I want to thank you for your prayers over the weekend. The MRI went as smoothly as it could have gone. I only had one “mama panic moment” after I realized he had been back there for longer than normal. But he was and is fine! I want to thank Amber from Classic Housewife for my FAB new $5 Dinner Challenge button! Tonight’s meal is inspired by an idea at Makes and Takes. This is a fantastic kid friendly recipe. I made the meal with ground chicken (idea from Mom of Littles) and the kiddos LOVED it! I thought they tasted like chicken nuggets. GOOD chicken nuggets. Not processed chicken and fat fried chicken nuggets!!! 
Mini Meatloaves and Mashed Potatoes
Adapted from: Makes and Takes
Yield – 4 servings
Preparation Time – 5 minutes
Cooking Time – 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chicken ($1.49)
- 1 cup bread crumbs ($.25) I ground up some GFCFSF cereal instead
- 1 egg ($.12)
- 2 Tbsp ketchup ($.10)
- 1 tsp garlic powder ($.03)
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped ($.20)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- BBQ sauce ($.25)
- 8 small potatoes ($.99)
- 1/2 – 1 cup milk ($.12)
- 1 -2 Tbsp olive oil (or butter) ($.10)
- 1 acorn squash ($1.29)
Directions
- In large bowl, combine ground chicken, bread crumbs/chip crumbs, egg, ketchup and spices. (Or use your favorite meatloaf recipe!!!). Mix well. Scoop meat into muffin tins (I used mini loaf pan tin.) Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.
- Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil for about 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in bowl. Mash with potato masher. Add milk and butter/olive oil. Mix in seasonings. Stir well.
- Prepare squash as follows. This is my favorite way to make it. “Steaming it in the oven” makes the flesh really soft. I would love to hear your favorite way to prepare acorn squash!
- Cut acorn squash in half. (Microwaving the squash for 3-4 minutes will make it easier to cut.)
- Place upside down in baking dish with about 1/4 inch of water.
- Cover with foil.
- Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before handling. Scoop out seeds and then scoop out the flesh. Drizzle with honey, agave syrup or maple syrup.
- Serve chicken mini meatloaves with BBQ sauce, mashed potatoes and squash.
Cost $4.94
This looks yummy and easy! I’d be interested to know why you are serving squash and potatoes at the same meal. I’ve always counted both of those as starches.
Im vegetarian and havent had meatloaf in about 8 yrs. I decided to try this recipe tonight and sub the ground chicken for veggie “beef” crumbles. I added a second egg since fake meat is kind of dry. Also I took the meatloaf out when it had ten mins remaning and added a layer of tangy bbq sauce on top. then i stuck it back in the oven for the remaining mins. Let me just say it was delicious!!!! My 18mo old ate three servings! Thanks so much for this recipe.
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my difficulty. You’re incredible!
Thanks!