September 2016, Whats for Dinner??

You know, it does sort of seem like Turkey tetrazzini but it is a lot simpler. Next time I think I'll increase the amount of hamburger I use. Charlie said it was better than just plain spaghetti with meat sauce. I think it was too.

I do drink Boost. Can't tolerate Ensure. The problem is that I just can't eat enough.

Or salmon croquettes.

So funny you mentioned the tuna casserole, Jimmy.......it's one of Mr. Amazing's favorite childhood meals. And I actually made one for him recently ~ first one in over 48 years of married life!

I was going to be gone so I was making meals to put in the freezer for him. I searched for a recipe since I didn't have a clue (I'm with you in not caring for that dish) how to prepare it. So, canned tuna, canned soup, noodles and a crushed potato chip top....he loved it.

I'm just glad I wasn't home to smell it baking.

LOL

This is my mom's recipe that she got off a radio program centuries ago. It is actually good. I think my mom tweeked it with some parmesan and maybe other things.


Tuna Comfort Casserole

Tuna Comfort Casserole

thinking back into the 50-60's - remember the cafeteria tuna casserole?

so, we set out to "recreate" the memory. it's been a long road.
note: "our" memory of said same may be different that "your" memory of said same - so here's our take - hopefully it'll work for "youse"

loosely based on an old Better Homes & Garden recipe.

feeds 4 as a main dish well, mebbe just three, I can eat half . . .

open & drain - one 12 ounce/340 g can of tuna
note on the tuna: we use water packed. that didn't exist in the 50-60's era.
note note on the tuna: try different brands - some are exceedingly broken up / chopped up / minced / whatever pieces - you have to find a brand that works for you.
we _vastly_ prefer a brand where the tuna "flakes" into mini-chunks. minced meat tuna does not meet our expectations.

open and drain (I just dump it in with the tuna in a strainer) one small squat jar of pimento

cook up 2 cups (dry) of medium or wide egg noodles in salted water - these later go in the oven to bake - so I only boil them 9 minutes.
cool noodles - cooled makes for less breakage when combining.

in a big bowl:
one can Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Celery Condensed Soup
half cup (125 ml) whole milk
whisk together to break up the lumps.

add:
about 4 ounces / 115 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
one cup diced celery
half cup chopped onion - actually green onion/scallion is my preference
quarter cup diced green pepper
half cup mayo
about 1 tsp salt to taste
ground pepper to taste

add tuna & pimento, fold together - check for "too bigga tuna lumps"
1.5 - 2 quart casserole - naked, not buttered/not floured

bake uncovered at 350'F/175'C 30-40 minutes.
the cheese should melt, should be bubbling around the edges.
allow to cool 5-10 minutes prior to service.

on Gilding the Tuna:
toppings:
breads crumbs
crushed oyster crackers
sliced (and toasted, optional) almonds

there wasn't a topping in the cafeteria we can remember, we prefer it "plain" - but for company, toasted almonds is very elegant.

That was a Friday classic - not a fan then, not a fan now (but happy YOU enjoy it).

At school ours was topped with crushed potato chips. I think that was the only redeming part. I ate everything BUT that blob of casserole on those days.....even the canned spinach if they decided to "double team" us.

I haven't made this since she passed but for some reason I think she might have added some Worcestershire.

Count me and Brian in, as we both detest tuna casserole. Never made one, never will. Never had it except as a school lunch, and I didn't eat it then either.

Sometimes when I get p.o.'d at Brian and he asks if I'd made any plans for supper, I'll say, "Yeah, we're having hot tuna!" We both bust up laughing, as he knows I hate it just as much as he does.

We both like tuna salad but just can't stomach the thought of hot tuna. Blechhh!

I wouldn't touch tuna casserole either until my mom made it when I was in my 30's. I gave it a taste and liked it. I put it in the same category as pimento cheese. My mom loved the stuff. I couldn't stand looking at it until I gave it a taste in my 30's. I think it is really good. Funny how your tastes change. I would only eat a hamburger with ketchup on it until I was in my 20's and tasted a loaded burger. What an epiphany!

Bugs ~ that recipe looks really familiar......I'm sure that's similar to the one I made for Mr. Amazing. And like I said, he loved it. I did use Costco's Kirkland brand albacore tuna as it is like cooked tuna 'steak' and has big chunks, not mush like Bumblebee brand.

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DomesticGoddess - that looks like my 'faux' stuffed cabbage casserole. Does yours have the sweet/sour tomato sauce? When I first saw the recipe it was touted as being 'just-the-same as stuffed cabbages only quicker and easier to prepare. It IS similar but I still get a hankerin' for REAL cabbage rolls sometimes and then I know it's time to make it up.

Heated up a Marie Callendar's dinner but just couldn't eat it. Gut is not in good shape.

LOL. Got the hell scared out of me today. I was watching TV and heard some noise outside by the dock. I go out there and look around. I look at the boat and I see something dark and moving underneath the pontoons holding up the boat. Ok. Probably a seal. Then part of it came out of the water. WTH? The Creature from the Black Lagoon? It was a diver scraping off barnacles. GEEZ! I almost had a heart attack!

I am leaving here early in the morning. I would leave tonight but I don't see very well at night. It will be really nice to get home.

Did anyone else have trouble connecting with the Forum last night? I posted a pic of our supper and got a message the 'server was reconnecting'.....or something like that. Then, nothing. No connection. The server has to do with the forum but nothing I do or have to do with. So, if it happens again, just try coming back later I guess.

Here's my leftovers supper from last night ~ hot roast beef sandwiches and edamame with yellow squash......

No real supper tonight. Dane got his flu shot on Wednesday and didn't feel great yesterday, although he didn't say anything to me. So, I fixed the hot roast beef sandwiches and gave him the fresh bottle of horseradish to slather all over his. He was up at midnight with 'flu-like' symptoms.....I told him I was angry he had to be so noisy and wake ME up. Poor guy. He's had a reaction similar a few years ago but didn't think anything like that was going to hit him again.

So, he's layin' low today. He had chicken soup for lunch and scrambled eggs with black toast for supper. He'll survive, I'm sure.

I've got everything packed to leave in the morning for our 'girls' weekend' in Palm Beach Shores. Can't wait!

the rat snake probably is keeping the rodents in check.....otherwise he wouldn't be sticking around.

I know I get as startled as anyone else when I see a snake but as long as I know it's not going to attack me and I'll die from not having the anti-venom available, I'm OK with just backing away and letting them have the area for themselves. We have black snakes that live in our bushes, only come out when someone is messin' around. They slither up by my front door so I just have to be careful not to leave the house by that door!

We only get gopher snakes and rattlers. It has been mating season for tarantulas so those are crawling around. Haven't seen one thank goodness.

It is going to be HOT this weekend. At least 100. Got to think of cool meals for hot days.

Poor Tina! Can she have her surgery reversed? Of course, it might bee too much fore her to go through. Good digestion is a blessing from God.

Bugster2 wrote:It is going to be HOT this weekend. At least 100. Got to think of cool meals for hot days.

Are you back in your house, Debbie? I'll bet you're glad to be there. How did Joe and your roomie get by without you?