Terrific and Easy Tuna Casserole
(My own creation...of sorts...I cannibalized 3 different recipes, put them together & this is the result - it's wonderful!)
1 1/4 c. dry macaroni 1 can tuna 1 can (10 oz.) cream of mushroom soup 1 can mushrooms 1/2 med. onion, minced 1/3 cup of milk grated parmesan cheese, bacon bits or whatever
Cook macaroni. Heat soup with milk, onion & a dash of salt & pepper. Mix macaroni with soup mixture. Add mushrooms. Drain & break up tuna & mix together. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan, bacon bits, parsley flakes, whatever. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes uncovered. Serves 2 adults who love it and 2 children who aren't fond of tuna. Or one hungry teenager.
Note: You can also add frozen vegetables or chopped green pepper for some colour.
Hint: I cook macaroni in the microwave, it's a lot faster and less messy. Just put it in a glass bowl with about 1 3/4 cups of water and cook on high for, oh, about 9 or 10 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes or so.
Anecdote: I once cooked this and forgot to put in the tuna. We didn't notice until clearing the table and I saw the can still sitting there on the counter. Tuna casserole please - hold the tuna!
Sweep Steak Credit the "I Hate to Cook Book" by Peg Bracken
2-3 lbs. of a cheap roast, or blade steak 1 package onion soup mix
Put the meat on a big sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle the soup mix on top & fold the foil, airtight, around it. Put in a baking pan & bake at 300 degrees F. for 3 hours (or 200 degrees F. for 9 hours; it doesn't matter). If desired, open it up an hour or so before it's done & surround it with potatoes & carrots.
Also, you can pour 1 can of undiluted condensed mushroom soup on over the onion soup mix. Makes a nice gravy.
Paprika Beef Goulash I think this one came from Peg Bracken's book too, but my mother used to make something that tasted just like it...
In a deep skillet or pot, brown 2 lbs of stewing beef in 4 tbsp. of oil. Then saute for about 3 min. an onion, thinly sliced, with 1/2 tsp. garlic powder. Now stir in: 3 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. tomato sauce or paste
1 can bouillon, undiluted, or 2 cubes with 1 c. water (mixed)
Bring the whole works to a boil, then simmer it, covered, about 2 hours, till the meat is tender. just before serving time, stir in 1/2 c. sour cream. My mom always served this on those broad flat egg noodles, it is delicious! Butter the noodles if you have the time and/or energy.
Paprika-Baked Chicken It's just too easy! (That's why I love it...)
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large baking dish, melt the butter or margarine. Meanwhile, in a pie plate or large plastic bag*, combine flour, salt, paprika & pepper. Coat chicken evenly with mixture. Place chicken pieces, skin side down, in melted butter. Bake 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake 15 minutes more or until fork-tender.
*I always keep an empty bread bag in the freezer for this. Chuck it out after using it for this though, and just stick the next empty one in the freezer.
Sweep Steak
