Last Night’s Meatloaf = Tonight’s Shepard’s Pie

So here’s the “haps” it is…short and sweet

I am a HUGE fan of taking last nights leftovers and using them to make something completely new…

Kind of like “She’s All That”… (Please tell me that you are a teenager of the ’90’s and know what I am talking about…if not, I will find another decade appropriate, coming of age, ugly duckling turns prom queen and gets the hot guy movie reference for you)

Take the boring (well, it was fun and tasty last night, but really, who wants leftovers again and again and again???)

and make it extraordinary!!!

And the beauty of it is….

It’s almost all made for you!!!! This cuts down the prep time by like 97%!!! It also cuts down the time that you have to find entertainment for those little rascals who want to “help” you cook by reaching for the ingredients on the cutting board right as you are chopping or trying to pour in the seasoning with the top completely off….

So here you have it…the only way I ever make Shepard’s Pie anymore…quick and simple.

What you need

Meatloaf (preferable last nights so you don’t have to make it now)

Mashed Potatoes (again, last nights would be nice)

Veggies (I use the frozen ones and pour em right on in…super duper quick and easy)

Shredded Cheese

What you do

Cut the leftover meatloaf into slices and throw it into the bottom of a casserole dish (size will depend on just how much you got left over) then chop it up a bit in the bottom of the dish so it’s not in “slices” anymore

Add a layer of veggies (I had leftover carrots so I started with those)

Then I threw in some frozen corn and peas…I like variety in my life….

well, with most things…I don’t in fact like variety when it comes to my hubs….I adore the one and only I have!!!

Add the mashed potatoes…

and the cheese…mmmm…..cheese….

and throw it in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 30-45 minutes (if you have just taken the stuff out of the fridge it may be more like 45 minutes to an hour)

Take it out, spoon it onto some plates and indulge in the goodness that is super duper easy comfort food!!!

Happy cooking!!!

Ingredients

Leftover meatloaf

Leftover mashed potatoes

Leftover Veggies

Shredded Cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Loosely chop leftover meatloaf and place in the bottom of a baking dish (size will vary depending upon how much leftover stuff you have). Place the leftover veggies in a layer over the meatloaf. Layer the leftover mashed potatoes over the veggies and smooth out on top. Toss shredded cheese over the top of the mashed potatoes and place in the oven. Bake for about 30-45 minutes, depending on size, until the center is hot. Serving size will vary depending on how much leftover stuff you have. Enjoy!

Mad House Wife Meatloaf

Who doesn’t like meat in a loaf???

Well, apparently a lot of people don’t; though I firmly believe it’s just that you haven’t had the right meatloaf….

Kind of like finding a bathing suit after having a baby…there’s one out there for you…it just might take a really long time to find it; you might have to go through MANY with a sour taste in your mouth about to gag before you discover perfection.

I’m pretty sure this meatloaf is the equivalent of the cute, well covering, bust lifting, goes slightly past your rear one piece that makes you feel like a kid (well, pre-kids) again.

Are you ready to experience meaty bliss???

Here. We. Go.

What you need:

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs with Italian Seasoning

2 Eggs

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

2 tbsp + 2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp garlic salt

What you do:

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop an onion and set it aside (I usually chop onions into fairly large pieces so I can pick them out of my son’s portion, but I would suggest teeny tiny pieces)

In a medium bowl, crack and pour both eggs; whisk just until the yolks are broken.

Add ground beef

I love you Trader Joe’s for you pre-packaged, hormone free beef squares!!!

Throw in your bread crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Worcestershire sauce,

Ketchup

mustard (I used ground but I have used the yellow liquid stuff that you put on hot dogs before…I use what I got…)

garlic salt

pepper

and….remember those onions you so diligently chopped earlier?

Go ahead and toss those on in.

Now comes the fun part…

unless you find touching uncooked ground beef gross…

which I do not…

hence, the fun part.

Pretend you are back in kindergarten and that you have just opened a new package of slightly chunky Play-Doh…

If that doesn’t get you through, you may need to skip this step altogether and call in reinforcements.

Squeeze it!

Squish it!

Mix it all around…

you do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around…

Grab your broiler pan (that thing that appeared inside your oven when you moved into your new house)

and form the meat into a loaf like shape

I am a loaf of beef

Drizzle some Ketchup on top (that’s where I got the other 2 tbsp of Ketchup) and…

throw it in the oven.

Cook it for about 45 minutes to an hour. Mine took 50, just in case you were wondering…..

Slice it up and serve with some garlic and herb mashed potatoes perhaps…

Oooohhhhh or you could put it on some grilled sourdough for meatloaf sandwiches mmmmm

Do what you will; just know, as soon as you take a bite, you will be forever changed!

Happy cooking! Or baking! Or whatever this is…

And the “printable” version below…

Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Beef

1 1/4 cup bread crumbs with Italian Seasoning

2 Eggs

2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese

2 tbsp + 2 tbsp Ketchup

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp ground mustard

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Chop onion and set aside. In a medium bowl, crack and pour both eggs; whisk until smooth. Add ground beef, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp of ketchup, worscteshire sauce, onions, garlic salt, pepper, and mustard. Mix all ingredients with your hands until well blended. Break up any clumps of bread crumbs that may have formed. On a broiler pan, form the meat mixture into a loaf shape (if you don’t want to scrape the pan later, butter it ahead of time). Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp of ketchup on top of the meatloaf. Place in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes until the middle is no longer red. Yields about 10 servings.