My mother used to make meatloaf when I was growing up. The only good thing about meatloaf night was the mashed potatoes – she knew how to make mashed potatoes. She did NOT know how to make a good meatloaf. My mother is a very picky eater. She does not like condiments of any kind, no sauces, no gravy. So her meatloaf was a package of hamburger, salt, and a package of Lipton’s onion soup mix. That’s it. The meatloaf would come out dry and as hard as a brick. To call it edible would be a stretch. She isn’t the best cook honestly, no picky eater I have ever met has been, so I guess it comes with the territory.
When I got married sixteen years ago, my husband asked why I never made it. I told him the story and that was that. When my daughter was around three or four years old she became a meatloaf lover. Would order it in restaurants and everything. So it became clear to me that I would have to start making meatloaf. I swallowed my bad meatloaf history and began to sample recipes. I found a good one too – the All American Meat Loaf recipe from Southern Living. It’s a really good meatloaf, I make it often.
I have never heard of putting avocado in a meatloaf. So this recipe intrigued me. I figured it wouldn’t be any worse than what I grew up with, so why not!
IT WAS SO AMAZING!!! The loaf was super moist, no gravy needed. You could taste all the individual vegetables that were added, and then every once in a while you get a burst of yummy, creamy avocado. Wow!
We all agreed, this is better than the Southern Living recipe. This will be my go too meatloaf from now on!
For the recipe, it is a little detailed. There is a lot to do before you get to the oven. And yes, you absolutely do need to drain the fat halfway through. I even had to drain additional fat before serving. I did bake it on a jelly roll pan to avoid any unwanted dripping, but found I didn’t really need to do that. Also, the meat packages I used were closer to a pound and a half, so I was able to make two loaves. I put one in the freezer for later. Also, I had a yellow bell pepper, not a green – didn’t see that it would change it much.
AVOCADO MEATLOAF
4 Strips Bacon
¾ Cup Diced Celery
½ Cup Minced Scallions
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
½ Cup Diced Green Pepper
1 Pound Ground Veal or Sirloin
1 Pound Hamburger
8 Ounces Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
2 Cups Fresh Chopped Mushrooms
1 Egg, Slightly Beaten
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 Large Avocado, Diced
2 Teaspoons Celery Salt
½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
Paprika
Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan. In same pan, sauté celery, scallions, parsley and bell pepper. Remove to a large boil. Once slightly cooled, add all other ingredients. Mix with hands until well incorporated. Pack into a loaf pan, sprinkle generously with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove excess fat from pan, return to oven and bake an additional 45 minutes.
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