June 30, 2010 Come on, Christmas!

When I was little, if I was taking too long to do something or get somewhere, my mother would say, "Come on, Christmas."  The meaning was that waiting for Christmas to come always feels like it takes forever.  Yes, I'm slow, and so is my blog.

One thing I'm not slow about is making dinner at the last minute.  Here's one of our favorites with a special twist that I tried tonight.  My mom gave me the basics, and her cooking has always been phenomenal.  Now I put my own touch into the meals I make for myself and my son, and sometimes company.

Today's Find:  A large can of albacore tuna.

Hidden Veggie Tuna Casserole
Cooked, drained and rinsed spaghetti noodles (do this first, since it takes the longest, and set aside)
1/2 onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 large stalk broccoli (florets only)
olive oil
1 large can of albacore tuna, drained
seasoning salt to taste
1/2 cup soy milk (if you use real milk, just be careful to stir, because it sticks to the bottom of the pan)
1/2 cup chicken broth
*fresh tomato, sliced thin

Any casserole I make starts with olive oil with onions and fresh garlic in a large pan on the stove.  The amount of olive oil you use is subjective, and you should judge by how well your veggies are cooking and whether you need to add more as you go.  It's okay to start with a little and add more.

I used 1/2 yellow onion, 1/2 bell pepper and about 5 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped (about 1/4" pieces).  While these were simmering in the olive oil, I also chopped the florets of one big stalk of broccoli very, very small (I used my fabulous Progressive International Manual Food Chopper and Salsa Maker) and added them to the pan.  This is how you hide the healthy benefits of broccoli in delicious taste.  People who aren't very fond of broccoli won't notice, and those who are will love it.  It also makes the color really pop.  My son happens to be a broccoli lover, but he didn't even notice it was in there.


Once the veggies are cooked down sufficiently (the onions are mostly clear), add the tuna, soy milk and chicken broth (for flavor).  Once these are all bubbly, you can turn off the fire and quickly add your noodles and seasoning salt (my favorite is Lawry's) and stir it all up. 

I like to serve mine with little slivers of fresh tomato on top.   Mom would be proud.