.................. Cooking with Barry & Meta: Meat Delight Pasta Pot

One of my Aunt Waunita’s signature dishes for entertaining was something called Meat Delight. I used the flavors recently as an inspiration for Individual Lasagna Packages.

When I started on this dish, I actually planned to follow her recipe to the letter, recreating her layered casserole dish she set in a fancy silver casserole stand for company.

It started with my inability to make this dish without adding diced and sautéed onion, and went downhill from there. It was just so much simpler to turn it into a one-pot dish that I cooked on top of the stove (versus layering and baking it in a casserole dish). However, it was reminiscent of Aunt Waunita’s recipe in that it was very good. Someday I may actually make it like she did but until then, this is a great alternative!

What are fluffy dumplets? That was my question when Aunt Waunita shared this recipe. They are small curly noodles and you can actually fine them listed as "Fluffy Dumplets" in the noodle section. But, any kind of small curly noodle will work.

Meat Delight Pasta Pot

1 lb. lean (80/20%) ground beef
1 small to medium yellow onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

About 1 cup chopped tomatoes (if using canned be sure to drain)

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup prepared white sauce (or use canned condensed soup or sour cream)

4 oz. cream cheese

4 to 6 oz. fluffy dumplets (small curly noodles), cooked in salted water until tender

About ½ to ¾ cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Brown meat and onions.

2. Add salt, sugar, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and garlic salt.

3. Add white sauce and cream cheese; stir until smooth. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes to meld flavors.

4. Add cooked noodles, sprinkle with cheese.

Recipe without photos . . .