An ode to my mother in law

Growing up, I was always surrounded by great food. My grandmothers, mother, aunts, uncles are all top notch cooks. My mother in law is no exception. She makes a mean pumpkin cheesecake. Her lasagna is divine. But of all the things she makes, this one is our favorite. When Jordan and I started dating, he kept raving about this dish that his mother would make that they called “Martha’s”. When I finally tasted it for the first time, it lived up to the hype. I guess if I had to describe it I would compare it to a lasagna but in casserole form. My mother in law says she never makes it the same way twice. So even though she gave me the basic recipe, it is open to interpretation. Here is my take on her classic.

Aunt Martha’s Company Casserole
Source: Adapted from a recipe from my mother in law

• 16 oz egg noodles
• 1 lb ground beef
• 26 oz. tomato sauce
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 16 oz cottage cheese
• 8 oz sour cream
• 1 onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1 TB Garlic powder
• 1 TB Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook noodles until al dente. Do not over cook! You want them to have a little bit of a bite to them. While noodles are cooking, saute ground beef, onions, peppers, until meat is cooked through. Add sauce and spices and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes.  In a seperate bowl, combine the cheeses and sour cream.  Grease a  9×13 pan and layer beginning with sauce, then noodles, then cheeses and repeat ending with a layer of sauce.   Sprinkle with parmesan.  Bake 45 minutes at 375. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and then enjoy!