Cheesy Lasagna Casserole

This recipe is adapted from a recipe that my favorite person in the world gave me. We made it when I was visiting for New Years. It was originally made with full fat ingredients and Owens brand hot sausage. It made a lot! I enjoyed it but wanted to lighten the recipe and make a smaller portion. I used all light and low fat ingredients. It was delicious! Tastes like mac and cheese meets lasagna. I love the sour cream and neufchatel cheese in the cheese layer. It is a little tangy, so different and delicious. I did cut the recipe in half and I was scared it would not fit in the 8x8 baking dish. (Look at the photos) It filled that dish to the tippy top. I baked it on a cookie sheet covered in foil just in case. But to my surprise everything shrunk. The cheese melted into the noodles and there was very little that bubbled over. I think this is a great comforting family meal.

Cheesy Lasagna Casserole

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

8 oz egg noodles

1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped and divided

4 oz neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat), softened

6 oz low fat cottage cheese

3 oz light sour cream

1-1/2 cups 2% cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz reduced fat pork breakfast sausage

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 (24 oz) jar of pasta sauce

Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set neufchatel cheese in a mixing bowl to soften.  Cook egg noodles one minute shy of package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat; cook green pepper and half of the onions until onion is translucent. Place in bowl with the neufchatel cheese, add cottage cheese and sour cream; mix until well combined.

Add sausage and remaining onion to nonstick pan season with red pepper flakes, fennel and black pepper; cook breaking up the sausage into crumbles. Cook until browned and cooked through.

Spray a 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Layer the dish as follows; all of the cooked egg noodles, press down to condense, all the shredded cheddar cheese, all of the neufchatel cheese mixture and then the cooked sausage. Cover the entire dish with pasta sauce and top with Parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes covered; uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Serve.

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