Nonnis Meatloaf Recipes

NONNA'S TRADITIONAL MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the ground beef and ground pork in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the milk, eggs, garlic, basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Process until pureed.
• Add the wet ingredients to the meat and mix to combine. Then add breadcrumbs and Romano, and gently combine; be careful not to overwork the meat.
• With the help of an ice cream scoop (for even sizing), shape the mixture into 2-ounce meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the meatballs for 30 minutes.
• Add the meatballs to the Roasted Tomato Sauce and simmer for another 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a deep lasagna pan, add the garlic, anchovies, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt. Place the pan on the stovetop and saute for 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Remove from the heat and add the canned tomatoes and oregano; mix well.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the tomatoes are nicely charred on top, 45 minutes. Let cool, then blend to your liking with an immersion blender; we like our sauce a bit chunky, but feel free to puree if you choose.

THE BEST MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Whisk the eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl until completely combined. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and lightly golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add 3 tablespoons of the ketchup and cook until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is thick and brick red colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the onions cool slightly. Then add them to the beaten eggs and mix to combine.
• Add the beef to the egg and onion mixture. Break up the meat with a fork or wooden spoon, and then mix to thoroughly combine; you don't want to see any lumps of raw beef. Add the panko and mix to combine. Stir the meat vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 7 seconds; it will become more homogenous and tackier.
• Transfer the meat to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 9-by-5-inch loaf. Smooth the top and evenly spread the remaining ketchup over top. Bake for 5 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 150 degrees F, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the meatloaf to rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY MINI MEATLOAVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. In large bowl, stir 1/4 cup of the ketchup and remaining ingredients until well mixed.
• Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture in pan; pat into 10x4-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down center and then crosswise into fourths to make 8 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with remaining ketchup.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160°F.

30-MINUTE MINI MEATLOAVES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F. In small bowl, stir ketchup and brown sugar until mixed; reserve 1/4 cup for topping. In large bowl, stir remaining ingredients and remaining ketchup mixture until well mixed.
• Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Place meat mixture in pan; pat into 12x4-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise down center and then crosswise into sixths to form 12 loaves. Separate loaves, using spatula, so no edges are touching. Brush loaves with reserved 1/4 cup ketchup mixture.
• Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until loaves are no longer pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center of loaves reads 160°F.

MINI MEATLOAVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

NONNA'S ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Prepare a large baking sheet by covering it in tinfoil. This will make cleanup a breeze. Lightly spray it with non stick cooking spray, and set aside.
• Add the bread crumbs and broth to a small bowl, stir, and let them sit for 10-15 minutes. Just until they've soaked up the liquid.
• Add the olive oil to a large skillet, and heat over medium high heat. Add the onions, tossing them to coat, and cook until the onions are soft and have become translucent.
• To a large mixing bowl add the meats, onions (once cool enough to touch), prepared bread crumbs, eggs, garlic, salt & pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and cheese (if using).
• Just like with a meatloaf, use your hands and mix everything up until evenly mixed throughout. This may take anywhere from 2-5 minutes, but make sure everything's evenly incorporated.
• Continue using your hands to form the meat mixture into meatballs, each approximately 1 1/2". Place them evenly out onto the prepared baking sheet until all the meat mixture's been used.
• Bake the meatballs at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until all the meatballs have cooked through and there's no pink left in the center.

NONNI'S MEATLOAF

Steps:

• 1. In a med-large bowl, combine eggs, tomato sauce, worchestershire sauce; stir in breadcrumbs or crackers, onion, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning. Add ground meat; mix well. Hands work best.
• 2. Pat meat mixture into a 8x4x2 inch loaf pan. *Optional:(Anolon makes an awesome meatloaf pan for us meatloaf fans. A loaf pan with drain holes, that sits inside another loaf pan that catches the fat drippings!)
• 3. Bake at 350 degrees F oven for 35-40 minutes. Spoon off fat if necessary.
• 4. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, & worchestershire sauce. HINT:(Best to mix up the glaze while meatloaf is baking). Spread glaze over meatloaf and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
• 5. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. (This is a good time to whip up your mashed potatoes). Serve with mashed potatoes and niblet corn. And brown gravy if you like. Yum-Yum!