Mini Meatloaves and Grilled Asparagus

Meatloaf was a staple in my home.  I remember eating it often.  I think it was an inexpensive dish that could feed a family and the meat could be stretched with the added ingredients of oatmeal and veggies.

I am not complaining.  I really like meatloaf.  I feel that as cooks we have come a long way with this dish.  I have seen meatloaf draped in bacon, served on sandwiches and filled with all types of cheese.

Sounds good to me!

This recipe is pretty basic and simple though.  I kept it that way because I have kids that get tired of all the "fancy" foods we eat and this is a good peace offering…LOL

I think that you could easily change a few things and have an adult version in no time.  Some options would be to cover the top with BBQ sauce, you could add more herbs and you could use a sharper flavored cheese.  I prefer using blue cheese but my kids don't like that as much.

This is a quick meal, one that can be prepared the day before and even frozen for a later date.  ENJOY!

Recipe:  Mini Meatloaf's and Grilled Asparagus, makes 15 

2 lbs of meat ( You can use just hamburger or a combination of Pork/beef/veal)

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1/2 red onion, diced small

1 cup of oatmeal

1/2 can of diced red tomatoes

1/2 cup of ketchup

2 eggs

1 tsp. each of fresh Rosemary and Thyme

Mozzarella cheese sticks or the mini cheese balls

Ketchup for the top

Preheat your oven to 375.  You will need your cupcake pans.  A liner is not needed.

If you are using the cheese sticks, cut them into thirds and set aside.

Mix all of the ingredients until well combined.

I used a spoon and put the meat in my palm and shoved the cheese stick into the middle and then shaped it into a ball.  The little meatloaf's should stick up above the pan just a little.  They will shrink a bit when cooked.

Once you pan is filled, squirt some ketchup on top of each one.  I used a pastry brush to spread the ketchup around.

Bake the mini meatloaf's for 30 minutes.  Let them sit in the pan for a few minutes before removing them.  You want them to absorb the juices so that they are moist and not dry.

 For the grilled asparagus I used skewers to cook them on the BBQ.  I found this to be so much faster instead of turning each one individually.  Cook them for a few minutes on each side and then serve with butter or your favorite sauce.