Meat Loaf in a Bread Basket

1 large round loaf unsliced french bread, about 9 inches in diameter (may use brown and serve or completely baked bread)
1/2 c milk
1/2 c packed parsley sprigs
1 small tomato
2 eggs
1 1/2 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/4 t each oregano leaves and dry basil
1/ lb each lean ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal
2 oz jack cheese
2 T butter at room temperature

Slice off a 7 inch circle from top of loaf to form lid. Pull enough soft bread out of loaf and from inside lid to leave a 1/2 inch thick shell. Using metal blade, process enough of the soft bread to make 1 cup crumbs (save remaining bread for other uses). Turn crumbs into large mixing bowl, stir in milk and let stand 5 minutes. Process parsley until finely chopped; add to bread crumbs. Peel tomato, cut into chunks and process with on-off bursts until coarsely chopped. Add eggs, salt, pepper, oregano and basil to tomato and process 2 seconds to blend. Add to bread crumbs along with ground meats and mix well. Pack meat mixture into bread shell. Shred cheese with the shredding disc. Sprinkle over meat, then replace bread lid - it should fit tightly on bread. Rub butter on all sides of loaf. Wrap buttered loaf in a piece of heavy-duty foil or a double thickness of lightweight foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven and loosen foil to allow steam to escape. (If you use brown and serve bread open foil for last 10 minutes of baking so bread can brown.) Cool for 10 minutes, then cut in wedges with a serrated knife. If you wish to keep bread warm for several hours loosen foil and allow steam to escape then rewrap in foil. Makes 10 servings.

Great for picnics!