Dried Beef and Noodle Casserole

My husband ate this for lunch, and decided that “We can have this again any time.”  I said “I used homemade noodles” and he said “I know – that’s what I like!”   I had to agree.  It’s a simple, tasty casserole that can feed a crowd.  The original recipe was for the larger amount; I cut it in thirds for us, and give those amounts also.  The smaller casserole takes less time to bake.  Either version only costs $1.05 per person, using purchased noodles and cream soup.  It’s even less expensive if you use homemade noodles, garden green beans and thick white sauce instead of purchased soup.

I purchased homemade “cured smoked beef” that came from our nearby locker plant in Leighton, Iowa.  It wasn’t cheap, at $8.49 a pound, but Hormel dried beef in the vacuum packed packets was $10.20 a pound and the dried beef in the jar worked out to $11.81 a pound, and they are not nearly as good and much more salty!  There are locker plants all over rural Iowa, and their products are often award-winning.  The beef made this casserole. 

    

                      Dried Beef and Noodle Casserole

4 Servings	12 Servings
4         ounces  Noodles -- dried	12        ounces  Noodles -- dried
2 2/3  ounces  Dried Beef	8        ounces  Dried Beef
1         tablespoon  Butter	3        tablespoons  Butter
1 1/3  cups  Green Beans	4        cups  Green Beans
1/2  cup  Whole Milk	1 1/2 cups  Whole Milk
1         can  Mushroom Soup	3        cans  Mushroom Soup
1         ounce  Cream Cheese	3        ounces  Cream Cheese
2/3 cup  Cheddar Cheese -- grated	2        cups  Cheddar Cheese -- grated
1/3 cup  Sour Cream	1        cup  Sour Cream
1 ½ quart Casserole Dish	13 x 9” Casserole – 3 quart
2012 Cost:  $ 4.19	2012 Cost:  $12.56

Cook noodles until tender.  Drain.  Sauté beef in butter until edges curl.  Fry green beans in butter until slightly brown.  Combine milk, soup and cheeses.  Heat until melted.  Mix in sour cream, noodles, beef and beans.  If it seems too dry, add more milk.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes for the smaller casserole and 45 minutes for 12 servings.

Mrs. Larry Zimmerman, Goshen, IN

Per Serving: 369 Calories; 21g Fat (50.7% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 1077mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat.

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