I’m back with another Miyazaki-inspired recipe. I decided to do something different and go savory!! I was thinking of My Neighbor Totoro and thought that he would be perfect make out of meat!! I present to you my Totoro Turkey Meatloaf.
To make the meatloaf you will need:
- 3 lbs of ground turkey
- 1 c. breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- A splash of milk
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 Tbls parsley
- A few splashes of Worcestershire Sauce
- Rainbow carrots (or regular carrots work fine too)
- Black gel food coloring
- White gel food coloring (optional)
- Some boiling potatoes like Yukon Gold
- Butter, Salt, and Milk
- A piping bag or large Ziploc bag
- A paring knife
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
- A wire rack and 2 large baking sheets
- A food-safe squeeze bottle (optional)
Let me show you how it’s done!
- Make the meatloaf: In a large mixing bowl combine the turkey meat, spices, breadcrumbs, splash of milk, eggs, and Worcestershire Sauce and mix together with your hands until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Place onto baking tray lined with foil and shape into Totoro’s body and head. Think of making a large, wide pear shape.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Remove from it’s baking tray and place on a wire rack over another large baking tray.
- While the meatloaf cooks prepare the mashed potatoes for Totoro’s belly. Peel and boil some starchy potatoes such as Yukon golds until fork tender. Drain off the water and mash with a hand masher or electric mixer. Add lots of butter and some milk and a generous amount of salt to taste. Mix together until smooth and then cover to keep warm.
- Make Totoro’s features: peel and cut 2 small coin shapes from a white carrot for his eyes. Optional: use some white gel food coloring to make the eyes even whiter. Use a dot of black gel for the pupils. For the ears, nose, and whiskers, peel and cut 1/4 strips of purple carrot. Trace the outline of his ears, and cut out using a paring knife. Cut six small, thin strips for whiskers, and a small triangle for the nose.
- Make Totoro’s “fur”: Heat the cream of mushroom soup in a saucepan with half the amount of milk required. You’re looking for a consistency that’s pourable but not too runny. When the soup is hot add one drop of black food coloring and mix in.
- Assemble Totoro: Make two slits on the top of his head with a sharp knife and insert the carrot ears.
- Pour the gray soup all over the meat loaf and spread it out with a spatula. Be sure to cover his ears. The wire rack on the baking tray will catch any runoff.
- Put the mashed potatoes into a piping bag or a large ziplock and cut one corner off. Pipe a large circle of potato for his belly. (You can also just spoon this on, but the bag makes it easier). Spread it out evenly with a knife or off-set spatula.
- Make the “dark fur spots” on his belly by etching out some upside down “V” shapes out of the mashed potato using something long and dull like the bottom end of a paintbrush. Make three on the top row and four on the bottom.
- Fill in the indents with more soup. I found it easiest to put the soup in a squeeze-safe squeeze bottle for this part, though i had to strain out any mushroom bits as they caused the nozzle to clog.
- Make some holes on each side of Totoro’s face with a skewer and insert the long purple carrot strips for the whiskers. Put the top whisker in so it’s shorter than the bottom two (or just cut it smaller). Then, add on the eyes and nose.
- Finally, add a single spinach leaf on the top of his head!
And there it is – My Totoro Turkey Meatloaf, complete with mini
Dust Sprite rolls. Super easy to make! Coat some store bought canned dinner rolls in black sesame seeds before baking! I made them mini-sized to mimic the dust sprites.
