Recipe(tried): Italian-Style Meatloaf

I don't cook using actual recipes, except for baking - I learned my lessons the hard way there!

I always make my meatloaf the Italian way, probably similar to the taste of meatballs in meatball subs. One egg per # of chuck, then start adding one medium finely diced onion, dried parsley, oregano, basil, garlic (I use powdered garlic in this, but jarred or fresh for other things)salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, and then the secret to a light meatloaf or meatballs - I take a couple of slices of soft white bread per pound of meat, hold them under the faucet until they're soaked through, then gently squeeze the water out of them. Don't squeeze hard, they'll pack. Water will still be running out of them a little bit. Add this to the above mixture, and work in by hand. If you beat with a mixer, the meatloaf or meatballs will be too tightly packed and dense instead of light. My husband's best friend is a great Italian cook, and this is his method, and everyone loves his meatloaf and meatballs.

I pour a small can of Italian flavored tomato sauce and further doctor it up by adding more garlic powder, salt, pepper and sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese onto it. Then bake at 350 for 1 or 1 1/2 hours, depending on how large you make it. I bake it in a roasting pan, that has a drip pan sitting in it, with small holes for the juices/fat to drip through. When you stick a meat fork in it, the juices will run clear, rather than cloudy pink.