April Fool's Day Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
Is there anything more fun than playing a harmless practical joke on your family? This one, well...it takes the cake! Any leftovers reheat and freeze well.
Equipment
- Piping Bags with tips for mashed potato icing
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds (20oz) ground turkey breast
- ½ a small to medium onion, cut into chunks (~4oz-115g)
- ½ a small to medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped (~3oz/85g; see notes)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ¾ cup (67g) quick or old-fashioned oats (could substitute panko or crushed saltines if gluten-free recipe isn't needed)
- ½ tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup (64g) barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup (66g) salsa (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups (480g) prepared mashed potatoes (see recipe notes for helpful tips)
- 12 small cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half through the "equator"
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and grease or line a 12-muffin tin.
- Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl.
- Place the onion and bell pepper in a food processor or mini chopper. Pulse until finely chopped (but not a paste), and then add to the ground turkey. Alternatively, you could finely chop the veggies by hand.
- Add the egg, oats, and steak seasoning to the bowl. I add ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of the pepper mill too.
- In a small bowl, mix together the barbecue sauce, salsa, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into the bowl with the turkey and stir to fully incorporate. Take care not to over-mix, which makes the mixture pasty.
- Using an ice cream scoop, evenly fill the muffin tins, and lightly flatten with a fork.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on top.
- Fill piping bag with mashed potatoes and an icing tip. Pipe about 2-3 tablespoons (30-40g) of mashed potatoes on each cupcake to look like frosting. No piping bag? Use a knife and give the topping a festive swirl.
- Top with the tomato half (the half without the stem mark) for the cherry on top!
Notes
The pepper: A red pepper adds a sweeter note, while a green bell pepper injects a hit of bitterness. In either case, for best flavor and moisture level, stick to half a small to medium pepper, or a max of 3oz/85g. In a pinch, you could omit.
The salsa: I like a medium salsa for a hint of heat. If using mild salsa and a green bell pepper, I add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. If using mild salsa and a red bell pepper, I add ½ teaspoon cayenne. Feel free to adjust to taste.
*Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes or Make-Ahead Baked Mashed Potatoes work well for this recipe. Store-bought, instant, or your go-to recipe are also fair game. For this photo shoot, we used pre-made mashed potatoes from the grocery store. We thinned them with milk to make them easier to pipe. Either way, choose a recipe using peeled potatoes, and one that is thick enough to hold form but thin enough to be piped-through an icing bag.
Final presentation tip: Even the prettiest cupcake liners dull in color when the mini meatloaves are baked in them. Using a fresh one (or two as we did for a colorful flourish!) after baking will produce the most vibrant color and whimsical appeal.
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