Thoughts on the “art of cooking” with a Best Tuna Casserole Recipe! A twist on “classic” using ricotta and Parmesan cheese, peas, and green onions.

When you hear your boys (or young men) say, “Mom! How can I make this recipe?” it makes a mama’s heart sing!

Best Tuna Casserole Recipe

This week is the last week of summer for our family to all be together, and being short on time, I whipped up a Tuna Casserole.

I need to get back into the habit of using my crock pot (starting early in the morning), but on this day, I waited until the last minute. I wanted a recipe of substance, and I didn’t want to go to the store, so I looked through my fridge and pantry and remembered my own mama’s tuna casserole recipe. With heavy white sauce, white pasta, and cheddar cheese on top it’s comfort food indeed, tasty, but so unhealthy. This is where I love how my kids are educated with food (and I really wasn’t growing up, which was the norm for my generation). They love DeLallo’s whole wheat pasta, and we all agree there is nothing quite like the flavor. That’s all they talk about now! :)

Last minute cooking

Cooking at the end of the day, sometimes I feel myself spiraling down. I want to put something healthy on the table, yet tasty, and I don’t want to waste time or money on ingredients. I’m not happy with myself when I wait until the last minute to prepare dinner for my family, but sometimes this {life} happens. I’m always giddy when my meal turns out.

Tuna casserole ingredients

  • Whole wheat pasta (DeLallo’s is the best)
  • 2 cans of tuna (solid white albacore packed in water)
  • Ricotta cheese + Parmesan cheese
  • Peas + green onion

Good and bad results

I like to explore and change up a lot of recipes (using what I have on hand), and my family reaps the benefits with full tummies … usually happy full tummies. Even though I’m in my 50’s, I’m still mastering cooking, and there’s always room to grow! I talk about this to my kids as I cook, teaching them life lessons of the art of cooking, how to deal with flops, how to move on. It’s our effort that reaps a bounty of love.

Cleaning up

The mess … oh how I hate the mess I make in our kitchen as I cook. I’m one of those messy cooks, with everything on the counter. But this summer I’ve been blessed with my kids cooking with me, and cleaning as we go. YAY! I loved hearing my son say, “Mom, I want to learn more about the kitchen.” I tell him, “Son, the ingredients are key, but it’s really about the nourishment and the love that goes into every dish you’ll ever create!”

We wipe down the counters, load and unload the dishwasher, take pictures {their mom is a blogger}, and then dive in and and test the waters.

Waiting … and waiting

Sacred and sweet things happen while we wait for the food to come out of the oven. While we wait for this dish–with kids saying they are starving– a miraculous thing happens. The food takes on more flavor as it cooks, and I tell the boys they have a job to do in this world.

Never forget that it takes courage to be more than invisible, that every word and action is a part of God’s plan for their lives, their dreams, their hopes.

Always think about how they can change the world. It’s through love and food, no matter what occupation they choose, that people will be brought together in their own homes one day, even now in their early 20’s.

And we wait …

The art of cooking

The timer goes off, we pull the food from the oven, and then it happens.

It’s all a mystery, like the ingredients we put into a dish when we’re trying something new — will it turn out or not?

We can’t lose sight of the art of cooking. It’s really more than nourishment to the body; it’s healing for our souls.

More tuna casserole recipes

Join my lovely friends for their SPIN on the classic Tuna Casserole:

A skinny twist – Skinny Tuna Noodle Casserole

A crock pot version, Tuna Noodle Casserole

What is comfort? Another Tuna Casserole with potato chips!

Okay, it’s not a casserole, but The Pioneer Woman makes this yummy recipe with tuna!

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Get the Recipe:

Tuna Casserole

For best resuts use whole wheat pasta. Salt and pepper heavily for the best flavor!
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 6
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Ingredients
 

  • Whole wheat pasta, DeLallo’s is the best
  • 2 5 oz. cans of tuna, solid white albacore packed in water, drained
  • 16 oz. ricotta cheese, I use BelGioioso
  • 16 oz. frozen or fresh peaspeas
  • 1/2 cup green onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta following package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • Mix in a large bowl the drained tuna, ricotta cheese, and green onions. Add in the pasta and gently stir. Salt and pepper {heavily} to taste.
  • Add the peas last and gently stir.
  • Place the mixture in a prepared (sprayed) 9×13 pan. Cover with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until heated through, bubbly, and cheese is golden brown on top.
Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer
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