This decadent dish isn’t for the person on a weight loss regimen! Dating back to 1950, an age of blissful dietary innocence before cholesterol became a scary household word and liver was considered health food (and eating liver was a considered sign of being grown up), this kid-pleasing, tongue-coating, pantry-staple recipe will surprise you with its rich flavor despite using *no* seasonings other than salt.

It requires quite a few steps, but this good, healthy (wink wink), 1950s square meal is worth it.

You’ll need:

2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean shown)
1/2 lb. small pasta (e.g. macaroni, ziti, or short spaghetti)
2 10-oz. cans condensed tomato soup
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. butter
6 oz. cheddar or American cheese, grated

While preheating oven, begin heating 2 quarts of water to boiling. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion in 4 Tbsp. butter for five minutes. Add meat to skillet; brown. Do not drain fat if using 85% lean meat or leaner; if using a less lean meat, partially drain to taste. Add the salt, sugar, condensed tomato soup and 1½ cup water to the skillet; simmer for ten minutes or until the mixture reaches the consistency of a thick, chunky soup.

While the meat sauce is simmering, boil the ½ lb. pasta according to package directions.

When the pasta and meat sauce are ready, place ingredients into a 9×13 casserole dish in layers; pasta, then meat sauce, half of the cheese, another layer of pasta, then meat sauce, and a final layer of cheese. Bake at 350° F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Enjoy! (But please try to avoid zig-zag eating. Table manners and all that.)