Holidays and family gatherings; these are the things that meant so much to me growing up in Kentucky so many years ago. My mom would be in the kitchen cooking that famous Christmas Eve meal before "Santa" arrived. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are traditional southern cooking, but mom made it a different way. She places the meatloaf in a Tupperware mould to make a beautiful design on the meatloaf. The meatloaf looks like a Christmas wreath with mounds of snow white potatoes in the center. Thank God for Tupperware and Santa Claus!
Christmas music playing in all the homes and the smell of fresh Christmas Trees made us so excited. The smell of cooking delights everyone as they anticipate this holiday season. The traditional Christmas Eve meal is not meant to overstuff anyone, as you prepare for sleep. This meatloaf recipe is made with healthy sirloin and a few other ingredients to give it lots of flavor.
Those days have changed since my childhood, as we are now more health conscious. We are replacing the traditional white bread crumbs with whole wheat bread crumbs. It is very easy to make your own bread crumbs. Simply buy some whole wheat bread and place the cubed bread on a baking sheet and toast the bread cubes in the oven. After the bread is crunchy and toasted, place them all in a food processor and pulse the bread until you have your healthy bread crumbs. You can store the remainder in the freezer or on your shelf to use within a few weeks.
Ingredients for the Meatloaf
* 1.5 pounds of ground sirloin meat
* 1 onion chopped
* 1 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon of catsup
* 1/4 cup of tomato sauce
* Salt and pepper to taste
Method for Preparing the Meatloaf
1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add more bread crumbs as needed to make the meatloaf thick enough to hold together.
2. After making the meatloaf recipe, you simply press the mixture in a mold and then remove the mold of course as it is plastic. Use can use a Bundt pan like the one below.
3. Place the molded meatloaf on a greased flat pan and top with some more tomato sauce. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes to one hour.
4. After the meatloaf is cooked, you add a generous load of mashed potatoes in the center and then place strips of mozzarella cheese down the sides of the mashed potatoes.
5. Place the meatloaf dinner back in the oven and brown the tops of the potatoes and melt the cheese.
A meal that you will never forget and of course the leftovers are for Santa.
Please Note: The meatloaf will slide off the pan easier, if you use a flat cookie sheet or pizza pan.
The meatloaf is traditionally sliced like a pie and triangle pieces of the meatloaf and mashed potatoes is placed on each person's plate. Add a nice Waldorf salad and some fresh French-style green beans, and you have a meal fit for a king.
