Meatloaf and Potato Pileup

The jury is still out on this one.

It's definitely cool looking.

I'm just not sure the flavor is all there.

Or that it's worth the mess.

And I didn't even use the food processor like the recipe suggests.

In the recipe's defense I will say that I did not make the

basil, olive oil, lemon sauce that you are 

supposed to serve with it. 

I just didn't have the energy. 

Or attention span.

Or fresh basil. 

Or lemon. 

The recipe called for ground beef as well as

 ground dark meat turkey. 

I substituted *natural* ground round. 

That *natural* gave me pause. 

Who decides exactly what qualifies as 

*natural* these days?

Also, does the ammonia to create pink slime

count as *natural* at some point in it's life?

But it was on sale for the same price as the 

adulterated beef so I went for it. 

I also cut the recipe in half. 

I am starting to remember to do that

  before I shop for ingredients.

I wish there was more flavor in the potato layer. 

The cheese sauce on top is good but doesn't 

go through that whole big layer of potatoes. 

The meatloaf part was good and moist

(sorry Shanna)

but I just think it was too mild. 

It needed a punch of spice.

Hmm, wonder if a little basil/olive oil/lemon sauce

would have fixed that?