Chicken Noodle Bake

I made a special anniversary lunch for Mom and Dad last week. Mom requested a creamy chicken noodle casserole, so I found this recipe. This is easy to make, and it really is very yummy.

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups uncooked egg noodles
3 tablespoons butter
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 (16 ounce) can diced carrots, drained (I used fresh diced carrots, that I heated in the microwave rather than canned)
1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
3 cups cooked, cubed chicken or turkey meat (rotisserie or roasted chicken is great in this recipe)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Ritz cracker crumbs instead)

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles in boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until done. Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray.
3. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook celery and onion in butter until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in soup, milk, and cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese melts.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the noodles, cheese sauce mixture, carrots, mushrooms, chicken, and salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with bread crumbs.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot.