Sure-Fire Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole

The original recipe called for chicken when I initially thought it was for a tuna casserole. Whoops! Here’s how I got out of it.

Ingredients:
1 Can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 Cup 1% Milk
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 Can Tuna in water, drained and flaked
2 1/2 Cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs
1/4 Tsp ground black pepper
1/4 Tsp Curry (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a 9×9″ Pyrex dish, stir the tuna, noodles, soup, milk, Parmesan cheese, vegetables, curry, and black pepper. Top with cheddar cheese, then sprinkle breadcrumbs.

Bake for 25 minutes, serve hot.

If you want to knock off a few calories or carbs, you can either omit the cheddar cheese, or breadcrumbs. Our family likes to serve smaller portions to get the extra crunch.

Yet another perfect comfort food for winter.

Honey Curried Chicken & Root Vegetables

It is the first day of autumn and there is nothing better than to fill the kitchen with warm spices and fresh bounty of fall vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 – 2 1/2 pounds of skinned chicken breasts
• 3 large potatoes quartered or 9 – 12 whole baby potatoes
• 2 medium turnips peeled and cut into eighths
• 3 – 6 carrots peeled and cut into large bites
• 6 – 9 shallots cloves separated and cut in half *
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup whole dijon mustard
• 2 – 3 tbsp water
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp crushed dried chiles

Directions:

Place all vegetables in a steamer and steam for about 15 – 20 minutes (you can also boil in a large pot in you prefer).  While vegetables are cooking preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small saucepan, add honey, water, mustard, garlic, butter, chiles, curry, salt & gingers and bring to a slow boil stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.  

Trim any excess fat off the chicken breasts.  Spray a shallow pyrex roasting pan with cooking spray and lay breasts evenly.  Add steamed root vegetables and fill any open gaps.  Pour 1/2 of the curry honey mixture over the chicken and with a basting brush, spread sauce over the chicken and vegetables.  Bake uncovered for 35 – 40 minutes basting the remaining sauce every 10 – 15 minutes until no more mixture remains.

Serve hot.

* If you do not have shallots, you can substitute quarter chipolini onions or even add 2 tbsp dried minced onions to the sauce instead.

Curried Cauliflower Soup, Success!

I have been tinkering with this soup on and off for the last year and I think I have the winning combination, would love to hear comments. Though it does call for chicken broth, I personally use a vegan boullion substitute, not because I do not like chicken, but rather I hate the store variety and I do not make my own broth/stock very often.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1 small bunch (about 4-5) green onions w/ whites and light green section thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 5 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 pinches of garam masala (optional)
• 3/4 lb fresh spinach, stems removed and coarsely chopped
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut up into florets (about 8 cups)
• 3/4 lb potatoes skins on, diced
• 7 cups chicken broth or vegetarian substitute

Directions

Heat oil in heave large pot over medium high heat. Add yellow and green onion and saute until translucent (3 – 5 minutes), add spinach and saute until thoroughly wilted. Add salt, sugar, curry, cumin, and garam masala and stir one minute. Add cauliflower and potatoes, stir one minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 35 minutes).  Take a hand held potato masher and mash to desired consistency.

Note: I use the hand masher as I do not have a blender, which is the preferred method.  In that route, work in batches and puree.

Serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, fresh cilantro and a touch of mint.