In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, ketchup, Balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and water/beef stock.

In a large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, onions, green bell pepper, parsley, chopped garlic, egg, seasonings, 3/4 cup of tomato mixture, and optionally, Parmesan cheese.

Form into loaf. Place into shallow 7 by 10 in. pan or bread loaf tin, lightly oiled. Pour remaining liquid over meat loaf to coat.

Bake in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for one hour and 15 minutes, basting occasionally with ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce or use the pan drippings

 to make a sauce and season it your way.
 

Serves: 8

Optional Variations:

1. Eliminate salt, bouillon, and substitute 3 T onion soup mix. Sprinkle top with tomato soup and crushed crackers instead.

2. Use old-fashioned rolled oats instead of bread crumbs.

3. If you have leftover bread, especially Italian or French bread, substitute milk for the water listed in recipe, and soak about 2 cups bread in the milk prior to mixing into the meat mixture. Squeeze out the excess slightly before adding. Substitute this bread for the bread crumbs.

After mixing everything together, you can also form this meat mixture into meatballs and fry in 1/2 inch olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet (such as cast iron).

If making Italian meatballs, leave out the brown sugar and Dijon mustard, but be sure to use the Parmesan cheese. Season the oil in the pan with 2-3 whole