Italian Meatloaf

I love a good meatloaf, but it's surprising how rarely I eat or make it. Ever since Cooking Light did a feature on meatloaf in a fall 2006 issue, I've realized there's more that you can do with it than the traditional.

I also recently visited the Austin downtown farmer's market and picked up some really delicious fig and red wine jam from Watson Farm in Fredericksburg, which I thought would be the perfect topping for a rich Italian meatloaf- boy was I right!

Italian Meatloaf

2 pounds ground sirloin
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup fig and red wine jam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine first 9 ingredients (through basil) and form in 2 9 by 13 loafs. Mix cheeses and top on one of the loaves. Place the other loaf on top and seal edges. Spread jam over it and bake an hour and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

I served these with some really simple mashed potatoes that complimented the meatloaf marvelously.

Sun Dried Tomato Mashed Potatoes

1 pound small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook potatoes in salted boiling water about 20 minutes, until soft. In the mean time, pulse tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until creamy. When potatoes are done, drain and place back in warm pot. Mash with a fork until slightly lumpy. Mix in sun dried tomato mixture and serve.

This wasn't my prettiest meal, but it sure was tasty!