Meat Loaf

I never liked meatloaf when I was growing up. I could barely choke enough down to please my parents. Then a friend served me some made with mozzarella cheese and ham. Wow! What a revelation! I found this recipe in the newspaper a couple of years later, and have been making it regularly since. It is a hit with the kids.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 egg
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs or oatmeal
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
pepper to taste
1 tsp parsley
4-5 slices cooked ham
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Blend all ingredients except ham and 1/2 the cheese. You can play with the amount of tomato sauce and bread crumbs so that you have moist mixture that will hold its shape. Spread on a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. Lay ham out on top, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and roll up like a jelly roll (removing plastic wrap as you go). Place seam side down on a baking sheet and cook at 350F for 45 minutes.

It can be a bit challenging to get this to roll, I usually end up with more of a fold-in-thirds look. I like to serve this with rice, but potatoes or pasta are tasty, too.