Yield: 6 servings
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1½ pounds | Lean ground beef |
| ½ cup | Cooked white rice |
| ½ cup | Chopped onion |
| ½ cup | Chopped bell pepper |
| 1 teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ teaspoon | Crushed thyme (to taste) |
| 1 | Egg |
| 2 cans | Tomato sauce (8 oz size) |
| 1 tablespoon | Cooking oil |
| ½ cup | Chopped celery |
| 1 tablespoon | Finely chopped parsley |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix ground beef, rice, onion, bell pepper, salt, thyme and eggs. Add ½ 8-oz can tomato sauce. Blend and shape into loaf; place in shallow pan. Bake one hour, pour off fat.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil and cook sauce over medium heat until tender. Stir in remaining 1½ cans tomato sauce and add parsley.
Simmer over low heat while meatloaf is cooking. After pouring off the fat from the meatloaf, top with tomato sauce mixture. Return to oven and cook 10 minutes more.
Larry Bibich