Tuna Casserole

I'm so excited it's finally getting chilly in PHX! Right now it's 59 degrees and everybody around campus is walking around bundled up in ASU sweatshirts and sweatpants with a cup of hot coffee in their hand (like Starbuck's Christmas Blend, my favorite!).

Anyways, winter weather means delicious comfort food, like tuna casserole. While I may not eat the tuna casserole served at the dining hall downstairs, I'll never pass up a homemade one. This recipe is from Eat Better America, which "healthifies" traditional comfort food. So, don't feel too guilty about eating this for dinner tonight!

 photo from here

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups uncooked multigrain pasta (your favorite shape!)

2 teaspoons EVOO
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped 

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped 

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 package (8 oz) fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup (buy the 45% less sodium, condensed 98% fat-free kind)

1 container (8 oz) sour cream (reduced-fat )
2 oz cream cheese, softened (1/3-less-fat kind is best)
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cans (6 oz each) solid white albacore tuna in water, drained
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese 

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
12 stone-ground wheat crackers, coarsely crushed (about 1/2 cup) 

Frozen peas (I added this to the original recipe, maybe 1/2 of a frozen package?)

Get Cookin'

1  Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta as directed on package; drain.

2  In a nonstick skillet, heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Saute bell peppers, onion, mushrooms and garlic until vegetables are tender.

3  Stir in soup, sour cream, cream cheese, milk and pepper until well blended. Stir in tuna, pasta and Cheddar cheese. Spoon into baking dish; spread evenly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and crushed crackers.

4  Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or top is golden brown and mixture is bubbly.

I think this could be converted to a crockpot, I'm going to experiment with that next time I make this!

Spinich & Shrimp Salad

We had a 4th of July bbq with our families before going to the local fireworks show. I brought the dessert and salad--both were new recipes that turned out delish. The home-made dressing is what made this salad good enough to share. I'll share the dessert recipe soon.

photo from here

Ingredients:

Salad

1/2 lb. cooked shrimp (medium size 51-60 per lb.), thawed, tails removed

5 oz. spring mix greens

1/3 cup julienne cut tomatoes in oil

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Dressing

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 T. capers

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

Get Cookin'

Make the salad dressing as far in advance as possible (I made mine the morning of the bbq). Refrigerate. Immediately before serving, put together salad ingredients and toss with salad dressing.

Fish Sticks, revisited

When I was little and my parents went out on 'date night' and I was left with my super cool babysitter that I loved and adored, I always got to pick the menu for dinner. Usually it was mac&cheese or fish sticks. (Sorry babysitter Ashley, I'm sure you hated my dinner choices!)

Here's a great recipe for fish sticks that you don't have to feel guilty about eating! I love knowing what goes into my food. Thanks to A Life Less Sweet for the recipe. We always make our own bread crumbs, too. Store bought ones tend to have way.too.many unnecessary ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb fish fillets (I used cod)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (read the ingredients!)
2 eggs, lightly beaten and thinned with about 1 TBSP of water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
cooking spray (like Pam)

Get Cookin'

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

Mix flour, thyme and garlic powder in a bowl. Pour the thinned egg into a separate shallow bowl. Last, combine the breadcrumbs and panko in a third shallow bowl or plate.

Cut the fish fillets into 1" wide strips. Sprinkle the fish on all sides with the seasoning salt. Dredge each strip first in the flour mixture, then in the egg, and last in the breadcrumbs. Place the coated strips on the baking sheet. Lightly spray all of the strips with oil.

Cook the fish for 10 min or until flaky.

To freeze:
Place cooked strips neatly on a baking sheet. Make sure that there is a little space between each strip. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and put in freezer for a few hours until the strips are completely frozen. Store in a container of your choice.

To reheat, cook the frozen strips in a 400 F oven for 10-12 min or until strips are completely warmed.