Holiday Ideas From 'Meatloaf Outside the Pan' Author Carol Falkowski
Check out the recipes below.
Santa Meatloaf
Start with the basic meatloaf recipe or variation. On an edged cookie sheet pan, form the meat mixture into a shape of Santa's hat and face. Before baking, use sliced red peppers for Santa's red hat. Use peeled yellow zucchini circle-shaped slices for Santa's hat tassel, fur around the red hat, and his eyebrows. Use black olives for eyes. Bake as directed. After baking transfer to a large, round serving platter, and arrange cooked cauliflower florets for Santa's moustache and beard. Use a cherry tomato with one end sliced flat for Santa's red nose, and a small piece of red pepper for his lips.
Wreath Meatloaf
Holiday wreath meatloaves outside the pan are among the most festive, elegant, and impressive of all. Serving Suggestion: Once baked and fully decorated, the wreath meatloaves outside the pan can be served with hot mashed potatoes, sprinkled with paprika, place in and served from the interior (middle) of the wreath.
For all wreaths, start with the basic meatloaf recipe or variation. On an edged cookie sheet pan, form the meat mixture into a circular wreath, a ring shape.
Flatten down the top surface of the wreath shape, so that it is not curved or rounded. Carefully arrange washed, fresh pea pods on the flat upper surface of the wreath shape, pressing slightly into the meat mixture to secure. Insert additional pea pods into the outside lower edge of wreath shape. Push each pea pod into the raw-meat mixture until it is secure ½–1 inch. Bake as directed. Transfer to serving platter. Optional: Add fresh cherry tomatoes cut in half or small circle-shaped pieces of red pepper for decorations.
