I was looking for a recipe to use up some ground chicken I have in the fridge when I came across this recipe on The Cookbook Junkie’s website.  Certainly a nice recipe to usher in this cooler weather.

Cranberry Meatloaf
Wal*Mart Family Cookbook Copyright 2008

1 can (16 oz.) whole cranberry sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. lean ground beef I used ground chicken
1 ½ cups soft bread crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup egg product I used 1 egg
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp each parsley flakes and thyme leaves
1/8 tsp. oregano leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl stir together cranberry sauce and brown sugar. Set aside.

In large bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, bell pepper, milk, egg product, salt, parsley, thyme and oregano. In large shallow baking pan, shape meat mixture into a 8x4x2-inch loaf. I baked mine in a loaf pan.  Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Spread ¼ cup of reserved cranberry sauce mixture on top of loaf. Bake 20 to 30 minutes more.

In small saucepan heat remaining cranberry sauce mixture over low heat until heated through. Serve with meatloaf.
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This recipe caught my eye when I acquired this cookbook (from Goodwill) but I didn’t think it would appeal to anyone else in the house. That’s really not an issue anymore since when I make a meatloaf it’s generally just for myself these days. My older son used to like it but doesn’t now – hopefully it will have a rebirth soon, like pickles. He used to love pickles then he wouldn’t eat them at all and now I have to ration them since he would eat too many if I didn’t stop him.

So I decided to make this but I couldn’t help but think that ground chicken would be a great fit for this (or ground turkey but I prefer ground chicken to ground turkey). I decided to make the substitution and I’m so glad that I did. Of course you know I am biased when it comes to ground chicken. I always seem to love whatever I make with it.

This was another great meatloaf and another great use of ground chicken.  I’m going to add this to my ground chicken recipe round up and my meatloaf recipe round up.