ham and asparagus casserole

i do not like asparagus one bit.  bran sent me this recipe, and i almost used broccoli instead of asparagus.  i decided to take a risk and try the asparagus and throw in extra mushrooms… it ended up tasting delicious.   this recipe is from cooking light and you can check out their website for the nutrition info.

go ahead, eat your veggies and like them, too!

• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 3 3/4 c uncooked egg noodles
• 2 1/2 c sliced asparagus
• 1/4 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 c milk
• 1 c fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3/4 c finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c cubed ham (8 oz.)
• 1/4 c chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 c chopped fresh mushrooms
• 2 tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese

1. preheat oven to 450°.
2. cook pasta in boiling water 7 min., omitting salt and fat.  add asparagus; cook 1 min. drain.
3. lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife.  place flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl; gradually add milk and broth, stirring with a whisk until well-blended.
4. melt the butter in large wok over medium high heat.  add the onion; saute 4 min.  add milk mixture mixture; cook until thick (about 4 min.), stirring constantly.  remove from heat and stir in juice.
5. combine the pasta mixture, milk mixture, ham, mushrooms and parsley in wok; spoon into a 2-qt. casserole (or 9×13″ pan).  sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese.
6. bake for 10 min. or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.

enjoy!