Mini Meatloaf Muffins

         Talk about a cute idea! I just absolutely LOVE this one! If, like me, you have a hard time sticking to a proper serving size when it comes to meatloaf, then this is the one for you. You will be using your muffin pan to bake the meatloaf in. One thing that I truly love about meatloaf is that you can sneak vegetables into it and no one’s the wiser.

I use grated carrots, finely chopped broccoli and cauliflower, and I have even pureed beans to use as part of the moisture. Strangely enough, my picky little ones did not realize it. They actually asked for seconds. What?! That never happens.

            When you use the muffin tins to make these, the kids will go nuts over them. You can decorate the plate somewhat to make them look even more awesome, by using a lettuce leaf, surrounded with chopped tomato. I mentioned moisture, the egg and ketchup are what usually keeps a meatloaf moist. The eggs do wonders, not everyone likes ketchup in the meatloaf, so this can be a stickler.

Try using a spoonful of ‘Better Than Bouillon’ and about ¼ cup water. This has worked miracles in my household. Half of my crew despises ketchup and the other half wants twice as much.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            Can I put these little muffin meatloaves into the freezer?

Allow the meat to cool completely, then place them into an airtight container or into freezer bags. They can sit in the freezer for up to 6 months.

            Can I double this recipe?

This is an ideal recipe to double. You can freeze half of the outcome for another time or use it for potluck dinners or big gatherings.

            Can I use barbecue Sauce instead of ketchup?

If barbecue is well liked in your family, go ahead and use it.

            Can I use different meat?

Absolutely! I mixed ground beef with ground pork, ground turkey mixed with ground chicken. Any meat you like can be ground up and either mixed with beef or used on its own. There is no mandatory ruling on ingredients. I used ground beef in this with the plan of getting kids to eat some vegetables without knowing that they are eating them. Besides this makes a perfect portion control for me!

What do you need to make Mini Meatloaf Muffins

            1 pound lean ground beef

            1 small onion, chopped small

            1 tsp salt

            Pepper to taste

            1 cup bread crumbs

            1 egg

            1 can condensed vegetable soup (I have used french onion in place of vegetable soup and it tasted fabulous!)

What do you need to make Mini Meatloaf Muffins

FIRST STEP:

Preheat the oven to 450*

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the hamburger and add in the chopped onion

a)

b)

SECOND STEP:

Combine well and add in the soup mix, bread crumbs, egg and salt and pepper.

a)

b)

c)

d)

Combine well.

THIRD STEP:

Using your hands, place about ¾ cup of meat mix into each muffin tin.

FOURTH STEP:

Bake at 450* for 15 minutes.

Serve with your choice of sides. Potatoes and vegetables, a dinner salad with macaroni and cheese, a pasta salad with a piece of crusty bread.

Enjoy!