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Do you ever have one of those evenings where you haven’t really got a plan for dinner, finally decide on something quick and simple to fix, only to go to the pantry and discover that you’re minus an ingredient or two? You can get frustrated or you can get creative and “reinvent” a classic dish. That happened here a few nights ago and the results were met with Mom getting lots of praise and thank you’s from the happy crowd around the table.  They thought I had done something amazing on purpose, not that I was just trying to use up what I had and get something on the table quick.  I love when that happens! 

David loves tuna casserole (me, not so much) and had casually mentioned it in passing a couple of times, recently.  I had some noodles, pre-cooked in the fridge from earlier in the week (Not the shape I usually use for tuna casserole, but I was going to make them work.) and I decided it would be super simple to throw the casserole together and give him one of his favorites.  Wouldn’t you know I didn’t have a can of cream soup anywhere?  I could have made cream soup from scratch, I’ve done it before, but I decided to try to use some items I already had on hand, to save time.  Here’s what I came up with and yum!!!!  It was good!

A New Twist on Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups cooked, drained noodles
• 1 large can white albacore, chunk tuna
• 1 (8 oz) block of softened cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• ¼ cup milk
• 1½ cups cubed Velveeta cheese
• 12 round butter crackers (like Ritz)

Boil and drain noodles.  Any shape will work, so use your favorite.  Put your drained pasta into a baking dish.

Drain tuna and add to noodles.

In a microwave-safe container heat the cream cheese, sour cream, milk and cheese, stirring occasionally, until melted and creamy.   Pour this sauce over your noodles and tuna and stir to combine.

Bake everything at 350° for about 30 minutes or until casserole is hot and bubbly.

I found this partial roll of crackers in the pantry.  They are the store-brand version of Ritz (butter crackers).  I decided they were the perfect thing to add some color and texture to the dish.  I crushed them by hand and spread them over the top of the hot casserole.

Increase the temperature on your oven to BROIL.  Put the casserole under your broiler for 2-3 minutes until the crackers have browned nicely.  Remove from the oven and serve.

This simple recipe, tastes like you worked hard to make something extra special.  Delicious!  Hope you enjoy it!

Have you made over an old classic recipe to fit the ingredients in your cupboards?  Share it, here.  We’d love to know about it!

This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge and Tasty Tuesday!