re: Let’s talk about casseroles

Chicken Cheese Noodle Bake

Ingredients

1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti, broken
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup butter, cubed
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, saute onions and peppers in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken, soups, sour cream, celery salt and pepper.

Drain spaghetti; add to sauce mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to 2 greased 11x7-in. baking dishes.

Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casseroles up to 3 months. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover casserole with foil; bake as directed, increasing covered time to 40 minutes or until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly.