No Way! This is Canned Tuna?!

In the past, canned tuna meant a lovely tuna fish sandwich to me. Tuna fish sandwiches don't have to be boring. You can get creative by adding nuts, herbs, fancy kinds of mustard, etc. Very satisfying.

But I only eat so many tuna fish sandwiches and I had a ton of canned tuna in my pantry that I needed to use up before being forced to throw it out.

So, a couple of months ago, I was flipping through my monthly Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine and I came across a recipe for tuna casserole. This wasn't your average tuna noodle casserole. It used a completely different kind of pasta (usually, it calls for egg noodles) and it also called for panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). It intrigued me. Besides that, I happened to have all of the ingredients for this particular recipe in my cupboard already, so it meant that I didn't have to go grocery shopping before making dinner...for another day at least (I really hate grocery shopping).

I like canned tuna, but I've never really seen many uses for it. I mean, besides making tuna sandwiches and your basic tuna noodle casserole, what else can you use it for?

But then I made this tuna noodle casserole and my whole mind-set changed. I thought to myself "This was GOOD. What else can you make with canned tuna?" So, I did some searching and I realized that there is a LOT that you can make with it! I found all of my recipes this time around on the Martha Stewart website. Say what you will about Martha, but she's a woman who respects the pantry. I've constantly been amazed at how many creative recipes are on her website which successfully make use of seemingly boring or commonplace ingredients. Seriously, I will never look at canned tuna the same way again. I used up all of the tuna in my pantry and had to buy more. Plus, you can bet that I will definitely be stocking up on tuna for my food storage from here on out. I still have a whole slew of recipes for tuna that I want to try, but I'll include those in a part 2 blog post sometime. I figured that I had better get these tuna recipes on our blog so that other people besides myself can actually try them!

Oh, and in the process (and among many other delicious discoveries), I found a tuna sandwich that will blow every other tuna sandwich you have ever had right out of the water.

I hope you liked them as much as I did.

I will begin with the recipe that started it all...

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and ground pepper

3/4 pound tubetti or elbow macaroni

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 ounce Parmesan, grated (2 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced small

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups whole milk

2 cans (6 ounces each) solid light tuna packed in water, drained and flaked

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions (it will be undercooked). Drain. In a small bowl, toss together panko, Parmesan, and 2 teaspoons oil.

In pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 8 minutes. Add flour and whisk to coat onion with flour. Slowly whisk in broth, then milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in pasta, tuna, and peas, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer tuna mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with panko mixture. Bake until sauce is bubbling and crust is golden, 17-20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart website and Everyday Food magazine

Notes: I used a whole pound of ditalini. I seasoned my casserole quite generously with salt and pepper. This was so good. The texture of the ditalini and the addition of peas made this so delicious. Oh, and my picky eater oldest son liked this, so that made it even better!

Spaghetti with Tuna, Lemon, and Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

3/4 pound spaghetti

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons slivered Kalamata olives

2 cans (6 ounces each) chunk light tuna in water, drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse bread and 1 teaspoon oil until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden, tossing occasionally, 6-8 minutes.

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, olives, and 1 tablespoon oil; toss, adding enough pasta water to coat. Add tuna, toss gently. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, January 2009.

Notes: Another way to make the breadcrumbs would be to toast the bread in a toaster and then pulse the bread in a food processor or blender. Also, I used a whole pound of spaghetti (as I've mentioned before, I hate it when a recipe calls for less than a box of pasta. What am I supposed to do with 1/4 pound of spaghetti later on?). I also really like lemons and olives, so I increased the amount of lemon juice and olives used to suit my own taste. This was seriously so good. Surprisingly good. I would seriously serve this to company it was that good (unless my company hated fish, of course). Besides that, this recipe was so fast and easy. It literally only takes as long as it takes to cook and drain the pasta...and then you're done! I like those kinds of recipes A LOT!

Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound wide egg noodles

2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

5 cups whole milk

4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced

5 scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2 quart baking dishes). In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a 5 quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.

Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, October 2007

Notes: We have actually already shared this recipe before (though we didn't post a picture of it last time). This recipe is actually freezer friendly and if you want directions on how to freeze and reheat it (as well as recipes for some additional freezer friendly casseroles), click here. I used cooking spray for the baking dish (and I used one 9x13 inch pan instead of two 8-inch square baking dishes). I also used tuna in water instead of olive oil because that's what I had and it still tasted great. Finally, I used 2 cans of artichoke hearts because I love them and you can never have too much!

This sauce is deceiving because it doesn't really thicken up until it cooks in the oven. I was worried that it would be thin and runny...but it wasn't. It was just right.

Tuna Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish

3 cans tuna, well drained

2 cans crushed tomatoes, with juice

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, thyme, or rosemary

1 pound penne or fusilli pasta

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Heat a medium saucepan and add the olive oil, swirling to coat the pan. Saute the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Add the tuna and stir, being careful not to break up the chunks too much.

Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Add the chopped herbs a few minutes before serving.

While the sauce is simmering, cook the pasta, drain, and toss with the sauce. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and an extra sprinkle of red pepper flakes.

Source: Mad Hungry recipe by Lucinda Scala Quinn from October 2010 found on the Martha Stewart website.

Notes: The recipe doesn't specify whether to use two 14.5 oz cans of crushed tomatoes or two 28 oz cans. I decided to err on the side of having too much rather than not enough, so I used two 28 oz cans (besides, I like tomatoes and I needed some 28 oz cans for another project). However, after having made it, I think the recipe is referring to two 14.5 oz cans. But I thought it was really yummy using two 28 oz cans, so I would just tell you to go by your own personal preference. If you like a lot of sauce (and I do), use the larger cans. Otherwise, use the smaller ones.

This recipe is best the first night. When it is fresh and piping hot, it is so rich and flavorful. When you eat it as leftovers, it does start to taste just a tad bit fishy. Again, I used tuna packed in water (because that's what I had).

I made it using fresh oregano. But it would be equally delicious with the thyme or rosemary suggested in the recipe.

Tuna Nicoise Sandwich

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 cans oil-packed tuna (6 oz each), drained

1/4 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

8 inch country style round bread loaf

3 tablespoons jarred olive tapenade

1 cup fresh basil leaves

2 hard-cooked large eggs

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, white-wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Transfer 2 tablespoons dressing to another bowl; toss with tuna. To remaining dressing, add cucumber and red onion; toss to combine.

Cut an 8-inch country-style round bread loaf in half horizontally; remove most of soft interior bread. Spread 3 tablespoons jarred olive tapenade on bottom half. Top with 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, then 2 hard-cooked large eggs sliced; season with salt and pepper. Top with tuna, then cucumber mixture, and close sandwich.

Wrap sandwich tightly in plastic and place between two baking sheets. Weight with a heavy skillet. Let stand 1 hour (or refrigerate, up to overnight). To serve, cut into quarters.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food, July/August 2009

Notes: Rather than canned tuna, I used tuna packed in pouches this time around. I doubled this recipe (and made two loaves or a total of 8 sandwich servings). So, I used two pouches of tuna (enough to total 24 ounces of tuna, which would have been the equivalent had I used canned tuna).

I would suggest that you remove some, but not most of the interior bread. This is a very moist sandwich and it might get too soggy if you remove too much bread. I removed a lot of the interior bread and pressed it for about 40 minutes (rather than an hour). If I had waited too much longer, it would have been soggy. It is a messy sandwich, so keep some napkins nearby.

But honestly, this is everything a tuna sandwich should be. It's the tuna sandwich I've been waiting my whole life for! :) It has so many strong flavors that you think it might be overwhelming, but all of the flavors work together beautifully to make one super tasty sandwich.

Oh, and if you're intimidated by the name, Nicoise is pronounced "nee-swahz" (you can hear the pronunciation here.)

This Ain't Yo Mama's Lasagna!

I went through a Lasagna phase a while back and we checked out a bunch of varied Lasagna recipes. This was hands down the family favorite. Sarah sent me a plethora of recipes and the only info that I have is that this was submitted by Saidanddun. So whoever you are, thanks a lot. We love this recipe!

Readers, I give you....

Cajun Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 16. oz pkg lasagna noodles

1 lb. andouille uncooked sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced (See cooks note)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into chunks
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 t. dried sage
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1 T. finely chopped garlic
2 (10 oz) containers Alfredo sauce, divided
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine sausage, chicken, cajun seasoning and sage. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, about 8 minutes. Remove meat from skillet with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Saute onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic until tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cooked meat and one container Alfredo sauce.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Cover bottom with about 1/4 c. of Alfredo sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles. Spread with 1/2 of the meat mixture. Repeat layers and cover with a layer of noodes. Spread remaining Alfredo sauce over top. Top with mozarella cheese and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Cooks notes: Andouille sausage is a spicy sausage. I have only found it at a few stores. It can be found at Target. Smiths/Kroeger has a precooked Andouille sausage and it does not work in this lasagna.

Also, I leave out the onion, celery, and red pepper because of my fussy eaters, but the Lasagna is still very good without it. Since I don't use the onion, etc., I add the garlic at the end of cooking the chicken.

I layer the mozzarella cheese throughout the layers, as well as putting it on top. I didn't think it worked to put it all on top. All of the cheese came off when we tried to serve it.

Finally, I usually use bottled Alfredo sauce. By container, it's possible that they mean the refrigerated kind, but bottled is cheaper. It turns out very nice with the bottled.

Also pictured is a new recipe that we tried just this Sunday. It was quite easy and would make a nice addition to many different kind of meals.

Triple-Cheese Flatbread

Ingredients:

2 c. Original Bisquick

1/2 c. hot water
2 T. butter or margarine, melted
1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. Italian seasoning, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix and water until stiff dough forms. Let stand 10 minutes. Place dough on surface sprinkled with Bisquick mix; gently roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Shape into a ball; knead 60 times.

On ungreased cookie sheet, pat or roll dough into 12" square. Brush butter over dough. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over dough.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Serve warm.

16 servings

Variation: For additional color, mix 2 teaspoon parsley flakes with the cheese mixture.

Substitution: Instead of Parmesan cheese, use the shredded three cheese blend of Parmesan, Roman and Asiago cheeses. (I used mozzarella instead of Monterey Jack)

Success Hint: To make dough easier to pat onto the cookie sheet, dip fingers into Bisquick mix.

This recipe came from http://www.bettycrocker.com/

Freezer Dinners take 2

I just can't keep up with my sister. I meant to post this right after she posted her frozen dinners entry, but she has since posted like five other things. Oh well! As my more blog-productive sister stated, we are both within days of having babies! And the nesting phase has hit us both full force. I am actually quite proud of my accomplishments! I have stocked up our freezer to its full capacity with meals for me and hubby. If my calculations are correct, this should provide us with about 21 days worth of meals! Many of the meals I made are already on the Foodie Family blog. I will list them anyway along with the links to the recipes for your information. And I also have a few new recipes to add. So here it is...the contents of my freezer!

Ham: I got a big spiral ham for Christmas from my work. We had it Christmas Eve then froze the rest for later. I figure this should easily feed us for two days, plus a week's worth of ham sandwiches for lunch.

Soups, Stews and Chili: I think basically most soups, stews and chili are probably very freezer friendly. And it's great because you can make up a big batch and then have them for lunch leftovers too. I made some rolls, bread bowls and a very tasty Roulade to serve along side.

I made Tomato Soup, Squash Soup and Tortilla Soup, which have all been featured on this blog.

I also made a very delicious beef stew recipe that I got from this last month's Cooking Light magazine. It was scrumptious. My husband invited a friend over for dinner that night and I was a little sad to share it! ha ha! I'm awful! But we still had plenty for us and enough to freeze too. Here is the recipe for the beef stew:

ITALIAN BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
3 3/4 cups chopped seeded peeled plum tomato (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, quartered
3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; sauté 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add half of beef to pan; sauté 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure.
Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). Return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomato and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, and parsley.
Source: Cookinglight.com
I also made some chili from an Everyday Food recipe...but to tell you the truth, I had to modify the recipe so much and add so many spices and things to make it flavorful, the recipe isn't really worth posting.
Another good frozen meal I'm looking forward to eating again are calzones!
Calzones are really easy to make and can be modified with a whole variety of ingredients to fit your particular palate. I usually make homemade pizza dough and stuff them with all kinds of yummies, but this time I was just too pooped to knead the dough, so I just got the canned pizza dough. This wasn't the greatest idea. They still tasted good, but the dough really makes a huge difference. But if your goal is quick and simple, the pre-made dough will do just fine.
Here is what I used for our calzones:
Spinach, Mushroom and Sausage Calzones
Ingredients:
olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb fresh or frozen spinach ( if frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess water)
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
1/2 jar pizza sauce
8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
1 package pizza dough, or fresh or frozen pizza dough
salt and pepper
oregano, to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Cook sausage in sauce pan until no longer pink, breaking up into chunks. Set aside.
Heat oil in saucepan over med high heat. Add garlic, cook 3o sec. Add mushroom, cook until softened and browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and oregano. Fresh basil would also be delicious. Add spinach, cook until just wilted. Add sausage, cook until warmed through. Remove from heat. Stir in pizza sauce and cheese.
Roll out pizza dough, divide into four sections, cut into rectangles. Spoon topping onto half of each rectangle. Fold other half up and pinch edges to seal.
Cook at 450 degrees (Or as directed by pizza dough package) for about 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.
I just kind of made this recipe up. You could easily swap out ingredients. Get creative! It makes 4 calzones, and I froze two. To freeze, let calzone reach room temperature and then wrap tightly with aluminum foil. To reheat, place directly from frozen into a preheated oven and cook about 20- 30 minutes until warmed through.
Next up: Pastas!
Pasta is a really freezer friendly dish. I do believe my sister has shared some tasty baked pasta dishes. I made the Tomato Sausage Lasagna recipe she shared with us. It will feed us for a few days!
I also made some homemade ravioli from scratch with my pasta machine that my husband gave me for Christmas! It was a lot of fun, but A TON of work for an 8 month pregnant girl and I was seriously pooped the rest of the day after making them. I made two kinds, spinach and butternut squash and they were both delicious. I won't post the recipe at this point because you need special equipment and like I said, it was an all day affair. I think I might have to wait a few months to make more homemade pasta! But nevertheless, we have a few days of good eating to come from my labors.
I made two baked pasta casseroles that I got from the Martha Stewart/Everyday Food website.
The first is called Pastitsio, and is a lovely Greek pasta bake made with lamb and penne. The husband and I both enjoyed the unique flavor of the lamb and the creamy topping. It's a nice mix up from your traditional Italian baked pastas.

Pastitsio
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne, cooked and drained
2 pounds ground lamb
2 medium onions, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
3 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, and drain; reserve. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook lamb, breaking apart pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a colander; drain fat, and discard. Return lamb to pan; add wine. Cook over medium heat until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, cinnamon, and 2 cups water; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Make Parmesan Cheese Sauce while mixture is simmering: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour until incorporated, about 30 seconds. In a slow steady stream, whisk in milk until there are no lumps.

Cook, whisking often, until mixture is thick and bubbly and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in cayenne, if desired, and Parmesan.

Add pasta to lamb mixture; transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over the top, smoothing with the back of a spoon until level. Bake until browned in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Pastitsio - Martha Stewart Recipes
The next recipe I tried was Mediterranean Tuna Casserole. Now, I can honestly say I don't think I have ever had tuna casserole before. So I thought, what the hay! Why not try it? It was pretty good. It's definitely a comfort food dish. I don't think it will become part of our regular repertoire, but it is worth trying for sure. I added some sliced olives just for the heck of it.

Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serves 8
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound wide egg noodles
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups whole milk
4 cans (6 ounces each) tuna in olive oil, drained
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and thickly sliced
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil two 8-inch square (or other shallow 2-quart) baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente; drain, and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add bell peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer.

To Freeze: Prepare through step 3; cool to room temperature. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, and freeze up to three months.

To Bake from Frozen: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 2 hours. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more.

To Bake from Thawed: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake, covered with foil, until center is warm, about 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake until top is browned, about 20 minutes more.

Remove from heat; add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper, and toss. Divide between prepared baking dishes, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Mediterranean Tuna-Noodle Casserole - Martha Stewart Recipes

So speaking of casseroles, I also made the tasty Chicken Tamale Casserole previously posted on the blog.

I also tried one more new casserole, that I got from Martha's website. This was a tasty casserole, and it's a little different then your typical casserole so I thought I'd give it a try. I think it would be even better with a pound of sliced mushrooms added to it. And maybe some walnuts. I wish I would have thought of that! But even without, it's a very nice, savory dish.

Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1/2 baguette (about 4 ounces), torn into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves (about 25)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh chicken sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
3 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse bread until very coarse crumbs form (you should have about 3 cups). Add 2 tablespoons oil; pulse briefly to moisten. Season with salt and pepper; set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sage; cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside (reserve pan with oil).

Add onion and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage and wine; cook, breaking sausage up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in beans; cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer sausage-and-bean mixture to a shallow 4-quart baking dish; scatter breadcrumbs over top. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve casserole topped with fried sage leaves.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chicken-Sausage and Bean Casserole with Sage - Martha Stewart Recipes

And lastly......I also made a nice quiche. I was making quiche for dinner and it dawned on me...hey this would be a pretty easy thing to double...I wonder if you can freeze it? So I did a Google search and according to the internet, quiche is easily frozen! I'll have to let you know how it turns out. According to the internet, you just place from frozen and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until warmed. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I had a favorite quiche recipe that I would use and then I lost it when my computer crashed, so I did my best to recreate it. And here is what I came up with. Again, like the calzones, feel free to mix in whatever veggies or cheeses you would like.

Laurie's Favorite Quiche

Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon oregano
salt & pepper
veggies of your liking. I have done spinach and frozen veggies mixtures. This time I used halved cherry tomatoes and frozen corn
1 pie crust

Directions:

Prepare pie pan with refrigerated pie crust. Set aside.

Add eggs, cheeses, mustard, and spices. Mix in veggies. Pour into pie shell, cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until set. Cool for about 10 minutes.

Phew! That is about it for the contents of my freezer. I'm exhausted now just thinking about it! ha ha! I'm sure glad I made all those meals while I had the energy, because this week I am totally just relying on my crockpot!

Freezer Friendly Foods

As you know, both my sister and I are pregnant. I'm a little over 37 weeks along and she's about 38 weeks along. We are now both a couple of ticking time bombs. The babies could come at any time now!

After my first baby was born, I did NOT have the energy to cook for a number of weeks. After that experience, I've done my best to prepare for the second time around. One of the things I have done is to make double recipes of freezer friendly foods. We've enjoyed the first batches for dinner and frozen the second batches to thaw and reheat during the first six weeks after my baby is born.

I know that my sister has been doing the same thing. Hopefully she will add some of her freezer friendly food discoveries to this post as well.

I've also labeled some of our recipes as being freezer friendly on this blog. Here's a list of some other freezer friendly foods (with hyper links so that you can access them easily) that we've already posted:

Mexican Pork
Assorted Slow Cooker Sandwiches (shredded meat freezes well)
Grecian Meatballs
Chicken Chalupas
Penne with Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Pulled Chicken Sandwiches and Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Baked Ravioli and Tomato-Sausage Lasagna
Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork
One-Pot Pasta
Meaty Calzones and Shepherd's Pie
Chicken Tamale Casserole
Slow Cooker Smoky Chipotle Soft Tacos and Buffalo Chicken and Potatoes
Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Main dishes such as baked pastas and casseroles (Mexican and Italian, especially) are particularly freezer friendly. Shredded meat and pasta are also freezable. However, with shredded meat and pasta (not of the baked pasta variety), you will need to thaw it completely in the refrigerator and just microwave it to reheat it.

Many recipes that are freezer friendly don't say that they are freeze-able and they don't come with baking instructions post-freezing or thawing. But if you just keep an eye on it in the oven, it will reheat beautifully and be just as hot, bubbly, cheesy, and yummy as if you had just made it that day.

The best way to reheat these meals (the ones I am sharing now) is either to allow them to thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight and then bake as directed (usually, it will be necessary to add anywhere from 10-30 minutes to the baking time since the dish is being put into the oven cold rather than warm, which would be the case if you were baking it immediately after assembling it) or to double the original baking time if you are putting a frozen dish directly into the oven. Make sure to keep the casserole covered with foil until the end (this will keep the cheese from browning--or burning--before the casserole is evenly cooked/heated). Then, remove the foil and continue baking until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the top/cheese is nicely melted and browned.

I'm going to share two Mexican-style casseroles and two baked pasta recipes.

I found one of the baked pasta recipes in a Martha Stewart photo/recipe gallery devoted entirely to dinners that were freezer friendly. If you would like to check out that gallery, click here.

Everyone has times when they either don't feel like cooking or there's a small emergency and it comes in handy to have a meal on hand that can just be popped into the oven. In that case, simply double these recipes so that you can freeze one for just such an occasion.


Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

Makes 12 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1o 1/2 ounce) cans condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted (such as Campbell's)
1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray
24 (6 inch) corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 9 ingredients in large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Nutrition information: Calories 335, Fat 10.8 g, Iron 1.5 mg, Cholesterol 66 mg, Calcium 270 mg, Carbohydrate 34.3 g, Sodium 693 mg, Protein 23.9 g, Fiber 3.2 g.

Source: Cooking Light, November 2003


Weight Watchers Layered Mexican Chicken

Makes 12 servings (6 WW Points per serving)

Ingredients:

Olive oil cooking spray
2 pounds uncooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups fat free sour cream
2 cups reduced fat shredded Mexican-style cheese, divided
8 oz chopped green chilies (two 4 oz cans)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
12 medium corn tortillas, cut into 2 inch strips
1 cup salsa (mild, medium, or hot)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.

Place chicken in a medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.

Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.

Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

Source: Weight Watcher's website.

Notes: I didn't cut the tortillas into strips, I kept them whole. Also, I added a few more tortillas so that it created more layers to the casserole (rather than just two). If you can, I would even suggest assembling this the day before and baking it the next day (because the flavors get stronger with this casserole when it has been allowed to sit for a bit).


Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Each baking dish serves four; bake one tonight, and freeze the other for a ready-made dinner later on. When ready to cook, bake it straight from the freezer.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), halved horizontally
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups whole milk
10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3-5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

If freezing: Prepare through step 4; let cool. Cover tightly with foil, and freeze, up to 3 months.When ready to bake, thaw in fridge overnight and follow instructions below.

Preheat oven to 400, and bake (still covered in foil) on a rimmed baking sheet until center is hot, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil; bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Source: Martha Stewart website.

Notes: I doubled the recipe so that each baking dish would serve 8 and I baked each in a 9x13 inch pan. Make sure to taste for seasoning preference before baking. After baking, I realized mine needed a little more salt and pepper. Otherwise, it will be too bland.


Baked Ziti with Italian Baking Sauce (Ziti al forno con mozzarella e carne di manzo)

Ingredients:

1 box Barilla Ziti (1 lb)
1 jar Barilla Italian baking sauce (or favorite jarred marinara sauce)
Cooking spray, to coat
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup water
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Grease or spray a 13x9 inch baking pan.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion; saute until golden. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Season with salt and pepper.

Add Italian baking sauce/marinara and water. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until excess water evaporates.

Cook pasta ccording to package directions. Drain and add pasta to skillet. Add 2 cups of shredded cheese and mix well.

Transfer to baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake 10-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubble.

Source: I found this recipe on Barilla's website. I really like Barilla brand pasta, myself. (No, I'm not a spokesperson). :) My point in telling you that is that if you like a certain food product, they usually have a website with a ton of recipes that you'll probably like too. Do a web search and see. You might just find some fun recipes.

Notes: I like this recipe because it is just one of those basic baked pasta recipes. It's easy to assemble and it hits the spot. I couldn't find the Italian baking sauce referred to in the recipe, so I used marinara sauce. Also, I would suggest adding 1 teaspoon (or to taste) of Italian seasoning when browning the beef. You could also add 2-4 cloves of minced garlic to the beef, if you like. If baking from frozen, I would suggest baking the ziti, covered, for 40-60 minutes and then uncovered for another 10-20 minutes. Just check it from time to time to make sure that it gets fully heated...but not overcooked. Oh, and there is no reason to use 1/4 cup of olive oil to saute the onion in. The beef will render enough fat when you brown it. I only used 1 tbsp of olive oil for the onion.