"Making Momma Proud" Meatball Casserole
By
Lori Harbin-Combs
@4dogslori
2
My Momma loved to cook but rarely had all of the ingredients she needed as we were dirt poor out in the woods of east Texas. She would have been proud of my original recipe.
Ingredients
- 11/2 lb
- meatballs browned or frozen purchased meatballs
- 12 oz
- penne pasta, cooked
- 2 c
- ricotta cheese
- 11/2 c
- sour cream
- 2 c
- baby spinach
- 2 c
- fresh sliced mushrooms
- 1 can(s)
- sliced tomatoes, canned italian style with juice
- 1 c
- parmigiano-reggiano, grated
- 16 oz
- grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 large
- eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp
- olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tsp
- italian seasoning
- 1 Tbsp
- chopped fresh basil
- 8 oz
- softened cream cheese
- 5 c
- pasta sauce
How to Make "Making Momma Proud" Meatball Casserole
- 1Make meatballs with half very lean ground beef and half Italian sausage. I also use home made sour dough bread crumbs and season well with Italian seasoning, lots of garlic and parmesan cheese.
- 2Cook pasta and drain well.
- 3Cook mushrooms and spinach in evoo and sprinkled with Italian seasoning.
- 4Mix the sour cream, ricotta, eggs, cream cheese, 1/2 c. grated mozzarella, 1/4 c. parmesan, the spinach and mushroom mixture with evoo and pasta. Season with course ground black pepper and salt to taste.
- 5Start with 1 cup. pasta sauce in bottom of large deep pan. Top with all the meat balls. Add a layer of parmesan cheese and the drained Italian tomatoes. Next all of the pasta mixture with the chopped basil over the pasta mixture. End with all the pasta sauce, remaining parmesan cheese and lastly the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- 6Bake in 350 degree oven for 55 min. or till hot and bubbly.
