My favorite dish as a kid and still a favorite with me and my family. This is what we call Toralene. No one knows why it's called this weird name, just like the Russian Tea. It doesn't really matter what it is called because it's cheesy pasta goodness. This is one of the rare pasta dishes I do make. It's a great dish for cold nights and another fantastic excuse to use my amazing Lodge enameled cast iron pot. I could seriously be a spokesperson for them..anyone from Lodge out there listening??
As always, you can make this your own and adapt depending on what you like and don't like. You really can't go wrong. Change it to ground turkey and fat free cheese (which in my opinion is gross but to each their own), leave out the olives, add in mushrooms. Whatever your family might like. I'd love to hear your adaptations in the comment section.
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 can tomato soup
1 can chopped tomatoes (with garlic and onions if you like)
1 can water
2 1/2 c uncooked egg noodles
1 can corn (or 15 oz of frozen)
1 can black olives
1 1/2 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
Heat oil in large dutch oven (aka a pan you can use on the stove and in the oven). Cook onions until soft, add beef and cook until browned. Drain beef fat off into an empty can (don't put down the sink drain.). If you put it in a can, it will harden and you can toss it in the trash.
Add the garlic. Add soup, tomatoes, a soup can of water, noodles, corn, olives and 1 c of cheese. Mix well. Put remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
that's amazing. That recipe is SO CLOSE to our traditional family casserole, which we call "Lalarelli" (lah-lah-rell-ee). It was served at every family gathering when I was a kid. Birthdays, holidays, family potlucks, wakes... it was there. The only difference in ingredients is the use of tomato sauce instead of tomato soup, and creamed corn instead of regular corn. But other than that.... its the same! I am so excited to find it out there in the internet too!
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