Turkey Spinach Meatloaf

It's been over a month since I gave you something savory to enjoy.  Sorry about that....

Actually, I'm not sorry.  Sorry.

We eat a lot of ground turkey around here.  I rarely buy ground beef anymore.  Unless we're doing burgers, I substitute ground turkey in just about everything... tacos, stuffed peppers, pasta with meat sauce and meatloaf.  Some people don't like meatloaf and I can't figure out why.  Sure, it looks like dog food but that doesn't stop me from eating no bake cookies or that delicious, sweet cereal puppy chow stuff.

I happen to like meatloaf.  I think it has to do with the fact that I can put ketchup on it.  I have a genetic love for ketchup, it was unavoidable growing up in my house.  Every once in a while, particularly if my dad was out of town, we'd eat french fries for dinner.  We had a grand pappy (you know, the bigger version of the fry daddy) and us girls would fill it up to the brim and eat ketchup french fries for dinner.  It was amazing but it had little to do with the french fries.  It could have been tater tots or any other ketchup vehicle and we all would have been just as happy.

I also have distinct memories of eating breakfast potatoes at my grandparents house and getting scolded by my Granddad for putting ketchup on them because I was "ruinin' the taters".  Granddad didn't prescribe to the "potatoes are an excuse to eat ketchup" way of life.  CA doesn't get it either.  He puts mayonnaise on his french fries.  I think he thinks he's European.

That was quite a ketchup tangent....

This meatloaf is totally healthy for you.  Why?  Because it has lean ground turkey and spinach in it.  The spinach not only adds lots of vitamins but keeps the meatloaf nice and moist.  There is also a secret hiding in here... jelly.  Weird, right?  But it's not.  I almost always put jelly in my turkey meatloaf.  I don't put in enough that it really adds any flavor but it adds moisture and helps the loaf stay together better because the small amount of sugar helps create a crust.  It makes absolutely no difference what kind of jelly you put in... grape, strawberry, raspberry, apricot... whatever.  Actually, my favorite thing to put in turkey meatloaf is mango chutney.  It does the same thing as the jelly but it's spicy too.  I made up for the lack of spicy in this version by serving it with ketchup mixed with sriracha.  Winner!

Turkey Spinach Meatloaf
4 Servings

Ingredients
1 1/4 lb Ground Turkey
8 oz frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
1 Egg
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 T Jelly (I used Blackberry, but use whatever flavor you have/choose)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl (I find it easiest to use my hands).  Put the mixture into the loaf pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes, until cooked through.  Turn the oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes to brown the top.  Cut into quarters and serve... preferably with some type of ketchup concoction :)


Enjoy!
Julie