Oatmeal & Veggies Make a Juicy Meatloaf? Why Yes Indeed!

This meatloaf is a bit of a labor of love with all the fine chopping, but so worth the results. Breadcrumbs are replaced by quick-cook oats, which absorb and plump with finer texture than whole oats. A mix of vegetables contributes flavor and moisture. And the secret sauce -- just BBQ sauce plus ketchup -- makes everything come together marvelously. Serve with homemade mashed potatoes and steamed green beans tossed in garlic butter.

This recipe makes 6 hearty or 8 medium servings.

• INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound lean ground beef (for leaner, lighter meatloaf) or pork (for a more luxurious, juicier meatloaf)

• 3/4 pound ground turkey

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  1 Tablespoon mustard
• 1/2 cup Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (which has high fructose corn syrup, so I'm going to try and make from scratch -- stay tuned for that post!)
  1/2 cup ketchup
  1/4 cup finely chopped celery
  1/4 cup finely diced carrot
  1/2 cup seeded and finely diced zucchini
  1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  2 garlic cloves, minced 
  3/4 cup quick-cook (NOT instant) oats
  1/2 cup skim milk or unsweetened, unflavored plant milk (I used almond milk with great results)
• 1 egg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix BBQ sauce and ketchup. Pour half of this mixture (1/2 cup) into a bowl and mix in mustard, salt, and pepper. Place meats at bottom of bowl, then add veggies, then oats, then amended BBQ-ketchup sauce, then oats, then milk and finally egg on top. Mix gently but thoroughly with your hands. Add mixture to a 5"x9" loaf pan, gently pressing down to ensure the pan is filled completely.

Cook for 60 minutes, then top loaf with remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce + ketchup, making sure it does not touch the sides of the pan (if it does, the heat of the pan will burn the sauce). Bake for 30 minutes more. Test with a thermometer that meatloaf is 160F. If top is not caramelized to your preference, broil on low or at a lower rack level for five minutes.