Tuna Salad with Tangy Zip

The husband and I were watching Breaking Bad the other day.

Do you watch Breaking Bad, by the way? I think it's on AMC. (All I really know is that it's on the TiVo, and that's what matters.) I have a theory about Breaking Bad: You're either a Skylar fan or a Walt fan. I think Walt is cuckoo, and Skylar should kick him to the curb. The husband thinks Skylar is a nagging jerkface and Walt should ditch her. So, I'm curious. If you watch Breaking Bad, let me know in the comment section if you're on Team Skylar or Team Walt. Thank you.

Back to the matter at hand...

We were watching Breaking Bad, and for some reason one of the characters (Hank, I believe) mentioned Miracle Whip. The Miracle Whip comment was not instrumental to the plot at all, but he said it. And I could not stop thinking about Miracle Whip. Specifically, tuna noodle salad made with Miracle Whip. Thanks for that, Hank.

So I made Tuna Salad with Tangy Zip. It was all I hoped and more.

Tuna Salad with Tangy Zip
Serves: 4 as a main dish

1.5 cups uncooked small pasta (I used rotini.)
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup carrots sliced 1/8" thick
1 cup cucumbers quartered and sliced 1/8" thick
7 ounce can tuna, drained and flaked
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Once it's finished cooking, rinse the pasta under cold water until it's cooled. (If I'm serving the tuna salad right away, I like to put the pasta in the fridge while I'm chopping the veggies so it can keep cooling down. Warm-ish pasta in tuna salad creeps me out.)

In a large bowl, combine the cooled, cooked pasta with peas, carrots, cucumbers, tuna, and basil. Stir in the Miracle Whip and mayonnaise. If it seems too dry, stir in a little bit more Miracle Whip and mayonnaise until it feels right to you. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If you make Tuna Salad with Tangy Zip the night before you serve it, you might need to add more Miracle Whip and mayo right before serving. Sometimes pasta soaks up the dressing while it sits in the fridge.

Toasty Tuna Nicoise Sandwich

A few years ago the husband and I went on a grand adventure to France. We ended our trip in the gorgeous city of Nice. As we wandered the streets looking for lunch one day, I came across a sandwich in a shop window that looked unbelievable. It was about the size of my face, for one. I love a giant sandwich. And it was filled to the gills with deliciousness.

But I had one little problem...I didn't know how to order it. My French is sub-par, to say the least. So, I turned to the husband for help. After he muttered something to the ladies running the cafe, I had my sandwich in hand, and I was a happy gal. "How did you order that?" I inquired.

The husband chuckled, "Well, it roughly translated to, 'how do you say that big sandwich?'"

Today I'm sharing with you my homemade version of my delicious big sandwich. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Toasty Tuna Nicoise Sandwich
Serves: 2

7 ounce can tuna, drained
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
3 tablespoons chopped roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons mayo
Pepper
2 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400 degrees or heat your panini grill. Meanwhile combine tuna, lemon zest, olives, red peppers, and mayo. Season to taste with pepper. Evenly divide tuna between the bottom halves of the ciabatta rolls.

Sprinkle with cheese, then top with spinach. Close up the sandwich with the top halves of the rolls. Wrap the sandwiches individually with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or grill in your panini press until cheese is melted. Serve warm

A Well-Stocked Pantry

As usual, I watched a bunch of shows on The Food Network this weekend. I can't help it; it's good TV. Plus I have no guilt about watching cooking shows because I think of them as educational. How do you think I learned to try stuff in the kitchen?

One theme that kept popping up show after show (after show...) was cooking from your pantry. I am a huge fan of pantry cooking for several reasons: 1.) It allows me to be lazy. It's January in Wisconsin, and it's COLD. Sometimes I just can't be bothered to leave the house. 2.) It forces me to be thrifty. If I use up the ingredients I have on hand before I head back to the store, less food goes to waste. 3.) It encourages creativity. Some of my all-time favorite meals have been inventions of desperation. You never know when you're going to come up with something great!

For today's post, I'm jumping on the pantry bandwagon. Below I've listed my pantry staples and a few recipes to go along with them.

Canned Beans:
Protein-packed and simple, canned beans are a regular dinner hero at our house. Try Quinoa with Corn and Black Beans, Black Bean and Cheese Chimichangas, or Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos.

Frozen Pizza: 
Do I really need to explain this one any further?

Cheese: 
The husband and I always buy a giant chunk of cheddar when we go to Costco. It keeps well in the fridge as long as I keep it tightly wrapped. I shred cheddar for Mom's Cheesy Potatoes and slice it for Ham and Cheese Toasties. Then there's goat cheese. Stir crumbles into Penne with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese or use it for a super easy appetizer, Pesto Goat Cheese Spread.

Dried Cranberries:
I have sung the praises of dried cranberries many times. I eat them by the handful as a sweet and tangy treat, stir them into Creamy Oatmeal for a chewy burst of flavor, and add them to salads for beautiful color and flavor. And have you ever combined dried cranberries and quinoa? You've gotta try Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Squash, Cranberries, and Pecans.

Frozen Peas:
In junior high school, my BFF and I used to snack on peas straight from the freezer. Not only is this pantry staple perfect for pre-teen grazing, they add color and nutrients to just about any meal. Stir them into pasta, tuna salad, soup, or Shepherd's Pie.

Tortillas: 
I always keep flour or corn tortillas in my freezer. They are the perfect start to so many meals: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Baked Chicken Chimichangas, Lazy Beef Enchiladas, or Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas.

Canned Tuna: 
This pantry staple isn't just for tuna salad sandwiches in your lunch sack. Add drained and flaked tuna to pasta like I do in Balsamic Tuna Salad. Or go old-school and try re-vamped Tuna Noodle Casserole.