Tuna Noodle Casserole - Gone in 360 Seconds
Caught red-handed stealing the cheese off the top!
I have a good dilemma when I make tuna noodle casserole: I must make a spare pan; however, with our growing family, we also tap into the spare leaving little leftovers. In fact, we tapped into the spare in just six minutes after sitting at the table. As I got the spare on the table, several bites were stolen off my plate. My son was concerned the spare would disappear just as fast so he asked everyone, “Can you not eat all the rest, so I can have some?” This was a valid concern, since his sister had asked if she could have twelve helpings when she sat down at the dinner table while his other sister broke out into a Broadway musical rendition of “Tuna Casserole”. My husband even grew concerned when I presented the spare inquiring, “This is all you have for a spare?” We made it through the meal but the meager leftovers are little more than a snack for one kid.
Cheese-tastic
My oldest announced after arriving at the dinner table, “EVERYONE in our family loves tuna noodle casserole.” Then she was asking for seconds about two bites in.
Full disclosure, I am a complete cheesehead and converted my Minnesota husband into one too. (For the uninitiated cheeseheads, you can read about his family’s cheese-less Minnesota wild rice hot dish recipe in an upcoming blog post.) Now that you know our family’s bias, the more cheese, the better for almost anything, especially tuna noodle casserole. After using up all the shredded cheese, I found sliced cheese on top makes a cheesy-goodness melded top (a requirement for casseroles!), which I much prefer to breadcrumbs.
Don’t cry over sour or scorched milk
Cheeks that resemble a chipmunk’s, stuffed with casserole.
If I have old or even sour milk in the fridge, this is one of great ways to use it up. (See another idea, homemade mac & cheese here). The keys are patience and vigilance when bringing milk to a boil without scorching it. Err on the side of lower heat. Based on my experience with impatience, the extra time spent on the food prep side will pay dividends during clean up. (If you do scorch the milk in your pan, save your elbow grease and scrape out the bottom of a stainless steel or cast iron pan with a metal spatula.) Another tip for easier cleanup, wash your saucepan as soon as possible before the sauce remnants cement on.
Pandemonium
My kids are usually excited to eat, but the last time I announced tuna noodle casserole for dinner utter pandemonium broke out in the kitchen. My oldest, usually reserved, got so excited she started running in place so crazily that if I saw this drama unfold in the grocery store aisle I’d think a tantrum was taking place. But don’t worry, the accompanying resonating “Yummmm!”, would remove any doubt of her disapproval. Luckily the other children joined into the cheers but not the fancy footwork. If your house turns crazy the second time you make this recipe, you’ve been warned.
Cheesy goodness!
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
This batch won’t last for long!
1 ½ tablespoons butter
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 ½ tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups of milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (optional)
1 can (3 ounce) tuna in water
1 cup (1/4 pound) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of frozen peas, thawed
4 cups of cooked elbow macaroni
1/4 pound sliced cheddar cheese
Sauté the onions and celery in butter in a saucepan until tender. Reduce to low heat. Whisk in the ground mustard and flour. Whisk in milk ½ cup at a time, using a rubber spatula to frequently scrape the bottom and edges of the saucepan. Stir in the chicken bouillon. Turn off the stove once the milk sauce thickens. Stir in the tuna, undrained, followed by the shredded cheese.
In a large bowl, combine the sauce with the noodles and peas. Put the mixture in a 9”x13” glass pan. Top with cheese slices. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350F.
If you need a spare, double this recipe.
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