Recipe(tried): Chicken Tetrazzini

This is a dish that I haven't made for years that I made again while looking for something we hadn't had in a long time. As I recall, my girls didn't like this when they were young (before becoming vegetarians), probably because of the small amount of wine in it. I guess it didn't occur to me to leave it out so I just stopped making it. Anyway, DH and I enjoyed this recently, as we always had previously.

Chicken Tetrazzini

3-4 lb. chicken
1 onion
1 bay leaf
2 ribs celery and tops
Salt and pepper
1/4 lb. butter
1 bunch green onions, minced
1/2 c. bell (green) pepper, minced
1/4 lb. mushrooms, minced or 1 large can mushroons, sliced or chopped
1/4 c. parsley. minced
1/2 c. celery, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 c. light cream
1 c. chicken stock
2 Tbl. white wine or dry sherry
1 Tbl. lemon juice
2 Tbl. flour
2 Tbl. butter
1, 8 oz. package vermicelli
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Cook chicken until tender with onion, bay leaf, celery, salt and pepper, about 45 minutes. Cool in stock if you have the time. Remove chicken from stock; cool, strain stock and reserve. Cut chicken in bite-size pieces and set aside. Saute all vegetables and garlic in butter until soft. Add chicken, cream, stock, lemon juice and wine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook slowly over low heat, until heated through and bubbly. Make a paste of additional butter and flour. Blend in and and stir until smooth and thickened. Cook vermicelli al dente in boiling stock. Drain and spread on the bottom of a shallow buttered casserole. Pour chicken mixture over and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bkae 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Serves 6 to 8. May prepare ahead and refrigerate until serving time. Increase baking time if refrigerated.