A novel approach to peanut brittle. It turned out great when I combined the in-season flavors of maple and pecans. Because of the nuts and the warmth from the maple, the brittle has a taste that is a little bit buttery.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 35 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup tomato juice
- ¾ cup soft bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 (6 ounce) package thinly sliced ham
- 1 (6 ounce) package sliced mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine eggs and tomato juice. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic and ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- On a piece of foil or waxed paper, pat and shape meat into a 10×8 inch rectangle. Arrange ham slices on top of meat, leaving a small margin around edges. Tear up the cheese slices, reserving 1 slice whole, and sprinkle over the ham.
- Starting from the short end, carefully roll up meat, using the foil or waxed paper to lift. Seal the edges and ends of the meat. Place roll, seam side down, in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 75 minutes. Cut the reserved slice of cheese into 4 triangles. Overlap the triangles on top of loaf. Bake for another 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 449 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 157 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13 g |
| Sodium | 670 mg |
| Sugars | 2 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I also add very finely chopped onion & I use fresh oregano. I’ve been making this for years. It is a family favorite.
Yes, I used Panko Bread Crumbs instead and I Diced 1/2 of a Small Onion, also I used V-8 Tomato Juice and added 1/4 cup of Ketchup to mixture , plus 1 tsp. of Dry Basil too. It turned out great!
I did not have tomato juice so I used traditional pasta sauce and I did not add any more seasoning.
This is one of my family’s favorite dishes – and they are a bit picky. It is Great!
We made this last night as part of a catered dinner. We prepped the whole thing before and wrapped it up in foil. We actually baked it in the foil which prevented the cheese from escaping. When it came up to temp we unwrapped it, put the cheese on top and finished it off in the oven. We used ground sirloin and prosciutto instead of ham. Even though there were two other entrees and a huge pan of roasted vegetables this was the one entree that was completely gone at the end of the meal.
Definitely make this again, did mix of cheeses instead of just mozzarella, makes for good leftovers also I usually make a sandwich or two the day after!!
Great recipe. Easy to make and a great spin on boring meat loaf. I put it over spaghetti with a marinara sauce.
An excellent reprieve from boring meatloaf – very moist and delicious – was so popular there were no leftovers. Served with whipped potatoes (with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese), garden salad, and stewed tomatoes.
I tried this for supper. I used a pound of venison, a pound of ground pork, Italian bread crumbs, added onion powder, and didn’t add ham. It was the prettiest meatloaf I’ve ever made. I did use a loaf pan and cooked to 165° because of the pork. I served with pasta in rosa sauce and spinach for sides. My husband gave it a thumbs up!
I’ve made this many times, and it never fails to please. Everyone has loved it. I’ve made it with ground sirloin and ground turkey, both turn out great. Pairs well with pasta or garlic mashed potatoes. Comfort food at its best!
I discovered this recipe years ago in one of the little cookbooks you get from the check out line at the grocery store. I was a Nanny then looking for meals the kids would eat. It was a hit then and now with my own family.
we enjoyed this recipe – a different way to make meatloaf. i subbed ground turkey, and left the ham out on one half of the meatloaf (i don’t like ham -ou could just cheese on my side!) i thought the meat had good flavor, although i think you could increase the spices to add to the “italian” flavors. overall very good – kids and the whole family quite enjoyed this!
My mom has been cooking this since I was a kid, nearly 40 years now, since a fellow Air Force wife made it. I was about to type mine into my Recipe Box when I checked and saw this one was perfect! We eat it all the time.
I haven’t made it yet and already I’m making changes;) Instead of tomato juice, I think I’ll use tomato sauce or puree. That might help with the sometimes metallic taste that tomato juice has. Other reviews use different cheeses, meats and even add spinach, which sounds great. I might even try it with ground turkey!
I love making this! Reminds me of my mothers. I have made some edits over the years but it still taste amazing. I do recommend using two gloves of garlic and a little more oregano or mixed Italian seasoning (especially if you are using extra lean meat). I personally used extra lean ground turkey which nix the grease all together. If using turkey i recommend using italian flavored bread crumbs to add to the flavor a little. I also plan prefer tomato sauce instead of juice.
I suggest everyone make this I left out the tomato juice and topped with marinara sauce baked in a bread/loaf pan. My husband said never make regular meatloaf ever again. My picky 2 yr old ate a whole slice. IT IS GREEEEAAAATTT
Pretty tasty but a lot of the cheese escaped. Next time I need to be sure I roll it tighter.
Great recipe. I followed it pretty closely, but changed it as follows: Used 3 oz Prosciutto instead of ham. Used provolone instead of mozz. Added 1 sliced green onion, sprinkled on the meat before the ham. Used 1.5lb 97% ground beef and .5 lb mild Italian sausage. Only had to bake mine for 60 minutes, also. Next time I’ll probably skip the salt, but overall a good recipe!
Made this a few times and its a hit every time. A great twist on boring meatloaf!! I omit the tomato juice, though. And it doesn’t seem to miss it! Don’t like the taste of tomato juice in the meatloaf and tomato juice actually reacts badly with aluminum foil if you’re using it. A great variation is to use smoked ham! Very tasty.
Excellent recipe. Very similar to what I’ve had in Sicily. I’ve since changed it from meat roll to meat rolls however. Rather than ending up with one large loaf, I’ve made rolls of 5×3 – 5×5 inches. Using one piece of ham and cheese, rolled, then breaded, then fried in a skillet. This is more of what I’ve been accustomed to having in Sicily. Nonetheless, the taste in either format is divine and delicious.
wonderful burst of flavor!