Poor Man's Casserole

Step 1

Add olive oil to a pan and heat it up. Add in the ground beef and break it up using a meat masher. Next, shake in the garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, and ½ tbsp tony's creole seasoning. Saute that on a medium-high heat for a few minutes until the meat is nearly browned. Then, add in the onions, garlic, cracked black pepper, salt, and saute that together until the meat is browned.

Step 2

While the meat is browning, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to package directions until al dente.

Step 3

Once the meat is browned, pour in the tomato sauce (If you have a lot of excess oil in the pan, mop some of it up before adding the tomato sauce if needed). After you pour in the tomato sauce, fill the tomato sauce can with about ¾ cup of water, swish it around to get all the excess tomato sauce out of the can, and then add it into the pan. Add in a pinch of sugar, stir everything together, and bring the pan to a boil. Once the pan comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and let that simmer together for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Step 4

In a large measuring cup or bowl, add softened cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 tsp tony's creole seasoning (if your cream cheese isn't softened, microwave it for about 15 seconds). Whisk that together until combined. Then, add the cooked egg noodles, and mix everything together until the egg noodles are fully coated in that creamy mixture.

Step 5

Now it's time to assemble the casserole! Start by greasing a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add a ladle full of meat sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread it out so it's even. Add half of the creamy noodle mixture in an even layer. Sprinkle over 4 oz of freshly shredded colby jack. Now, add about 3 ladles full of the meat sauce and spread it out so it's even. Next, add in the other half of the creamy noodle mixture in an even layer. Sprinkle over 4 oz of freshly shredded colby jack cheese. Then, add the rest of the meat sauce and spread it out so that it's even. Lastly, evenly sprinkle the freshly shredded cheddar cheese over the top.

Step 6

Bake it in the oven at 350°F for 25 - 30 minutes. Before serving, let it set up for 20 - 25 minutes. Enjoy!