RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 12 wells of a muffin pan with cooking spray.

1. Get the potatoes started: Wash, peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil them in a large pot until fork tender. Drain well. Add them to the bowl of a stand mixer along with melted butter. Whip briefly so they don’t become gummy! With the machine running on medium/low, slowly pour in cream until potatoes reach the desired consistency: creamy yet thick!
2. In a small skillet, saute onion until golden and fragrant.
3. Add all dry meatloaf ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Add in eggs, onions and meat. Use clean hands to mix everything together. Divide the mixture into 12 balls. Press each ball firmly into a well of the muffin pan, flattening the tops. Bake 20-25 minutes until the internal temp of the meat is 160° F and the tops are lightly golden. Remove from oven. Transfer the meatloaf cupcakes to a large tray.
4. Add a dollop of ketchup to the top of each muffin. With the back of a spoon spread ketchup over the surface leaving just a thin layer in the center, with a thicker amount along the rim. Important: the middle needs to have enough exposed meatloaf to “grip” the mashed potatoes so they won’t just slide off the top!
5. If desired, add mashed potatoes to a zip-top freezer bag that’s been clipped on one corner and fitted with an open-star icing tip. Pipe the potatoes over the ketchup just as you would decorate a cupcake with frosting. A quicker option: just add a generous dollop of mashed potatoes on top! Sprinkle your meatloaf cupcakes with finely-chopped parsley!