Revamping Recipes: Casserole Italiano

This week I was feeling a little Italian and wanted another hearty casserole like the Belly Buster recipe I made last month.  I found this recipe from Taste Of Home and knew it would be perfect for my stomach as well as my budget.

The ingredients:

• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef  (I used two pounds of ground turkey)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jar (14 ounces) spaghetti sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Then I added some garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and sage because they are my staple Italian spices that I use when I make buttered noodles.  I think it made it a lot better without being overpowering.

I started by browning the turkey with the onions.

Meanwhile, I peeled and sliced the potatoes.

    Then it’s like lasagna, but with potatoes instead.  Just layer half the potatoes then half the meat mixture (with all the extra spices and sauce) then repeat.

Then I baked it for fifty minutes at 375 degrees.

Then I took it out, added the mozzarella, and baked it ten more minutes.

Doesn’t it look great?  Let’s get a closer look at that scrumptious cheese!

If that doesn’t make you want to run out and make this recipe, I don’t know what will. It was very simple and a different take on traditional Italian food, like lasagna.  It is definitely hearty, but I didn’t feel so bad since I used ground turkey and the spices add a lot of flavor without any calories.  I think most kids would like this meal, too.

I think this would make a good leftover-user much like Shepherd’s Pie, where you can gather up some leftover meat, sauce, cheese, and add some potatoes and you have dinner.  It’s easy!

Do you have any go-to casseroles that use up leftovers?  Dish!  I always love learning new recipes.

This post is a part of Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.