Monday, July 21, 2014

Who Knew?

New Tuna-Noodle Casserole

I really thought this one wasn't going to work out. Not that I thought the recipe wouldn't be good, but I figured that PC wouldn't like it. I figured that because tuna noodle casserole is really little more than glorified baked ziti- you know, sans the marinara sauce and with the inclusion of vegetables, and tuna, and different shaped noodles.  All right, so I admit tuna noodle casserole isn't really like baked ziti, but I assumed that PC would find it just as filling. (Translation: Not filling enough...) 

On the other hand, I have been eyeing this recipe (salivating over it) since I got Susie Fishbein's Teens and 20-Somethings cookbook and I was really in the mood for it. So I paired it with a soup and prayed for the best. 

As for the result, I'll wait till the Verdict, just to increase your suspense! 

The Attempt:

High heat or professional cooking spray
1 (12 oz) bag extra broad egg noodles (yolk-free if possible)
Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
water as needed
1 (12 oz) can white albacore tuna, packed in water, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 medium onion, peeled, but into 1/4-inch dice
8 oz button or crimini mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
1 cup low-fat milk
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup cornflake crumbs or breadcrumbs
1 Tbs butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, rapidly boiling water according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Add the drained tuna, using a fork or your fingers to break it up and distribute through the noodles. Add the peas, set aside. 

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and mushrooms. Saute until soft and fragrant, 5-6 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the 2 Tbs butter and stir to melt it and distribute it through the onions. Sprinkle on the four. Stir until mixture becomes sticky. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Add the salt. Stirr in the cheese. As it melts, the sauce will thicken. Pour over the noodles and mix well.

In a small bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the noodles. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Serve hot. 

Notes: 
  1. I halved the recipe and baked it in a smaller pan because we don't have a meaty oven. So we bake all our dairy stuff in a toaster oven. I halved it because we didn't need 8-10 servings, which is what this recipe makes... 
  2. PC+Mushrooms=NO GO. I substituted with mixed chopped peppers and just followed the recipe. 
  3. I added more tuna than the recipe called for, because the tuna is my favorite part. The recipe called for 12 oz. I halved the recipe, but added 10 oz. If you were making the whole recipe that would be the equivalent of 20 oz for the whole recipe (or 4 tuna cans, but who is counting?)

The Verdict

Mikey likes it!! Charming dubbed this one a repeat!! A repeat! He even said that it didn't need the soup to be a filling supper. (Doing happy dance!!) 

Some stray observations. 
  1. Charming suggested that replacing the peppers with spinach would be  better fit for the recipe. It's an interesting idea that I'll have to give a go.
  2. I think it would be possible to replace the butter in the crumb  topping with olive oil, which is a tiny bit healthier. However, in the sauce, the butter adds flavor so I wouldn't replace it. 

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