Art of Cooking and Tuna Casserole Recipe
I’m sharing thoughts on the “art of cooking” and Tuna Casserole recipe, a twist on the classic using ricotta cheese, peas, green onion, and Parmesan cheese.
When you hear your boys (or young men) say, “Mom! How can I make this recipe?” it makes a mama’s heart sing! 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.
What simple dish have you tried lately that your family loved?
Yield: 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes For best resuts use whole wheat pasta. Salt and pepper heavily for the best flavor! 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) 9x13 pan. Cover with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until heated through, bubbly, and cheese is golden brown on top.
Tuna Casserole
Ingredients:
Directions:
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!
Pasta with tuna and tomato sauce!
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Hi Sandy…..this sounds so good….went to print it out and it says no criteria to print. Is there a problem with the way you have it set up? Never have a problem before.
Thanks for checking…
Jan
Tuna Casserole is always – ALWAYS – the final stand by, go-to, willing partner sort of recipe…
For me – away.
I like it – but not that much… again, it one of those ” if I don’t know of anything else to make and there is nothing else to consider making instead”… I’ll whip this one up.
One of the memories I have of this recipe is my Mother using up leftover, potato chips – as the crumb topping. I think of it almost every time we get to the bottom of a chip bag…wondering, if I should save the “crumbs” for a hearty tuna noodle casserole…..
I love your twist on a classic recipe here. Tuna casserole is one of my absolute faves!
This is a great version of an old favorite. I am a clean as you go cook.
I do not like facing a big mess at the end of the endeavor. Yep, when your kids want to cook with you, it is wonderful.
This sounds like how I cook most of the time!! Take whatever you have on hand and create a masterpiece!! (Well, at least something nutritious and delicious!) :)
Such a great meal, totally my kind of comfort food!
Love that you made this classic dish a little healthier. I need to make this soon.
-Jamie
I’m giving this one a try this afternoon…I’ll be bringing it to work tomorrow for lunch to share with my husband! I just know it will be delish!
I really don’t think you can go wrong with a good old fashioned tuna casserole! And upping the ante with whole wheat noodles is a sneaky upgrade.
There is nothing quite like a good tuna casserole. I love it :) Think I’ll have to add it to my list of things to make this next payday!
sounds delicious– but how much pasta?
Yes, how much pasta?