Turkey and Veggie Meatloaf Cupcakes {aka how I get my kids to eat some veggies cupcakes}

Since Valentines is around the corner my kids have been bugging me about making cupcakes.  I don't know if I am ready for the sugar induced coma again (for goodness sake I am still recovering from the holidays!).  As I was planning out dinner and going through the fridge, I realized I had some veggies I seriously needed to cook.  A light bulb went off!  How about putting dinner in cupcake form (and throwing in some hidden veggies),  I love playing motherly pranks on my kids and thought this would be fun to watch.  When they got home from school they noticed the "cupcakes" in the oven and got so excited, until they looked a little closer as I was plating them.  But soon those frowns turned back to smiles once they dug in.  They had so much fun eating them and didn't even notice the good for you ingredients inside.  The beauty of this recipe is that you can use your favorite meatloaf and mashed potato recipe of your choice if you like and it will turn ordinary into awesomeness!  I will definitely be making these again.  Indulge!

Ingredients

1 lb of lean Ground turkey

1lb of Italian Turkey Sausages

1 Tbsp Olive oil

1 small onion grated

1 zucchini grated

2 cups fresh spinach chopped

4 garlic cloves minced

3 eggs

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cayenne

1Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

¾ cup ketchup

4 slices of cooked bacon chopped finely

1 ½ cups homemade bread crumbs (I used 1 cup homemade and ½ cup panko)

A few dashes of Tobasco (I used Chipotle flavored)

¼ cup brown sugar

A splash of bourbon

1 tsp Italian Seasonings

Salt and Pepper (I like to use white pepper) to taste

Green onions/chives and bacon finely diced for garnish

Mashed Potato Recipe (Recipe Follows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium sauté pan, over medium- low heat add olive oil and cook the onions, zucchini, spinach and garlic until translucent, approximately 15 minutes.  Add cayenne, nutmeg and season with salt and white pepper.  Allow to cool slightly.

Combine turkey, sausage, bread crumbs, eggs, Worcestershire, tobasco, brown sugar, bourbon, ketchup, bacon and Italian seasonings.  Mix well and place ¼ cup of the mixture into a greased muffin pan (I will sometimes use cupcake liners).  Bake for about 25 minutes.

Once the turkey cupcakes are done, pipe on the mashed potatoes (as if you were piping frosting onto a cupcake), garnish with onions and bacon and set under your boiler for about 5 to 10 minutes or until potatoes start to brown.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

6 golden Yukon potatoes peeled and chopped

½ stick of butter

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

Boil potatoes in a pot of salted water (I also add garlic powder to give it a garlic taste) until fork tender.  Place in a mixer and add butter and cream and whisk until light and creamy (if you don’t have a stand up mixer it can be done by hand as well).  Place potatoes in a piping bag (or in a ziplock bag and cut the corner to pipe on cooked cupcakes).