MACARONI AND CHEESE LAYERED BURGER CASSEROLE

The idea behind this recipe is to find a way to stretch a meal out of staples in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer and using what you have available. For example, if you don’t have or like frozen peas, maybe you have frozen broccoli flowerets to use instead. Maybe you don’t have frozen vegetables at all and chose to use canned vegetables. Maybe you don’t have two different vegetables; then just use one vegetable. If using canned vegetables, make sure to drain well before using. Prepared dish serves between 6 and 8 people.

What you need
9 x 13 pan (glass preferable but not required)
Butter/margarine or cooking spray
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. ground beef/chuck/round (whatever you normally buy)
1 onion (sweet if you have it)
1 box macaroni and cheese (any brand)
Butter/margarine and milk (for making mac ‘n’ cheese)
Frozen corn, 1 cup
Frozen peas, 1 cup
Cottage Cheese (16 oz. container if you have that much)
Shredded Cheese (2 -4 cups) The more the better; cheddar is best but other choices are Swiss, Monetary jack or mozzarella. The idea here is to use what is available.

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350^o
Grease bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 pan with your choice of butter, margarine or cooking spray
Prepare boxed macaroni and cheese according to package directions
Cook onions in medium sized skillet until translucent
Add ground beef, salt and pepper to taste to onions and cook until beef is cooked through
Once beef is cooked through, drain excess grease from the beef/onion mixture
To the macaroni and cheese, add approx. 1 cup each frozen corn and frozen peas (increase or decrease amount according to preference or what you have available)

Cooking
To your prepared 9 x 13 pan, spread macaroni and cheese mixture evenly in bottom of pan. Spread cottage cheese evenly across the mac ‘n’ cheese mixture. Spoon beef/onion mixture even across the cottage cheese
Top with 2-4 cups of shredded cheese of your choice. Cover pan with foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes, removing foil the last 10 minutes.