Italian Meatloaf with Fresh Basil and Provolone

Meatloaf gets a bad rap, but it's really quite a delicious dish. This recipe fancies up the traditional meatloaf with some Italian flavor. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green and you'll be good to go!

1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
1/2 + 1/3 cup ketchup
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
2 large egg whites
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground round
Cooking spray

Combine boiling water and tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain tomatoes; finely chop.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, breadcrumbs, and the next 6 ingredients (breadcrumbs through beef) in a large bowl. Add tomatoes to meat mixture. Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray or put meat mixture into a loaf pan. Spread 1/3 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6 (2 slices per person)

Spaghetti and Meatballs

A simple and quick recipe that is sure to please! There is nothing fancy here. Just a good classic meatball and sauce. I use a lot of garlic in this recipe, so if you're not a big fan of garlic, feel free to use fewer cloves in both the meatballs and sauce.

1 pound spaghetti
Salt, for past water

Meatballs:
1 pound ground sirloin
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sauce:
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
~10 large fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
~ 1-2 tsp salt (optional)

Heat a medium pot over moderate heat and add the olive oil, crushed pepper, garlic and onion. Saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the beef stock, crushed tomatoes, salt, and basil. Simmer for at least 10 minutes (I prefer to simmer for close to an hour).

While the sauce simmers, preheat the oven to 425 and place a large pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti.

Mix the beef, Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands. The mixture should be moist, but if it seems too moist, add more bread crumbs. Form 1 1/2 inch sized meatballs and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake the balls for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until they are no longer pink. Serve with pasta and sauce!

Serves 4 (makes about 12 meatballs)