Divide meatloaf to speed cooking

When I was thinking about making a comforting meatloaf but wanted to make a quick dinner, I created a way to cut down on the baking time. I divided the meatloaf into two small loafs and placed them on a baking sheet. This allowed the hot air to circulate all around the meat for faster cooking. Instead of the usual breadcrumbs used to make meatloaves, I add rolled oats for a new texture.

A sweet and tangy sauce tops the loaves with extra flavor. Garlicy carrots and peas complete the meal.

HELPFUL HINTS:

• White sugar or honey can be used in the sauce instead of brown sugar.
• To save preparation time, look for diced onion in the produce section of the market.
• Four crushed garlic cloves can be used instead of minced garlic.

Meatloaf

Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 pound ground 95 percent lean ground beef

1/4 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons ketchup, divided use

1 egg

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place onion in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave 1 minute on high. Remove from microwave and add beef to the bowl. Mix the onion and ground beef together. Add rolled oats and Worcestershire sauce. Mix all ingredients together. Add 1 tablespoons ketchup, egg and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Place on the baking sheet and shape meat into 2 loaves, about 3 inches by 5 inches. Make sure the oven is at 400 degrees and add the baking sheet. Bake meat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup, mustard and sugar together in a small bowl. Remove meatloaf from the oven and spoon the ketchup sauce on top of each loaf. Return the tray to oven for 3 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 degrees. Serve each loaf on a dinner plate.

Per serving: 397 calories (27 percent from fat), 12.1 g fat (4.7 g saturated, 4.6 g monounsaturated), 201 mg cholesterol, 42.0 g protein, 28.2 g carbohydrates, 2.4 g fiber, 458 mg sodium.

Garlic Carrots and Peas

Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer.

2 cups sliced carrots, about 1/4-1/2-inch slice

2 cups frozen peas

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Add carrots, peas and garlic to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Remove from microwave add the oil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide in half and serve with the meatloaf.

Per serving: 173 calories (39 percent from fat), 7.5 g fat (1.1 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.4 g protein, 22.9 g carbohydrates, 7.8 g fiber, 84 mg sodium.