[GiovannaNicoletta]

I don't have measurements for this because I usually just add stuff in a little at a time, and this recipe may have to be doubled or tripled depending on how many people you have, but it's a hit every time I make it for dish-to-pass events and you might like it.

POOR MAN'S LASAGNA

• about 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1-2 cans tomato sauce (not the tiny cans)
• garlic powder
• 1-2 containers small curd cottage cheese
• Parmesan cheese (not freshly grated)
• 1-2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese, at room temperature
• extra wide egg noodles (1-2 packages depending on how much you're going to make)

  Brown the ground beef in a skillet, drain fat. Put beef back in skillet and slowly add in tomato sauce, stirring as you go, until you have just enough to form a thick mixture. Be careful when you add the tomato sauce; you don't want the mixture to be soupy.

  Add a decent amount of the garlic powder to the beef/tomato sauce mixture; again put in a little at a time and keep stirring. I would say for 2 lbs of ground beef, depending on how much you like garlic, 3-4 tablespoons ought to do it.

  After you are done with the garlic, set the skillet aside and in a medium to large bowl stir together the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cottage cheese, adding a little at a time until you have a thick, spreadable mixture. More Parmesan cheese will make the casserole a little more tangy. You may have to nuke the cream cheese for a few seconds to make it spreadable if it's not at room temperature.

  Boil the egg noodles for about 4-5 minutes and drain.

  In a casserole dish, make a layer of the cooked egg noodles on the bottom, then a layer of the beef/tomato sauce mixture, then a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Repeat, starting with another layer of egg noodles, one more time, ending with another layer of egg noodles on top. Sprinkler a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top of the egg noodles, cover dish with foil, and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Take the foil off of the casserole, put back in the oven, and leave it in until the top is brown, probably about five or so more minutes. The casserole will be done when the top is brown.

  Again, I apologize for the lack of measurements but I never use measurements when I cook. I hope you enjoy this- everyone I've ever made it for has loved it!

[MozarkDawg]

I have one called Inside-Out Ravioli, no recipe as such, same as yours, but use amounts to the number of people being served. Start with bow-tie pasta, cooked al dente; jar of spaghetti sauce, your choice; brown ground beef or turkey, again, your preference, if you want to add some chopped onion and/or garlic while you're browning the meat, your option. You'll also need a box of frozen chopped spinach and a carton of cottage cheese. Combine all these ingredients in a large casserole dish, pop into a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. It comes out looking as though the ravioli have exploded, the bow-ties and I swear, because of the cottage cheese, tastes like ravioli. Since the ingredients are optional, you can add shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parm to the list of combined before the dish goes into the oven.

This one makes a great pot-luck dinner, not just a satisfying family entree.