This is a recipe that came from Barb Freda of the Laura's Lean Beef website. Barb Freda, the chef who created this recipe says that it reminds her of a colorful vegetable terrine. I agree. While I really enjoyed eating this meat loaf, I thought it was the most difficult meat loaf I ever made. This meat loaf also got rave reviews from the boys so it was worth the effort. I would make a few changes in the recipe next time I make it. First, I would use egg substitute instead of whole eggs just to reduce the amount of fat in the meat loaf. I don't think it would make much of a difference in the taste of the loaf. I would also reduce the amount of onion to half an onion, finely chopped because my boys don't like onion very much. The last change I think would be a good idea would be to substitute tomato paste for the sun-dried tomatoes. My husband doesn't like sun-dried tomatoes but he did like them in this recipe. My reasoning for the substitution is to reduce the amount of chopping here. Enough is enough. I would not suggest trying to make this unless you have some serious time available to cook on the day you choose to make it. I served this meat loaf with mashed sweet potatoes.
Triple Decker Meat Loaf
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 pound 92% lean ground beef
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup chopped
onion)
3 eggs
4 ounces bread softened in water and squeezed dry
5 ounces frozen carrots, thawed and steamed until soft
(about 7 minutes)
1 pound ground chicken
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place beef in a large bowl. Add spinach, ½ cup chopped onion, 1 egg and
half the softened bread. Mix well, using
your hands to work spinach through the beef thoroughly.
2. Use blender or stick blender to puree the cooked
carrots to a smooth paste. Divide the
chicken in half, and in one bowl, mix half the chicken with the carrot puree, ¼
cup onion, 1 egg and ¼ of the softened bread.
Mix very well.
3. Puree the sun-dried tomatoes, and add them to
remaining chicken along with the remaining onion, 1 egg and remaining
bread. Mix well.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the sun-dried tomato mixture into a
rectangle about 10 inches long and 6 inches wide. Gently top that layer with the beef, patting
it to the edges of the chicken layer below it.
Top the beef with the carrot/chicken mixture, gently patting this layer
to cover the beef layer.
5. Carefully start patting the loaf layers into a
longer and thinner rectangle, ending with something about 12 inches long and 4
inches wide.
6. Bake meat loaf about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before
slicing into 16 slices, 2 slices per serving.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. With an electric mixer on low, blend potatoes, slowly adding milk, about 1/4 a cup at a time. Using more or less to achieve the desired texture. Add butter and maple syrup, to taste. Blend until smooth. Serve warm.
Enjoy!
The Creative Cook
