Diner-Style Meatloaf

I am really tired. On one end, I am blessed. My little man is a gloriously calm baby. When he nurses right before he goes to bed, he's always awake before I put him in his crib. I turn on his little ladybug nightlight (which projects the stars on the ceiling), turn on his soft Celtic rock tunes (this kid is addicted to The Dubliners), and say good night. He looks up, smiles, and is asleep in five minutes. And, at this point, most days, he only gets up once during the night to nurse and goes right back to sleep.

However, you are probably asking why I'm complaining about being tired. During the day, he nurses CONSTANTLY. Granted, that would explain why he's 13 pounds at 2 months old, which is great. But I am lucky if I get a chance to shower and down a bowl of cereal. I just don't get a chance to eat enough during the day. By the time M gets home, I am starving. I've been trying to make dinners that are not only healthy and satisfying, but provide enough leftovers to heat up quickly and keep me full during the brief naptimes that may or may not occur.

Thank goodness for this recipe. I haven't looked at this cookbook in ages (which I had forgotten is filled with even more great recipes that I'll be bringing back to my kitchen soon). When V wanted my recipe for fish cakes, I pulled it out to make sure that what I had recalled from memory was correct. And here it was. It takes a little work, but it's so good, so tasty, and so filling. Enjoy!


You need:

1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped shallots
10 oz. white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground turkey
1 1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage (leave this out if you are nursing!)
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly oil a loaf pan. In a large nonstick skillet, bring the broth and oil to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and carrot and cook, stirring, for about four minutes or until the shallots have softened. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, for five minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add all additional ingredients to the shallot mixture and mix well. Add to loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before serving.