Beef Lombardi

Ground beef has recently been given a hard way to go with all the news about "pink slime" I must say though that my mama always did say that cheaper meat was not what I wanted to serve my family. Now while she may of not been aware of the "pink slime" I believe she knew what she was talking about. Spend a bit of time find ground beef with out the unwanted stuff and serve your family a delicious meal

1 pound lean ground beef

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 (6-ounce) package medium egg noodles

6 green onions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain. Stir in chopped tomatoes and next 4 ingredients; cook 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer 30 minutes. Cook egg noodles according to package directions; drain. Stir together cooked egg noodles, chopped green onions, and sour cream until blended.  Place noodle mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle evenly with cheeses. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover casserole, and bake 5 more minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Bake as directed..

Southern Living
OCTOBER 2003

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