Chicken Spaghetti & Green Beans

Mother occasionally made chicken spaghetti for potlucks, etc... but for some reason, I was never brave enough to try it. When she died, one of my cousins brought this casserole over and I just loved it.

This recipe makes enough to feed an army - that's the only way us Turley girls know how to cook. Tonight, when I made supper, I actually made enough for one 9 x 13 dish instead of two!

3 cans chicken broth

1 pkg. spaghetti (I use angel hair pasta)

cooked chicken, chopped (I have used can chicken & it works just as good!)

1/2 medium onion, chopped (I use whatever I have - purple, white or yellow)

1 or 2 cans English peas, drained

1 can mild Rotel

1/4 loaf to 1 lb. Velveeta (diced)

4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (or shredded Mexican blend)

2 Tbsp Worcestershire

2 Tbsp margarine

2 small cans, sliced black olives (I like the chopped!)

pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms (I opt to leave them out!)

1 pod garlic, chopped (I use the jar of chopped garlic)

1 can cream of chicken soup

In a large stock pot, cook noodles in chicken broth. While noodles are cooking, saute onions, garlic & mushrooms (if using) in 2 Tbsp margarine. When noodles are done, add cheeses into noodles & broth; mix well. (If not cheesy enough, add more Velveeta.) (Do not drain noodles - it'll be too dry otherwise after baking)When cheese melts, add in all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly & pour into baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

The recipe says to pour plain bread crumbs over casserole then pour 4 Tbsp of melted butter over crumbs. I skip this part and cover the casserole with shredded cheddar cheese & French fried onions.

I think the reason I never ate Mother's is because she used celery and green peppers & I am not a fan of either one!

Here's her recipe:

4 c cooked diced chicken

1 lg. onion, chopped

1 lg green bell pepper, chopped

1 c celery, chopped

Saute onion, bell pepper & celery in 3 Tbsp of margarine until tender.

Combine 1 can chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup & 1 can rotel

Add chicken, onion, bell pepper & celery to soup mixture

Add 1 pkg cooked spaghetti. Place in casserole dish & top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

For some reason, I think I have to have green beans or a green salad as a side with my spaghetti -regular or chicken. Larry loves my green beans and there's really nothing to them.

Most of the time, I chop bacon & onion and cook until done & then add a couple of cans of French style green beans and a couple teaspoons of sugar. Then, I just cook the green beans to death!!

If I'm in a hurry, I use onion flakes & real bacon bits and no one even can tell the difference!