Barbecue Mini Meatloaves

I have found that many people make the same dishes for dinner over and over again. Spaghetti on Monday. Steak on Tuesday. Chicken on Wednesday. Pork Chops on Thursday. Pizza on Friday. Tacos on Saturday. Pot roast on Sunday. Then the menu starts all over again. No wonder many people dread the thought of making dinner. It is so boring.

Not anymore! From time to time I'll be updating and adding some variety to favorite family dishes. No more dried out pork chops, overcooked pot roast and cardboard takeout pizza. The first recipe was Carolina Pot Roast with Gingersnap Gravy. A variation on the typical crock pot pot roast that has a zippy gravy instead of the watered down beef broth found in many recipes.

Tonight I changed up the basic meatloaf. With the addition of some new ingredients and making them into individual mini meatloaves, my taste testers were in for a surprise. "Surprise! Barbecue Mini Meatloaves!"

My Middle One helped squish all the ingredients together and form the mini meatloaves. She was away with a friend for the weekend; she must have missed her Mom.

My Oldest and My Middle One liked the new mini meatloaves, but could have done without the slather of barbecue sauce on the top. I thoroughly enjoyed dinner. A plate of mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, and my new Barbecue Mini Meatloaf. Prefect for a winter night when the temperature was having a hard time getting out of the teens. No Thank You Boy was, well, No Thank Yo Boy tonight. He never has been a fan of meatloaf or even hamburgers so tough luck for him. He dug through the freezer and ate a couple frozen chicken spring rolls. We had a guest taste tester - one of No Thank You Boy's friends ate dinner with us. When asked if he liked meatloaf he said "No." But when dinnertime rolled around, he tried it and liked it along with 2 servings of mashed potatoes and proclaimed, "That was good." Sounds like a thumbs up from him.

Keep checking back for some new ways to change up your old favorites. Your family will thank you and then you can thank me.

Barbecue Mini Meatloaves

serves 5

about 1 1/2 pounds ground beef - 90% lean
2 eggs
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup crushed potato chips
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup barbecue sauce plus extra to slather on top
2 tablespoons mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Form meat mixture into 5 mini loaves and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes and then slather each mini loaf with barbecue sauce. Continue baking mini loaves an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until loaves are cooked through. Remove from oven and serve.