How to Make a Yummy Thanksgiving Turkey Loaf in Your Hot Logic Mini
Inside: A quick and easy turkey loaf recipe with all the flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner – made in a Hot Logic Mini
Cooking for one or two people this Thanksgiving? All you need is a Hot Logic Mini personal cooker/food warmer and you can make this super easy Thanksgiving turkey loaf with a cranberry-balsamic glaze. It’s perfect for people camping or living in a van/car or RV because it cooks in a Hot Logic Mini that comes with either a 120V or 12V plug.
To read more about why I now do almost all my van cooking with this gadget click here.
120V Hot Logic Mini
12V Hot Logic Mini
How to make Thanksgiving turkey loaf
Some notes on ingredients
The wonderful Thanksgiving flavors in this turkey loaf come from using prepared stuffing mix. Typically, meat loaf recipes include plain bread crumbs to bind the ingredients together. However, substituting stuffing mix takes the flavor to a completely new place. Every bite is infused with Thanksgiving flavor.
My family tasted versions of this recipe made with home-made or prepared stuffing mixes and the hands-down favorite was Stovetop brand stuffing mix. This surprised me as I have historically been a stuffing snob and made it the hard way.
Our favorite flavor Stovetop was cornbread, but traditional chicken was a close second.
Mix the stuffing mix with hot water and butter per the package directions (1 1/2 c water and 1 tablespoon butter), scooping out 1/2 cup for the meatloaf mix, and placing the rest in the bottom of a buttered 36 oz. covered glass dish.
This recipe uses 1/2 pound of ground turkey, so if you bought a 1 pound package save the rest to add to some soup later in the week.
Dice the celery into raison sized pieces. I like to grate the onion because the flavors distribute into the meat mix better. The Craisins add a nice little pop of flavor and and any extras make a great hiking snack.
Our secret ingredient in this recipe is a nice heaping tablespoon of French’s Crispy Fried Onions (those of green bean casserole fame). They add an extra flavor boost and a little crunch. Any extras can be used to top soups or in other recipes in place of fresh onion.
Time to mix it all together
Mix together all the ingredients except the ground turkey.
Then crumble the raw ground turkey over the top and mix gently.
Form the turkey mixture into a loaf and place into the 36 oz glass dish containing the prepared stuffing.
The best part of this recipe is the glaze. You can make it two ways. The first option is a balsamic vinegar and cranberry sauce mixture, the second is the same with added ketchup. Our family gave a slight edge to the ketchup version, but we are huge ketchup fans. You do you.
I made the glaze with jellied cranberry sauce, but the whole berry version works just as well (sorry about the upside down photo, but the cans are weird – you can only open them from the “bottom”).
Mix the cranberry sauce, vinegar (and ketchup if using) well and coat the loaf.
Here’s the Turkey loaf all ready to bake. Add the cover, plug in your Hot Logic Mini and in two hours it will be done (>165 degrees F) and ready to eat. Just eat from the dish or slice and serve all fancy – your choice.
PrintHot Logic Mini Recipe: Thanksgiving Turkey Loaf
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This easy meatloaf combines ground turkey with prepared stuffing, infusing it with traditional Thanksgiving flavor. Top it with a cranberry-balsamic glaze and you have an easy tasty Thanksgiving main course.
Ingredients
-
For the loaf
- 1/2 cup prepared Stovetop Stuffing mix (cornbread or chicken flavor). Save the remainder to bake with the turkey loaf)
- 1/2 pound ground turkey
- 2 Tablespoons beaten egg (half an egg) (see notes)
- 2 Tablespoons milk (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon diced celery
- 1 Tablespoon grated onion
- 1 Tablespoon Craisins (dried cranberries)
- 1 Tablespoon French’s Crispy Fried Onions
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasonings
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
-
For the glaze
- 2 Tablespoons cranberry sauce (jellied or whole berry)
- 1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup (optional)
Instructions
- Butter a 32 oz rectangular covered glass dish (see notes)
- Prepare the stuffing mix (bag of stuffing, 1 1/2 cups hot water, 1 Tablespoon butter) and fluff gently with a fork. Put 1/2 cup in a bowl, and the remainder in the buttered glass dish.
- Mix the celery, onion, French’s onion, Craisins, egg, milk, poultry seasonings, salt, and pepper gently into the 1/2 reserved stuffing.
- Crumble the ground turkey over the mixed ingredients from the previous step
- Mix together gently
- Form an oblong loaf with the turkey mixture..
- Mix the cranberry sauce, vinegar and ketchup (if using) together with a fork or spoon.
- Place the formed turkey loaf on the bed of stuffing in the glass dish.
- Spread the cranberry glaze on the top of the loaf.
- Cover the dish, place in Hot Logic Mini, zip closed and plug in.
- Cook for 2 hours.
Notes
Equipment needed: Hot Logic Mini cooker; 32 oz. Glass cooking dish with lid
It can be challenging to halve an egg. To make it easier, whisk a large egg with 4 Tablespoons milk, then remove 4 Tablespoons of beaten egg/milk mixture for the recipe. Save the remainder to use in scrambled eggs.
The nutrition information below is for the glazed turkey loaf. The extra stuffing cooked with the loaf is about 539 calories, or 279 calories per serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Van Cooking
- Method: Hot Logic
- Cuisine: Holiday
Keywords: Thanksgiving; Turkey,
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