Cooking Wiser with Terri Geiser

A creative way to use last night's chicken in a totally new dish that's deliciously yummy.

Serves 8.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces egg noodles, cooked, drained
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 to 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, (optional)
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 2/3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup pimiento, drained, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cooked diced chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed under hot water
• 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish.

In large skillet or saucepan over low heat, melt butter; sauté mushrooms until tender. Blend in flour, stirring until smooth and bubbly.

Gradually add chicken broth, milk, pimiento, and salt and pepper; stir constantly until sauce is thickened.

Stir in chicken, peas, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and the cooked noodles.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over top.

Bake chicken noodle casserole 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Cooking Wiser:

Cook just before the pasta is al dente because it will continue to cook in the oven. There's nothing worse that mushy pasta!

Pimento is a particular sweet red pepper. When used in a recipe, it is commonly referring to a roasted red pepper. If you don't have pimentos you can roast a red pepper, then slice and whoola you have pimento

Add sliced almonds or sliced water chestnuts for extra crunch

Save time and money by using left overs in creative ways. After roasting a chicken, remove remaining chicken, dice, place in freezer until ready to use for casserole

This can become a great vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock, omit the chicken and add an additional cup of finely diced mushrooms. Add sliced almonds for protein