Chicken Tetrazzini for a week!

Rick couldn't wait to eat,
even skipped his run!

I've decided to take on the responsibility of meal planning and cooking during the week since I am not working full time right now.  The irony is that Rick actually wanted to be a chef at one point and is a MUCH better cook than I.  I have some basic criteria when picking out what to cook for the week which include:

• not too many and affordable ingredients
• relatively healthy
• not too many steps or complicated, because I would likely screw it up
• Filling and satisfying, otherwise we are back in the kitchen snacking before bed.

I would like to share with you my adventures in learning to cook in hopes you will benefit from my attempts and also hope you share with me some of your tips. 

My adventure this week is a healthier/easier version of my mom's Chicken Tetrazzini.

• 1 package wheat spaghetti
• 2 8 oz. cans/jar sliced mushrooms
• 4 cups Chicken broth-I use 4 low sodium boullion cubes (dissolve in 4 cups boiling water per directions)
• 12 oz Evaporated Milk
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 4 Tablespoons butter/margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• dash pepper
• pinch salt
• 4 cooked chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used low fat green can Parmesan cheese)

1. Cook spaghetti as directed on package and drain. Add mushrooms to the cooked pasta.
2. At the same time, chop up chicken into bite size pieces and cook chicken breasts on low-medium heat in skillet all the way through, remove from skillet.
3. In skillet, melt butter and blend in flour
4. Gradually stir in chicken broth stirring constantly until sauce boils and thickens (not very thick)
5. Remove from heat; stir in evaporated milk, salt, nutmeg and pepper.
6. Add half the sauce to the spaghetti and mushrooms.
7. Add chicken to the rest of the sauce.
8. Place spaghetti in greased 12x8 glass casserole dish
9. Put chicken on top of spaghetti in the center.
10. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of dish
11. Bake at 375 degrees uncovered 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned.

This dish will feed 2 people for 3-4 days and is even better leftover! You can also make ahead of time and place in refrigerator to be reheated.   Add a bag of SteamFresh veggie and you have a healthy meal for several days!