Cheesy Tetrazzini

There are some days that just scream comfort food. Like literally a scream-in-your-ear-until-you-go-deaf kind of scream. We had one of those a few weeks ago (I know, I'm so behind the times!), and just needed the comfort of our childhood. And hey, what screams comfort back more than cheese, noodles, cheese, garlic, cheese...okay, so there's a lot of cheese. We're usually pretty good, but c'mon, lettuce doesn't exactly say ' hug from the inside!' Trust me, this is definitely worth all of the extra time spent at the gym...if you go to the gym. If not, we had this with braised celery, which is totally a good-for-you vegetable, which totally redeems all of the cheese!

Lesson for today: I can rationalize anything, even loads of dairy goodness.

Personally, there's nothing I would change about this meal. If you're feeling carnivorous, feel free to throw in some turkey or chicken - it would probably be yummy!


Cheesy Mushroom Tetrazzini
adapted from Taste and Tell
serves 6

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter
  
• 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups no-chicken broth
• 1 cup skim milk
• 4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 lb. pasta, cooked and drained (we used fettuccine)
• 1 1/2 cups Panko (or toasted bread crumbs)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add in the mushrooms, garlic, and half each of the salt and of the pepper. Saute until liquid evaporates, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually add in the broth and the milk, stirring until smoothly blended.
   
4. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes.
5. Remove saucepan from the heat. Add in 3 cups of the cheese, stirring until melted. Add in the rest of the salt and the pepper.
   
6. Stir in pasta (and poultry, if you're adding it). Pour into a greased shallow 3 quart baking dish.
   
7. Mix together the remaining cheese and the bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole.
8. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is lightly browned, 35-40 minutes.

Braised Celery
found on Allrecipes
serves 4

• 1 bunch of celery, cleaned, trimmed and cut into 4 inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cube no-chicken bouillon
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I omitted, because I didn't have any)

1. Arrange the celery on the bottom of a large skillet in a single layer.
2. Season with salt and pepper and dot with butter.
3. Melt the bouillon cube in the boiling water, and pour over the celery.
4. Cover the pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve.