Meatloaf with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Almond Topped Green Beans

Meatloaf is one of those dinners we think of when we were kids. Something that our parents made as a comfort food. We remember it as a huge loaf of ground beef with a fancy ketchup glaze. We would each get a slice- yum! Well, let's change up that giant loaf of beef and instead make individual loaves for each of us. No need to slice it up and share. It's all yours!

Meatloaf with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Almond Topped Green Beans
Total Time: 1 Hour
Generously serves a family of four (4)

Ingredients:

• 5 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 4 Tbsp Ketchup
• 2 Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Fresh Sprigs of Parsley (about 3-4 tbsp)
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 1/2 lbs of Ground Beef
• 2 Eggs
• 4 Sweet Potatoes
• 12oz of Fresh or Frozen Garden Green Beans
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 2 Tbsp of Sliced Almonds
• Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Butter

Directions:

1.  Wash and dry all produce. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and ketchup together and set aside.
2. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley. Halve and peel the onion, then use the large holes of a cheese grater and grate the onion (this helps the ground beef absorb the onion flavor and prevents you from getting large pieces of onion in the meatloaf). 
3. Add the ground beef, garlic, parsley, onion, panko bread crumbs, and both eggs to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then mix with your hands until combined. Shape into 4 loaves, then place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the top of each loaf with the vinegar and ketchup mixture - about 1 tbsp per loaf.
4. Roast the meatloaves in the oven until cooked through, about 25 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2in cubes (this takes forever). Place them in a medium pot covered with water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.
6. After the meatloaves have baked for 10 minutes, remove them from the oven and add the green beans to the pan and drizzle the green beans with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the meatloaves and green beans back in the oven until the meatloaves are finished, about 15 minutes.
7. Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash with a fork, potato masher, or a whisk until smooth. Add butter and honey. Continue to mash until everything is combined. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Once the meatloaves and green beans are done, sprinkle the green beans with the sliced almonds and toss. Divide the meatloaves between four plates and serve with the mashed sweet potatoes and green beans.

Enjoy!