Italian Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 2 slices white bread, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve 3/4 cup for topping)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup marinara sauce + 1/2 to 3/4 cup for topping

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and sauté the onion and bell pepper for 3 to 4 minutes; remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, add the meats, onion and bell pepper along with all remaining ingredients reserving 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese for topping. Mix very well. Place and mold the mixture in a baking dish of your choice.
4. Spoon 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce on top and spread around.
5. Bake for 50 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle a little dry basil over the top.
7. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes. Make sure the meat is not pink before serving. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of the loaf.