Italian Turkey Meatloaf

This meatloaf isn't a typical meatloaf but it has become my favorite.  Made with turkey meat, stuffed with cheese, basil and marinara sauce.  It's loaded with flavor.  

I like to serve with roasted vegetables (zucchini, red pepper, onion and mushrooms).  

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground turkey (I use Jennie-O Lean Ground Turkey) 

2  garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped onion, finely chopped

2 eggs

1/2 cup panko crumbs

1/2 cup marinara sauce 

4 oz. Asiago cheese, diced

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup basil, chopped 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

After cooked 1 hour add:

3/4 cup marinara sauce

4 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced (I like Bel Gioioso Brand)

Mix everything together and form into a loaf on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for around 1 hour.  Remove from oven and spoon marinara over top and place fresh mozzarella slices over it bake an additional 15 minutes.  Garnish with fresh basil.

Recipe adapted from Proud Italian Cook 

How I pick the perfect ripe avocado

I like to buy unripe green avocados and let them ripen at home before the've been handled, squeezed and bruised by shoppers but, there are those times I need an avocado right away.  Here is how I find a perfect ripened avocado every time. First, I like to get my avocados at Brennan's Market or a smaller market where the avocados are handled with care instead of the mega grocery stores where they are piled in a large bin, squeezed and bruised.  Second, I look for a purple/black colored skin with no signs of being squeezed.  Then I flick the dry stem off.  

If I see a brown patch under the stem it's going to be brown inside but if I see a nice yellow-green patch you have a perfectly ripe avocado.

Now that's a perfect avocado!

I'm using two of these right away in my Black Bean Avocado Dip  and the other two I'll refrigerate and use them throughout the week.