As in the soup, because I made my own cream of mushroom– for a very specific purpose. This week I had my first tuna-noodle casserole. I did not grow up with casseroles. My dad never liked a one-pot meal, and my mom didn’t really care, so I had a childhood free of Durkee French Fried Onions. Frankly, I never liked tuna fish from a can until I was in college, so a tuna casserole was not in my culinary lexicon.
But recently my mother started making them for herself . Maybe she was finally feeling that empty-nest syndrome, or maybe she was hearkening back to her own childhood in the 1950s, filled with tuna-noodle casseroles. Either way she started to rave about them. At first I was appalled; this casserole always sounded like a train wreck to me. But then, as I started thinking about it, and alterations that I would make– tuna-noodle casserole came up in my estimation. So much so, that I had to make one for myself.
Here is what I did:
I sliced and chopped from fresh button mushrooms and sautéed them with an onion. I then made a velouté sauce in the same pan as the mushrooms. You can read about making this sauce here. I threw in a few branches of thyme, and let sauce simmer for a bit.
I cooked about 8 ounces of egg noodles part-way, draining and rinsing them. I also drained two cans of tuna. (If you must know, one of them was in olive oil.)
I then added the noodles and the tuna into the sauce, with the zest and the juice of Meyer lemon. A few handfuls of frozen peas were added. Mixing well, the whole mess went into a casserole dish.
Freshly-made bread crumbs were sprinkled on the top, and the casserole was baked until bubbly, about 25 minutes at 375 degrees.
And you know what, it was delicious: comforting, warming, creamy. I get it. Granted, this might not be the tuna-noodle that my mom makes, but at my house, it was pretty darn good.
I grew up with tuna-noodle casserole and love it. I will have to try out your version as it sounds lovely!
I grew up with tuna-noodle casserole and love it. I will have to try out your version as it sounds lovely!
I grew up with tuna-noodle casserole and love it. I will have to try out your version as it sounds lovely!
I grew up with tuna-noodle casserole and love it. I will have to try out your version as it sounds lovely!
I grew up with tuna-noodle casserole and love it. I will have to try out your version as it sounds lovely!
I love casseroles of any kind. On Christmas day, I was making one of our favorite vegetable casseroles. No, not the green bean one! Anyway, I had forgotten the cream of celery soup I needed. My mom reminded me that she gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking THAT DAY and I could whip up a white sauce to put in place of the celery soup. I did and it was delish! I was so proud of myself!
Loved your book and am really enjoying your website!
I love casseroles of any kind. On Christmas day, I was making one of our favorite vegetable casseroles. No, not the green bean one! Anyway, I had forgotten the cream of celery soup I needed. My mom reminded me that she gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking THAT DAY and I could whip up a white sauce to put in place of the celery soup. I did and it was delish! I was so proud of myself!
Loved your book and am really enjoying your website!
I love casseroles of any kind. On Christmas day, I was making one of our favorite vegetable casseroles. No, not the green bean one! Anyway, I had forgotten the cream of celery soup I needed. My mom reminded me that she gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking THAT DAY and I could whip up a white sauce to put in place of the celery soup. I did and it was delish! I was so proud of myself!
Loved your book and am really enjoying your website!
I love casseroles of any kind. On Christmas day, I was making one of our favorite vegetable casseroles. No, not the green bean one! Anyway, I had forgotten the cream of celery soup I needed. My mom reminded me that she gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking THAT DAY and I could whip up a white sauce to put in place of the celery soup. I did and it was delish! I was so proud of myself!
Loved your book and am really enjoying your website!
I love casseroles of any kind. On Christmas day, I was making one of our favorite vegetable casseroles. No, not the green bean one! Anyway, I had forgotten the cream of celery soup I needed. My mom reminded me that she gave me Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French cooking THAT DAY and I could whip up a white sauce to put in place of the celery soup. I did and it was delish! I was so proud of myself!
Loved your book and am really enjoying your website!
Okay… this is the second tuna casserole I have seen in two days; an omen! I am baking one!!!!
Okay… this is the second tuna casserole I have seen in two days; an omen! I am baking one!!!!
Okay… this is the second tuna casserole I have seen in two days; an omen! I am baking one!!!!
Okay… this is the second tuna casserole I have seen in two days; an omen! I am baking one!!!!
Okay… this is the second tuna casserole I have seen in two days; an omen! I am baking one!!!!
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious
wow, look at that, I'm already drooling, great color, looks delicious