Poor Man's

My husband told me when we were married I had to learn how to make his mother's Poor Man's Casserolle. It was a regular meal in their home, and one of his favorites. It was either that or Tuna Fish Casserolle. Growing up with more than several cats in our house, just looking at Tuna makes me think CAT FOOD! The thought of actually eating the stuff is absolutely disgusting. Not only was I not going to learn how to make it, he is not allowed to make it in the house unless I am out of town. The smell lingers for days.

So I learned to make the Poor Man's, and it soon became a favorite in our house as well. Nobody complains about dinner when Poor Man's is on the table, and there is rarely any left in the pan when we are done.

At special request, I will share this recipie with you today. It is really simple, and even the greenest chef can produce a perfect dish. The ingredients are approximate, and can be adjusted depending on whether you like it more meaty or more soupy.

First, the ingredients:

1lb box of elbow noodles
4-5 10 oz cans of tomato soup
1-2 pounds of ground beef
approx. 16 slices of american cheese

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles as directed on the box. while they are cooking, brown your ground beef. Remove as much grease from the cooked meat as you can. Then add the cans of tomato soup to the cooked meat. Reduce heat to low and allow the soup/meat mixture to simmer, stirring often so it does not burn. When noodles are cooked, strain the water. Then dump the noodles into a 10x14 pan. Pour the soup/meat mixture over the noodles. Stir in the soup until it is al evenly mixed. Level off the top of the casserolle. Then layer the slices of american cheese accross the top. Cover the pan with a larger pan or aluminum foil. (If using foil, be careful so it does not fall onto the cheese. The cheese will stick. using toothpicks can help with this) Let sit for at least 5 minutes or so. Serve with a spatula.