Monday, July 23, 2007

Italian Meatloaf--freezer meal

I get really excited about freezer meals. They are so handy on a busy day or a day when a gal just doesn't feel quite up to cooking. A few tips on freezing...
  • Use heavy duty foil over top a layer of Saran Wrap. Or for some things you can wrap in foil, then place in a freezer ziploc bag.
  • Use a permanent marker to label the dish with what it is, the date it was made and cooking instructions. This saves time and removes the possibility of "mystery meals".
  • Make a simple chart or list of what you currently have in the freezer. I made one for my aunt this time so she doesn't lose any (or better yet, so she doesn't find something over a year old shoved back in the depths of the freezer! Yes, I speak from experience.)
This is a yummy recipe.
Italian Meat Loaf

1 egg, beaten
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce, divided
1/2 C. dry bread crumbs
1/2 C. finely chopped onion,
1/2 C. finely chopped green pepper
1 tsp dried oregano, divided
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (I sometimes use half gr. beef and half gr. sausage)
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, combine the egg, half of the tomato sauce, bread crumbs, onion and green pepper, ½ tsp. of oregano, salt and pepper. Add beef; mix well. On a large piece of heavy-duty foil, pat meat mixture into a 14-in.x8-in. rectangle. Sprinkle cheeses to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up, jelly roll style, starting with a short side end peeling foil away while rolling. Seal seam and ends. Transfer to oven safe 9-in.5in.x3-in. loaf pan. In a bowl, combine the remaining tomato sauce and oregano. Pour over meat loaf.

Freeze wrapped in heavy duty foil. Thaw and bake at 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes or until tests done.

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