Family Casserole

• If you have picky eaters in your family, try a simple casserole. In salted water, cook enough wide egg noodles -- or eggless if you prefer -- to fill a medium-sized deep casserole dish. Drain the noodles into the dish and add a can of soup and an equal amount of half-and-half. Toss in some chopped onion, diagonally sliced celery, cubes of cooked chicken and a small can of drained, sliced black olives. The mixture should be slushy but not thin. Plunge a wooden spoon in the center of the dish and if the liquid pools around the spoon, your mixture is ready. For an even creamier dish, use cream instead of half-and-half. Top with a layer of panko or breadcrumbs sprayed with olive oil for a crusty topping. Bake in a medium oven until mixture has thickened and topping is browned.

Faux Fettuccine Alfredo

• Fettuccine Alfredo is no longer daunting when you fake it with cream of chicken soup. Saute some minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of butter until it is soft but now browned. Stir in a half can of cream of chicken soup and enough half-and-half to make a thick sauce. Slowly add fresh shredded Parmesan cheese -- the canned stuff tends to clump -- stirring constantly and scraping the side of the pan. When you reach the desired consistency, remove the pan from the heat and keep stirring for a while to ensure that it doesn't curdle. Pour the sauce over individual servings of fettuccine noodles, or toss it with the noodles in a serving dish. Add chunks of grilled chicken and offer freshly ground pepper.

Hamburger Stroganoff

• Start with lean ground beef -- or steak strips if your budget allows -- minced garlic and coarsely chopped onion. Saute everything together over medium heat. Drain off fat and add some sliced fresh mushrooms. This would be the time to add a little wine for the mushrooms to absorb. If not, you may need some water, so plump them up. Dump in a can of cream of chicken soup and several dollops of sour cream, a key ingredient in Stroganoff. Gradually add milk or half and half to thin the mixture to a medium thick and creamy sauce. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a light dusting of paprika and serve it over flat noodles.

Italian Style

• Go Italian by using rotini pasta as the curves in the spiral shape traps little bits of herbs, spices and vegetables along with the sauce. Season a generous mixture of chopped fresh vegetables -- starting with garlic and onions, of course -- such as zucchini, mushrooms, and green peppers with dried Italian seasoning and saute the whole bunch in olive oil until it is tender. Stir in a can of cream of chicken soup and milk sufficient to make a cream sauce. Toss in some chopped grilled chicken -- and perhaps a little white wine -- and stir. Serve over cooked rotini pasta, garnished with chopped fresh oregano fresh ground pepper.