Tonight at Trader Joe's, I had the rare fortune of witnessing a small boy interacting with the bag of frozen peas that he'd just made his boon companion. This child was entertaining himself and his slightly older brother (while their mother blithely shopped on) by ecstatically smothering his face with the bag of frozen peas, alternated with giggling uproariously because who ever has thought of that and done it, really? He knew he was brilliant. I wish I had a photo of this hilarious event because words do not suffice. I was not thinking of tuna casserole (I swear) until I saw that boy with his frozen peas. Here's my mom's classic WCW recipe (I bet some of you dear readers will recognize it):
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/3 cups uncooked Minute Rice
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
7 oz. tuna (1 tiny can only?)
salt and pepper and paprika
cheddar cheese
The instructions are undeveloped which is to say unembroidered: mix together ingredients in a casserole dish. Bake covered 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. Stir half way through and top with Ruffles Potato Chips. YES!
But wait! What are those green things doing obscuring the picture of this otherwise gorgeous casserole? Well, those are "Not Your Mother's Green Beans," recipe courtesy of some Moosewood cookbook or another. My version is as follows...
In a recycled jar (with lid) mix one part olive oil and one part vinegar--red wine and Balsamic make a nice combo--with 2 Tbsp minced shallot, random "Italian" herbs, salt-n-pepa to taste (really, has anyone ever gotten enough of Salt-n-Pepa?). Secure lid; shake it like a polaroid picture. Meanwhile boil 1/2 lb. green beans in salted water. When beans are "al dente," drain and soak in dressing. Top with pine nuts. Well, toast them first, if you're not toasted already by the sheer joy of the recipe, the toddler with his peas, and the bottle of 2-buck Chuck you opened a little too early.
nota bene: the only thing to drink with this fine meal is 2-buck Chuck, obviously.
n.b. #2 When I was the age of that pea-faced boy, or a little older perhaps, I loathed peas and spent a long time delicately picking each and every one of them out of every single forkful of this otherwise tasty casserole. My parents just let me be picky, God bless them, for a while... until the lima bean incident that is. But we won't discuss that.
n.b. #3 Some of you are thinking as you view the photo, WHAT are those frozen corn tidbits doing there? or WHERE (the hell) did the potato chips go??? Well, this is the two-thousand-zeros, friends, and it's time for a little health to hit the tuna casserole recipe, n'est pas? Hence I use brown Minute Rice, lowfat Cream of Mushroom soup, three cans of tuna, frozen corn, and the "reach-for-the Epicurious-stars-in-the-'Burbs" homemade bread crumbs. I know you are all very impressed with me right now.
In the immortal words of Mom, Just Eat It, Or Else!
Bonus post...
Random kitchen utensil No. 1
"tuna can drainer"
REALLY! check this out: my mom said I could not live without it, and she was right, as usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment