Meatloaf with Sundried Tomatoes

Are you a lover of meatloaf?  I’ve found that you either love it or hate it.  There is no in between. Here is recipe that you are going to love.  It screams out with so much flavor.   I’m a lover of meatloaf especially my mother’s meatloaf.  Her recipe has eluded me for as long as I have been cooking.  She used just ground beef with an egg, a few bread crumbs, onion, and bell pepper.  The loaf was placed in a corningware loaf dish.  To make a wonderful tomato gravy to go with the meatloaf she poured tomato juice over the meatloaf then baked it.  It was heavenly with rice.  I’m not going to give up, but in the mean time this fantastic recipe certainly does fit the bill!

I love the app for my I-phone  How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman who is one of America’s best known food writers.   This is a collection of food that everyone can cook and it’s great!  I knew right off the bat that the recipe had to be a winner when 2000 reviewers gave this a thumbs up!   I made the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf and it was very good, but found that the variation made with sundried tomatoes was incredible.  I love the intense flavor the tomatoes add.    It’s really a no-brainer recipe.  Just keep these two tips in mind:

• Don’t handle the meatloaf too much which results in a tough product.
• Don’t overcook.  Have a meat thermometer handy to take the guess work out of cooking.

Meatloaf with Sundried Tomatoes from How to Cook Everything

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (  I put a couple of slices of bread in the food processor)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 lb.  ground pork
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 small onion minced
• pinch of dried rosemary or 1 tsp. fresh minced rosemary leaves
• 1 cup of chopped reconstituted dried tomatoes
• Ketchup to spread on top

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Soak bread crumbs  in the milk until the milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
3. Mix together all the ingredients except the ketchup.
4. Place parchment paper or foil in a rimmed baking pan.
5. Shape the meat into a loaf being careful not to over handle it.
6. Spread ketchup on top.
7. Cook for 45 minutes to 60 minutes.  The meatloaf will be firm to touch and lightly browned.  An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will read 160 degrees.
8. Enjoy with your favorite mashed potatoes!

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