Mini Meatloaves

My mom always makes a delicious meatloaf topped with a sauce made of Rotel tomatoes. And it is delicious. I'll probably post that version at a later time. But last week I tried something new at the Stephenson house: Mini meatloaves. They are an Italian style meatloaf that incorporates store-bought sauce into the meat. Easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup pasta sauce

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 Tbs of fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine beef, egg, 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce, breadcrumbs, spices, and 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Mix well. Divide into 4-6 equal portions. Shape each portion in a ball. Place on a foil covered baking sheet. Spoon on remaining pasta sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature registers 160 degrees. Serve with green beans and mashed potatoes.