Week 20: Recipe #2--Tasty Tuna Noodle Casserole

I know I have another recipe similar to this on my blog, but this casserole was soooo much better!  If you're a fan of tuna noodle casserole, this one was yummy. Lots of ingredients, but simple to put together.  I found this recipe on the Tasty Kitchen blog (see link below).  I served this with salad and bread.  It originally made 12 servings, but I have posted the recipe as cut in half, so it serves 6.

Photo from Tasty Kitchen blog

You'll Need:

• 8 oz. uncooked egg noodles
• 3 Tblsp. butter, divided
• 1/2 med. red onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 med. red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Tblsp. all-purpose flour (I used a bit more to thicken the sauce)
• 1 c. whole milk (I used 1% because it's what we had)
• 1 c. chicken stock (I used chicken broth)
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine (I used dried)
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 10 oz. premium albacore tuna canned in water, drained
• 5 oz. frozen sweet peas, thawed (I threw them in before realizing they should be thawed; they turned out okay after baking)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 2-3 qt. casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
2. Cook egg noodles according to package directions.  Drain well and place in large mixing bowl.
3. While noodles are cooking, in a medium skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.  Saute onions, celery, red bell pepper, and garlic until tender.  Season lightly with salt and pepper while sauteing.  Remove from heat and add vegetables to noodles in the mixing bowl.
4. In the same skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.  Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes over medium/low heat, whisking frequently.  Slowly add milk and chicken stock, alternately, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Add thyme, paprika, dijon mustard, worcestershire sauce, and additional salt and pepper to taste.  Once thickened, remove from heat, stir in grated cheese and stir until melted.
5. Add drained tuna, peas, and sauce to the mixing bowl and gently combine all ingredients until evenly combined, then put it into the prepared casserole dish.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Recipe and link:  http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/tasty-tuna-noodle-casserole/