Scrolling through Facebook, I saw this “simple” meatloaf recipe, and thought why not? Just as there are loads of meatball recipes, so goes it with meatloaves. And yes, it really was quite simple. If you make up the mix in the morning, you can then just pop it into a preheated oven for one hour before dinner; just make sure to let it rest for 10 minutes afterward.

*A trick I learned ages ago to eliminate some of the fat, is halfway through the cooking time, fold up a few paper towels and pat up the grease that has risen to the top. At this point I add a few ladles of the pasta sauce on top and return it to the oven. Once you cut out the first slice, you can then use a baster to suck up the remaining liquid/fat. Another approach is to form the loaf free-style and place it on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.

Whichever method you prefer, do not overwork the meat mixture when combining all of the ingredients, otherwise it will be dense and tough. The key is to keep it loose, soft and airy.

We paired ours with a Roasted Bell Pepper and Tomato side dish which cooked at the same temperature as the meatloaf. With some of the leftovers we combined it with cooked pasta and more of the sauce used for the meatloaf topping.

Parmesan Meatloaf

• Servings: 1 loaf
• Time: 1 hr, 30 min
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 small yellow onion (grated)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup of your favorite pasta sauce (marinara sauce, homemade, meatless)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork and beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Try not over handle the mixture, otherwise it will get tough.
3. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan, and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce. (*Or follow the approach mentioned above.)
4. Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour.
5. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and drain any grease from the meats at this time.
6. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese.
7. Place the meatloaf back in the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted.
8. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, and let sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from Grandma’s Old Recipes