Sage Turkey Meatloaf

Hurricane Irene had us indoors all day, cleaning and organizing and playing.  Blustery and wet, it was a day that called for a hearty meat-and-potatoes meal.  I recently recommended this recipe to a friend, so decided it was fate and had to make it for my family as well, since it has been a good year since I last made it.

However, I hesitate to blog on recipes for things as basic as meatloaf. Chances are, if you like meatloaf, you’ve already got a favorite recipe, handed down from your grandmother or your boyfriend’s mother.  It’s tried and true, and a reliable family pleaser, right?

But, in the spirit of sharing a family favorite, I decided to blog it anyway. Maybe meatloaf has fallen off your radar or perhaps you’ve never made it with turkey. It’s not exciting and it sure as heck could do with a name makeover, but it’s tasty and simple and satisfies when you’re looking for old-fashioned stick-to-your-ribs type of meal.

Plus, in the grand scheme of getting your kids excited about food and cooking, letting them muck it up in the kitchen is a great draw.  What’s better than getting up to your elbows in raw meat and egg? 🙂 Check out Georgia hand-mixing the meatloaf (in her nicest party dress, naturally).

You can use oregano or basil or thyme if you’re not a fan of sage. And, for simplicity’s sake, you could certainly just top it with commercial barbecue sauce instead of the topping described here.  It’s tough to mess this up 🙂

Sage Turkey Meatloaf
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
Serves 8

2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf sage, basil, or oregano, crushed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup ketchup
2  tablespoons packed brown sugar
1  teaspoon dry mustard

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk; stir in bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, sage, and pepper. Add ground turkey; mix well. Lightly pat mixture into 8x4x2-inch loaf pan.

2) Bake in oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees F. Spoon off fat. In a bowl combine ketchup, sugar, and mustard; spread over meat. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into eight slices.