Are you one of those lucky parents who have kids who refuse to open their little mouths for anything other than mac 'n' cheese or dreaded french fries? We understand how hard it is to break your little ones out of a nasty food rut. That's why we put together 7 totally tasty dishes that even the pickiest of eaters will devour. (Let the lack of spit-out food speak for itself ...)
Have a kid who swears he doesn’t like meatloaf? Serve up these smoky, satisfying sandwiches and see what he says after he takes a bite.
Grilled Meatloaf Burgers:
Ingredients:
canola or olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped or grated
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 – 2 lb. ground beef, bison or a combination of beef or bison and pork
1 cup bread crumbs or 1/2 cup crushed crackers or quick oats
1/2 cup tomato sauce or ketchup
1 large egg
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper
Glaze (optional):
1/4 cup ketchup, tomato sauce or chili sauce
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp grainy mustard
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (if you want to do your loaf freehand – otherwise you can use a 9×5″ loaf pan.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until soft. In a large bowl, combine the meat, sautéed onion and garlic, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together with your hands until it’s well-blended; just don’t work it too hard or it could get tough. Shape the meat mixture into a loaf shape that’s roughly 9×5″ on the baking sheet or press it into a 9×5″ loaf pan.
3. To make the glaze, stir together the ketchup, sugar and mustard in a small dish. Brush the loaf with half the glaze and bake for 60-75 minutes. Save the remaining glaze for when you grill it. (If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should read 160°F.)
4. Chill the meatloaf. Later, cut thick slabs and heat them through on the grill, brushing them with barbecue sauce or the sticky glaze you have leftover. This technique relieves any pressure of whomever is in charge of the barbecue to ensure they cook the burgers through. Because hey, the meatloaf is cooked already. If you’re a cheeseburger person, add a slab of aged white cheddar (or, you know, whatever) after the first flip, and close the lid so that it melts.
**Makes 6-8 burgers