Pizza Meatloaf

I have not blogged for some time but wanted to share a recipe I just made since it is Monday meatloaf day.  I found the idea on the internet while I was looking for another recipe and thought I’d like to try making a meatloaf with pizza ingredients.  I don’t use a recipe when making a meatloaf.  I usually toss it together with whatever I have or whoever I’m cooking for.  In that, I tossed it together and the measurements are a rough guess and an afterthought.  There are no rules here.  You can toss in anything you put on your pizza and make it your own. 

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

1 lb. lean hamburger

Fresh mozzarella cheese 

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 large egg

½ cup Italian bread crumbs (I used gluten free)

1 can pizza sauce

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Using your hands, mix the sausage and hamburger together well.  Add the egg, bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and mix well again.  Add your seasonings and mix well.  You can use your mixer but I like using my hands when making meatloaf.

Take a large meatloaf pan and put ½ the mixture in the bottom of the pan.  Slice your mozzarella cheese into ½ inch slices and place down the middle of the meat from one end to the other.  Take your remaining meat mixture and place on top of the cheese covering it completely. 

Place in your oven and bake for 1 hour.  Take out and cover with the pizza sauce and put back in the oven for another ½ hour.  Take out and let cool a few minutes.  I drained off the grease at this point and sliced and served.  It tasted like pizza without a crust.  Serve with a nice crusty garlic bread.

Variations:  Now you can get creative and on top of the mozzarella cheese place whatever toppings you like on your pizza like mushrooms, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, bacon, peppers, caramelized onions, etc.  Or you can just keep it simple like I did. If I had pepperoni, I would have used it. 

Like it hot?  Use hot Italian sausage or add more pepper flakes or a little hot sauce.

I used onion powder and garlic powder but you may cut up an onion or chop garlic and go fresh ingredients if you like.  I kept it simple.

Go ahead and play with your food and make it your own.  Have a great fall day and may God bless you and yours.