Tuna Pastry

This recipe is from a relatively new cookbook I have called healthy meals for less.  I have to say, it isn't particularly my favorite mostly because although it says healthy, I don't find the recipes to be all that healthy.  In that I am a bit disappointed.  However, this was good.  It originally intrigued me because it is quite similar to a recipe I have called Tuna biscuit ring.  That is actually something I ate growing up, and both Brandon and I like it, but the kids don't.  This had a different middle, and had you make individual pastries.  That was fun, but time consuming.  I don't think I'd do that again.  I did like the different flavors of the tuna part though.  I'm not a huge fan of the parsley in Tuna biscuit ring, but I liked the lemon/dill flavor of this.
I did make modifications to the recipe in the book.  It called for twice as much fat as my Tuna biscuit ring, and I didn't add that.  I did toss in the teaspoon of sugar that was different.  This recipe didn't call for a cheese sauce, but I really like the cheese sauce of Tuna biscuit ring, so I made a 1/2 batch (since I know the kids don't like it.)  That worked out well.
I kind of got creative with my folding techniques.  Made some look like balls, some I left with the pinched part at the top, and some I folded more like an empanada.  Neither shape worked really any better or quicker for me, so no suggestions there.  Just pick one you like.

Ingredients

• 2 5-6 oz. cans tuna, drained
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 2 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons diced onion
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dough;

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cold butter or shortening

Directions

1. Mix all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl.  Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.  Cut in the butter with a pastry knife, fork, or fingers.  Add the milk and mix until a dough forms.
3. Roll the dough into a 1/4 in thickness on a floured board.  Cut into 3 inch circles.  Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough round.  (Man I did this wrong - would be nice if I read the directions better when I baked rather than when blogging.)  At this point, I pulled the dough up around the tuna and pinched it closed, or folded it and pinched it...  The actual directions say to add another dough round on top and pinch the edges closed.  
4. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Toasty tuna melt casserole

I know when I make tuna Tavio will hate dinner.  Last night Benjamin even whined and whined about it, but then ate it all.  Go figure.  However, I guess because this looked like bread Mr. Picky 2 year old actually tried dinner.  He wanted it with syrup (sadly it was on the table still from breakfast.)  I wouldn't let him do that, but I did allow ketchup and he ate over 1/2 of his food.  I was sooo excited.  (This child eats nothing that looks like a casserole.  I usually separate out his food to try and get him to try at least a portion of it.)  Anyway, the recipe is from yet another book I have checked out of the library right now.  Family feasts for $75 a week.  I think this is my second recipe that I've tried.  I liked this one better than the last one.  This called for "10-12 oz dry bread cubes (use crouton recipe on page 284 or buy stuffing mix - the kind with the seasonings in a separate packet.)"  This confused me a lot because The crouton recipe was flavored with spices and they wanted you to buy stuffing mix with the separate seasoning.  I couldn't find the stuffing mix with the separate packet, but I didn't look very hard. The crouton recipe said only use 4 slices of bread - I cut only 3 of what I had left, but that didn't weigh anywhere near 10-12 oz so I grabbed a package of seasoned croutons and used the rest of that.  I think all total I only ended up with about 8 oz.  So, the crouton recipe would have needed to be doubled.  Anyway, definitely confusing for me.  I would try this again with the stuffing mix, or making my own croutons, but I liked the flavorings added by the seasoned croutons, so I think I would add that if using plain bread or stuffing again - or just go ahead and use the flavored croutons or flavored stuffing - who knows.  Point is it turned out good this way, so I wouldn't change too much.  Here is how I made it.

Ingredients

• 3 slices of bread, cubed (I had decent sized homemade wheat)
• 1/2-2/3  package of seasoned croutons
• 3 5 oz. cans tuna in water (not drained)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons dehydrated onion
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 - Put bread on a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray.  and bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp.  Reduce oven heat to 400.
2. Meanwhile, mix 3 the tuna with their water, dehydrated onions, eggs, milk, pepper, curry powder, and butter in a bowl. 
3. Spray a 9 X 13 pan with cooking spray.  Place dried bread and croutons on the bottom of the pan.  Toss to evenly distribute.  Pour tuna mixture on top, pressing the bread into the sauce if necessary.  
4. Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until it starts to puff up, the cheese has melted, and the bread cubes have browned some.  20-30 minutes.

Tuna casserole

Well, I'm actually posting this first because I just made it.  Hopefully I'll get the last 2 days recipes posted later this evening and actually be caught up.
This is my favorite Tuna casserole.  I've tried various, but this one continues to be my favorite.  Not sure if it is all the cheese, or the cream of celery soup in there, but I really like it.  It is the casserole I grew up with.  Unfortunately none of the kids here like it so we don't eat it all that often.  :(  I noticed I had never blogged it, so that means it has been at least 10 months since we ate it, so I feel no guilt in subjecting them to it again today.
I ended up making some changes.  Somehow the cheddar I bought for this meal got eaten with lunches throughout the week, so I only had a tiny square.  (should have thought of that as I sliced it up for lunch today.)  So anyway, I had to use mozzarella.  I didn't have regular potato chips, but I usually don't.  It is good that way, I just don't keep those on hand, and I don't usually buy them special for this dish.  I topped mine today with crumbled bread that I made yesterday.  (only with just Italian seasoning and garlic powder.)  Hopefully it will turn out well.

Ingredients

• 1 package egg noodles.  (I used 12 oz.)
• 1 can tuna (the small ones, but I have been known to double it - however, it makes the naysayers even more upset.)
• 1/2 cup mayo (I used light)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (I used 2 ribs - a bit more than 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers (I used 1/2 a pepper - probably would have used more but that measured 1/2 cup so I didn't chop more.  I used red today, but usually use green.)
• 1/3 cup chopped onion - I used 1 Tablespoon dehydrated - out of onion (can you tell tomorrow is grocery shopping day?)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 cup grated cheese - usually cheddar but today a mix of white cheddar and mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Cook noodles according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, mix mayo, chopped celery, bell peppers, onion and tuna in a small bowl.
3. In a small saucepan, heat cream of celery and milk.  Add the cheese and cook and stir until the cheese melts.  Stir in the tuna mixture.  Add that mix to the noodles and stir to coat.
4. Pour into a 9X13 dish.  Top with additional cheese and crushed potato chips or breadcrumbs.  Bake for 20 minutes.