Dressed Up Meatloaf

I need to spend some time away from the computer today, so I thought I'd dig up this post from my drafts folder.  It's a post from one of my old (now defunct) blogs that includes a couple of recipes.  I originally posted them about four years ago; I remember them being tasty, but I think if I made them now, I'd make my own dough for the meatloaf dish instead of using refrigerated crescent rolls, and I'd leave the Velveeta out of the potatoes entirely.

Tonight's meal is a dressed up version of meatloaf called Meatloaf Wellington. The originally came from the October/November issue of Taste of Home. I made one fairly major change; I added 3/4 pound of ground pork in place of 3/4 pound of ground beef.

We ate this meatloaf with a mixed salad, some of the apples and onions leftover from last night, and these cheesy potatoes that I came up with based on a basic macaroni and cheese recipe.



Meatloaf Wellington

1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce, divided
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (or 3/4 pound EACH of ground beef and ground pork)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tube (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls

In a large bowl combine the egg, 1/3 cup of spaghetti sauce, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.

On a piece of heavy-duty foil, pat beef mixture into a 12-in. x 8-in. rectangle. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese and all of the parsley to within 1 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side and peeling foil away while rolling. Seal seam and ends. Place seam side down in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour; drain. Unroll crescent dough; seal seams and perforations. Drape dough over mat loaf to cover the top, sides and ends; seal ends. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and crust is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Using two large spatulas, carefully transfer meat loaf to a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with remaining spaghetti sauce.

Serves 8.



Three-Cheese Potatoes

8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup Velveeta, cubed
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Place diced potatoes in medium saucepan. Add water just to cover and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are just beginning to get tender, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine Velveeta, milk, salt and pepper. Stir frequently until Velveeta melts completely. Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.

Drain potatoes and return to pan. Pour cheese sauce over potatoes and stir well to coat. Spread potatoes into 13-in. x 9-in x 2-in. baking dish that has been greased or sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.

Bake at 350° until potatoes are tender and cheese is bubbly and golden, about 20 minutes.

Serves 8.