Why a “Medley?” This medley is a jumbled assortment of the usual ingredients plus some surprises that let you get a serving of veggies with each slice. I am a firm believer in using leftovers creatively, so bear with me on this one. Part one was a vegetable strata served at a holiday meal. Part two was the leftover strata begging to be used creatively. Enter the ground meats…voila! Marvelous Meatloaf Medley! It was a hit, and leftovers cut into chunks made a stealthy addition to a pot of sauce and meatballs too. Use your imagination to add your favorite leftover veggies to meatloaf to give it a healthier feel. I did not include precise amounts of ingredients, because making meatloaf or meatballs is a matter of feel; if it is too dry, add more milk. Too wet, add more breadcrumbs. When I made this meatloaf, there was no way to tell that half of the substance was vegetable. It tasted like regular meatballs and meatloaf. Fortunately, it had more fiber, vitamins and minerals than your average roadhouse offering!
COMPATIBLE WITH: #gluten-free
INGREDIENTS
1 package of beef, pork, and veal for meatloaf (available at Shoprite packaged this way).
2 eggs
breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free)
milk (dairy or non-dairy)
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional
salt and pepper to taste (I do not add salt if adding the grated cheese, which has a lot of sodium; bread is high in sodium too)
cooked vegetables of choice (I used leftover vegetable strata, made with spaghetti squash, parsley and thyme (bound together with egg), roasted red peppers, and steamed green leafy vegetables, i.e., spinach, chard, and kale, layered into a baking dish, and baked in the oven).
beef, pork, and veal meatloaf mix, and two eggs: the start of a Marvelous Meatloaf Medley!
vegetable strata, made with steamed spaghetti squash, pureed steamed greens, and roasted red peppers. Used as an enhancement to Marvelous Meatloaf Medley.
PREPARATION:
I like to do this with heavy rubber gloves, as it makes clean-up easier and I can take them off quickly if my hands are needed elsewhere. I wash my hands with the gloves on to clean them first, and again when finished with getting the meat into the pan.
One small package of the meat mix makes a large meatloaf and a dozen meatballs, when mixed with cooked vegetables, breadcrumbs, eggs and milk.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients by hand until combined. Form into a meatloaf and/or meatballs. With the outstretched hand acting as a knife, cut deep swaths into the loaf so that the middle will cook evenly compared to the outside. Top with marinara sauce if desired. Bake meatloaf in the oven for about an hour at 350 degrees F, or until completely cooked through. Serve hot with vegetables, or cold in a sandwich. Bake meatballs for about half an hour, then soak in a crock pot or on the stove top with tomato sauce. You can cut up leftover meatloaf into meatball-sized chunks and add them to your meatballs in the sauce.
Doctor Jean 