Nom nom nom...

[prosodic]

Dinner tonight (recipe from a Taste of Home pasta recipes booklet that came out this summer):

Sloppy Joe Pasta

1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope sloppy joe mix
6 oz. can tomato paste
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup water
8 oz. cottage cheese (2% is fine)
7 oz. small seashell pasta, cooked and drained
at least 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (as Lance and I are cheese fanatics, we do this to taste)

In a skillet, brown ground beef. Drain. Add sloppy joe mix, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, then simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove from heat, add pasta.

Pour half of pasta mixture into a greased 2.5 quart casserole dish. Spread cottage cheese over this layer. Top with remaining pasta. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and melty. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

The only variation to this recipe was that I added minced garlic after I finished browning the beef. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly (except I used way more than half a cup of cheese).

Lance very enthusiastically gave his thumbs up. Wants me to include this in my regular rotation.

The only criticism I have of this dish is that it's not spicy enough to really taste like sloppy joes to me. But then again, I never use a sloppy joe mix when I make sloppy joes. I always use whatever seasonings I have in my spice cabinet and barbecue sauce/ketchup/Heinz 57 and worchestershire. I wonder if using a chili mix might give it the kick I was hoping for...or adding chili powder to it next time.

Still...it was tasty. And great for when I want to have sloppy joes, but don't want to worry about leftover buns going to waste.

Comments

[just--a--girl.livejournal.com]

Oh, this sounds incredible. I'm saving it to the computer to try out when Nathan gets home.. :)

[prosodic.livejournal.com]

And it's pretty easy to assemble too. I never bother with lasagna because it's too many layers, but this gives the same kind of warm, bubbly and comforting feel without nearly as much work. The perfect cold weather supper.