Turkey Meatloaf

This recipe comes from Ina Garten as well - a lot of my early cooking is from her or inspired by her.  You will notice that my picture of the loaf are from pre-banning of processed food in my house.  Please don't take the picture below as my condoning the use of pre-packaged pasta or rice sides.  They have now been extricated from my diet!  The meatloaf is made with healthy turkey and full of flavor.  It's hard to tell the difference between turkey and beef versions.

Serves: 8-10 (I recommed cooking half the loaf in one sitting and the other half will stay in your freezer for 3 months or more.  If you want a lot of leftovers meatloaf is good on sandwiches hot and cold.)

Ingredients:

  - 3 cups chopped organic yellow onion (approximately 2 onions)

  - 2 tbsp olive oil

  - 2 tbsp kosher salt

  - 1 tbsp fresh thyme

  - 1/3 cup worcestshire

  - 3/4 cup chicken stock (homemade preferrably)

  - 1 1/2 tsp tomato paste

  - 5 lbs ground turkey

  - 1 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

  - 3 extra large pastured eggs, beaten
  - 3/4 cup organic ketchup (free of high fructose corn syrup)

Preheat oven to 325.  In a saute pan on medium heat cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme, until the onions are translucent but not browned.  Approximately 15 minutes.  Add the worcestshire, stock and tomato paste and mix well.  Allow to cool to a temperature where you can handle it with your hands.  Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, eggs and onion mixture in a large mixing bowl - use your hands to mix and not a spoon, this will keep the mixture from getting too dense and allow it to be light and fluffy.  On a large ungreased baking sheet, shape the mixture into a loaf (can be made into individual loafs that kids find cool but you need to bake it just about 10 minutes less).  Spread the ketchup evenly over the top of the loaf and bake for 1 1/2 hours until internal temperature is 160 degrees (check with a meat thermometer from the side of the loaf.  To keep the loaf from cracking while baking place a caserole dish of hot water underneath the loaf to keep it moist.