Creamy Mushroom Crepes With Turkey and Swiss Cheese

Mexican cheese blend may be substituted for the Cheddar and, instead of roasted red peppers, you may add chopped green chiles. Serve the casserole with a green salad and crusty wheat bread.

Ingredients

10 3/4 ounce can of broccoli-cheese soup 1/2 cup skim milk 1 pound package of skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil 1 1/2 cups baby broccoli flowerettes 1 cup frozen cut green beans 1/3 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, chopped 1 cup reduced fat Cheddar cheese (more if you wish) 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil 1 cup Italian style Panko bread crumbs

Method

Spoon soup into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in milk. Cut chicken into one-inch cubes. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into skillet and saute chicken over medium heat until it starts to brown. Add chicken to soup mixture. Place baby broccoli and green beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high until crisp-tender. Add broccoli, green beans, and red peppers to soup mixture. Turn into a prepared 8" x 11" oven-proof dish. Stir two tablespoons of olive oil with bread crumbs and sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Cover with foil if bread crumbs brown too quickly. Makes six generous servings.

Copyright 2010 by Harriet Hodgson After living with us for a few years, our teenage grandchildren went off to college. Though the twins come home once in a while, my husband and I are basically empty-nesters. This means we have lots of leftovers. Food can get pushed to the back of the refrigerator and stay there for weeks, so I check my leftovers periodically.

I'm amazed at what I find. Sometimes it's a cup of peas or spinach or carrots. Leftovers can include a little chicken, turkey, or ham. Since we paid for this food, we don't want it to go to waste, and I'm on constant alert for ways to use leftovers.

Yes, I've done the obvious and made vegetable soup. I've combined vegetables, made casseroles, and have even made meat loaf pizza, not one of my best decisions. But I had forgotten about crepes, a type of pancake that can be turned into an entree or a fabulous dessert like Crepes Suzette. Today is one of those days when I couldn't think of a anything to make for dinner. Clearly, it was time to check the leftovers.

In the vegetable bin I found an unopened box of sliced mushrooms. There was half a package of scallions and part of the turkey breast we had last evening. I decided to combine these ingredients and make a casserole for dinner tonight and two additional lunches.

You may use other types of mushrooms for this recipe. Substitute chopped onions if you don't have any scallions. I made my own crepes, but you can buy ready-made ones at the grocery store. The sauce is made with a new product, cooking cream, which is cream cheese for sauces. You may use regular cream cheese, light, or fat-free for the sauce.

Your cooking technique can be the difference between successful crepes and a disaster. Harriet Green, Creamy Mushroom Crepes With Turkey and Swiss Cheese, Harriet Green