Turkey Meatloaf and Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 to 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided
1/2 cup cream or half-n-half
Salt and pepper
2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
2 pounds ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 small onion, grated
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
5 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped

2 rounded tablespoons grainy mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Yields: 4 to 6

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425˚F.

Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Add salt and cook to tender.

Once cooked, drain sweet potatoes and return them to hot pot. Mash with a little stock and cream; add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Keep potatoes warm by either transferring them to a slow cooker or cover the pot you have them in and place the pot in a second larger pot with a couple of inches of water and over a low flame.

In a bowl, pour enough chicken stock over the torn bread to just cover. Let soak.

Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey with the egg, grated onion, carrot, thyme, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Gently squeeze the liquid from the soaked bread, leaving it wet but not soggy. Add it to the meat mixture and combine thoroughly. Transfer the meat to the parchment-lined baking sheet and form a log the length of the sheet. Transfer to oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, until cooked through.

Slice meatloaf and serve immediately or slice it, cover with foil and hold in a low 200°F oven until ready to eat. You can also make an excellent meatloaf sandwich on an English muffin with slices of meatloaf, cheddar cheese and tomato.

Serve the meatloaf and mashed sweet potatoes along side a simple salad.