All-Natural Pasta Casserole

(Can be made vegetarian!)

I admit it—I used to be addicted to canned cream of mushroom soup. I loved it and used it in a lot of recipes.

When I got sick, no more mushroom soup. (Too many chemicals for me.)

So I started to adapt recipes. Here’s one:

All Natural Pasta Casserole

• 1 stick butter (or ½ c. olive oil)
• ¾ c. flour (unbleached)
• 5 ½ c. homemade chicken broth (or veggie broth)
• Salt to taste, pepper if desired
• ¾ c. milk or cream or soy milk
• 18 oz. macaroni or egg noodles (dry) (can be whole wheat) (haven’t tried rice pasta, but I bet it would be good; maybe soak for fewer hours??)
• 2 c. shredded cheese (any kind; we use co-jack)
• 4 c. chicken, cooked & cut up (opt. I like it better without any chicken)
• Optional veggies

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add broth. Cook and stir until boiling. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Take off heat. Cool.

Stir in salt ( and pepper), cream, pasta, cheese, and chicken if desired.

Fridge 8-24 hours.

Prep veggies if desired.

When ready to bake, pour into greased 9 X 13 pan.

Here’s where you can get creative! Let’s say half the family likes mushrooms. Put sliced, sautéed mushrooms into half the pan, with one on top to “mark” the “mushroom side”! Same goes for any other veggie! Sautéed onions and peppers, chopped, lightly-steamed broccoli, or diced tomatoes. My favorite? Chopped hot peppers! Yum!

Cover with foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 -75 minutes.

Dear Son loves this—calls it “Ultimate Mac and Cheese.” 🙂

Great for Sunday (or Sabbath Day) supper because you do most of the work the day before. Good as leftovers (if you have any lol. Sometimes I make a double batch.) Can be frozen.

Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books   Edgemont, SD 57735