The Soup Diva

• 2-3 cups shredded cooked turkey
• 8 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 box spaghetti noodles, broken into pieces
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ to 2 cups milk
• 1 tub chive & onion cream cheese spread
• ¼ cup butter or olive oil
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup grated or shredded Parmesan
• ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried sage
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Cook pasta until al dente and drain. Heat butter or oil in medium skillet and add mushrooms and seasonings (but not parsley). Cook on medium heat until desired tenderness, then stir in flour until incorporated. Stir in milk, then broth, and heat to bubbling. Remove from heat and add cheese. Combine sauce with pasta and pour into sprayed 13x9x2 baking dish. Top with bread crumbs, sprinkle with parsley, and bake at 350 degrees until browned, 15-20 minutes.

With the recent passing of my father-in-law, we are craving cozy evenings at home and comfort food. This one is a new dish for me (I’ve never eaten or cooked it before), but I’ve heard of it and always attributed it to the 1950’s. It actually first appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine in 1908 and was named for a famous opera singer in San Francisco! It will be the perfect way to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey in a couple of months.