Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

My kids loved this dinner. Hamburger, noodles, and cheese always please them. This was comfort food, tasty and easy to make. This recipe is slightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman. Definitely one we'll make over and over.

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

by Chelsey W.

1 1/4 lb ground beef

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

8 oz egg noodles

3/4 c sour cream

1 1/4 c small curd cottage cheese

2 c sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Brown ground beef. Season beef with salt, pepper, and some onion powder. Drain any excess fat. Add tomato sauce and simmer for about 10 min. Meanwhile, cook noodles al dente, drain, and set aside. In a medium bowl combine sour cream, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir the noodles into the sour cream mixture. To assemble grease a 9x13 casserole dish, layer half the noodles on the bottom then half the meat sauce, then half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until cheese melts.

Cheese Linguine

My kids love anything that includes pasta and cheese, and we all liked this recipe. I like that it doesn't have a ton of butter in this recipe so it's a little more healthy than the alfredo sauce I love.

Cheese Linguine (I doubled this)
by Chelsey W.

1 pkg (7 oz) linguine
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 c milk
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 c shredded parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet over low heat melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil and stir for two minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine cheeses and lemon juice. Add cheese to sauce and stir until cheese melts. Add drained linguine to cheese sauce and toss to coat. Serve with sprinkled parmesan on top.

adapted from KSL Studio 5

Hamburger Stroganoff

I remember eating this often growing up. Probably because it's simple to make and as kids we loved anything with noodles and hamburger in it. It's definitely comfort food. I bet your family will like it too.

Hamburger Stroganoff
by Chelsey W.

1 lb ground beef

garlic, minced

onion, chopped finely

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup

pasta or rice

Cook the ground beef in a large pan with some chopped onion and minced garlic (I often just use garlic powder). Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta or rice according to package directions. When hamburger is fully cooked add soups and sour cream. Stir and simmer for 10-15 min. Serve the sauce over rice or pasta.

Chicken Tortellini Skillet

This simple supper was very easy to make with few ingredients. My very picky eating three year old scarfed this down. I couldn't believe how much he ate...he just kept asking for more. So there you have it, it's good! I like using the fresh tortellini from the refrigerated section of the grocery store best.

Recipe:

4 c cheese tortellini

1 lb chicken, cubed (I used two large breasts)

16 oz jar or 2-3 c spaghetti sauce (I'm a Prego fan)

1 c mozzarella cheese 

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Cook chicken in a little oil or water in a large frying pan. Drain tortellini and add to cooked chicken. Stir in spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 min until cheese is melted. Serves 4-5 people.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

This is a simple supper that even the pickiest kids will eat. (I know I have one) It's a comfort food for me because I grew up eating it often. When there's no groceries in the house this is my go to recipe, because I usually have these items in the pantry. I love that it uses tuna so there's no meat to cook. You can add different veggies to it if you want, but for my picky eater I leave them out and it's still good.

Recipe:

3 c uncooked medium noodles (I use macaroni)

1 can tuna fish

1/2 c mayonnaise

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c milk

1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, divided

Optional: celery, green pepper, onion

Boil and drain noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl combine tuna (drained), mayo, and salt. In a pot or microwave safe bowl stir and heat through cream of chicken soup, milk, and 1 c cheese until it melts. Once cheese has melted add tuna mixture to the soup mixture and heat through a little more. Combine noodles and sauce in a large casserole dish or pot. Sprinkle remaining cheese on the top. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 2o-25 min until cheese is slightly brown and sauce is bubbly in the center.

Chicken Alfredo

One of my favorite places to go eat at is the Olive Garden. I usually think "I should try something new" but I always end up getting the chicken alfredo because I LOVE IT! After several attempts of making my own perfect alfredo sauce this is the one I will make from now on and it's so easy. However, I will not make it often because it's pretty darn fattening. But I'm sure the Olive Garden's is too. One tip that I've finally figured out that is essential to making good alfredo sauce is using a good quality parmesan cheese. The parmesan blend from Walmart never turned out good. I like to cook broccoli and add it as a vegetable side. Enjoy!

Chicken Alfredo

by Chelsey W.

1/2 cup REAL butter (no alternatives)

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk (not skim)

2-3 cups grated parmesan cheese
(use good quality parmesan, freshly grated is best because it melts better)

1 lb. fettucine or penne pasta

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder (I usually use more to taste)

3-4 chicken breasts

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook chicken breasts and season how desired. (I cut chicken into bite size pieces) To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in flour. Add the cream and heat through. Add in the parmesan cheese and stir mixture over low heat until cheese melts. Don't let the cheese sauce boil it causes it to go grainy. Put in the seasonings. When seasoning I do it to taste sometimes I add in more garlic or cheese. Serve the sauce over the pasta and top with the chicken. Yum! Makes about 6 servings.