Italian Meatloaf

It hass been nearly seven years since I started blogging.  I can’t believe I’ve been at this for seven years! How many of you remember my original blog?  Seems like a lifetime ago that I started blogging about food, family, and fun….lol such an original tagline at the time….er nawt.  What I started on a whim, turned into so much more, and has led me to so many great places, I’ve met so many amazing people, made friendships that I never, ever would have made had it not been for me following my heart (and listening to a friends encouragement to write, “if it makes you happy, even if no one is reading, do it for yourself”).  Writing about food and stuff, lots of stuff.  Recently I started going back through posts, its hard to remember what recipes I’ve shared, to my amazement I actually discovered there are recipes, long standing family recipes that I have yet to share.  So weird.  After seven years of food blogging I find this hard to believe, but it’s true.  This recipe is from back in the day, my mom would make this meatloaf, switching it up from her good ol’ ketchup laden meatloaf (which I also love and have never shared, go figure).  As a kid I thought of this as fancy meatloaf.  Moms fancy meatloaf.  What kid actually gets excited about meatloaf, and for that matter thinks of it as fancy in any way?  I’m telling you my foodieness goes way back, to the pre-foodistoric era.

My kids love this meatloaf.  They are not huge fans of the traditional ketchup topped loaf served up with mashed potatoes.  Which by the way, my people are not huge fans of mashed potatoes.  What is this about?  Are they of my flesh?  Were they birthed from my loins?  Sometimes I wonder.  So anyway all that to say, I usually serve this meatloaf with roasted vegetables of some sort, or pasta tossed with he remaining marinara sauce.  There are rarely leftovers when I make this meal, but if there are they make the best meatloaf sandwiches ever!  What’s more this recipe is awesome for doubling and freezing.  Make four or six pans and freeze them.

Mix up the loaf ingredients and spread out half of the meat mixture, like so, onto plastic wrap, add a layer of mozzarella cheese, roll up with the aid of the plastic wrap, and place seam side down in a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, you could make this recipe into one large loaf if you like, however it bakes up better when made in smaller portions.

I also like to use these disposable tins, because 1. then I don’t have to wash pan (can you say lazy?) 2. this recipe is great for freezing, double it up and stick a few meatloaves in the freezer.

So there you have it another old family favorite.  Thanks Lynn.  That’s my mom 😉 I’ve got a few other old faves up my sleeve and a few recipes that I just plain need to redo, because the first time I shared them my photos were hideous, well hideouser (that’s a word, I’m calling it) than they are now.  Honestly, I like photography, but I’m not a fussy person, I don’t love setting up a shot, messing with the light, having all sorts of props, I just want to share family recipes with you, if you haven’t noticed I’m not going for any blog awards here, after seven years I’m happy to simply share food, and life through this blog, and thankful that the good Lord has blessed me by allowing it to bring in some grocery money (literally I just did my taxes…nightmarish, in the end there was no money left for groceries, but hey this didn’t start out being about money and I dare say it won’t end being about money) so what more could I ask for?  I get to share my passion for food, hopefully inspiring families to stay home and eat together around the dinner table (seriously a prehistoric notion), maybe save some cash-o-la, and while doing so create good solid family bonds, and food memories.

Nothing better than that!

[print_this]

Italian Meatloaf
makes 2 loaves that serve 4 each

2 pounds lean Ground Beef
1 24 ounce jar Marinara Sauce (1 cup used in meatloaf, remainder used to top)
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Parsley
2/3 cup Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg
2 cups shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium sized bowl add ground beef, 1 cup of the marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and egg. Get your hands in there and make sure all ingredients are combined really well. This is when I like to use food grade plastic gloves!

Divide meat in to two equal portions. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on counter top, place one half of the meatloaf mixture on plastic wrap and spread into a 10×12 rectangle. Take 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese and spread evenly in the middle of meat rectangle.

Using the plastic wrap to roll up the meat loaf, take one end and pull it toward you rolling and tucking as you go until the rectangle of meat is in a neat roll with the cheese swirled in the middle.  Tuck in the ends so the cheese doesn’t ooze out the ends. Place in 8 x 4 inch loaf pans with seam side down.  Spoon more sauce (1/2-1 cup) over top of each  meat loaf and sprinkle 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.

At this point you can place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 1 hour or you can cover tightly with plastic wrap, pushing plastic wrap down on to top of meatloaf leaving no room for air, then follow up with a tight layer of aluminum foil, label with a marker (Italian Meatloaf =thaw, remove cover, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour), place in freezer for up to 3 months.

Serve with roasted potatoes, pasta tossed with remaining marinara sauce, a side of green vegetable such as broccoli, a nice green salad, or any combination of these.

Enjoy!

 

[/print_this]

 

I hope you give this recipe a try!  Feel free to spread the love by pinning, and sharing on your social media, or hey print it off and share it with a friend, the good old fashioned way, on paper.  Paper.  Remember that stuff?
I do love you all! Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by. XO Sheila

Follow Eat2gather ‘s board Eat 2gather on Pinterest.