Italian Stuffed Meatloaf

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup bread crumbs
1 t salt
1 t pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 t. italian saesoning
1/2 t basil
1/4 cup parmesean or italian cheese blend, shreeded
2 eggs
1/4 t worcestershire sauce
1/4 t hot pepper sauce (I didn't add this)
milk, if needed

Filling:
1 cup ricotta cheese (low fat)
1 cup parmesean cheese or italian cheese blend, shredded
1 T parsley
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1-2 T olive oil (optional)
2 T sun-dried tomoatoes, rehydrated* (optional)

Top with your choice of ketchup or favorite tomatoe sauce or spaghetti sauce
*to rehydrate sun dried tooatoes place desired amount of tomatoes ina small bowl filled with a little warm water. let stand until tender, then drain.

Meat Mixture: Mix first nine ingredients after the beef in a bowl. (bread thru cheese) Set aside. In a large mixing bowl mix up the beef, eggs, worcestershire sauce and hot peper sauce. Use latex gloves to decrease the mess. Then add the dry mixture and mash altogether.

For Filling: COmbine all together and set aside. If using mushrooms: in a small pan heat 1 T olive olid over medium heat. Pour slived mushcrooms into pan and saute for 3-4 minutes utnil tender. REmove from heat and cool.

To assemble: Divide meat into 2 equal parts. Press 1/4 of meat mixtures into two loaf pans pressing down with your fingers or using a the back of a spoon create a "ditch" down the middle of the meat mixture. spread 1/2 of the ricotta filling into each ditch leaving about a 1 1/2 inche border of meat all around. If using sund ried tomoatoes and/or muschrooms divide and layer oer the ricotta filling. Press a second 1/4 mieat mixture into each loaf pan pushing down around the outside edges to hep seal in the filling. Feeze if desired or preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30 mintues. Spoon off excess grease if necessary, pour ketchup or tomato sauce on top and return to ofen for another 25-30 minutes. Be careful not ot overbake. Serve with buttered nooddles or pasta, a salad and garblic bread. This recipe can easily be divided into 2 smaller meatloafs as well.