Dino-loaf!

Diana and I went to a dinosaur-themed party this weekend. I would complain that medical students are just that weird, but I think I forfeited that right when I corrected Diana by saying that a Tyrannosaurs could not fight a Stegosaurus because they lived in different time periods.

For the party, Diana cooked "Dinoloaf with Bloody Glaze"—a variation on Alton Brown's meatloaf recipe. It turned out great, and it really did look like an Apatosaurus!

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped 
• 1 carrot, peeled and broken 
• 3 whole cloves garlic 
• 1/2 red bell pepper 
• 36 ounces ground turkey
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg beaters)

"Bloody" Glaze Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• Dash Worcestershire sauce 
• Dash hot pepper sauce 
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl.
• Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed.
• Combine the vegetable mixture and ground turkey with the bread crumb mixture.
• Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.
• Mold this mixture into the desired shape on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet (or, if you're boring, put the meat into a loaf pan and dump out onto the parchment paper)
• Bake at 325 degrees F.
• Combine the glaze ingredients; brush glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.
• Bake until center temperature is 155 degrees.
• Serve with extra glaze on the side.