Triple Cheese Casserole

I used to call this pan of deliciousness "Wagon Wheel" casserole because my mom once made it with wagon wheel noodles and what's not fun & memorable about that?! One day I remembered I ate this as a kid and wanted to make it for my pasta loving husband.  Mom emailed the recipe and I decided to tweak it for a somewhat healthier version.

TASTYPANTS...

1.25 lbs ground turkey 

1 small onion, chopped

3 gloves garlic, minced

2/3 of a 28oz can tomato sauce (about 20 oz)

1-1/4 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 -1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

16oz package whole wheat pasta, wagon wheels/rotini/macaroni all work

1 cup + 1 tbsp small curd low fat cottage cheese

1-8oz container lite cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp reduced fat sour cream

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare noodles according to package; drain. 

In large skillet, cook ground turkey, garlic, and onion until browned.  Stir in tomato sauce, sugar, salt, red pepper, oregano, basil, and pepper. Simmer briefly.  Remove from heat.

Combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and green pepper.

Spread half the noodles in 9 x 13 baking dish.  Top with small amount of the meat sauce (about one third).  Cover with the cheese mixture.  Layer remaining noodles, then meat sauce.  Top with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.

Serve with garlic bread... because garlic bread RULES. Isn't this super easy?

Here's the original recipe in case you want to know what I changed:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

2  8-oz cans tomato sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 cups noodles (about 2/3 of a 12-oz package - I must have used wagon wheels)

1 cup cream-style cottage cheese

1  8-oz container soft cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion until browned.  Stir in tomato sauce, sugar, salt, garlic salt, and pepper.  Remove from heat.

Prepare noodles according to package; drain.  Combine cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and green pepper.

Spread half of the noodles in 11" by 7" glass baking dish.  Top with small amount of the meat sauce.  Cover with the cheese mixture.  Layer remaining noodles, then meat sauce.  Top with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Makes 8 servings.