Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Over the weekend I was faced with that age old dilemma of what to make for dinner.  What...this surprises you?  I wish that, because I write a food blog, I could just pull a crown rack of lamb out of the drawer!  When I do make something more involved I usually plan ahead for it.  But most nights, dinner needs to be easy to make and involve ingredients that I either have in the house or are easily obtainable.

I suppose in my mother's time she'd turn to her favorite cookbooks or ladies' magazines for ideas.  But I turn to my favorite blogs and, more and more, to Pinterest.  It didn't take long to come across a Pioneer Woman recipe that sounded perfect.  I had all the ingredients already and it involved egg noodles.  Brian loves egg noodles.

Despite normal food bloggers urges to mess with every recipe, I actually stayed pretty true to the original.  My quantities are a bit different because I used what I had in the house and I did substitute low fat ingredients.  Again, that's what I usually keep in the house.  The dish was very simple to put together and, to say Brian liked it would be a gross understatement.  He polished off his portion, some of my portion and what was left in the baking dish.  I was further informed that I was welcome to serve this to him anytime...and soon!  So, thank you Ree for the tasty eats and for fixing my dinner dilemma.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
(Based on The Pioneer Woman)
1 lb. Lean ground beef
1 Can (approx. 15 oz.) tomato sauce (I used salt and sugar free)
1 Package (approx. 8 oz.) egg noodles
1 Cup low fat cottage cheese
1 Cup low fat sour cream
1/4 Cup chopped scallions
1 Cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

In a large skillet, brown the beef and then add the tomato sauce.  Season and simmer on low heat while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water until they are done to your liking.  In a large bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, sour cream and scallions.  When the noodles are cooked and drained, add them to the bowl and mix.  Add additional salt, if needed, and plenty of pepper.

Place half the noodle mixture in a baking dish followed by half the beef mixture.  Top with half the shredded cheddar cheese.  Next layer on the remaining noodles followed by the remaining beef.  Finish with the remainder of the cheddar cheese.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and everything is warmed through.  Makes approximately 4 servings.