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Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 12:01 a.m.

A cheesy casserole for connoisseurs of goo

  • Cheesy cheeseburger casserole gets a garnish of chopped parsley for a touch of green along with all that white and brown.

    Associated Press

    Cheesy cheeseburger casserole gets a garnish of chopped parsley for a touch of green along with all that white and brown.

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QVC host Dave Venable has no problem getting cheesy, on air or in his cookbook.

"Forgive me for getting a little 'cheesy' here, but that's just what this one-dish wonder is all about: cheese," Venable writes in his just-released cookbook, "In the Kitchen with David."

"Everything we love about melted cheese -- rich, ooey, gooeyness -- is right here in this cheeseburger casserole.

"It's easy to make, can be put together ahead and frozen, and it's kid-friendly. For kids of all ages, that is."

Cheesy cheeseburger casserole

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 16-ounce package elbow macaroni
2 pounds ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt and the macaroni and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook, stirring, until the beef is well browned. Carefully drain the fat from the skillet, then stir in the tomato sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and the black pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat while preparing the remaining ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, sour cream, bell pepper and scallions. Spread half of the pasta in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the ricotta mixture, then the remaining pasta. Pour the meat mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the cheddar and mozzarella.

Bake the casserole until the cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 700 calories; 230 calories from fat; 25 g fat (12 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 130 mg cholesterol; 67 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 51 g protein; 1280 mg sodium.

Recipe from Dave Venable's "In the Kitchen with David"
Story tags » Cooking
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