Beef Casserole (Print Version)

Ingredients:

01 - 1 tbsp olive oil, for cooking.
02 - 1 lb lean ground beef.
03 - ½ onion, chopped.
04 - 1 tsp salt, for seasoning.
05 - ½ tsp black pepper, for seasoning.
06 - 4 tbsp tomato paste.
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced.
08 - 1 tsp Italian seasoning.
09 - 3 cans (10 oz each) diced tomatoes with chilies, drained.
10 - ¼ tsp celery salt.
11 - 1 package (12 oz) egg noodles.
12 - 1¼ cups sour cream.
13 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened.
14 - 1 tbsp cornstarch.
15 - 2½ cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded.

Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
02 - In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and ground beef; cook until browned and onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
03 - Stir in tomato paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, celery salt, and drained tomatoes. Cook for 5 more minutes.
04 - Boil egg noodles for 3 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of noodle water before draining.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together sour cream, softened cream cheese, cornstarch, and ½ cup of reserved noodle water until smooth.
06 - Mix the cooked noodles with the remaining reserved noodle water, then transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the beef mixture evenly on top.
07 - Sprinkle shredded Colby Jack cheese over the casserole.
08 - Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Notes:

01 - This is a comforting and classic casserole dish combining beef, cheese, tomatoes, and egg noodles.
02 - The casserole is best served fresh but can also be reheated the next day.
03 - The reserved noodle water helps the cheese mixture blend smoothly.