Amish Frolic Casserole

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A frolic is a scaled-down version of the better-known barn-raising, but it still operates on the same concept: many hands make light work. 

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• 🍲 Amish Frolic Casserole
• 📋 Instructions
• 🍲 Favorite Amish Casseroles
• 🖨️ Full Recipe

 More common than barn-raisings in Amish settlements are “frolics” where maybe a dozen people might gather to complete a garden, paint, or plow.  These are smaller projects and smaller gatherings where having a small group of people can really move along a project.

 These gatherings are done in the spirit of goodwill and fellowship and a big meal is often served to the helpers. This Amish Frolic Casserole recipe has been adapted for store-bought ingredients, but most Amish cooks would be using fresh spinach and homemade spaghetti sauce, which will make the dish that much better!  This hearty supper is also popular at potlucks and fellowship suppers, depending on what community you are in.

The Amish speak a dialect of German at home as their first language. The German word "Fröhlich" means "Cheerful." So the word was Americanized to sound like "frolic". A "frolic" is a cheerful occasion where neighbors help neighbors and everyone pitches in, so the name isn't a misnomer.

Brown the hamburger with onion and garlic. Use the freshest hamburger you can get your hands on. Many Amish gardeners grow their own onions and garlic.

I could say the same about spinach. It's usually homegrown and packed full of healthy vitamins and minerals.

All the liquids get stirred into the meat mixture and that will create a super flavor once they all meld together.

The macaroni, spinach, and such gets all combined separately and then you'll "marry" the two mixtures for a super supper.

The macaroni mixture gets packed into the baking dish first and is then covered with the meat.

Bake until it is good and done on top, 30 minutes at 350, you might go for 45 minutes if you are like me and like your food extra done.

The casserole cuts well and you can see the base is this delicious macaroni mixture topped with a super meat sauce. This is a great casserole and is a nice dollar-stretcher since you are not using a ton of meat.

This Amish recipe doesn't have many spices, so if you are someone that likes spices you can sprinkle the meat as you brown it with red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or seasoning salt. But it is also good just as printed!

🍲 Amish Frolic Casserole

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ c. chopped onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. salad oil
• 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
• 1 (16 oz.) mushroom spaghetti sauce
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• ½ tsp. salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1 (7 oz.) pkg. shell or elbow macaroni, cooked
• 4 oz. shredded American cheese
• ½ c. bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ c. salad oil

📋 Instructions

1. Brown beef with onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil.
2. Cook and drain spinach, save the liquid and add water to equal one cup.
3. Stir the liquid, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and paste, salt, pepper into the meat mixture.
4. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. combine macaroni, cheese, bread crumbs, eggs and ¼ cup salad oil with the spinach.
5. Spread mixture into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
6. Top with meat sauce. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
7. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

🍲 Favorite Amish Casseroles

Casseroles are popular in Amish kitchens, they are versatile and feed families, here are some of our favorites!

Grandma Graber's Quick and Easy Casserole

Classic!

The Bishop's Overnight Casserole

The flavors really meld in this one!

Penny Supper Casserole

This one has hot dogs!

Six-Ingredient Casserole

🖨️ Full Recipe