Smoke’n Meatloaf

2 pounds of lean ground beef

1 large onion

½ bell pepper (I use orange or yellow to make it interesting, but green works too)

3 cloves of garlic

1 large carrot

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 slices of white bread

½ cup of milk

2 tablespoons of ketchup

¼ cup of Parmesan cheese

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (parsley, oregano, basil, thyme, etc)

¼ cup of bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400˚

Heat a large skillet with the oil on medium/high heat. Chop onions, bell peppers, carrots and garlic into small chunks. Add to skillet and sauté for about 4-5 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots are just tender. Take off the heat and let cool some. In a large bowl whisk the egg and milk together then add the two slices of white bread to it. (Some people remove crusts, some don’t. I do not, but if that is what you would like to do, then by all means go for it.) Let it sit a bit so the bread soaks up the milk, do this while the vegetables cool. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, mash up the bread so that it nearly disintegrates into the milk. (This sounds weird, but trust me, it’s good for the meatloaf) Add the cooked vegetables, ketchup, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and seasonings to the bread, egg and milk mixture. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients. Next add the ground beef and mix well just until all ingredients have been combined. Try to avoid over mixing. If you see that the mixture is too loose, add the bread crumbs, and if not then leave them out. Dump the entire mixture on to a roasting pan and shape into a loaf. Even out and smooth down to make it as even as possible.

Put in oven and bake for 45-55 minutes. When cooked, take out and let sit for about 10 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or white rice and green bean casserole. Enjoy!!

***TIP: OPTIONAL DRESSING: Before you put meatloaf in oven to cook, put a few slices of bacon on top as a coat or drizzle on some extra ketchup to give it a tangy crust.