Chocolate Castles as wel

Yesterday I was blessed to have so sweet long time friends for lunch. “They” say to never make a new recipe when you are having company BUT….it seems like it is those times when I want to try something new and different. When looking for a recipe to make i came across this one and it sounded delicious plus it could be made the day before, so it sounded like we had a winner! The only change that I made was this! I bought a jar of Alfredo sauce to pour over the bottom of the casserole (my favorite Paula Deen dish) dish, as I wanted to be sure that I would have plenty of the homemade Béchamel sauce to pour over the top! It was a winner indeed. Loved the flavor and the beauty of the dish! Served it with a spinach salad filled with mandarin oranges, almonds, strawberries and raspberry dressing and Sister Schubert garlic butter rolls (I just melted a stick of butter and garlic and poured over the top before baking the rolls! INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 pound baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken (equivalent of 1 rotisserie chicken)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups warmed milk, preferably whole milk

1 cup chicken stock

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon dry sherry or marsala (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan, divided 

16 lasagna noodles (from a 1 pound box)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large, rectangular casserole dish or lasagna pan. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start sweating liquid, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil; continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated out. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a separate bowl along with the shredded chicken.

To make the bechamel (white sauce), add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour until thick paste forms; continue cooking to remove the “raw” taste, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and chicken stock and cook, whisking often until the mixture is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the salt, mustard powder, sherry, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, followed by 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

While the bechamel is thickening, prepare the noodles. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and arrange on a lightly greased sheet pan to prevent sticking.

Fold the chicken and mushroom mixture into the bechamel. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Be liberal with salt and pepper.) In a separate bowl, combine mozzarella, Gruyere, remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spread 1 cup of the chicken mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles on top of the chicken, overlapping if necessary. Spread about 1 cup of chicken mixture over the noodles followed by 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining cheese on top.

Bake, uncovered, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons 

• unsalted butter, divided

• 1 pound 

• baby bella mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

• 1 

• small onion, diced

• 2 to 3 

• large cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup 

• dry white wine

• 3 cups 

• cooked and shredded chicken (equivalent of 1 rotisserie chicken)

• 1/2 cup 

• plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 4 cups 

• warmed milk, preferably whole milk

• 1 cup 

• chicken stock

• 2 teaspoons 

• kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon 

• dry mustard powder, plus more to taste

• 1 teaspoon 

• dry sherry or marsala (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup 

• grated Parmesan, divided 

• 16 

• lasagna noodles (from a 1 pound box)

• 2 cups 

• shredded mozzarella cheese

• 2 cups 

• grated Gruyere cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large, rectangular casserole dish or lasagna pan. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.

2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start sweating liquid, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking, stirring often, until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil; continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated out. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a separate bowl along with the shredded chicken.

3. To make the bechamel (white sauce), add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Stir in the flour until thick paste forms; continue cooking to remove the “raw” taste, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk and chicken stock and cook, whisking often until the mixture is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Whisk in the salt, mustard powder, sherry, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper, followed by 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.

4. While the bechamel is thickening, prepare the noodles. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and arrange on a lightly greased sheet pan to prevent sticking.

5. Fold the chicken and mushroom mixture into the bechamel. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Be liberal with salt and pepper.) In a separate bowl, combine mozzarella, Gruyere, remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Spread 1 cup of the chicken mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 noodles on top of the chicken, overlapping if necessary. Spread about 1 cup of chicken mixture over the noodles followed by 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining cheese on top.

6. Bake, uncovered, until the lasagna is hot and bubbly, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.