Week 30: Recipe #5--Crockpot Pasta and Cheese Delight

I found this recipe on about.com (see link below).  It was really easy to throw together, and not a lot of cleanup, which is always a plus in my book.  I'm not sure what to think about the taste.  I didn't NOT like it, but the Alfredo with the cream of mushroom soup AND the tuna?  Weird.  Not bad--just weird.  The girls both loved it, so it's worth making again for them.  I served this with a green salad and fruit.  Makes 4 servings.

You'll Need:

• 1 jar Alfredo sauce
• 1 can Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (7 oz) white tuna or chicken, drained, or use leftover cooked chicken or meat
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• 1 to 1 1/2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese (I used shredded cheddar--not a fan of swiss)
• 4 c. cooked pasta (macaroni, bow ties, shells)

Preparation:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients; cover and cook for 4 to 5 hours on low.  Add cheese to the mixture during the last hour.  
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and add to slow cooker.  

Recipe and link:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotchicken/r/bl118c10.htm

Week 24: Recipe #2--No Bake Tuna-Noodle Casserole

I chose this recipe because it has few ingredients and is super easy to make.   I also found this one on the Better Homes and Gardens website (see link below).  The only thing I would do differently is try to hunt down the cucumber and dill semi-soft cheese.  It sounds like it'd go way better.  I couldn't find it at the store I happened to be at, so I settled for Garden Vegetable....it was okay, but I'm thinking I'd like the other one better.  I served this with a green salad and fruit.  Makees 4 servings.

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens website

You'll Need:

• 8 oz. dried wagon wheel, macaroni, or medium shell macaroni (I used medium shell--easy for Violet to pick up and eat)
• 1/4 to 1/2 c. milk
• 1 container (6 1/2 oz.) light semi-soft cheese with cucumber and dill or garlic and herb
• 1 can (12 1/4 oz.) can solid white tuna, drained and broken into chunks
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Cook pasta in lightly salted water according to package directions.  Drain and return to pan.
2. To the pasta add 1/4 cup of the milk and the cheese.  Cook and stir over medium heat until cheese is melted and pasta is coated, adding additional milk as needed to make a creamy consistency.  Gently fold in tuna; heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Recipe and link:  http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/no-bake-tuna-noodle-casserole/

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/

Week 11: Recipe #1--Spanish Style Tuna Cakes

This is a Rachel Ray recipe that I recently found on her magazine website (see link below).  I like it because it has very few ingredients (most of which I already have in my pantry), and it's pretty quick and easy to make.  Plus, it's one of those things I never would have thought to make--it's different, but tasty.  I served this with fruit and bread.

Photo from Rachel Ray

You'll Need:

• Two 5-oz. cans tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed spanish olives, 1 Tblsp. olive juice reserved
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 Tblsp. finely chopped red onion
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 package mixed lettuce

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine the tuna, breadcrumbs, olives, raisins, egg, onion, and cumin; season with salt and pepper.  Form into 4 patties.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.  Add the patties and cook, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the olive juice; season with salt and pepper.  Add the lettuce and toss to coat.  Serve the tuna cakes on the salad.

Recipe and link:  http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/Spanish-Style-Tuna-Cakes

Week 10: Recipe #3--Tuna Noodle Casserole

I found this Rachel Ray recipe online (see link and recipe below).  I have used other tuna noodle casseroles I like a bit more, but this one is extremely easy and fast to make.  I served this with fruit.

Photo from Rachel Ray

You'll Need:

• 1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimientos (optional) 
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cans (about 6 oz. each) tuna, drained
• 2 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
• 2 Tblsp. dry bread crumbs
• 1 Tblsp. butter, melted

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Stir the soup, milk, pimientos, peas, tuna, and noodles in a 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Stir the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl.
2. Bake the tuna mixture for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Stir the tuna mixture.  Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture.
3. Bake for 5 minutes or until the bread crumb mixture is golden brown.

Recipe and link:  http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/Tuna-Noodle-Casserole

Week 7: Recipe #1--Fish Tacos

I think we ate out a bit too much last week, because I have fallen behind in posting my meals for the week.  I have my next five meals ready, but I don't like to post them until I've made them so that the blog remains authentic.

Last night I made the first of this week's meal, Fish Tacos.  It did not go well--did not go well at all.  Let me start by saying that I am NOT a fan of seafood (as you've probably noticed the lack of it on here).  I do, however, occasionally partake in halibut or cod fish and chips if we are at the coast.  Recently I have taken a liking to fish tacos.  While visiting Seal Beach in February, we ate at the same restaurant THREE times just to eat their fish tacos again.  So, I thought, I'm going to try and make my own!  I found a simple recipe to follow online (see link below).

What I failed to think about, prior to starting to cook the fish, was:
1) that I've never cooked fish before
2) I didn't know what I was asking for at the fish counter (I just asked for a pound of cod, like the recipe called for)
3) I didn't know how to tell if it was cooked all the way through (I'm TERRIFIED of eating something partially raw)
4) fish have bones

After cooking the fish too long (this I could tell because of the horrible smell that soon engulfed my house), I realized as I was trying to salvage some fish for the tacos, that the bones were still in it throughout.  I guess I just assumed that they would have already taken those out.  So, we scrapped the whole thing and just got takeout.

Next time, I'm going to buy fillets.  Also, I'm going to have to trust that when the fish can flake it is DONE.

For now, here is the recipe I found.  May you have better luck than me.  (And if you do, please let me know how they turned out.)  I am going to spend tonight trying to get the smell of burnt fish out of my house....

Photo from parents.com

Recipe and link:  http://www.parents.com/recipe/seafood/fish-tacos/