FRIDAY'S FAMILY FAVORITES

When I found today's recipe I really got excited.

 It is useful in so many ways:

• it can be frozen in individual portions
•  it provides a small serving of a dish that uses ground beef (we usually avoid it)
•  it's a perfect size serving for a child (kids would love helping put these together as well)
•  cooking time is reduced because it cooks in a muffin tin
• each serving (2 muffins) is only 276 calories

I made them for dinner this evening and they are delicious. I was able to use the food processor to finely chop the onion and carrots, which was a big help. After dinner the leftover "muffins" were wrapped and frozen for an easy meal on a busy day!

 DINER MEATLOAF "MUFFINS"

1 tsp. olive oil

1 c. finely chopped onion

1/2 c. finely chopped carrot

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. ketchup, divided

1 1/2 lb. ground beef, extra lean

1 c. finely crushed fat-free saltines (I used plain bread crumbs)

2 tbsp. prepared mustard (I used sweet hot mustard)

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 large eggs

cooking spray

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in  large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, oregano, and garlic; saute 2 minutes. Cool.

Combine onion mixture, 1/2 c. ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 tsp. ketchup. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160. Let stand for 5 minutes.