The Almighty Meatloaf

The ultimate comfort food, meatloaf is a perennial favorite with several versions. Swap pork with turkey, add rolled oats, sautéed mushrooms even sliced olives. Make ahead for a delicious weeknight dinner, enjoy in a sandwich with crusty bread for next day lunch. Makes 12 slices.

Easy Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon Villa Graziella Organic extra virgin olive oil

• 2 teaspoons Villa Graziella Tuscan herb seasoning blend for meat

• 1 pound each ground chuck & ground pork, substitute turkey for pork

• 6 slices of bacon-optional

• 1 small yellow onion chopped-red or white ok too

• 1 small green pepper chopped-red or yellow ok too

• 1 fresh garlic clove minced

• ½ cup dry panko, bread crumbs or rolled oats

• 2 fresh room temperature eggs, lightly beaten, if possible organic

• 1/3 cup milk, skim or whole, if possible organic

• 2 tablespoons each ketchup & Worcestershire sauce

• 1 ½ teaspoons each barbecue sauce & Dijon mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, Kosher ok too

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Simple directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, double line a roasting or sheet pan with parchment paper, brush with olive oil, set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan, add pepper & onion sauté over medium heat until pepper is soft, onion is translucent about 5 minutes. Add garlic & cook 3-5 minutes, garlic and onion should not turn brown, set aside to cool.

3. Remove meat from refrigerator, set aside.

4. In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, ketchup & Worcestershire sauce. Add bread crumbs, Tuscan herb seasoning salt & pepper to bowl and stir.

5. Add meat, cooked garlic, pepper & onion, mix well with your hands.

6. Shape ingredients into a loaf on roasting pan or cookie sheet, leave 1-1½ inches of space around the edges to allow air to circulate and fat to run off.

7. Mix barbecue sauce and Dijon mustard, brush the top & sides with mixture. Arrange or weave bacon strips across loaf.

8. Cover with foil, place on center rack, bake for 1 hour, remove from oven, use a baster to soak up fat & oil. Return to oven without foil, bake additional 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165°F.

9. Remove from oven, allow to rest 10 minutes for a moist meatloaf.

10. Slice serve & enjoy!

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