Italian Meatloaf Recipe

A tasty traditional recipe from market vendor Quarles Farms

Ingredients:
•2 pounds extra lean ground beef
•2 cups soft bread crumbs, loosely packed
•1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, your favorite
•1 large egg, lightly beaten
•2 tablespoons dried chopped onion or 1/4 cup finely minced onion
•1 1/2 teaspoons salt
•1 teaspoon garlic powder
•1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, crushed, or use a mixture of oregano and basil
•1/4 teaspoon pepper
•3 tablespoons spaghetti sauce
•2 to 3 slices Mozzarella cheese, about 2 to 3 ounces
Preparation:
Fold a 30-inch long piece of foil in half lengthwise. Place in bottom of a slow cooker with both ends hanging over top edge of cooker. I also put a piece of crumpled foil in the bottom to keep the meatloaf out of the fat. The foil strip will make it much easier to remove the meatloaf when it's done.
In a large bowl, mix ground beef with bread crumbs, 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce, egg, onion, salt, garlic powder, Italian herbs, and pepper until well blended. Shape into a loaf. Place in slow cooker. Spread 3 tablespoons spaghetti sauce over the loaf.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or until juices run clear. Top loaf with cheese slices, overlapping, and continue to cook (turn to HIGH if necessary) for 15 to 25 minutes longer.

Use ends of foil to lift out meat loaf and transfer to a serving platter.