Creamy Noodle Spaghetti Bake

Have you seen the recipe for Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole on Pinterest? Basically the noodles are mixed with cream cheese and then it is layered with meat sauce and cheese. Well, it got me to thinking about a dish my mom used to make when I was younger. I have seen versions of it in old community cookbooks and it usually goes by the name Husband's Delight or something similar. My old recipe has tomato sauce, but I prefer the taste of the spaghetti sauce. Use your favorite jarred sauce or homemade. It also has cottage cheese in it. I have a couple of kids who are not really cottage cheese fans, and they don't even know it is there. My point being, if you're not big on cottage cheese don't shy away from this dish.

Creamy Noodle Spaghetti Bake

1 ½ pounds ground beef

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 jar (24 ounces) of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (I use light)

1 cup cottage cheese (I use low fat)

1/3 cup Sour Cream (I use light)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

12 ounces dried Egg Noodles, cooked in salted water

3-4 green onions, sliced, green part included

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped (optional) I don't use, my family hates them!

1 cup Cheddar Cheese

Brown meat with onion and garlic and season with S & P.  Add spaghetti sauce and sugar and simmer about 10 min.  In a separate bowl, mix softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Cook noodles, drain and add to cheese mixture.  Stir in green onions and green pepper if using. Add additional pepper to noodle mixture if desired.  Place noodles in greased 9 X 13 dish.  Top with meat sauce.  Top with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Kim