The Kids' Meatloaf

On my somewhat self-indulgent birthday this year, I received the best present ever:  about a dozen kids.  But these are no ordinary kids.  They are very special. And truth be known, I just borrow them.

The local High School Track & Field

I was doing my track & bleachers workout at the local high school (where I regularly bump into my friend, Rocky Balboa) and I saw a few teachers and several kids slowly make their way onto the field.  Once there, they dispersed in all directions.  The attending adults finally corralled the kids, but I wondered: Could they use my help?

It turns out that one of these teachers specializes in Physical Education for Special Education kids and he has a certification for it.  He said he'd love for me to help out whenever I could, which basically involves playing various games with them on the field or in the gym on hot days.  On a regular basis, I get to play with them, cheer for them when they succeed and encourage them when they don't... I'm not sure who has more fun: them or me.

A few weeks ago, as we walked off the field after class, one of the classroom teachers invited me to join them for lunch.  This was not your standard issue PB&J on Wonderbread with Nabisco Crackers 'N Cheez, however.  

This was a real-food, freshly cooked lunch that the kids made from scratch.  When I say that it's 'from scratch', I mean that they walked nearly a mile to the grocery store to buy the ingredients. Then they walked back to school.  Once back in the classroom (that has an adjoining kitchen: hollah!) each kid is in charge of chopping or preparing one item.  That day they made meatloaf. 

The Recipe...A Flow Chart.  I love this layout

Each kid is responsible for one square.  Together, they make the meal. Love it.

Can I just say that it was the best meatloaf I've ever had?  I had been told that their lead classroom teacher is a fan of healthy eating and teaches them to cook healthy meals every Friday.  (Can I just get a woot for that?)

I was treated as a 'guest' and was served my plate by one of the older kids.  This included a healthy dose of salad. Now it was I who felt special.

Here is their recipe followed by my vegetable-and-egg-white-pimped meatloaf-frittata adaptation.  Make them both.  You'll be glad you did.

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The Kids' Meatloaf:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 4 eggs
• 4 cloves garlic
• Salt & Pepper
• Tomato or pasta sauce (for on top at the end)

Method:  Mix all but last ingredients and bake in 2 meatloaf pans at 400F for 40'-1 hour.

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My Meatloaf Veggie Frittata:

• 20 oz ground turkey
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup Panko Japanese bread crumbs
• 4 gloves of garlic, minced
• Salt & Pepper

Mix and bake in loaf pans (or like me in a sprayed springform cake pan because you don't own a meatloaf pan) at 400F for 1 hour.  I forgot to add pasta sauce to mine, but realized half-way through the meal that it wasn't necessary.

Poor quality iPhone picture doesn't do this justice- it was delicious! What you see here is one serving (if you can manage it)

You can spot all of the veggies, but it didn't taste 'vegetal' at all. And aren't you glad that the countertop is in perfect focus?

One serving was half of the batch. In other words, the recipe makes two HUGE pieces at 345 calories each.  You'll be full, very full if you eat it all. 

Q: Do you find that food always tastes better when someone else cooks it for you?  Have you had the chance to spend time with people with special needs?