# Mini Meat Loaves



## Maelinde (Apr 15, 2015)

Randy loves it when I make these.  Except he calls this recipe by a different name that makes me crazy:  Meat Muffins.    Really!?  Guys, please tell me that Randy is wrong.  I prefer Mini Meat Loaves.  Who's right?  I know, loaded question.


I'll be making these when my brother Joe is visiting, as it is one of his faves, too.  He also calls them Meat Muffins.  I think he does that to annoy Big Sis.  He's very good at that - and we're both in our mid-40's... 


I like to serve the Mini Meat Loaves with any variety of pasta, and I'll often combine ground meats to achieve a wonderful taste.  My favorite is to use half ground turkey and half ground beef.  You could use any ground meat you enjoy.  Just remember if you use Bison to add more fat.


I don't have any pictures, as these disappear so fast after they're put on the table.  On the rare event we have leftovers, Randy likes to slice the "muffin" in half and make sandwiches and use any leftover pasta sauce to make an open faced sandwich.





 [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]Mini Meat Loaves[/FONT]   [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]
Serving: Serves: 3[/FONT]




 [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]*INGREDIENTS:*[/FONT]   [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    3/4 pound ground turkey breast, ground beef, or ground meat of your choice[/FONT]
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    1 small onion, finely chopped [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided[/FONT]
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce, divided [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    1 egg [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]    2 tablespoons Italian-flavored bread crumbs[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]*DIRECTIONS:*[/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a 6-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, onion, 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup spaghetti sauce, the egg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning; mix well. Divide the mixture equally among the muffin cups. [/FONT] 
  [FONT=Arial, sans-serif]3. Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until no pink remains in the meat. Serve immediately[/FONT]


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## Andy M. (Apr 15, 2015)

Maybe if you didn't bake them in a muffin tin, you'd have a chance eliminating the muffin reference.  You could use mini loaf pans.


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## Maelinde (Apr 15, 2015)

Oh, Andy, I've certainly tried to use another tin.  Randy will only eat the meat loves if they're cooked in a muffin tin so that he could use that infernal name.

Every year on his birthday he absolutely *has* to have them.  All of our male friends ask for them when coming over for dinner parties.  They all know that the name annoys me, and they delight in asking for it.  

It has become a "thing" now.  I did see some mini loaf tins at the local Kroger last month and slipped them into the cart while Randy wasn't looking.  He caught me and took them out.  I will always call them "Mini Meatloaves" though.


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## Whiskadoodle (Apr 15, 2015)

If I were to say I'm with Randy,  I can already feel that imaginary kick in the shins under the table.  Then I would have to look across the table and say What did I say?   Since I didn't actually say anything,  I will admit I might have thought it though,  No kicks please.    I will say I always call them  Individual Meatloaves.    If I heard the term Mini Meatloaves, it  makes  me think of Mini Cupcake pans,  and then they would be bite size and you might as well make meatballs and skip having to scrub a baking pan altogether.    Now there's  a time saver.  

I think the Only reason to  make meatloaf is so there are Leftovers for Meat Loaf Sandwiches.  If you can make more by making Mini Meatloaves,  well, sweeeet!

 I like to serve meat loaf hot for dinner with Baked 'taters.  There's all that extra shelf space in the oven.  I know a lot of people like to serve ML with Mashed.  Never understood that, ML doesn't really produce good gravy, or I dont' make it good.   And if you serve mashed taters, then you need to serve Corn alongside to mix a little on your fork.  And I like to serve Green Beans with my meatloaf, so mashed screws up my menu preference.  

I bake my meatloaf in a round pie pan,  easier to scrub out with no Corners like a bread pan size.  (Can you tell I don't like washing dishes?)    They sell tin foil individual meat loaf/ mini bread pans at the grocers.  Along side, they also sell little pans to make twice baked potatoes.  I never understood that, but then,  they will try to sell you anything and I always thought that is what the potato shells are for.   However,  you could use those  and then you would have a more Oval shape and Randy couldn't name those and they really would be mini meatloaves.


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## Andy M. (Apr 15, 2015)

If you really hate the term.  Stop making them until everyone promises to stop calling the muffins.  If it's just a fun tease, embrace it and start calling them meatloaf cupcakes and serve them frosted with mashed potatoes.

If they see you are not bothered by the name, they'll back off because that takes the fun out of teasing you.


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## Cooking Goddess (Apr 15, 2015)

I use a Nordic Ware bundt pan similar to this one that makes 6 mini loaves. I use twice the meat that you do, and freeze two or four of the six mini meatloaves for other meals. Himself has never thought to call them muffins.  If he did, I would use the Andy Plan below.  




Andy M. said:


> If you really hate the term.  Stop making them until everyone promises to stop calling the muffins...


 Threatening works!


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## taxlady (Apr 16, 2015)

Andy M. said:


> If you really hate the term.  Stop making them until everyone promises to stop calling the muffins.  If it's just a fun tease, embrace it and *start calling them meatloaf cupcakes and serve them frosted with mashed potatoes*.
> 
> If they see you are not bothered by the name, they'll back off because that takes the fun out of teasing you.


I agree and I think calling them meatloaf *cupcakes* is inspired. I think you won the internet today Andy.


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## medtran49 (Apr 16, 2015)

Andy M. said:


> If you really hate the term. Stop making them until everyone promises to stop calling the muffins. If it's just a fun tease, embrace it and start calling them meatloaf cupcakes and serve them frosted with mashed potatoes.
> 
> If they see you are not bothered by the name, they'll back off because that takes the fun out of teasing you.


 
I think it was one of those Food Network "Best Ever" episodes that spotlighted a place that makes all different kinds of meatloaves in the giant muffin tins and "frosts" them with the accompaniments.  One was just a plain meatloaf like the OP, but they also had Thanksgiving dinner turkey meatloaves, salmon meatloaf with wasabi mashed potato frosting, a latin style one, BBQ, etc, etc.  Some of them were really pretty and you would think they were actually a cupcake at first look. 

And +3 on the way you suggested handling it.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef (Apr 16, 2015)

Buy yourself one of these and if he asks tell him its for making mini quick breads (I make banana breads in mine all the time because they're easier to pack in a lunch). 







Then make meat loaves in it and if he doesn't like it, tell him if he's going to act like a child he can just go to bed without supper.


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## Addie (Apr 16, 2015)

taxlady said:


> I agree and I think calling them meatloaf *cupcakes* is inspired. I think you won the internet today Andy.



Ditto here. You could even bake them in the cupcake wrappers. Get the Reynold's aluminum ones. They won't know what they are getting until they unwrap them.


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

Whiskadoodle said:


> If I were to say I'm with Randy,  I can already feel that imaginary kick in the shins under the table.  Then I would have to look across the table and say What did I say?   Since I didn't actually say anything,  I will admit I might have thought it though,  No kicks please.    I will say I always call them  Individual Meatloaves.



Don't worry, Whiska.  I won't kick you.    "Meat Muffins" has been a long standing gag - over 20 years in the making believe it or not.  Old habits definitely die hard.




> I think the Only reason to  make meatloaf is so there are Leftovers for Meat Loaf Sandwiches.  If you can make more by making Mini Meatloaves,  well, sweeeet!



Always Randy's favorite part of the whole experience is that he says that the shape of the muffin tin somehow makes for a better meatloaf sandwich.  We do them open face with extra pasta sauce on top served with whatever starch we have on hand.  Usually pasta because of the sauce.  



> I like to serve meat loaf hot for dinner with Baked 'taters.



Love meatloaf with baked taters, too.  Sometimes I'll stuff some of the ML in the tater and it is really yummy that way.  I stuff all kinds of fun foods in baked taters.  Pulled Pork is another fave.



> I bake my meatloaf in a round pie pan,  easier to scrub out with no Corners like a bread pan size.  (Can you tell I don't like washing dishes?)    They sell tin foil individual meat loaf/ mini bread pans at the grocers.  Along side, they also sell little pans to make twice baked potatoes.  I never understood that, but then,  they will try to sell you anything and I always thought that is what the potato shells are for.   However,  you could use those  and then you would have a more Oval shape and Randy couldn't name those and they really would be mini meatloaves.



I do want to get the mini loaf pans - they would be handy for other items in addition to the mini meat loaves.

Nobody will lose favor from me if "Meat Muffins" is the preferred term.  It is good natured ribbing that just gets me slightly annoyed.  My friends and family have a blast annoying me.  Apparently it is fairly easy.


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

Andy M. said:


> If you really hate the term.  Stop making them until everyone promises to stop calling the muffins.  If it's just a fun tease, embrace it and start calling them meatloaf cupcakes and serve them frosted with mashed potatoes.



I don't hate the name, I'm just mildly annoyed by it.  This goes way back in my history and it has just stuck.  I do really like the idea of the meatloaf cupcakes "iced" with mashed potatoes, though.  That could start a whole new trend in my household.  



> If they see you are not bothered by the name, they'll back off because that takes the fun out of teasing you.



Ah, they don't back off because it is just too easy.    I am a big target with stuff like that and it is all part of the fun.  Once I get mad, they stop.  For a bit.  I still get teased for my Southern California accent, too.  I love my friends - and it goes back and forth in good natured ribbing.


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

taxlady said:


> I agree and I think calling them meatloaf *cupcakes* is inspired. I think you won the internet today Andy.



I agree Taxi.  Andy did indeed win the internet today.  When I do these I promise to take pics and post them.  I'm walking away from this very much inspired.


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## Mad Cook (Apr 16, 2015)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Then make meat loaves in it and if he doesn't like it, tell him if he's going to act like a child he can just go to bed without supper.



 I think this takes the prize for the best answer all day. Good for you SLoB!

The OP goes to the trouble of making this man's favourite food and then he's an ungrateful PITA about it. Yet she carries on making it. I'd rip his head off! Prison would be a blessed relief from a man like that! 

(Rant off)


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

Sir_Loin_of_Beef said:


> Buy yourself one of these and if he asks tell him its for making mini quick breads (I make banana breads in mine all the time because they're easier to pack in a lunch).



I absolutely LOVE it, Sir Loin!!!  And I do enjoy making banana bread, so I could justify that purchase.  






Then make meat loaves in it and if he doesn't like it, tell him if he's going to act like a child he can just go to bed without supper.[/QUOTE]


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

Addie said:


> Ditto here. You could even bake them in the cupcake wrappers. Get the Reynold's aluminum ones. They won't know what they are getting until they unwrap them.



Addie - they'd know, because they'd smell the meat loaves cooking in the house.  Our kitchen is a very open kind which is why I had to have this house in the first place.  My meat loaf comes out so fragrant that the cats mouths start watering and they will sit near the oven just waiting for their opportunity to strike.


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## Mad Cook (Apr 16, 2015)

Maelinde said:


> Don't worry, Whiska. I won't kick you.  "Meat Muffins" has been a long standing gag - over 20 years in the making believe it or not. Old habits definitely die hard.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Actually, it's not "good natured ribbing" - it's rude and inconsiderate. 

My mother once told me about her mother (an excellent cook and a woman of almost infinite patience) who put up with "good natured ribbing" about her cooking from her husband until she could endure it no longer and picked up his plate and tipped the contents over his head.


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## Maelinde (Apr 16, 2015)

Mad Cook said:


> Actually, it's not "good natured ribbing" - it's rude and inconsiderate.
> 
> My mother once told me about her mother (an excellent cook and a woman of almost infinite patience) who put up with "good natured ribbing" about her cooking from her husband until she could endure it no longer and picked up his plate and tipped the contents over his head.




He's really a good guy.  We rib each other all the time, and have a very good relationship.  This August will see us through 22 years of wedded bliss.  People ask Randy how long we've been happy together, he says since the day we first met.  We're always like that.  I call him a geek, he calls me a nerd.  True is true  He's like Leonard from Big Bang Theory with a long pony tail and sometimes wears a kilt.

He just loves calling that dish "Meat Muffins" because he thinks it is funny.  I call him a code monkey because I think it is funny.  (He's a computer programmer and that is a good natured rib).  We don't hurt each other's feelings.  Trust me.  We're good.  It is what we do.

He'll eat anything I put in front of him because he likes my cooking.  Some things my mom always did better than me, but he's smart enough to not say which ones.    I do know he liked her deviled eggs better than mine - heck, I did too!  But he likes my egg salad better than hers.  He's been asking for that lately, so I just might do some up this weekend after my brother gets here.

I am going to try Andy's suggestion and frost the mini meat loaves with mashed potatoes.  That might get some good natured laughs, as well as compliments.


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