The Ranting Wife

My wife works for a local college and has a number of staff members who are students. Several times a year, they meet socially as a group for dinner or to go out for frozen yogurt. As many of the students don’t bother to cook (I think they can take a lesson from LetsGetBasted), they often miss the home cooked meal the most. At least once a year, my wife has her workers over for dinner and the last time, she made this recipe, Pizza Topped Meatloaf. The students loved it.

Shortly after the dinner, one of the student workers was sent to pick up items at a store off campus. Due to a transposition error in the address, he went on a wild goose chase. To make it up to him and as he loved the meatloaf, my wife promised to make it for him before the year was over. The other night, as the school year was coming to a close, she decided to make it for him. While she was at it, she made one for me too. 🙂

Fresh Roma tomatoes and melted mozzarella….yum!

This meatloaf uses both hamburger and hot Italian sausage.

Throw it in a bowl.

Mix it up.

Take a pie plate and line it with plastic wrap. Form the meatloaf to the shape of the plate.

Then invert it on a broiler pan and remove the plate.

Bake it up.

Cover it with tomatoes.

And, of course, cheese!

Let it melt.

Pizza-Topped Meat Loaf

Prep Time: 20 minutes |  Cook Time: 30 mins  | Servings: 6 | Difficulty: medium

Ingredients:

• 1 beaten egg
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley or parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 ounces lean ground beef
• 8 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage
• 2 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons basil chiffonade*

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and garlic. Add ground beef and Italian sausage; mix lightly. Shape meat mixture into a round loaf, 9 inches in diameter. Transfer loaf to the unheated rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan with rack.

2. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of the loaf registers 160 degree F and juices run clear. Remove from oven. Top with sliced tomatoes; sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with basil chiffonade. Cut into wedges to serve. Makes 6 servings.

*Note: To make basil chiffonade, stack fresh basil leaves. Starting at a long edge, roll the leaves up. With a sharp knife, slice the roll into thin strips.

Source: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/pizza-topped-meat-loaf/