Fleur de Lolly: Individual Italian Meat Loaves

I usually only post one photo at the top of the blog post before I share the recipe. But I honestly couldn't decide which one to use. So, you got three! Using a small divided baking pan ensures that the meat loaves cook faster, which is great for weeknight meals. These little loaves of heaven are seasoned with Italian seasonings, freshly grated Parmesan and fresh parsley. And an added bonus, IF you have any leftover, they make great sandwiches the next day on Italian rolls.

Let's make our sauce first:

10 oz. can of tomato puree

2 cloves garlic either minced or microplaned

1 t. dried Italian seasoning

1 t. beef bouillon

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 T. dark brown sugar

1/4 - 1/2 t. red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients over low heat and let simmer while you prepare the meat loaves. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.

Now for the meat loaves:

1 lb. ground chuck

1 T. olive oil

3 T. finely chopped yellow onion

3 T. finely chopped green bell peppers

1 clove garlic, minced or microplaned

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, or regular bread crumbs with 2 T. dried Italian seasoning mixed in

2 T. fresh chopped parsley (plus more for topping)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for topping)

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small skillet, over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, bell peppers and garlic. Let vegetables soften, 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, add ground chuck, and break apart gently with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and, using your hands, mix together. Next add 1/2 cup of the sauce and using a spatula combine all ingredients.

You can either use a regular loaf pan or make them individually like I did here. Divide the meat loaf mixture into four equal parts and lightly place in lightly greased pan.