Beef With Carrots Casserole

I found this in with a box of old hand written recipe cards & magazine clippings I purchased at a thrift shop in Kansas. Everyone grabbbed for seconds after we first tried this. You may use reduced fat ingredients if you must, but the fat free versions will not provide enough flavor. I usually use lower fat sour cream & cottage cheese, but full fat NY Cheddar for the topping. If you like, you may freeze the casserole before baking, then cook it at 400 F for 1 hour instead.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  lb lean ground beef
• 1⁄4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 -2  garlic clove, minced, to taste
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• 1  cup light sour cream or 1  cup sour cream
• 1  cup cottage cheese
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped or 2  tablespoons dried parsley
• 1  cup carrot (fresh not canned)
• 8  ounces  egg noodles, freshly cooked and drained
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained, chopped
• 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (regular or light)

Directions

1. (If you haven't already done so,steam your carrots and cook your egg noodles according to package directions, timing it so that they are drained ready to go by the time the sour cream mixture is ready).
2. Saute onions, garlic, and beef in a large skillet until fully cooked.
3. Drain fat.
4. Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and simmer on medium-low about 5 minutes, lid ajar.
5. Mix together sour cream, cottage cheese, parsley, and carrots in a bowl.
6. Add creamy mixture to the cooked egg noodles along with the mushrooms and stir gently to combine.
7. In a 3 quart casserole (sprayed with nonstick spray), layer the meat and the noodles alternately, beginning and ending with the noodle mixture.
8. Sprinkle cheese over the top and bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 F oven for 30 minutes, do not overcook or it will dry out.