Over the past month or so I’ve been working on eating healthier and paying attention to portion control. Today I measured out some hamburger patties to put in the freezer and decided to use part of the ground beef to make mini meat loaves. My son-in-law just happened to arrive at the house shortly after they came out of the oven, so he was my taste tester. He has obviously been watching too many food programs – he said they have a nice texture and are flavorful.
These mini meat loaves are made from 88% lean ground beef with 12% fat. They are approximately 4 ounces and 286 calories each. They aren’t as lean as I’d like but at least I know what I’m getting. The recipe is simple and easy enough for a novice cook. No slicing and dicing veggies in this recipe, just quick and easy.
I used a mini loaf pan that has eight portions but my recipe only made 6 mini loaves. For the sake of portion control (or cuteness), they could also be made in muffin tins or shaped free form and baked in a baking dish. My primary goal here is portion control, but I think they are also a nice option for a dinner party.
This weekend Mr. J is at our church’s youth retreat so it’s going to be interesting to see what he says when he sees these little fellas on the dinner table tomorrow. I know he’s going to think I’m playing a joke on him.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 package beefy onion soup mix
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno peppers (from a jar)
Directions
- Spray mini loaf pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
- Mix all ingredients well, place in mini loaf pans or shape and place in baking dish.
- Optional - spread 1 tablespoon of ketchup on top of each loaf.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
Notes
Salt was purposely left out of this recipe because the beefy onion soup mix has a high salt content.
These look yummy! If you don’t like jalapeno peppers, what would be a good substitution?
Nichole, just leave the jalapeno peppers out. Mr. J and I like the little kick from the peppers.
I love your facebook page and your blog page. Thank you for sensible cooking tips.