While growing up, this was the meal I always wanted on my birthday. Mother made the sauce from scratch, but I use store-bought spaghetti lasagna ingredients to save time.
Replace the ground beef with Italian sausage if you want more spice. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, 3 cups mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining pepper. Transfer to a greased shallow 3-qt. Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and cheese is melted, 15 minutes longer.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Sprinkle casserole with remaining mozzarella cheese. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. My family was growing tired of traditional red sauce lasagna, so I created this fun twist using a creamy homemade Alfredo sauce.