Baked Macaroni & Beef Casserole

Okay, okay, I know I've been very neglectful of my blog the last couple of weeks... its a vicious cycle and I'm not even going to start making excuses! Yesterday was my birthday and it was a fantastic day (other than having to work all day annnnddd having to finish up an assignment that was due at midnight last night)! My sister surprised me with a wonderful birthday present and my husband ordered takeout from my favorite indian restaurant. Tonight hubby and I are going out for a nice romantic dinner on the beautiful White Rock strip. Not sure where he's taking me, but its bound to be somewhere good!

The recipe I'm posting about today has absolutely nothing to do with my birthday! I just felt like sharing the recipe with you. Its a really homey, easy recipe that is perfect for when you're craving comfort food. Serve this casserole with some fresh garlic bread and some ceasar salad and you've got a great meal that your whole family is bound to love. This recipe is quick and easy enough to make on a weeknight and you will likely have most of the ingredients on hand too!

Baked Macaroni & Beef
Recipe adapted from Canadian Living's Everyday Favorites

Indredients:

• 1 lb lean ground eef


• 1 onion chopped


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 1/2 tsp dried oregano


• 1- 700ml jar of your favorite pasta sauce


• 2 tbsp tomato paste


• 1 1/2 cups macaroni


• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese


• 1/2 cup shredded provolone or part-skim mozzarella cheese

Method:

1. In a large nontick skillet, fry beef over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Drain off any fat. Add onion, garlic and oregano; fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.


2. Add pasta sauce and tomato paste; bring to boil. Reduce heat to meium low; simmer stirring occasionally, until thick enough to mound on a spoon (anywhere from 10-20 minutes).


3. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until tender but firm, about 8 minutes. Drain well.


4. Spread half of the macaroni in 8-inch square glass baking dish. Cover with half the meat sauce. Repeat layers. Spoon cottage cheese over top, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with provalone cheese.


5. Bake in 375F oven until bubbly and golden, about 30 minutes.

Now you're probably wondering about the next picture in this blog post (see below)... I just had to share this with you. That sandwich is my hubby's version of gourmet breakfast. He made it all by himself. The obvious ingredients are bread (toasted and buttered), about a pound of bacon, about a pound of cheddar cheese thickly sliced, and about half a dozen eggs scrambled. Yep, typical male!! Hope you get a good laugh out of that picture like I do every time a look at it.

Happy Cooking my Friends!