🧀 Sour Cream Noodle Bake 🧀

A comforting classic that brings the family together – perfect for a busy weeknight or a cozy weekend meal!

🍽️ Ingredients 🍽️
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small sweet onion, small diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 8 ounces shredded Colby Jack cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt (for sauce)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (for sauce)
- ½ teaspoon salt (for noodles)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (for noodles)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder

🧑‍🍳 Directions 🧑‍🍳
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion until the meat is no longer pink and the onion is softened, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, roughly 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer on low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. While the sauce simmers, cook the egg noodles as per the package instructions, then drain well.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the drained noodles and mix until they are well coated.
6. Layer half of the noodle mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the meat sauce and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is bubbly and golden.

🍎 Nutritional Information 🍎
- Calories: 485 per serving
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Protein: 26g
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Sodium: 785mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 5g

💡 Tips and Tricks 💡
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey for the beef and use low-fat dairy products.
- Add a sprinkle of paprika or crushed red pepper to the meat sauce for a little extra kick.
- This dish freezes well. Cool completely before freezing and reheat in the oven for best results.

⏳ Preparation Time 🍰
Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 50 minutes | Serving: 6-8