces  and grind in blender.  Combine ground sausage, ground meat with the bread crumb mixture.  Use your hands.  

This makes TWO (2) meatloaves.  (or 22 muffins)

Bake meatloaf in oven for 50 minutes (freeze the other one to bake later)...then spread on glaze and bake another 10 minutes.

 

OR

 

Fill 11 of the 12 muffin spots in a muffin tin with the meatloaf mixture. Using your finger or thumb, put a small indent in the top of each one. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and using a paper towel, soak up the "liquid fat" on top of each muffin. Add about a spoonful of glaze on the top of each muffin and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Let cool. Serve.

 

 

 

 

I made 22 muffins. 12 of the muffins I let completely cool and then I wrapped them INDIVIDUALLY and froze them. I can grab one out of the freezer- microwave for 1-2 minutes and have a yummy homemade meatloaf for lunch some day! Or dinner in a pinch!

 

I served our meatloaf muffins with a sweet potato, broccoli and fruit salad. The entire meal for me, with 2 meatloaf muffins was around 11 points, as my sweet potato was small...but still 3 points! I had the points to use, so it was okay. And a very good, comfort food dinner! (FYI- my kids and husband all had a "white" baked potato with theirs).