Meatloaf and mash (or call me classic)

Recipes: Turkey meatloaf, Mushroom mashed potatoes with peas

I'm all about comfort on these cool Fall evenings. Most of us ate these foods at our mother's home, and that's why they're called comfort foods - they bring us comfort and remind us of a time when someone was taking care of us and life was simple. After a day in the real world, that sounds pretty darn good.

Let's face it, though, classic foods like meatloaf can seem dull and dated. Maybe your treasured recipe could use a little tweaking, or maybe your mom or grandma didn't actually pass down a recipe and you don't know where to start. Give this one a try - I'll bet you like it. Not only is Turkey Meatloaf easy to make, it's full of great taste and is less fatty and more healthy than the ground beef version of the past. And don't forget, leftovers make amazing sandwiches.

Turkey Meatloaf

• 1 pound ground turkey (I like dark meat best)
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 slice country bread, white or whole grain, torn in pieces and soaked in 4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules (not salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (if using garlic salt instead of garlic granules, use 1 teaspoon garlic salt and eliminate the sea salt)
• 1 large egg, beaten with a fork
• 2 generous tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• Tomato catsup
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Soak the bread in the milk while you combine the turkey, diced onion, and seasonings in a bowl. Add the soaked bread, beaten egg, and Worchestershire sauce and mix throughly with your hands or with a fork. Hands really work best for this.

Place the meat mixture into a baking dish and form it into an oblong or rectangular loaf. I like to use a dish that is almost the same size as the loaf, or just slightly bigger so the juices don't overflow in the oven. Top the loaf with a generous amount of catsup and grind pepper over it all.

Put it in the oven and bake it for 1 hour. Yum! An amazing aroma will start filling your kitchen in about 20 minutes!

You can make this delicious version of mashed potatoes and vegetables while your meatloaf is baking.

Mushroom Mashed Potatoes with Peas 

• 1/2 pound mushrooms, any kind, sliced
• Butter
• 2 or 3 medium Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, cut in 2-inch pieces. You can leave the skins on if you wish.
• 1/3 cup warmed half and half
• Sea salt
• 1 cup frozen green peas

In a skillet, saute the sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt until they give up their liquid and it evaporates. Stir occasionally while cooking. When they are done, turn off the heat and set the mushrooms aside.

In a saucepan, cover the potato pieces with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover partially and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter.

Bring the peas and a bit of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn the heat down and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain and put them aside in the saucepan, covered to keep them warm.

Turn the heat on very low under the mushrooms, just to warm them.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them well and put them through a food mill into a large bowl. This will take out the skins and will produce a smooth mash. If you don't have a food mill (something you could put on your holiday gift wish list), you can use a potato masher. In that case, remove the skins from the potato pieces before mashing, unless you want them in the mash.

Add the melted butter, the warmed half and half, and a half teaspoon of sea salt to the sieved/mashed potatoes, stirring well to combine. Put the mashed potatoes into a serving bowl and spoon the cooked mushrooms over it. Either spoon the cooked peas over the potatoes and mushrooms, or serve them on the side with a pat of butter.

OK, pour a little wine, maybe poke the fire a bit, and dig in. Buon appetito!