Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 lb. thin spaghetti broken up a bit
- 1/2 stick butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. white mushrooms sliced thick
- 1⁄2 tsp. salt plus more to taste
- 1 c. white wine
- 1⁄3 c. flour
- 4 c. turkey (or chicken) broth plus more for thinning
- 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
- 3 c. cooked turkey shredded or diced
- 1 1⁄2 c. frozen green peas
- 4 slices bacon fried and crumbled (Surprise – we use more!)
- 1 c. grated monterey jack cheese
- 1 c. grated parmesan cheese
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 c. panko breadcrumbs
Directions
Cook the pasta until not quite done or al dente according to package instructions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Do NOT overcook! Drain, rinse, toss with a TEENY bit of oil (so it doesn’t turn ito a wad) and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms and salt, then saute for a couple minutes more, until the mushrooms just start to color and are giving up their liquid. Pour in the wine and allow it to cook with the mushrooms for several minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.
Sprinkle in the flour, then stir the mushrooms around for another minute. Pour in the broth and stir, cooking for another few minutes until the roux thickens.
Reduce the heat to medium low. Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add it to the pot. Stir to melt (don’t be concerned if the cream cheese remains in little bits for awhile; it’ll melt eventually!). Add the turkey, peas, bacon, and cheeses. Stir to combine, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Add the cooked spaghetti and stir to combine. Splash in more broth as needed; you want the mixture to have a little extra moisture since it will cook off in the oven. If it’s a little soupy, that’s fine! You can add up to 2 more cups of liquid if you think it needs it.
Pour the mixture into a large baking dish and sprinkle the top with panko breadcrumbs. Bake at 350°F until the casserole is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown, 20 minutes.
My Notes:
This recipe is incredibly versatile – you can add just about anything to it and it will be delicious. If we have bits and bobs of leftover veggies – Brussel sprouts, green beans (but NOT that casserole!), even squash or sweet potatoes – we mix them in and adjust the liquid. It’s very forgiving and VERY delicious!