Crowd-Pleasing Meaty Noodle Casserole

I love to make this when we are going to a potluck or have a large number of people coming over. It is very tasty and easy to make! This is also a great use of leftover hamburgers!

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ lb. ground Sweet Italian sausage or links squeezed out of casings

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 leftover burgers, broken up into pieces (or 1 lb. of ground beef sauteed with the sausage)

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ -½ tsp. dried red crushed pepper

4 c.  marinara sauce

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1.5 c. sour cream

1 large egg, lightly beaten

½ lb. wide whole wheat egg noodles, cooked

1 c. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large saute pan, saute sausage, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil. add pieces of burgers.  Drain fat.  Add my grandmother’s spaghetti sauce or your favorite marinara sauce.  Mix well.

In a large bowl combine the spinach, Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese, sour cream and egg. Fold into meat mixture. Add cooked noodles and Parmesan cheese. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly! Your house is about to smell out of this world!

The recipe for my grandmother’s spaghetti can be found here:

http://cookingwithelise.net/recipes/spaghetti-and-meatballs/