Spicy Meatloaf

As always, leftover meatloaf is great the next day. Try it on a bed of mesclun, topped with Dijon mustard or ketchup.

Makes 4 servings

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground beef (5% or less fat)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage, or pinch dried
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoons hot red pepper sauce
1/4 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F; spray a 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the mushrooms, onion, carrot, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sauteed vegetables, beef, oats, egg, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and pepper sauce. Shape into a loaf about 7x5x2-inches and place in the pan. Bake 30 minutes. Top with the tomato puree (diluted with a little water, if needed) and bake 30-45 minutes longer. Cut into 8 slices.

Per Serving (2 slices): 275 Cal, 10 g Fat, 3 g Sat Fat, 1 g Trans Fat, 115 mg Chol, 207 mg Sod, 18 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 29 g Prot, 51 mg Calc.

POINTS value: 6

Comments: Tammy didn't really like this recipe. Too much ground beef for her. I thought it was okay. It definitely was good to look at with all the colors from the vegetables, but their wasn't a lot of flavor. I thought it needed more salt or a flavorful sauce to go with it, and you couldn't even tell there was hot pepper sauce in it so it wasn't much of a spicy meatloaf. It also took a long time to make. There is over an hour of cooking time in the oven and then all the vegetable chopping and cooking takes at least a half hour as well.