*  Exported from  MasterCook  *

                   CHICKEN CANNELLONI WITH CHEESE SAUCE

Recipe By     : 
Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Pasta

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1 3/4   c            Chicken, cooked & diced
   1       lb           Lasagna Noodles
   2       tb           Butter or Margarine
   2       tb           Olive oil
   2                    Cloves Garlic, finely
                        -chopped
   1       sm           Onion, finely chopped
   4       oz           Mushrooms, chopped
   1       lg           Egg, beaten
   2       tb           Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half
     1/4   ts           Thyme
     1/2   ts           Salt
   1       bn           Spinach, cooked until
                        -----CHEESE SAUCE-----
   3       tb           Butter or Margarine
   4       tb           Flour
   1 1/2   c            Chicken Broth
   3       c            Half-and-Half
                        Salt and Pepper to taste
   1       c            Parmesan Cheese
     1/2   c            (to 1 cup) Mozzarella
                        -Cheese, grated (opt)
                        Spaghetti Sauce (homemade
                        -or store bought) (opt)

  THE NIGHT BEFORE (or early in the day): Cook lasagna
  noodles in 6 qts. boiling water for 5-7 minutes or
  until tender; drain, wipe noodles dry with a clean/dry
  cloth, lay flat on waxed paper.
  
  While noodles are cooking, melt butter and olive oil
  in a large skillet. Saute onion, garlic and mushrooms
  until they're tender; add remove from heat; set aside.
  
  Place cooked chicken in food processor and pulse until
  chicken resembles a tuna salad mixture. Combine
  chicken with the onions, garlic, mushrooms and the fat
  in which they were sauteed; add egg, cream and
  seasonings. Add spinach (cooked) and mix well.
  
  Cut each lasagna noodle into 2 or 3 pieces--each piece
  should be 3 to 4 inches long; place a tablespoonful of
  the chicken filling on each piece and roll into a
  tubular shape. If you don't want to make canneloni,
  just layer the ingredients like you would for lasagna.
  
  Arrange rolls next to each other, one layer deep, in a
  buttered baking dish; set aside while you prepare the
  cheese sauce.
  
  CHEESE SAUCE: Melt butter then add the flour and cook
  for a few minutes to get rid of the floury taste.
  Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking constantly
  to prevent lumps; add cream, salt and pepper. Cook,
  stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth;
  remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  cheese and mix well.
  
  I like to use, both, red and white sauce on this one.
  I spoon over a strip of the white sauce, next to it I
  spoon on some red; keep doing that across the dish
  until the sauce covers the noodles. The red/white
  pattern makes it look pretty and gives the dish a
  little more flavor. It also cuts back on some of the
  fat.
  
  Spoon sauce over cannelloni in baking dish; sprinkle
  with remaining Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese,
  if used; refrigerate until you're ready to bake it.
  
  BEFORE SERVING: Preheat broiler; place cannelloni 4-5
  inches from heat and broil for 10 minutes or until
  sauce bubbles and top browns. If you'll be making
  lasagna, bake in a 350-degree oven for 25-30 minutes,
  or until it's bubbly and the top is browned a bit.
 


                   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -