Fanny's Italian Casserole

To my family, this is known as 'Fannie's Junk,' named after my great-aunt who gave this recipe to my mom over 30 years ago. This is comfort food at its best, and an old family favorite. Serve with salad and crusty bread.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 55 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 431 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 (26 ounce) jars tomato, onion, and garlic spaghetti sauce (such as Prego®)
• 2 ¼ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Place the hamburger into a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir the meat until no longer pink, breaking the meat up into crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and continue to cook and stir until the onion is translucent, about 5 more minutes. Drain grease from the pan, and stir in the 2 jars of sauce, basil, bay leaf, oregano, and celery salt. Reduce heat, and simmer the sauce for 1 hour. Remove from heat.

Step 3

About 15 minutes before the sauce is finished simmering, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the macaroni, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Step 4

Whisk together the mushroom soup and water in a bowl until smooth.

Step 5

Layer 1/3 of the meat sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and spread half of the cooked macaroni over the sauce. Spoon half the soup mixture over the macaroni, and spread 1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Repeat the layers with 1/3 of the remaining sauce, the remaining pasta, the remaining soup mix, and 1 more cup of Cheddar cheese. Spread the last third of the meat sauce over the casserole, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Cheddar cheese. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, and cover the dish with the foil.

Step 6

Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until the cheese topping is browned and the casserole is bubbling, about 15 more minutes.