Paula Deen makes a mean, meaty stew — for kids

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Fill the pot three fourths full of water and add the salt. Put it on the cooktop and turn on the heat to high.

When the water is boiling hard, add the noodles and cook until they are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Have an adult drain the noodles for you in a colander in the sink. Let them cool for 20 minutes, until they are cool to the touch.

In the bowl, combine the cottage cheese and Parmesan, stirring well with the wooden spoon.

Spray the inside of the baking dish with the cooking spray. Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish and spread it out with the rubber spatula. With the teaspoon, place a heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture into each shell. Place the shells side by side on the sauce in the dish. If there is more cottage cheese left, use the teaspoon to drop the cheese onto the shells. Cover with the rest of the sauce, spreading it with the spatula. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly on top of the sauce.

Put the baking dish in the oven. Bake it for about 25 minutes, until the mozzarella is bubbly and brown. Have an adult helper take it out of the oven with the oven mitts or hot pads, and let the shells cool for a few minutes before serving.

Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Tear off a piece of foil about 12 inches long. Crumble the beef evenly in the center of the foil.

Pare the carrot and the potato with the vegetable peeler. Chop the carrot into 1-inch pieces. Cut the potato into eight pieces. Pile the carrots and potatoes on top of the ground beef. Give the whole thing 4 good shakes of salt and 1 shake of pepper.

Take the corners of the foil and bring them together. Twist the top and make sure there are no holes that the juices can escape from.

Put the foil package on the cookie sheet. Let an adult helper put it in the oven for you. Bake the stew for 1 hour.

Ask an adult helper to take the cookie sheet out of the oven with the oven mitts or hot pads. Let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before you unwrap the foil. Steam will come out, so be careful!