I am really getting the hang of making big batches of food every Sunday. This time I made a HUGE casserole (or hotdish as we call them in MN) which could very well feed me every day until next Sunday when it’s time to make something new. I found this recipe called Belly Buster at RecipeZaar. The small amount of ingredients and number of servings (4-6) drew me in. Plus, the pictures had me salivating on my keyboard, so I figured I had to give in and make it. I had to buy most of the ingredients, but that was mainly because I was completely out of almost everything.

It calls for:

  • 1 (16 ounce) box elbow macaroni
  • 1/2-1 lb lean hamburger
  • 1 Spanish onion, chopped medium (optional)
  • 2-3 cloves crushed garlic (optional)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with juice,cut tomatoes in half or stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup (Grandma & Mom used real grated cheese)
  • 2-4 cups grated cheddar cheese, or slices to cover top of casserole
  • salt and pepper

I stuck to the recipe very closely except I substituted a pound of ground turkey instead of hamburger because I already had it in the freezer and I used garlic powder instead of real cloves because I can use garlic powder in many recipes. The directions were very easy, but since I’m sure everyone likes pictures of food, I will share my process, which can also be found here.

I started by chopping up the onion.

Then I started browning the turkey mixed with the onions and garlic powder. While that was going, the macaroni was cooking.

Once the pasta was al dente I added it to the casserole dish.

Then when the turkey was finished cooking shortly after I drained it and layered it on top of the pasta.

Then comes the best part – pouring the cheddar cheese soup over the meaty starchy goodness.

Then the stewed tomatoes came and stole the spotlight. They really make the dish pretty and give a lot more flavor.

Then, because the cheese soup is not enough, I added shredded cheddar cheese to the whole thing. Then I popped it into the oven for half an hour at 400 degrees.

After I took it out, I couldn’t resist. I spooned myself one sixth of the hotdish and sat down for one delicious meal.

Let me tell you, this is one delicious, cheap, and filling meal. The cheese soup really did it for me. It made it very creamy. And the name was not lying. I thought I would need more food with this, but I was so full when I was done. I can’t believe some people can actually eat a fourth of the recipe!! I am a good eater but there is no way I could do that. This is a great meal for me because it is delicious and I don’t mind eating it all week. It would also be perfect for a family. It is very easy and kids could definitely help layer the later ingredients. It’s fun just like lasagna. I would definitely try this if I were you. Yum-o!

So, now that I have shared my revamped recipe from the weekend, I want to hear what you made this week or are going to make. Any good recipes to try?

This post is a part of Tasty Tuesday over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

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