Herby Turkey Loaf

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf:
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¾ tsp. coarse sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1½ lb. ground turkey
2⁄3 c. shredded carrot
½ c. finely diced yellow onion
¼ c. finely diced celery
¼ c. finely diced green bell pepper
¼ c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1½ Tbsp. minced garlic
1 c. butter cracker crumbs, plus an extra ½ c. if needed
1⁄3 c. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ c. 2% milk
¼ c. ketchup
¼ c. tomato sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Canola or vegetable oil spray for greasing
Dried cranberries, thyme sprigs or Garlic potatoes for garnishing

For the Herbed Stuffing:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ c. finely diced yellow onion
¼ c. finely diced celery
¼ c. finely diced carrot
1¼ c. cubed fresh white bread (crusts removed)
1¼ c. cubed fresh 100% whole wheat bread (crusts removed), cubed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp. dried rubbed sage
About ½ c. chicken stock, cooled
Fine sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mix together the dried herbs and seasonings in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine all the remaining meatloaf ingredients, being sure to lightly beat the egg before adding it to the mixture. Add the dried herb mixture and mix with your hands, making sure you blend everything together well and scraping the side of the bowl with a cake spatula. As the meatloaf mixture will be relatively wet, if need be, add an additional ½ cup butter cracker crumbs. Fill a greased, nonstick, 9-inch or 10-inch pie pan with the meatloaf mixture and smooth the top with your hands or a cake spatula. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 to 30 minutes until partly cooked.

While the meatloaf is baking, prepare the stuffing. Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the onion, celery and carrots until softened. Remove from the heat and combine with the bread cubes and herbs in a bowl. Slowly add the chicken stock and mix with your hands to coat the bread cubes, adding more stock if necessary— the stuffing should be moist, but not soggy. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the pie from the oven and carefully place a layer of stuffing on the top of the partly cooked pie. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and the stuffing is lightly browned. Garnish the pie with dried cranberries , thyme sprigs or a dish like garlic potatoes.