From the 'Burg to Your Kitchen

A “stay at home” request from the governor is the time to stay at home and be with your family. What better part of spending time with your family is there than being with them in the kitchen?

Here are two casserole recipes you can cook together in the kitchen and enjoy together.

Million-Dollar Casserole

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti noodles

1 – 8 oz. package cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1 – 8 oz. package cottage cheese

1 lb. ground beef

1 jar spaghetti sauce

¼ cup butter

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook noodles as directed; mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese in a medium-sized bowl until smooth.

Place ground beef in a large skillet and brown until completely cooked, drain.

Pour spaghetti over meat and mix well.

Grease a 13x9 baking sheet. Layer half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the dish. Pour the creamy cheese mixture on top of the noodles and spread it around evenly.

Next, add the rest of the noodles on top of the cheese mix layer and spread the noodles out to cover the pan. Slice up the butter and place it on top of the noodles.

Pour the red meat sauce on top and cover the noodles completely.

Cook it uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Once the 30 minutes is up, take the casserole out of the oven and cover the whole thing with cheddar cheese. Then return it back to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes.

Shepherd’s Pie

My mom Suzanne once made this for us and this has been one of my favorite recipes since.

Ingredients:

For mashed potatoes:

2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks

4 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

For filling:

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables

2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 cup beef broth

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. thyme

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Boil potatoes until fork-tender and drain water. Add all other ingredients and mix until your favorite mashed potato consistency.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef along with the onions and garlic. Drain grease. To the same skillet, add two cups of frozen mixed vegetables and cook for about five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and veggies and stir to mix.

Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in. Then add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Spread the meat mixture in an even layer in a 9x13 greased baking pan. Top meat with mashed potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

You can also put a layer of cheddar cheese on in the last 10 minutes for added “Natalie flavor.”