We don’t grill on rainy days during the summer, but sometimes we want a hearty meal without heating up the oven. Sheila’s mom taught this recipe to her when she was learning how to cook. Easy, tasty, foolproof, and ready a few minutes after the macaroni is done. If you want to serve it absolutely cold, it takes a little longer, but we never wait that long.
Sheila laughed and pronounced it dead-body-proof as well, since she practiced the recipe on her mom and dad several times as a teen, and they lived.
"Summer Macaroni Tuna Casserole"
Author: Sheila Kerrian
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: American
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 - 6
Ingredients
- 8 oz box small elbow macaroni uncooked – about 2 cups
- 1/2 teaspoon butter/margarine for macaroni water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt for water
- 2 5oz cans tuna
- 1 8oz can very young small sweet peas
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup crumbled, seasoned croutons
Instructions
- Fill 4 quart pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
- Add teaspoon sea salt to water or to taste.
- Add uncooked macaroni to water, and return to boil.
- Add teaspoon margarine to water (keeps macaroni from sticking to itself).
- Boil for 8-10 minutes until ‘al dente’ (firm), stirring occasionally.
- Pour into colander, drain well, and return macaroni to the pot.
- Drain water/oil from the tuna cans and add tuna to the macaroni pot.
- Drain liquid from peas and add to the macaroni pot.
- Add mayo to the pot and lightly toss all ingredients together.
- Arrange contents of pot in serving dish and sprinkle crumbled croutons on top.
- Chill in refrigerator for up to an hour and serve.
Note: The versatility of this dish is that it can be served hot as well. The prep is exactly the same, except that once the ingredients are combined in the pot, they should be transferred to a baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until heated through.
Tastes great hot or cold, but in the summer, we always serve it cold.
Enjoy!
*Photos by Patti Phillips
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