Italian Meat Loaf

February 26, 2010 Jamie

With all this cold weather, how about some comfort food? Here is a recipe for one of my favorites!

1 egg, beaten
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1-1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

In a bowl, combine the egg, half of the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, onion and green pepper if desired, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, salt and pepper. Add the beef and mix it well. On a large piece of heavy-duty foil, pat meat mixture into a rectangle (14 in. x 8 in). Sprinkle cheeses to within 1/2 inches of the edges. Roll it up, jelly-roll style, starting with a short side and peeling foil away while rolling. Seal the seam and ends. Transfer this to a loaf pan. Microwave, uncovered, at 50% power for 12 minutes. Rotate it a half turn during cooking. Drain this. Continue cooking on 50% power for 20 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Rotate the dish at about ten minutes. In a bowl, combine the remaining tomato sauce and oregano. Pour this over the meat loaf. Microwave it on high for two minutes. Then, cover it loosely with foil and let it sit for five minutes before serving.