The Lamb/Hamb Casserole

In the mid-seventies there was a recipe, popular around here, called "The Casserole". I hadn't made it or thought about it in years. But now G, who forgets nothing, has thought of it. Remember that lamb and noodle casserole you used to make? she asks. Lamb? Well, no. It's ground beef. But I see that I've written "hamb" in the old looseleaf archive, and she must have read and copied it as "lamb". She has already bought ground lamb for tonight, so lamb it will be. And thus do family recipes evolve.

The original reads as follows:

The Casserole

1 lb hamburger
2 small cans tomato sauce
16 oz noodles
1 pt sour cream
1 pt cottage cheese
8 oz cream cheese
3 small onions, chopped
1/4 cup melted butter
salt and pepper

Brown the hamburger. Add tomato sauce and salt and pepper. Mix the sour cream, cheeses and onion. Cook and drain the noodles. Add salt and pepper. In large shallow buttered casserole (like a lasagne pan) put half the noodles. Drizzle with half the melted butter. Then spread the cheese mixture over all. Add the rest of the noodles, and the rest of the melted butter. Spread the beef/tomato mixture over the top. Bake 30 min at 350.

This sounds very dated, doesn't it? But it was awfully good. I may just make it myself one of these days; I'm sure I could force H&D to take some. And please let us know how the lamb version works out!