A NEW TWIST ON MEATLOAF~ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF

I love meatloaf.  It is funny how your taste buds change every so often.  You probably have heard every 7 years but that has to be some myth.  After all, how would you measure 7 years?  Would it be from the day you were born?  Would it be from the day you tried something you did not like?  Or from the second time you tried it and could not tolerate the taste or texture in your mouth?  Seriously how do you measure a span of time?  

I honestly did not like meatloaf until I was a mother.  No, I did not crave it while pregnant or right after I had my kids.  Instead, I made a meatloaf for my family and I thought why not try it.  Goodness, how did I never like meatloaf before?  I loved everything about it.  Even better, it was so darn tasty the next day as a sandwich.  Add a little hot sauce and maybe some cheese to a toasted bun.  Yum!!!  

I have made normal meatloaf with ground beef.  I have made a ground turkey meatloaf.  Oh, and ground venison is the bomb.  I really need to post that recipe.  

Not only do I love meatloaf, but I also have a love affair with Italian food.  A few years ago someone mentioned an Italian meatloaf to me and that had me.  However, since life does happen I have not taken the time to make one.  Today is different.  I decided to make one.  

I started with picking and washing the last of the tomatoes in the garden.  I figured if I am making this I am making it as best as I can.  Fresh homemade marinara.  Oh yeah!!  You can check out this link for my marinara sauce recipe.

I had a variety of tomatoes from San Marzano to chocolate cherry tomatoes.  I cut them up fairly small.

Put them in a small saucepan along with fresh oregano and basil.  

Some chopped garlic cloves.

I wanted a bit of spice so I added some red pepper flakes.

I added some balsamic vinegar and some brown sugar.

A bit of salt.

Give it a good stir and cook it down.

After it has cooked put it through a food mill.

Pour it back in the saucepan and allow it to cook down and reduce.

As this cooked down I took a red bell pepper and roasted it until charred.

After it was done, put the pepper in a brown bag to steam so it is easier to peel.

Peel the pepper and de-seed it.

I then chopped up the pepper.

Chop up a small onion.

Cook the roasted red pepper and onions in a frying pan with some olive oil for 5 minutes.

Chop a tomato.

Mince garlic cloves.

Add garlic to the pepper and onions.

Put tomato and Italian seasoning into the mix and cook a few more minutes.

Once it is done set aside to cool.

Shred parmasean cheese.

In a bowl add an egg.

Add the homemade marinara.

Add Worcestershire Sauce.

Then add breadcrumbs, mozzerella, parmasean and vegetables.

Mix well. 

Put meat mixture into a pan.  I use a meatloaf pan and top with 1/4 cup more marinara.

Cook for 45 minutes.  Take out and add another 1/4 cup of marinara and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.  Allow the cheese to melt as the meatloaf cools.

ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion
• 1 roasted red pepper 
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 tomato
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup marinara (I made fresh)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese 

Directions

• Roast a red bell pepper.  Peel and de-seed it then chop it up.
• Chop yellow onion.
• Mince garlic cloves.
• In a pan heated pan add olive oil.  Put roasted red pepper, onion and garlic in and cook for a few minutes.
• Add chopped tomato and Italian seasonings, saute for another 3 to 5 minutes.  Allow to cool.
• Add ground beef, 1/3 of the marinara, egg, Worcestershire sauce, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan, sauteed vegetables, and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and mix well.
• Top with remaining marinara.
• Grease a loaf pan and put meat mixture into it.
• Cook at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. 
• Take out and add the rest of the mozzarella cheese.

I have to admit the way I made this recipe, it was a true labor of love.  Thank goodness it was well worth the work.  This is so tasty.  I hope you will try it and leave me some comments.  Also, try Garlic Roasted Potatoes.

You can make shortcuts to this recipe to save time.  You do not have to make homemade marinara.  I actually have a lot canned so I could use a jar of that but you can use a sauce purchased at the store.  You could also buy roasted red peppers at the store.  I would not use canned minced garlic but you could.  I love garlic and fresh to me is the best.  

ENJOY!!