Thursday, January 4, 2018

Easy Cheesy Pasta Bake

I had several recipes I wanted to try out over break but somehow I have hardly cooked at all and yet we've somehow done nothing but eat.  We can't be the only ones, right??  With the dust settling from Christmas week I tried out a super easy recipe that I literally have had written on a post-it in my desk drawer for months.  It uses ingredients that we pretty much always have on hand and seemed kid-friendly so I gave it a whirl. 

Here's what you'll need...
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- jar of pasta sauce
- 12 oz egg noodles
- 1 lb ground beef
- 16 oz cottage cheese (not Ricotta like in my pic - I'm a dum dum)
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- salt, pepper and onion powder




Step 1 - Brown the meat with a few pinches of salt, pepper and onion powder (you could totally use chopped onion - I was being lazy).  While the meat is browning, get a pot of water boiling and cook your noodles to al dente



Step 2 - Add in almost the whole jar of pasta sauce to the meat and let it simmer until the noodles are done and you're ready to assemble everything.


Step 3 - Mix 3/4 cup of sour cream and the container of cottage cheese (NOT ricotta!) together in a big bowl and then stir in the cooked noodles until everything is coated.





Step 4 - Layer noodles, sauce and then cheese, noodles, sauce and top with the remaining cheese.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until everything is heated through and melty.





This wasn't one of my favorite all-time recipes but my kids FREAKED out over it so I wanted to share ;)  I love these kind of recipes because it's an easy weeknight dinner and then I can fill their thermoses with it for lunch the next day.  It was hearty and filling (duh - hello, cheesy pasta!) and you could easily make it in two 8x8 dishes and freeze one.


If you have a tried and true weeknight meal that you swear by I'd love for you to pass it along!  Leave a link in the comments or send me an email - I (and my family!) would be forever grateful :)

Happy Thursday, friends!

17 comments :

  1. Mozzarella Chicken! So good. I make it the night before so it's ready on a busy night. You can also double the chicken and freeze half for the future.
    http://mcculloughfive.blogspot.com/search?q=mozzarella+chicken

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  2. This looks SO good! I just made this for us this week and it is so, so easy!

    http://stephanie-spring.com/crockpot-chicken-enchilada-soup/

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  3. We fondly call this "slop" but it is easy, yummy, and heavenly! In your crock pot place:
    1- bag of frozen shredded potatoes
    1- chopped up onion
    2- small jars of cream of mushroom (I use low fat one)
    1-2 packages of kielbasa cut into pieces. I use the turkey kielbasa and it's still yummy
    1- full smaller bag of shredded cheese I use the Mexican blend type
    1- add fresh ground pepper. I don't add salt because the kielbasa is usually salty enough
    Mix it all together. Set on low for 6 hours or so.
    Serve with a veggie or salad on the side. My kiddo who is now almost 13 asks for this often.

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  4. I make this exact recipe by the Pioneer Woman! She calls it “sour cream noodle bake”. It is yummy and filling!

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    Replies
    1. I do the same recipe from Pioneer Woman, but cottage cheese grosses me out, so I actually do use ricotta instead and we all love it!

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  5. I've noticed your family loves salami about as much as mine and we love this pasta salad. May not be something you'd want to make so much in the winter, but it's perfect for a light supper or packed lunches.
    https://www.thekitchn.com/summer-side-recipe-zesty-tortellini-salad-recipes-from-the-kitchn-172802

    We also make this crockpot chicken a lot and serve it over rice or wrapped in a tortilla. Yummy!
    https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/05/easy-crockpot-fiesta-chicken.html

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  6. My moms been making this for years and I love it! The only difference is that she adds green onions in with the noodles. That may help the flavor for you? If your kids don’t like them you could sprinkle them on top maybe?

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  7. I don't have a link to this recipe because it's one a friend gave me and I had it on a post-it note for the longest time so I finally typed it out. This is so good. I've made it for when I need to prepare a meal when someone has a baby or surgery. It's sooo good. My husband and daughter love it. My son is super picky so he doesn't count :). It's not healthy but oh so good.


    Mexican Chicken Casserole

    Ingredients:
    • 4-5 chicken breasts cooked and shredded. You could use a rotiseree chicken or cook it in the crock pot while at work.
    • 1 Family size can of cream of chicken soup
    • 1 can of Original Rotel
    • 16 oz. (2 cups) of sour cream
    • 1 packet of Original Taco Seasoning
    • 1 bag (2 cups) of Mexican flavored mixed shredded cheese
    • 1 bag of tortilla chips

    Directions:
    1. Roast chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper in oven for 20-25 minutes on 400. Once cool enough to handle shred chicken
    2. In large bowl mix Cream of Chicken soup, Rotel, Sour Cream and Taco Seasoning. Mix till everything is combined and then add shredded chicken.
    3. Crush up tortilla chips and pour half of bag into the bottom of your casserole dish.
    4. Pour chicken mixture over your crushed chips.
    5. Bake on 400 for 20 minutes
    6. Take out of oven and sprinkle the top with cheese and the rest of the tortilla chips and bake for 15-20 minutes.
    7. Serve with Mexican rice and/or a vegetable.

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  8. I have a Mexican Tortilla Bake that I swear by! Here's the recipe:
    -1 pack of flour tortillas
    -1 pound of ground beef
    -1 jar of salsa
    -1 packet of taco seasoning
    -sour cream
    -can of black beans
    -pack of shredded cheese

    1. Brown beef, drain, then add taco seasoning and salsa to meat.
    2. Coat tortillas with sour cream on front and back (keeps tortilla soft instead of getting crunchy).
    3. Layer tortillas, meat, black beans and cheese twice.
    4. Bake at 350 for 30 mins or so.

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  9. I make this for my family on a regular basis! It's so yummy and hearty :)
    https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/main-course-chicken/chicken-noodles-crock-pot.html

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  10. My mom always made a recipe that is almost identical to this and we called it hamburger noodle casserole (super unique right?!) My siblings and I LOVED it as kids and I even love it now!

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  11. We make this almost once a week it's so good and easy! Plus, only 1 pan #amen. We add jalapenos and drizzle a little sriracha for an extra kick, but otherwise it's not too spicy for kids.

    http://abitchinkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/spicy-sausage-pasta.html

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  12. My two favorite "tried and true" dinners are Crockpot Swedish Meatballs and Sausage Tortellini. I listed the links below.

    https://www.thecountrycook.net/crock-pot-swedish-meatballs/

    http://rachelschultz.com/2013/10/21/one-pan-20-minute-sausage-tortellini/

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  13. My oldest would LOVE this! I'm putting it on my list of things to make! Thanks for sharing, Andrea =)

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  14. I make fettuccine alfredo once a week.. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com I think it's called "to die for fettuccine alfredo" It's only 4 ingredients and my kids loveeee it so that's a win in my book! Not healthy at all but it's a hearty meal that is super easy!

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  15. This dinner looks SO GOOD! Your recipes are some of my favorites. Can't wait to give it a try. My family loves this Stuffed Pepper Casserole http://polka-dottyplace.blogspot.com/2017/08/stuffed-pepper-casserole.html or these Cheeseburger Quesadillas http://polka-dottyplace.blogspot.com/2017/05/cheeseburger-quesadillas.html

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  16. Yep, I'm definitely going to have to make this for my family. Looks yummy. Thanks for the recipe.

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