The photos of this didn't really turn out very appetizing so I won't subject you to them. However, this was possibly THE BEST meatloaf I've ever had. Extremely juicy with melted bits of cheese in every bite.

I was sitting here yesterday, chilled to the bone, wearing two pairs of socks, insulated wind pants, a long-sleeved shirt AND a sweatshirt, trying to decide what to make for dinner. I suppose I could have turned on the heat, but I'm stubborn. Not to mention it was lovely outside, it was just the house that was freezing. Anyway, I remembered that there was a package of ground beef waiting in the fridge that I should either use or put in the freezer. I suddenly had a craving for meatloaf, the ultimate comfort food. But what to serve with it? Normally it would be potatoes and some kind of vegetable, but I had neither, nor the desire to run to the store. I did have a pantry full of canned beans and tomatoes and a freezer full of zucchini. It would do. The resulting dish is a variation of the stewed white beansstewed white beans I made before.

Makes 2 8"x4" loaves, about 6-8 servings

As the title suggests, this meatloaf was designed to use up some odds and ends in the fridge - namely part of a package of provolone cheese and about half of a can of tomato paste. There was also a small green pepper from my garden, but I accidentally burned the vegetables the first time around and had to start over. Oops!

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 lbs ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups bread crumbs
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped sage
1 tbsp chopped basil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/4 oz tomato paste (between 1/4 and 1/2 cup)
4 1/2 oz provolone cheese, shredded or chopped
3/4 cup milk
ketchup

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Saute onion and carrot in olive oil until soft. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except for the ketchup, with the cooked vegetables.

Form into two loaves, either in 8"x4" loaf pans or freeform in a baking dish. Spread the tops evenly with ketchup. At this point one of the loaves can be frozen, wrapped well in foil and placed in a freezer bag.

Bake about 55 to 60 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

The reason I used dried herbs for this instead of fresh is simply because it was dark out when I started making it and didn't feel like going out to the garden. We should probably put a light out there...

Makes 4-5 servings

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups frozen zucchini chunks
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup white wine

Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and saute for a few minutes. Add the onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook over low to medium heat, stirring occassionally, for about 15 minutes.