Meat Loaf "Cupcakes" with Dairy and Soy Free Brown Gravy and Easy Potato Bread

Here are 3 recipes that are super easy and a big hit, and they look and taste so good!

Meat Loaf "Cupcakes"

You can use any Meat Loaf recipe you have, this is my favorite one and its pretty easy.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 Cup bread crumbs ( I use panko)
1/4 Cup Almond or Rice milk (original unsweetened)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbls Kitchen Bouquet ( I use this in place of Worcestershire Sauce to avoid soy)
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 egg
1/4 Cup Loeb's Onion Crunch (these are a dairy and soy free version of French's French Fried Onions)

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together until combined, but don't mix too much or you will get tough meat loaf.
Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with no stick cooking spray, canola or olive oil (we are now switching from canola oil to olive oil in our house to get away from as many GMO's as possible).
Place a handful of the meat loaf mixture into each muffin cup until full. Press down.
Bake in the oven at 350* for about 30 minutes or until done. While the "cupcakes" are baking whip up some instant mashed potatos, or make some the good old fashioned way, from scratch.

When the "cupcakes" are done pull them out and using a cake decorating kit, if you have one, to pipe the mashed potatos onto the "cupcakes" to frost them. Pop back in under the broiler to brown the tops, this will take just a few minutes so keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

*I am experiementing with stretching my ground meat. I just made this same recipe but added in about a cup of cooked lentils to stretch out the ground beef. I am still working on the flavor, it seemed a little bland, so I am working on the seasoning and how much to tweak the recipe.

I also serve this with dairy and soy free brown gravy.

Dairy and Soy Free Brown Gravy

2 Cups Beef Broth (about)
1/4 Cup Flour
2 Tbls Shortening (I use Spectrum Palm Shortening)
Seasoning to your taste, salt, pepper, garlic powder

In a small/medium sauce pan melt the shortening over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook up until a beige color, more brown than yellow/white. Turn heat up to med/high and add in 1/2 the broth. It should sizzle, whisk fast until it starts to come together. Once this has happened, whisk in additional broth until you reach your desired thickness. Season to taste and serve warm.

If you  make your mashed potatos in advance, say in the morning, you can make a slightly bigger batch and use some of them to make the next recipe.


Easy Potato Bread

1 Cup Mashed Potatos
2 Eggs beaten
1/2 Cup Earths Balance Soy Free Margarine, softened (leave out for a few minutes on the counter)
3 Tbls Sugar
2 tsp Salt
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
1/2 Cup Warm Water
5 Cups Bread Flour (about 4 for the dough, and additional 1 Cup for kneading)

In a large bowl mix together the mashed potatos, eggs, and margarine.
Stir in sugar, salt, yeast and warm water.
Mix in enough flour to make a dough that can be kneaded by hand.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, roll dough into a ball and drop into bowl, turn over so that the top is greased. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm location for approximately 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
After 2 hours punch down dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface again to knead out the bubbles.
Divide dough in half and shape into two loaves. Place inside 2 greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again for about 40 minutes or until they double in size.
Bake at 375* for about 25-30 minutes or they sound hollow when you tap on the tops. Remove from pans and allow to cool.

** You can find Spectrum Palm Shortening at most health food stores. I've found the Loeb's Onion Crunch at Costco as well as at my health food store. The Kitchen Bouquet can be found in the asile where you find Worcestershire Sauce. I got mine at Target Supercenter.