#3 It’s Casserole Time - 7x7 Christmas Turkey Redux

The classic poultry casserole is Turkey Tetrazzini.  It’s an icon and it shouldn’t be changed up too much.  Campbell’s Cream soups made the casserole an American dinner staple that could be prepared in thirty minutes.

My version takes about an hour and the only innovation is in the white sauce. Instead of using cream soup, I make a béchamel with equal parts sauvignon blanc, cream, and turkey stock.

Pound for pound, portion for portion, this casserole delivers.  It’s really assembly cooking but there’s a lot of chopping that can be done a day or two in advance.  It’s comfort food at its best, but loaded with fresh veggies and good-for-you foods.

Mix in a large bowl:

• 1 pound cooked al-dente spaghetti
• 3 cups shredded cooked turkey meat
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 4 cups steamed broccoli florets
• 3 beaten eggs
• 4 chopped chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground nutmeg
• 2 cups sauvignon blanc
• 2 cups half and half cream

• 2 cups turkey stock

Pour ingredients into an ungreased casserole dish like this, and bake at 375 degrees for about an hour.

It’s the ultimate comfort food so try to limit each portion to a three inch by three inch square!