This was something I made once many years ago when I was having a first date and I found out that she LOVED meatloaf. I learned as much as I could and found that she loved anything with cheese but also loved meatloaf. So I went online and found some recipes for meatloaf and I saw someone add cheese and did this, so I grabbed their recipe and merged it with my taste and I came up with this one. I served this also as a special a few years later when I ran the kitchen at Colonial Times Tavern. It ended up being a huge hit there.

There are a few things you can alter to make it your own so have at it, play with it a bit.

NOTE:
This here is roughly for 3 people. Goes EXCELLENT with pasta.
* Double up if you need it for more than 3 people or 3 people with huge appetites.


First and foremost, the ingredients.

• 1 eggs, beaten
  
• 1/2 c. Tomato sauce - (I suggest something like Prego, or something thick like that.)
  
• 1/2 c. Seasoned bread crumbs
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced - If using pre-minced package of garlic, use 1/2 tsp of garlic, you you can add more per your taste. I like more personally.
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
  
• 1/2 Medium onion, finely chopped.
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
  
• 1 lbs lean ground beef (90% lean)
  
• 2 c. (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese - "Roughly"
  

Now how to make:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the egg, tomato sauce, bread crumbs, onion, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
   
3. On a large piece of parchment or wax paper, (roughly 2' (feet) in length), pat the beef mixture into a rectangle until it gets to be about a 1/3 inch thick, or roughly 1 cm thick.
   
4. Layer the cheese over the beef mixture to within 1 inches of the edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the short side and peeling wax paper away as you roll. Se image for an example:
   1.
   2.
   
5. Once you compleated the roll, seal seam and edges. This is why that space was left from the cheese and the edge of the meat
   
6. Place seam side down in a greased deep baking dish.
   Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 45 min. Open oven and put some more sauce and sprinkle with cheese. then bake for additional 10 minutes or until no pink remains, (a meat thermometer should read 160° F).
   

Cooking times may vary on your location, elevation, and overall weather, so the last 20 min or so, keep an eye on it so you don't overcook it.
Server with pasta of your choice. You can mix some ground italian sausage into the beef as well. If you do that, you would want it like a 75% / 25% ratio of beef to pork.

Enjoy...

I think I'm going to give this a try.
The only Ingredient I may add is some Fresh Parsley...
And definitely add the Ground Pork Sausage and maybe a Heaping teaspoon of Fennel Seed.
Thank You for the recipe!