Much like music, there are certain smells that can transport us back to our childhood. Nothing seems to do that for most people like the aroma of certain foods that fill a home.  When I think back to holidays as a child, my mind immediately goes back to the sounds and aromas I woke up to every morning.  I remember hearing my mom working away in the kitchen, the smell of coffee and eggs filling the house.  Later in the morning the house was sure to smell of scalloped corn, no matter what the holiday.  As an adult, anytime I make scalloped corn, I am transported to that child eagerly awaiting the day’s festivities that lie ahead.  I hope I am and continue to fill our house with these home cooked meals and dishes so T.J. experiences those same emotions as an adult.

The smells of certain other dishes have the same effect on me.  My mom made the family supper every night.  Even after working all day, she would come home, maybe (and I put a big emphasis on maybe) sit down for a moment, but once 5:00 rolled around she would be in the kitchen making our family meal.  She had a few staples she would make us, one of those being meatloaf.  I LOVED my mom’s meatloaf!  It was one of my favorite meals that she made, and I helped myself to way more than my share in those days.

A few months ago, I was trying to think of a new and creative crock pot recipe for Crock Pot Wednesdays and immediately my mind went back to my mom’s meatloaf.  I decided to try something with a healthier twist and that’s what lead me to Spinach & Provolone Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf.  It was a hit!  Not only is it delicious, but its a meal you can put together in the morning before work (or mix up the meat mixture the night before and put in the crock pot in the morning), let it cook all day, and come home to a house that smells of the home cooked meals you may have grown up with as a child.

Here is what you’ll need on your grocery list:

**This recipe will make enough to serve 6-8 people.  I end up freezing what I don’ t use and easily thaw it out and warm it up for another meal.**

1 package (19.5 oz) Hot Italian Turkey Sausage (I had been calling this Spicy Turkey Meatloaf for a while simply because these sausages were in it, but I don’t think it’s really that spicy so I renamed it.  If you’re worried it will be too spicy, just get the regular…but again, all the other ingredients keep it from being very spicy.  This meat just gives it a good flavor)

1 package (1 – 1.25 lbs) Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast

3/4 cup Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup Water

3/4 cup Rolled Oats

1 Egg, beaten

1 tbsp Chilli Powder

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Red Pepper, chopped

1 small Onion, chopped

1 cup Corn

1 cup Baby Spinach

3 slices Provolone Cheese

1/3 cup Ketchup

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

Remove turkey sausage from casings and combine with ground turkey in a large mixing bowl.  I use my hands to combine both meats. This is the fun part, you get to get dirty!  Here are the meats that I used:

Add tomato sauce, water, rolled oats, egg, chilli powder, Worcestershire sauce, red bell pepper, onion, and corn to the meat mixture.  Using your hands, combine all the ingredients as well as you can.  Dig in!

Split the mixture in half.  I simply used my hand to split the mixture in half in the mixing bowl.  Place half of the mixture into the crock pot, shaping like a rectangle.  I then press an indentation down the middle, the length of the meatloaf mixture to make room for the filling.  Place the three slices of provolone cheese down the center over the indentation.  Top the cheese with baby spinach.

The remaining meatloaf mixture goes over the top.  Shape it to enclose the filling and shape like a loaf.

Cook on Low for 7-9 hours.  A couple of hours before you plan on serving the meatloaf, combine ketchup and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and top meatloaf.  If you’re not home a couple of hours before just do it as soon as you can so that the sauce has time to cook to the top of the meatloaf.

Your house will be filled with a delicious aroma that may be reminiscent of your own childhood.  Serve it up and enjoy with a side of veggies, potatoes, and or/or garlic bread.

Another successful Crock Pot Wednesday in the Albrecht Household.  Now…what to make next week?