Crocktober: Crock Pot Tuna Noodle Casserole

To me, the word "casserole" loosely translates to "food you eat after a funeral." I can't fully explain this. I've only been to two funerals ever, and there were no casseroles at either. (Italians prefer Bloody Marys). I think it might have something to do with a rather hilarious book I read sometime in junior high entitled "Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies' Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral," by Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays. (Keep in mind, this book is also full of recipes that perfectly fit the title.) I guess that's quite appropriate, since casseroles are a rather comforting food. But just to be clear, nobody died. I just felt like making casserole.

It seems to me that a lot of tuna noodle casserole recipes call for something crunchy - crumbled chips, or crackers, or crispy fried onions - but I went with melty Swiss cheese instead. But you could always crumble something crunchy on top right before you serve it.

This recipe is perfect for a 2-quart crock, and makes about 3 entree-sized servings. I layered my ingredients in the order below, but I think as long as you've got half of the noodles on top and half on the bottom, it will work out fine. You could also mix everything together, but I think layers are kind of fun. Of course, the layers turned out to be a total bust in the serving process, but anybody who has ever made a casserole in their lives probably could have told me that they would be. Oh well.

Compared to many of the recipes I've shared with you all this Crocktober, this one cooks in no time at all, and would make a yummy lunch on a cold day.

Ingredients:

3 cups egg noodles, uncooked

2 cans tuna, drained

1 10 3/4 oz. can condensed cream of mushroom soup (reduced sodium)

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons milk

Grated Swiss cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package directions and drain, reserving a couple tablespoons of the water. Add the milk and condensed soup and mix in with the noodles.

2. Spray your crock, and spoon in about half of the noodle mixture, covering the bottom of the crock as evenly as possible. Layer in half of the onion, then the tuna, then the other half of the onion and the peas. Add the rest of the noodle mixture on top.

3. Cook on low for about 2-3 hours or high for about 2. (This is really just to heat it through. As soon as it's hot and you're hungry, it's time to eat). If you're using Swiss, add it about 20 minutes before serving.

So, I'm not really sure how I feel about this. Overall it was yummy, and with the peas I at least felt like I was pretending to have a green vegetable with dinner, but the onions were a little "fresh" for my taste. In the future I think I might quickly sautee them for just a couple of minutes before adding them to the crock. I can't complain about the flavor though. That part gets high points. I don't think this is going to go into my menu rotation, really, but I feel it's a classic, and I'm sure I'll be making it again someday. Hopefully not for a funeral.

Quote of the Day: I refuse to believe that trading recipes is silly. Tuna fish casserole is at least as real as corporate stock. ~ Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

15-Minute Penne with Tuna, Tomato & Black Olives

This dish wins in a lot of ways: It's nutritious, yummy, and super fast. Basically, the only downside is that it's way too much food for one person, which I guess isn't really a downside in and of itself. While leftover pasta never quite lives up to its former glory, I think this will make a very tasty lunch tomorrow.

Eating at my desk like the classy lassie that I am.

 I know some people aren't the biggest fans of black olives, and I can understand this. I hated them as a kid (except for when I was allowed to wear them on my fingers) and even now they are an occasional thing for me, but I feel like they really belong in this dish. If you're still not buying it, you can substitute for any other dark sort of olive, like kalamata, if you prefer. And if you still need convincing, I say this: They're good for you! No, seriously. Olives (which are technically fruits... weird) contain anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancerous phytonutrients. So maybe give them another chance?

Ingredients:

1 cup (or to taste) sliced black olives 

1 can diced tomatoes (I used "Italian herbs," but you can use plain or another herby variety)

1 can solid white albacore tuna, drained

1 1/2 cups penne pasta

1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

3ish sprigs of fresh parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook your pasta according to the package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic over medium heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add tomato, olives, tuna (breaking it apart), and a little salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the pasta is done, whichever comes first.

3. Drain your pasta, then add the tomato mixture to the pasta and toss.

4. Transfer the pasta to a bowl or serving dish, and garnish with parsley. Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like, and enjoy immediately.

I went very simple with the herbs, but you could certainly add some dried oregano and/or basil to the tomato mixture, or garnish with other fresh herbs in place of or in addition to the parsley. This dish feels "real" - yummy, but healthy and hearty - and is very easy at the end of a long day.

Obviously I tore up the parsley about twelve seconds later, but it looked pretty there for a sec, right? Also that is my 21st birthday happening in the background, in case you were wondering.

Quote of the Day: Except the vine, there is no plant which bears a fruit of as great importance as the olive. ~ Pliny the Elder

Last Night's Dinner: Warm Pasta Salad with Tuna & Other Things

It hasn't been very long since I last posted about a pasta salad type of meal, but I find the light-yet-satisfying nature of these dishes perfect for this time of year. They're quick, easy, and also super versatile, and since you can add basically anything you want, you won't get sick of them. Adding a "fancy" salad ingredient like marinated peppers, artichokes, or kalamata olives will make your version seem much more sophisticated than the actual effort that went into it. Which is always nice.

For this one I tossed together:

1/2 box of whole wheat Rotini, about 7 oz

2 cans of tuna, packed in water, drained

1 green onion, cut on the bias

3 pepperoncini, thinly sliced (medium-hot peppers, sometimes called Tuscan peppers)

handful or two of chopped asparagus

a few marinated artichoke hearts

salt and pepper

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the asparagus for the last minute of cooking time, then drain.

2. In a large bowl, combine about a tablespoon of olive oil, a drizzle of juice (vinegar) from the pepperoncini jar (or regular vinegar if not using peppers), salt and pepper. Add tuna, and break it up.

3. Add pasta, asparagus, and remaining ingredients to bowl and toss until completely coated with dressing. Add more oil and/or vinegar if needed.

Instead of the pepperoncini you can use their less spicy cousins, banana peppers, or even marinated bell peppers if you prefer. Personally I'm all about spicy food lately, so I was more than a little bit excited about the peppers. I ate two of them whole - seeds and all - while I was preparing dinner, which caused Brady a little bit of shock and horror. It was worth it. 

I didn't actually think about adding balsamic vinegar until we were ready to eat, so I just served it alongside. It worked out fine, but I think the flavor would be better dispersed if it were combined with the other dressing ingredients from the beginning. The sweet tartness of the vinegar is a nice contrast with the mildness of the tuna. This is something that Italians have known... possibly forever. In the opinion of the Food Network, this is what an Italian tuna salad is, but in my experience it is something too delicious to describe. But I'll try anyway. In another post, someday.

Baked Shrimp & Veggie Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce

I'm not too sure where the inspiration to make egg rolls came from, but I sure didn't fight it. Wrapping up food in other food is one of my favorite pastimes, so I guess it was just a matter of time before I tackled these crispy, tasty Asian treats. I remember making gyoza (potstickers) with my Dad when I was a kid, so I felt up to the challenge, even if I hadn't the slightest idea how to roll an egg roll.

These are not your typical egg rolls. In my opinion, they are much better - lighter, and just as crispy-flaky, but baked, not deep fried. This means less oil, which means less fat, and also much less cleanup. I chose to use carrots and bean sprouts with a bit of green onion, but you could also use Asian cabbage or even a cup and a half of an Asian bagged salad mix, like the kind with broccoli matchsticks in it. (That's a good idea, why didn't I think of that before?) You can use ground chicken, beef, or pork, or go all-veggie.

YUM. Also that is some sort of reflection in the sauce, not a foreign body.

I used Nasoya egg roll wraps, but you can use any brand of Asian style egg roll wraps. They provide a decent-looking recipe on the package, but I made a few changes. Instead of ground pork, I used shrimp, and I think I skipped a couple of ingredients altogether. No matter! These were delish, and MUCH easier than I was expecting, though I wouldn't really call this a "quick" meal fix. Most of the time of cooking these went into chopping carrots!

This recipe makes 6 egg rolls. Of course, if you use mini wraps, it will make more.

Ingredients:

6 egg roll wrappers - Nasoya or other brand

12-15 shrimp, shelled, and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped into matchsticks

1 green onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. grated ginger root

2 T olive oil, and another T later

1 T sesame oil

About 1 cup bean sprouts

Directions:

1. Combine 2 T olive oil with sesame oil in a frying pan or wok. Add garlic and ginger. Heat on low for 1-2 minutes, then turn off heat. (This gets the oils from the garlic and ginger to mingle with the olive oil, making the flavor richer and more evenly infused).

 [This is a good time to chop your veggies.]

2. Stir-fry shrimp in oil mixture until JUST cooked - entirely pink and white, and opaque. This should take about three minutes. Add veggies and stir-fry for another two minutes, then let the mixture cool.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. This is the fun part - really!

Lay the wrap on the counter with one point facing you. Spoon the filling across the wrap from left to right, leaving a bit of space from either side for wrapping. Take the bottom point of your wrap and fold it over top of the filling. Fold the sides in towards the middle and roll the filling towards the top point of the wrapper. The biggest threat to your successful wrapping will be bits of carrot trying to poke through, but this is easily fixed.

To prevent the egg roll from unwrapping, dip your finger in a little water or oil and use this as glue to seal the top point of your wrap and any openings where you feel the wrap needs to be glued together.

The risk of unwrapping is much greater if you're frying these, but it is still a good idea to make sure there aren't any major gaps in your wrapper. It's just not as critical.

5. Place egg rolls seam-side-down on a greased baking sheet, brush with olive oil and bake for 10-15 minutes. Ours took 12 minutes to get lightly golden and crispy. They definitely need a minute or three to cool down before they can be eaten, but they should be eaten as soon as possible thereafter for maximum deliciousness.

[While they're baking is a good time to throw together a salad, if you want to.]

Then there's the dipping sauce.

I can't claim much responsibility for the sauce, as fantastic as it was. I combined about half of a 7.5 oz. jar of Asian plum sauce (in the Asian condiment section of your grocery store) with about a teaspoon of soy sauce, and a half teaspoon of chili oil for just a little bit of heat. It. Was. So. Good. These even got a wordless, semi-comatose-looking mouth-full thumbs-up from Brady!

Plum sauce: The secret to maximum deliciousness.

These took about an hour from start to finish, and were well worth the effort. I will readily admit that mine looked more like "egg packets" than "egg rolls," so I guess I just need more practice! I served them with a green lettuce and radish salad with sesame ginger dressing.

Tuna Cakes & Baby Greens Salad

This recipe, which is from Web MD of all places, calls these tasty morsels "tuna patties." But for some reason I have always hated the word patty, so these will be called tuna cakes. At least by me.

My only grievance with this original recipe is its estimated portion size. Serves two, two cakes each, with one can of tuna? Please. I doubled this for the two of us, and it was still a very satisfying but sensibly sized meal. For me it made 8 cakes, we each had 3, and there were 2 left for some lucky person's lunch tomorrow.

This is another "get your hands in there" recipe. Mix it with your hands before making the patties, and its an even faster, easier meal to put together. Also, it is no mistake that this is the first recipe under Web MD's "cheap and easy" section. It is certainly both of those things, but it is also delicious and nutritious. (The new label for low-cost dishes is "Cheap Thrills").

I used dry whole wheat breadcrumbs instead of Panko breadcrumbs, and I didn't have any plain Italian salad dressing so I just used olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of garlic powder.

Just started cooking. That weird green thing on the bottom left is an oddly large piece of pickle, from the relish.

In a hurry? You can make these ahead of time, layer them in a plastic container with wax paper and cook them when you get home from work. Or class. Or wherever you were. I also recommend cooking more than you know you will need, and eating two or three for lunch the next day in a whole-wheat pita with a mixture of Sriracha and either light mayonnaise or tartar sauce. Tartar sauce is preferable, if you have it on hand. This is a highly portable meal and/or snack.

Tuna cakes with baby greens salad

I served these with some baby spinach greens drizzled with light Caesar dressing, and some chopped radishes.

Quote of the Day: "I brought you a tuna sandwich. They say it's brain food. I guess it's because there's so much dolphin in it, and you know how smart they are." ~ Marge Simpson

[Note: This recipe was made with dolphin-safe tuna!]

Sauteed Shrimp with Bulgur Wheat, Zucchini & Red Pepper

Sometime last month, I had the urge to bring more seafood into my life, so I thought I would make something with shrimp, one of my favorites. This is when I found this recipe.

I had never cooked anything with shrimp in it before, and for some reason I found it intimidating. To me, shrimp were those pink little morsels that could either be delicious and refreshing, like in a shrimp cocktail, or hopelessly overdone, chewy, and all-around disappointing. Taking my bag of easy-peel, de-veined, raw frozen shrimp to the checkout line felt like a big step into the unknown.

I had used bulgur wheat in bread and in tabbouleh-esque recipes before, but this seemed a bit different to me. Just bring it to a quick boil, then remove from heat, and let sit covered for a few minutes, and tah-dah! And it actually works! I just used a chopped green onion instead of the chives, and the second time around, I added a smashed garlic clove and cut back on the lemon zest a little, just because its aroma is more "pastry" than "healthy dinner," in this combination.

One important thing: The first time I made this with bulgur wheat that was apparently hulled, or pearled. I think this is the type of bulgur that this recipe was written for. Tonight, I used whole bulgur, the type I am more used to using, which has lots more fiber and a slightly chewier texture. If you're using this type you MIGHT want to partially precook your bulgur before adding it to the shrimp and veggies, because it takes more like 12-15 minutes to cook instead of about 5. My shrimp stayed tender and juicy using the original method, but precooking or even just presoaking the bulgur might be a better way to go about it.

Brady and I both liked the version with the whole bulgur MUCH more, and its just a bonus that this is the healthier version. Personally I also think its prettier than the paler pearled bulgur. Triple win!