Tuna Casserole

This is one of those old-fashioned comfort foods that's just perfect in the middle of winter—it's somehow super satisfying and warms you up from head to toe!

Basic White Sauce Mix Recipe(makes one cup)

2T butter

2T flour

¼ tsp salt

1 C milk

Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and salt. Stir for about 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly add the milk and stir until the sauce is smooth and begins to bubble and thicken. Set aside.

Tuna Noodle Recipe

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1 C macaroni, cooked and drained

2 cans (6 ½ oz each) tuna, drained

4 oz can mushroom stems and pieces

¼ C green pepper, chopped

½ C olives, pitted and sliced

1 tsp seasoned salt

¼ tsp oregano

¼ tsp pepper

½ C Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare the white sauce (see recipe above). Add the peanut butter. Mix in cooked macaroni, tuna, mushrooms (with liquid) and remaining ingredients except the cheese.

Pour into ungreased 1 ½ quart casserole dish. Roughly stir in about a third of the Cheddar cheese. C

over and bake for about 30 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and cook for another 10 minutes or so until the cheese melts and begins to bubble.

Greek Style Lamb and Tomato Casserole

1 1/4 lbs ground lamb
28 oz can chopped tomatoes
olive oil

1 tsp chopped rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped

4 tomatoes, sliced

10 oz tub Greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup feta, crumbled, 

1/4 cup Parmesan, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Fry the lamb in a tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until lightly browned. Spoon off any excess fat.

Stir in the canned tomatoes and fresh herbs, and simmer for 20 minutes until the lamb is totally cooked.

Place one layer of sliced tomatoes on the base of a 10" x 7" casserole dish, then spoon over half the lamb mixture. Repeat with another layer of tomato slices and the rest of the lamb mixture. Finish with a final layer of sliced tomatoes.

Whisk the Greek yogurt and egg together and pour over the top. Finish off by sprinkling the crumbled feta and Parmesan over the top, and bake for minutes, until the topping is begins to bubble a little and turn golden brown.

This is delicious served with a tomato salad, Calamata olives and plenty of sliced cucumbers. 

This dish is super easy to make, and the cheesy topping is just delicious! I might try making another dish with ground beef and vegetables, but using the same topping.

Keep me posted!

Lentil Soup

This soup is the ultimate comfort food! It's super easy to make and is just the perfect supper to have on a chilly night. Recommended soundtrack: Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 leek, washed well and sliced (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 x 28 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups lentils (rinsed well)
7 cups vegetable stock (or a little more if the soup is too thick)
4 sprigs of thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup elbow or spiral pasta
1 cup Parmesan, grated (Cheddar is also super tasty)

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, carrots, and celery. Add the garlic and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Add the lentils and stir well to coat. Add the stock and stir. Add the thyme and bring the soup to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes over a very gentle heat until the lentils are almost tender.
Stir in the pasta, and cook for about 8 to 10 more minutes. Check the seasoning.
Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot!

Di's Cottage Pie

2 carrots, peeled and chopped finely

5 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed

1 medium sized onion, peeled and chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 lb ground minced beef (lean)

1 Tsp corn flour

1 cup (or more) organic beef stock

1 tsp mixed herbs (rosemary and oregano) 

1 Tsp tomato purée

Dash of Lea and Perrin's

15-20 cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

1/3 cup of extra strong grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan cook the carrots until al dente, set aside.
In another saucepan boil the potatoes until tender, mash and set aside.
Sauté the onions and garlic gently in a frying pan with some olive oil, until they are soft and golden. 
Add the ground beef, and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the corn flour over the meat mixture, cook for a few more minutes.
Add the beef stock, cooked carrots, mixed herbs, tomato purée, Lea and Perrin's and then stir, cover and simmer over a low heat for about 30 minutes. 
Transfer the beef and onion mixture to an ovenproof dish. Top with the mashed potato, and line the edge of the dish with the cherry tomatoes, so that the seeds are facing up. 
Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake until the cheese is bubbling.

Cottage pie goes very well with boiled cabbage, and of course a nice glass of wine is always a welcomed accompaniment!
This is just the dish for a snowy night! 

Reuben Macaroni and Cheese

I absolutely love Reuben sandwiches. There’s something about the combination of pastrami, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut that is just heaven—a perfect match. And of course we mustn’t forget the mustard and rye bread! So when I saw this Rachael Ray recipe I had to give it a go! I adapted it slightly and I think next time I’m going to make a milkier sauce, and maybe even add an egg or two to make it more like a quiche! We'll see...

3/4 lb cavatappi, corkscrew-shaped pasta

1/2 cup of rye bread crumbs

3 Tsp butter

1 tsp paprika

3 Tsp flour

2 cups milk

1/4 cup Gulden’s mustard

1 cup shredded  Swiss cheese

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3/4 lb corned beef, sliced fairly thickly, chopped

1 lb sauerkraut rinsed, well drained

fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta, and cook until it’s al dente.

In a different pan melt the butter over a medium heat. Whisk in the flour for a minute or so, and then add the milk. Season with salt and pepper, and allow the sauce to thicken for 5 to 6 minutes then stir in mustard. Melt about two thirds of the combined shredded cheese into the sauce.

Preheat broiler.

Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Stir in the corned beef, sauerkraut, and paprika into the hot pasta, and then add the cheese sauce. Pour the pasta and cheese mixture in to a casserole and top with the rye bread crumbs and the remaining cheese. Brown under the broiler for about three minutes or so until the cheese begins to bubble and turn a delicious golden brown.

Garnish with chopped parsley and chopped tomatoes. This is a very easy and tasty supper to make, and it's just a perfect thing to have on a cold, stormy November night!