Tuna Casserole

Now that it’s finally wintery and cold outside, a good old fashion casserole really hits the spot! For me, this particular one is a childhood favorite, very comforting and filling. I hadn’t had it in several years since I quit eating tuna from a can because it has gotten so weird. Is it now being made from some other kind of fish and just being labeled tuna? Or is it just that tuna now tastes like spoilt fish? Either way, I don’t care for it, but I missed this easy comfort food. Then, I tried albacore in the no drain packets, it’s not the same as I remember good canned tuna tasting, but it is nice in this recipe and now I’m eating tuna again and enjoying it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb of egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and well drained (but not rinsed)
• 1 x 10&3/4oz can of Campbell’s condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 tsp of rubbed sage
• 3 x packets of 2.5oz no drain albacore tuna, flaked into a bowl
• Salt & ground black pepper to taste
• 4 TBSP of panko
• 2 TBSP of butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2c (2oz) grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400f and grease a 2-quart baking dish. Set aside until needed.
2. In a 3 quart pot over medium heat, stir together the soup and milk until well combined and smooth.
3. Stir in the vegetables and sage. Cook and stir until the vegetables are hot, then add the tuna.
4. Cook and stir until the tuna is heated through and distributed evenly. Taste and season with salt & pepper.
5. Stir in the cooked noodles, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
6. Melt the butter in the microwave, mix with the panko until it’s like wet sand.
7. Sprinkle half the buttered panko over the casserole, then all the cheese, then the rest of the buttered panko.
8. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.
9. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 Servings – Leftovers are good cold!

Notes

• The recipe is doubled in the picture, that’s why it looks so big.
• I always use the fat-free version of the soup and I can’t really tell the differences.
• Yes, this happens to be a modified version of the recipe on the Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup can.
• My Mother always put scrunched up potato chips on top, but I rarely have such things in my home so I use panko instead. However, the topping made with potato chips is delicious. So, substitute them for the panko if you like.