Parmesan Meatloaf Recipe and Review

My pin came from my New Recipes to Try pinboard.  I am very skeptical about meatloaf, it's a loaf of meat, usually with ketchup and sometimes someone's mommy puts bacon on top.  So when I came across this Parmesan Meatloaf pin, it looked non-traditional enough to earn a second look, so I tucked it away for the Mister, who likes meatloaf.  Tonight was the night, the moment of truth, to try a new twist on the loaf of meat.

After reading on-line comments on the recipe I altered the cooking temperature to 375 and the baking time to 1 hour 45 minutes and baked it in an 8x8 pan, not a loaf.  I had to add more sauce and cheese to cover the area, but I think that it had a much better meat to sauce and cheese ratio.  Overall pretty tasty!

The Mister commented that while he never had a problem with ketchup on meatloaf, he enjoyed having the tomato sauce, and combined with the cheese and spices it had a fun Italian feel.

For all of those who follow a gluten-free diet, this recipe is definitely one to try!  For those who don't have such needs, just substitute regular bread crumbs for the gluten-free ones in the recipe.  Some quick substitutes for breadcrumbs: ground up Rice Chex cereal, ground up saltine crackers,  and toast or stale bread pulsed through the blender or food processor.

PS - use a food thermometer if you've got one!  It will help make sure you don't over cook your food!

Gluten-Free Parmesan Meatloaf
adapted from mommyimhungry.blogspot.com

1 lb ground turkey

1 lb ground beef
2 eggs
1/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
marinara pasta sauce to cover top of meatloaf
shredded Italian cheese blend to cover top of meatloaf
minced parsley for garnish

Bake at 375 Fº in greased pan for 1 hour 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 Fº.

Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.