Hamburger Casserole

There are probably as many hamburger casserole recipes as there are cooks.

This one is special to me though because it tastes very similar to one my Mom used to make when I was just a tadpole.

Casserole cookery is extremely convenient because the ingredients are cooked and served in the same dish.

Hamburger Casserole Recipe

1 lb. Ground beef chuck
1 small onion, diced
1 small garlic clove, diced
2 c. tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 c. water
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Sugar
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/2 pt. sour cream
1 (8 oz.) pkg. Noodles
Sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the beef, onion and the garlic in a sauté pan. Drain the fat and add the tomato sauce, water, salt and the sugar.

Combine the sour cream and the cream cheese together and mix well. Add to hamburger mixture. Simmer 20 minutes.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions.

Grease a 3-quart casserole dish with butter or spray with cooking spray.

Layer the noodles and the beef mixture and top with the grated sharp cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven still bubbling.

You can substitute elbow macaroni for the noodles if you like. That's what my Mom used in hers. It's the cheeses and sour cream that enhances the beef.