Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf

Here’s a good recipe from the March 2008 issue of Real Simple Magazine. I was a bit skeptical at first, because I like traditional meat loaf made with Lipton Onion Soup Mix.  Sometimes you don’t want to mess with childhood memories, but there’s always room for improvement. This meat loaf was very flavorful and moist and will definitely go in the rotation. We had it with some mashed sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

1 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

kosher salt and pepper

1.Heat oven to 400° F.

2.Combine the turkey, onion, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, mustard, the parsley, red peppers, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Shape the meat into an 8-inch loaf and place in a baking dish.

Before going into the oven - how colorful!

3.Bake until no trace of pink remains (internal temperature should be 165° F), about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Tip: A loaf pan isn’t the best choice for baking meat loaf. Instead use a large pan with 1 ½ to 2 inch sides, such as metal, glass, or ceramic 7 by 11 inch baking dish, which will allow the heat to circulate over the meat, cooking it evenly.

The finished product