Blue Plate Noodle, Beef, and Cheese Casserole

1/2 pound egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained
6 scallions (white part and some of the green), chopped
2 pounds ground beef round
1 garlic clove, minced
One 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
One 8-ounce container sour cream

1. In a large mixing bowl, toss the noodles and scallions together.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 1/2-quart casserole and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, combine the beef and garlic, breaking up the meat and cook over moderate heat until it's no longer pink. Drain off the fat, add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar, season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco, stir for 10 minutes, and remove from heat.

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all but about 1 cup of the cheddar, the cream cheese, and sour cream and mix till well blended.

5. Spoon one-third of the meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared casserole, layer half the noodles and half the cheese mixture over the top, then repeat the procedure once more. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top, sprinkle the reserved 1 cup cheddar evenly over the sauce, and bake till bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

6-8 servings