Barbecue Meatloaf with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – From My Family to Yours for #FBS4Sandy

When Jenn and I decided to initiate an effort hoping to pull food bloggers together in support of the victims of Hurricane Sandy, we had no idea what to expect. We certainly could not have foreseen the almost surreal response to that effort. If it has been heartwarming to be but a small part of this process; I can only hope it will warm the hearts of those for which this effort is focused on…friends, family and strangers who are suffering from the effects of a super storm that ravaged the Northeast.

For everyone in the midst of this life struggle, please know that I and others care about you; how it is almost incomprehensible what you are dealing with, imagining the losses you have suffered and the despair that this event has brought to bear on you, both people we know and strangers we do not. If it was within my power, I would love nothing more than to offer a hot meal and a warm bed to those in need but I am thousands of miles from the northern Atlantic coast, living in Denver nestled up next to the Rocky Mountains.

So, I’m doing the best I can in a difficult situation. I am a food blogger and blogging about food is a real testimony to who I am. I am a caretaker. I feed people…in sickness and in health. I’ll bring you a pot of soup if you’re not feeling well or make you a birthday cake in celebration. So in keeping with the spirit of making a comfort food dish, this Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Potatoes is probably the epitome of what I would call comfort. I’ve associated meatloaf with home cooking for as long as I can literally remember. I know my mother made it for my family when I was a child and it was part of a steady rotation of foods that I made for my children when they were growing up.

My daughter Emily wanted to participate in the preparation of this meal and suggested we also make a broccoli dish she loves from Ina Garten and it was a great choice. Roasted broccoli and garlic is mixed with lemon juice, toasted pine nuts and topped with Parmesan. Easy to prepare and the perfect side dish too; just click over to the Food Network site for that recipe. When I say this effort is from my family to yours, it’s true in every way…thanks Em for being here with me and helping me so much.

I wonder why I don’t make meatloaf more often; having put it far on the back burner since my girls no longer live in my home. It does remind me in a way of turkey. Turkey? Yes…both foods I typically love so much more the next day in the form of sandwiches. But I have to tell you…this one might have changed that status. It was absolutely fabulous and a new recipe for me. This is a combination of a couple of recipes from ‘The Meatloaf Bakery Cookbook.’ Although for some other situation I might be tempted to make something ‘cute ‘(hotdog loaves and cupcake loaves come to mind) for this event I wanted something that brought to mind memories of those meatloaves I had growing up but maybe with a twist.

When perusing the cookbook my search stopped at ‘The Father Loaf.’ Beef is combined with pork and seasoned with most of the usual suspects but finished with barbecue sauce. While the cookbook featured this meatloaf with some cheesy mashed potatoes, I just love the garlic mashers that were featured on top of the ‘Mother Loaf’ – guess you could call this the ‘Mom and Pop Loaf.’ Heaven on a plate, I promise you. I would love for you to make this recipe for your family but don’t stop there. Think of those folks that are struggling to recuperate from Sandy and please give something; I’ve provided some links after the recipe to organizations that are on the ground now helping.

Meatloaf with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – From My Family to Yours for #FBS4Sandy

A barbequed twist on meatloaf with beef and pork, fresh herbs and spices, and tangy BBQ sauce

Ingredients

For the Meat Loaf:

• k1 lb. ground chuck
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
• ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• ¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• 2/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup uncooked oatmeal
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 T plus 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp barbeque sauce (traditional varieties best – I use Smoke Daddy Original)
• 2/3 cup 2% milk
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Herbs De Provence
• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tsp finely chopped chives
• For the Potatoes:
• 1 oz peeled garlic cloves
• Approximately 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 2 inch cubes
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 2 Tbsp reserved garlic oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation

To Make the Meatloaf:

Combine oatmeal and bread crumbs with milk and let soften.

In a separate bowl, beat 2 eggs lightly.

Add ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, barbeque sauce, garlic and seasonings.

Mix vegetables with meat (pork and beef) by hand; add softened bread/oatmeal mixture.

Combine the egg mixture with the meat/vegetable mixture and mix well by hand.

Line 9-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pack the meatloaf into the container. Cover a cooking sheet with aluminum foil and top with a cooling rack if possible. Flip the loaf pan over onto the prepared cookie sheet; using the plastic wrap if necessary to help form the loaf on the pan.

Bake at 350° degrees for approximately 30 - 45 minutes until internal temperature reads 165°F.

Spread the barbecue sauce over meatloaf for the last 15 minutes.

To Prepare the Potatoes:

Put the garlic in an oven proof dish and cover with olive oil. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until the garlic is soft and brown. Remove from the oven and remove the cloves from the oil and mash on a plate. Reserve the oil.

Put the potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; lower heat to a slow boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain in a colander.

Mash the potatoes in the pot using a potato masher or use a large mixer, mixing only as much as required to break up the potatoes.

Add the milk, butter, sour cream and reserved olive oil and incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using a piping cone or a large ziploc bag, pipe the potatoes onto the top of the meatloaf or alternately dollop them on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

2.0

http://www.creative-culinary.com/2012/11/barbecue-meatloaf-with-mashed-garlic-potatoes/

This recipe brought to you by © Creative Culinary | A Food and Cocktail Blog | Website: www.creative-culinary.com

Would you like to join us? It’s never too late and the need is so great.

It’s as simple as sharing a comfort food with your readers and urging them to make a donation; no matter how small. Blog about your recipe and share it on Facebook and on Twitter using the hashtag #FBS4Sandy. Please join us in sending a message of comfort and calling for donations to help those in such need.

It really is a time when ‘every little bit helps’ so please join us. Give a little or give a lot but whatever else? Please do something. We’ve included the code for a badge you can include in your post and it links to the American Red Cross; an organization known for acting quickly and efficiently in times of need and what they need most now are your dollars. Some of these photos are truly heartbreaking…how can we not help?

Don’t have a blog??

No worries …but please donate to help those in need. Who to donate to? Several organizations are dedicating themselves to helping the victims of hurricane Sandy. Some of the larger ones include:

American Red Cross is providing food, shelter, and other forms of support to hurricane victims. You can donate directly to the Red Cross or you can also text the word “Redcross” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The Salvation Army is also focused on providing food, shelter, and support to victims, and takes donations for storm relief.

Feeding America is providing food, water and supplies to those who need it as part of their disaster relief program.

We’ll be tweeting using the hashtag #FBS4Sandy; be sure to ask your friends to join us. I hope this effort manages, in some small way, to wrap the arms of the food blogging community around those who are in such need; we have a lot to give!

Jenn and I will keep the link tool at the end of our posts open through the end of November for you to link up your #FBS4Sandy posts; we would love for you to join us.

THANK YOU!!