As part of a sponsored post for the Mom It Forward Blogger Network, I made this American Lasagna casserole. It’s become one of my favorite easy dinner ideas. I was also compensated by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association for my participation in this campaign.
A few months ago, I attended a Taste of Home Cooking School with my mom. As a field editor for Taste of Home magazine, I was excited to go to my first cooking school to see what they were all about.
It was pretty cool. The class was in an auditorium so there were lots of people there. The instructor did all of his cooking on the stage and there were big screens to ensure we could see what he was doing.
They gave each of us a cooking school magazine that was chocked full of recipes. The instructor made 10 of the recipes from the magazine during the class (which was about 2 hours long). They also gave out a TON of prizes – including a stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer and dishwasher!
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One of the recipes made that night was this American Lasagna casserole. I’m sure it had a different name, but it seemed like an american-ized version of lasagna to me. I liked how it creatively used other items from the dairy aisle to make the creamy layer in the casserole.
The refrigerated and freezer section in the grocery store has of healthy, wholesome foods that can be used in creative ways. With a variety of foods and beverages, the refrigerated dairy aisle is home to endless mealtime possibilities. From using sour cream and cream cheese in a lasagna or creating a minty cookie with coffee creamer, the refrigerated dairy aisle is a destination for culinary inspiration.
This casserole was so comforting. It was creamy and full of ground beef. I also liked the lighter texture from the egg noodles. This casserole is a great make-ahead recipe too. It’s the perfect holiday helper for busy schedules. It’s no wonder this has become one of my new favorite easy dinner ideas.
For more easy recipes, visit EasyHomeMeals.com or visit check out NFRA on Pinterest.
American Lasagna
Adapted from Taste of Home Cooking School
16 oz spaghetti, cooked
2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning Blend, divided
24 oz canned tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup onion, chopped
8 oz ream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, add ground beef and season with 1 teaspoon All purpose seasoning blend. Cook over medium high heat, until no longer pink. Break meat into crumbles.
Add tomato sauce, garlic, remaining teaspoon of All Purpose Seasoning Blend and Italian seasoning; simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine onions, cream cheese, sour cream and Parmesan cheese; set aside.
Spray a 3 quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place 1/3 of the cooked spaghetti in the dish; spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the noodles and top with 1/3 of the meat sauce mixture. Repeat these layers two more times. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
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I hope you find this weekly meal plan helpful. I’d love to know what’s for dinner at your house? Leave a comment below or let me know on Facebook, Twitter or Google +!
That’s a different spin on lasagna. I love it and I bet my boys would gobble it up 🙂