RECIPES

Wine Country Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan

Total recipe time: 1 3/4 hours
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

About 1 cup boiling water

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, not packed in oil

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (95% lean)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh basil

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons Cabernet or other dry red wine

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, as desired

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour enough boiling water over sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl just to cover; let stand 10 minutes or until tomatoes are softened. Drain well. Finely chop tomatoes.

Combine ground beef, tomatoes, bread crumbs, onion, 1/3 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup cheese, basil, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

Spray rack of broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Shape beef mixture into 8x4 1/2-inch loaf; place on rack. Bake in 350 degree oven 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine wine and 2 tablespoons ketchup. Generously brush meatloaf with wine mixture. Continue baking 15 to 20 minutes to medium (160 degrees) doneness, until no longer pink in the center and juices show no pink color. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese; tent loosely with aluminum foil.

Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into 1-inch thick slices. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

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Wine Country Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan

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