Lasagna Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package uncooked egg noodles
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cups spaghetti sauce (26 ounce container)
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 tablespoon minced green bell pepper (optional)
• 3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick spray.
2. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well; arrange noodles in prepared pan.
3. Brown meat with onion until meat is cooked through; drain excess fat; add spaghetti sauce, drained mushrooms, and green pepper.
4. Combine softened cream cheese with sour cream, stir to blend; add cottage cheese and stir. Place 8 dollops of cheese mixture over noodles and gently spread over noodles. Spread meat sauce over cheese mixture. Top with grated cheese.
5. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly through.

Notes

Do-ahead tip – crumble up to 4 pounds of lean ground beef on a large baking sheet with sides. Set oven to 450 degrees F. Bake beef for 20 to 30 minutes or until crumbles are cooked through, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool, then package beef in freezer bags (1 pound raw weight per bag). Label and date outside of bag. When recipe calls for 1 pound cooked ground beef, use the pre-cooked frozen beef.