SPINACH FILLING
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into ½” pieces
Saute. Then add. . .
1/2 pound bag of chopped spinach, ( Hickory Run Homestead-save the bag)
When it is wilted, add. . .
4 oz. Chevre, cut into pieces (Betty’s Acres- available through Crossroad Farms)
1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or minced garlic
1 large egg (Meadowland)
8 oz. sharp cheddar, coarsely grated. (Belle Spring Dairy)
Remove from heat and set aside.
MEATLOAF
2 large eggs (Meadowland Farms)
1 cup chicken broth (from the bones of the whole chicken that you threw in the crockpot with water after your chicken supper. Or use veggie broth. Or maybe milk.)
¼ cup soy sauce,
2 tsp. salt
2 lb. ground beef (Meadowland Farms)
Mix this all together very, very thoroughly. You can also add a cup of bread crumbs if you feel like it needs some more sticking power. I didn’t and it worked just fine. I also beat it very thoroughly in the mixer.
Now. Remember the spinach bag? You can, of course, use plastic wrap. Or you can cut the seams of the plastic bag and use that instead. Which I did because, no plastic wrap. See?
Either way, spread the meat out in a 9 x 13 inch square on top of the plastic. Spread the spinach filling on top, leaving a one inch border around the edges.
Then lift one side of the plastic and carefully roll it into a log. Seal the edges and the end.
Then carefully roll the log onto a pan and hope it doesn’t crack.
I’m going to quote the original recipe, which I modified, now.
“Bake meatloaf until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 140°, 30–40 minutes. Brush meatloaf with ¼ cup ketchup; bake until ketchup feels tacky, 10–12 minutes. Brush remaining ¼ cup ketchup on top and bake until surface is tacky and thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°, 8–10 minutes. Let meatloaf cool on baking sheet 15 minutes.”
So you need ½ cup ketchup which, of course, you made last August. Or perhaps will make this August. If you didn’t make it last August and can figure out time travel, this would be the time to use it.
You also need to do some fiddling at the end.
Or you can skip it all. It tasted delicious without the ketchup, as my family can testify. However, the ketchup would add a nice acidic balance to the dish.