Chicken or Turkey Tetrazzini

1 chicken or 3 lbs. turkey legs

1 can French onion soup

1 carrot

2 stalks celery

1 (9-oz.) package fresh linguini or 8 oz. thin spaghetti

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine

2 Tbsp. flour

2 cups broth from turkey or chicken

3 Tbsp. dry white wine or sherry

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk, whole or skim

1 (8-oz.) can sliced mushrooms (or 8 oz. fresh mushrooms sautéed in a little butter)

Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds

Place meat in roaster with carrot, celery, onion soup, and two to three soup cans of water.  Cover and braise in oven at 350 degrees until tender.  Remove meat from pan and cool.  Pick meat from bones.  Strain broth,  discarding vegetables.  (Or begin with 2 cups broth and 2 cups cooked chicken or turkey.)

Cook pasta; drain and place in 9 x 12 baking pan.  For sauce, melt butter or margarine.  Stir in flour.  Cook slightly.  Add broth and cook until thickened. Add wine, milk, mushrooms, and mushroom soup.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Stir half of sauce into pan with pasta. Put the chicken or turkey into the rest of the sauce.  Make a well in center of pasta and add the chicken or turkey with sauce.  Sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese and almonds.  Bake at 375 degrees  until bubbly and lightly brown on top. 

We first tried this when I was trying to figure out what to do with four turkey drumsticks Donald had bought as a "bargain" at the grocery store.  Baked like this, even the turkey legs were tender.  My only other experience with turkey legs, other than at Thanksgiving, was a trip to Jacksonville I made with my friend and roommate Hancy Lane in the early 60s.  Hancy is less than five feet tall while I am 5' 9"; we were an interesting looking pair.  Of course she wore flats, I wore heels.  We went to a downtown restaurant for lunch and the only thing on the menu that looked good to her was braised turkey legs.  You can imagine our surprise when the waitress delivered to tiny Hancy a large platter with a huge turkey drumstick hanging off both ends.  Our giggles made it difficult to eat, and Hancy and her turkey leg attracted quite a bit of attention among the business men lunching at the restaurant.