Tuna Broccoli Casserole

Tuna Broccoli Casserole

This is good, quick, cheap, makes a lot, and, if you substitute gluten-free soup for regular and go with the brown rice pasta, it's gluten-free.

• 8 oz. uncooked brown rice shell macaroni (or any macaroni you like if gluten is not a concern)
• 2 12-oz. packages frozen broccoli-cauliflower mix 
• 2 12-oz. cans tuna in water, drained
• 2 10-oz. cans Campbell's Heart Healthy Cream of Mushroom Soup OR 1 can ready-to-eat Progresso Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 3 tsp. McCormick's Perfect Pinch Vegetable seasoning (you may need more if using the Progresso soup, and if you're watching your salt, any Mrs. Dash seasoning you like is fine)
• 2 cups shredded cheese (can be any kind you like -- I use Velveeta because the Mister likes it)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.  (Don't you dare tell me you don't know what "al dente" means.  Look it up.)  Steam broccoli-cauliflower mix in microwave according to package directions.   In a 5-quart casserole, combine rinsed and cooled pasta, tuna, broccoli-cauliflower mix, soup, all but a handful of the shredded cheese, and 3/4 C. of the Parmesan; sprinkle with a bit more of your seasoning.  Bake at 350F for 50 minutes, top with remaining cheeses and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.  And that's it.   Serves at least 4 very hungry people.

Vegetable Barley Soup

Awaiting the arrival of the Tuna Fairy.  "We do believe, we do believe..."

Winter is prime time for soup -- great comfort food, economical after all the expensive holiday goodies and well worth the effort for the return you get.  I like to use odds and ends of leftover vegetables in the freezer as well as a few fresh additions. 

Equipment you will need:

• Large crockpot

Ingredients:

•  2 quarts vegetable broth
• 1/2 bunch celery, chopped
• 1 16-oz. bag baby carrots
• 1/2 of a 2 oz. container dehydrated chopped onions
• 1 12-oz. package frozen Southwest blend corn (with red and green bell peppers)
• 1 15-oz. pkg frozen green beans
• 2 envelopes onion soup mix
• 1 tablespoon McCormick's Vegetable Seasoning
• 1 28-oz. can seasoned diced tomatoes
• Leftover vegetables, chopped 
• 3/4 cup Quaker Quick Cooking Barley
• 1 12-oz. package Morningstar Farms Meal Makers crumbles or 1 pound ground beef, browned & drained

Put broth, dehydrated onion, seasoning and onion soup mix into large crock pot set to "High.  Microwave chopped celery for 4 minutes, add to pot.  Microwave carrots until tender (about 6 minutes); cut up and add to pot.  Add corn, green beans, tomatoes, and any other odds and ends of chopped cooked leftover vegetables or those half-packages of frozen veggies you've been meaning to use up.   Simmer on "High" for about 3 hours (or all day -- doesn't much matter).  An hour before serving, add Morningstar crumbles or browned ground beef and raw barley, simmer another hour and it's good.  Season to taste and serve with crusty sourdough artisan bread and salad.  Plenty for 3 or 4 days' eating for 2 to 4 people; may be frozen.  Hint:  Freeze in small containers so you can take some to work.