preheat oven to 350°F

brown ground meat. season as desired, see notes at bottom

drain meat and set aside.

boil water with olive oil (or meat grease) and salt as needed for noodles. boil noodles roughly 10 minutes or until tender.

drain noodles and lay noodles on wax paper to prevent sticking.

heat cream cheese is small pot slowly. mix in small amounts of milk at a time to have smooth texture.

begin laying long ways in a 13" x 9" pan. first spray pan with non-stick spray. start laying: noodles (3 per layer), sauce (use sparingly), meat, cheese (also sparingly).

after 2 layers, add cream cheese mixture on top of the last layer of noodles and cover with an addition layer of noodles.

add 2 more layers and top with extra cheese and meat.

put in the top of the oven and cook until cheese is melted.

remove from oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

slice along the edges of noodles then cut into 3 sections, per noodles (9 total servings)

serve with garlic, cheese, or french bread if desired.

for added nutritional value for picky eaters, trying blending 1 can of plain tomato sauce with: 1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 yellow onion, 1 squash, 1 can drained peas and carrots, 1/2 cup of baby spinach, and 1 tomato. add sauce to pot and simmer for 30 minutes, mixing occasionally to prevent burning. if that's too much work, buy the spaghetti sauce with the "hidden vegetables".

for adults, try seasoning meat with chopped green and red bell peppers, chopped yellow onion, freshly minced garlic, and 1 tbsp of lemon zest. try adding chopped spinach to cream cheese. top with italian blend of cheeses.

note: ground turkey, beef, and pork yield great results.