Lasagna Meatloaf Minis

 I found this recipe in a magazine I bought yesterday called "Hungry Girl". Yup, the name fits so I picked up a copy and made these this evening. I altered it a little...

5 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 egg

2 Tbsp. panko bread crumbs

2 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

3/4 tsp. salt, divided

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2/3 cup ricotta cheese

3/4 cup marinara sauce

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

fresh basil for tops (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. (I used muffin liners--they got greasy when they were cooked, but I preferred this to scrubbing the muffin pan after use.) Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. (I NEVER spray my nice pans with spray so I just added a few teaspoons of oil to the pan.) Cook chopped spinach on medium heat until it is wilted and condensed down--around 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a medium bowl. Add the beef, onion, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and the pepper to the same bowl. Mix contents together. Put some of the mixture into each of the 12 muffin cavities and pat down with a spoon. In a smaller bowl, mix the other 1/4 tsp. of salt with the ricotta cheese.

Make a hole in each of the muffin tin contents and place a spoonful of ricotta cheese in the hole. Top with marinara sauce. Bake until firm with lightly browned edges (about 35 minutes). Top with mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Makes 12 mini loafs (6 servings).

Hungry-Girl.com