Turkey Mushroom Tetrazzini

Brianna's week. The Tigers in the middle of a homestand. Comerica Park lights visible from the Lodge at night. Tuesday was a long shift — second-shift overlap on a build target. Cleared it.

Pop's tireder. Sugar runs low some days. Mama monitors. Pop complains. The system holds. Sunday at Mama's. She made greens with hambone the way she has since 1985.

Pulled pork Sunday. Pork shoulder, twelve hours at two-fifty. Sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls with slaw.

Aiden's 11. The youth basketball league. I'm coaching. He's the best player on the team and he knows it. Zaria's 8. Helps me cook on a step stool. Has opinions about the seasoning.

I went to bed Sunday at 10. Slept eight hours. The body said thank you.

Filled the propane tank Wednesday. The smoker is the only appliance I baby. Wiped it down. Checked the gaskets. Checked the temperature gauge. The smoker is mine the way Pop's torque wrench was his.

Pop sat in the recliner Sunday. He fell asleep before the third quarter. We covered him with a blanket.

The basketball court at the rec center got refurbished. New floor. Plays different. Bouncy. I shot a few from the elbow before practice Wednesday. The knee held. The shot fell short.

Watched the Tigers Sunday afternoon. Lost in extras. Detroit reflex. I yelled at the TV the way Pop used to yell at the TV. The TV did not respond. The bullpen will probably not respond either.

Plant ran clean this week. The line ran. The body held. The paycheck is the paycheck.

A reader wrote in about the smothered pork chops. Said her late husband loved them. I wrote back. I told her about Pop. We exchanged three emails. She's in Saginaw. She's coming to the city in the spring.

The Lions on TV Sunday. Lost on a missed field goal. Detroit. The neighborhood collectively groaned at the same moment. You could hear it through the windows.

The grass came in fast this week. Cut it Saturday morning before the heat. The mower had been sitting all winter. Took three pulls to start. Once it ran, it ran. Some things just need patience.

Stopped at Eastern Market Saturday. Got chicken thighs, bacon, a watermelon, and a pound of greens that I did not need but bought anyway. The vendors know me by name now. Three of them asked about the family.

I took a walk around the block Sunday morning. The neighborhood was quiet. The trees were the trees. The light was good. I waved at three porches. The porches waved back. Brookline holds.

The custody calendar holds. Aiden and Zaria alternate weeks. Brianna and I co-parent without drama now. We do not always have to like each other to do this right.

A song came on the radio Tuesday — old Stevie Wonder — and I had to sit in the truck for the rest of it before I went into the store. Some songs do that. Detroit is a city of songs that do that.

I read for an hour Sunday night. A book about the auto industry. Half memoir, half history. Made me think about Pop and the line and the fragile contract that built the middle of this country. I underlined the parts that hit.

I made grocery lists on the back of envelopes the way Mama did. The list this week was short — onions, garlic, half-and-half, cornmeal, a pound of bacon. The list is the recipe of the week before it happens.

Mr. Williams across the street had a heart scare. He is okay. We are all watching each other now. I took him a plate of greens and chicken Wednesday. He said, "DeShawn. You're a good neighbor." I said, "We're even, Mr. Williams. You shoveled my walk in 2024." He laughed.

The smoker gets the Sunday glory, but it doesn’t run every week — and when the line’s been long and Pop’s tired and Aiden and Zaria need feeding before practice, I need something that goes in the oven and handles itself. Turkey Mushroom Tetrazzini is that dish. It’s the kind of thing Mama would’ve called “a stretcher” — makes a little go a long way, feeds everybody, and reheats clean for the days when you’re running on four hours and a thermos. Zaria helped me layer it last time. She had opinions about the mushrooms. I let her win.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti, broken in half
3 cups cooked turkey, cubed or shredded
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions until just al dente, about 1 minute less than the package says. Drain and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and begin to brown, about 5–6 minutes.
Build the sauce. Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, then the half-and-half. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 4–5 minutes.
Season and combine. Stir in salt, pepper, and thyme. Add the cooked turkey, peas, and half the Parmesan. Fold in the drained spaghetti until everything is evenly coated.
Top and bake. Preheat oven to 375°F. Transfer mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish if not already oven-safe. Scatter mozzarella and remaining Parmesan evenly over the top. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and the top is golden.
Rest before serving. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving. It firms up a little and the flavors settle. Worth the wait.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Mushroom Tetrazzini — When Sunday Cooking Carries the Whole Week