THE PIONEER WOMAN'S SOUR CREAM NOODLE BAKE

1 1/4 lbs ground chuck

1 can (15-oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
8-oz egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups small curd cottage cheese
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup sliced green onions (or less to suit your taste)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
crusty French bread for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown the chuck in a large skillet, drain and add the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir mixture together and simmer while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Cook noodles until al dente; drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of the freshly ground black pepper and the red pepper flakes; add to the noodles and stir. Stir in the green onions.

To assemble, add half the noodles to a baking dish, top with half the meat mixture and sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat the layers.

Bake at 350 degrees until all the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

Serve with the crusty French bread.

Yield: 8 servings.

FILE PHOTO