Balsamic Glazed Meatloaf

It might not look like it, but it is very moist and very flavorful.  We had it with mashed potatoes, of course!

When we were kids, my mom would make us whatever meal we wanted on our birthday and whatever we chose the whole family ate also.  A story often repeated is when I was somewhere between 3 and 6.  My mom asked the question of me, and my brothers and sister started chanting, "Say steak Mary, say steak Mary..."   I wasn't deterred, my response without hesitation was, "Meatwoaf!"  As you may have inferred, steak was only served on special occasions.  We were never a lobster kind of family!

While I love my mom's recipe, the kind with bread in it and tomato soup and a slice of bacon on top, it's fun to find new, and improved recipes today.  Over the 20 years we have been married we have tried many, but the one I keep returning to is this one, courtesy of Bobby Flay.  Every time we have it I wonder why we ever have steak!  (I haven't changed in, let's just say, a lot of years : )

*Note- his recipe calls for 1/2 pound of veal, which I don't believe in, so we use 1 pound of each pork and beef.

Ingredients
3 T. olive oil
1 large zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 t. red pepper flakes, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 T. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1 pound ground pork*
1 pound ground beef*
1 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1 cup ketchup, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 T. balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425°

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, peppers, garlic paste, 1/4 t. red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until almost soft, 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together the eggs and herbs in a large bowl. Add the meat, bread crumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup, 2 T. of the balsamic vinegar, and the cooled vegetables and mix until just combined.

Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Which together the remaining ketchup, balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.

Meatloaf molded and ready for the glaze.

Meatloaf with the glaze and ready for the oven.

Brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Right out of the 425° oven!