Casserole Americana - Carol's Recipe

Dad's 50th Birthday in Barker. Mom is 48. 

Mom would make a terrific hot beef based casserole every couple of weeks in between making hamburgers or spaghetti, both favorites of ours. I have heard that years after I left home, dad would make a casserole by cleaning out the refrigerator and mix everything into a Corning dish adding cheese on top and serving it as a casserole!  Worse yet, I have heard from Terri that dad would clean out the refrigerator put everything into the blender and make it a SOUP! He would make the innocents, those left behind had to eat it............YECK!! No wonder we all left house quickly!!! LOL Although, I am surprised that any of them care for casseroles or soups! But alas, I do and so does my husband. We eat different soups and casseroles all the time. We like them both! So here is the recipe that I found among mom's recipe cards that most resembles the recipe I remember.

Casserole Americana:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef (can be substituted for ground turkey or chicken)
1 large onion diced
1 basket sliced mushrooms - (I buy already cleaned and sliced)
2 cans stewed tomatos
1 can tomato paste
2 cups of cheese - I prefer a combination of mozzarella, and other shredded cheese mixtures
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning - (can substitute 1tsp basil, 2tsp oregano, and  1tsp garlic)
4 cups bowtie, egg noddles or any other non-tubular pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian Bread Crumbs - 1/2 cup


In a pasta pot add about 6 cups of water, 1 tbsp olive oil and Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Add the pasta at that time and cook until al dente - this means it is still somewhat hard - about 7-8 minutes. You want it this way because it will continue to cook in the casserole dish in the oven and if it is cooked too much now, it will be mush later. In the meantime, heat your oven to 350*.

In a saute pan, add 3 tbsp olive oil and onions saute a minute or two then crumble the beef into the pan. Cook on medium high heat until meat is pink and then add mushrooms and Italian Seasoning. Cook another minute or two then add the cans of stewed tomatoes and the can of tomato paste - add a little water if not wet enough. (Remember you will be adding the cooked pasta and the cheese. So you want it watery enough so it does not dry out when cooked in the oven.) Turn the tomato sauce mixture to low and check on the pasta.

Drain the pasta in a colander and then pour back into the large pasta pot. Now add the tomato mixture and last add the 2 cups cheese and gently fold the cheese into the pasta and tomato mixture.  Taste and add more Italian Seasoning or salt and pepper if needed. Pour this mixture into oven-proof baking pan - I prefer glass like Corning but anything will do.  Finally, shake the bread crumbs all over the top of the casserole and place it into the middle of the heated oven and bake for about 40 minutes. If the bread crumbs get brown too quickly, gently lay foil on top of the dish for about 30 minutes then remove and finish baking.

Serve with a salad and hot bread for a terrific family rib-stickin dinner!