Ten Minute Tuna Noodle Casserole

Obviously, we will not be getting a spring this year. Tonight it snowed. Again. The two or three days this month when we've enjoyed sunshine and warmth feel like a memory. OK, fine. I can adapt. I'll create a meal that's as comforting as a winter casserole, but with the tangy, light, bright flavors of spring.

The absolute best part of this recipe is its simplicity. It's as easy as boiling some egg noodles (or you could use pasta if you prefer, but that takes longer), adding frozen peas, then mixing in canned tuna, goat cheese, lemon juice, and some pasta cooking liquid to make a creamy sauce. If you've got them on hand (I didn't), sauteed leeks and asparagus would be great in here, as would a big handful of chopped parsley. (Side note: when I use frozen vegetables, I always remember this post. Read it and I dare you not to laugh. It's the creepiest/funniest thing EVER.)

Along with my stove-top casserole, I had a great open-faced radish sandwich with a scallion-chive compound butter. To make this, mix chopped scallions and chives with room temperature butter and add salt and pepper to taste. Spread on a baguette and top with sliced radishes. Delicious!

For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed a slice of leftover lemon meringue pie (SO beautiful!) from Easter, recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.

The standout part of this recipe was the pie crust - just a couple ingredients pulsed in my food processor and it ballooned up like a buttery puff pastry when baked.

After cutting the crust to size for my pie plate, I baked up the remaining crust pieces instead of throwing the scraps away. I brushed the pie scraps with water and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. That was a KILLER breakfast with hot black coffee on Sunday morning (I may or may not have also added a schmear of nutella). It will be difficult to rely on store-bought pie crusts from now on, because this crust was really that amazingly good.

Ten Minute Tuna Noodle Casserole

Serves 4

1/2 bag egg noodles

1 bag frozen green peas

2 cans tuna, drained and flaked

3/4 to 1 whole small log fresh goat cheese

juice from 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1 handful chopped flat parsley (optional)

Boil noodles in salted water until soft, about 5 minutes. Add peas and continue cooking about 1 minute more.

Reserve 2 cups cooking liquid and drain noodles/peas. Return noodles/peas to hot pan, add tuna, goat cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well and add reserved cooking liquid to melt cheese (add enough to make a creamy sauce). Serve immediately.

ONE YEAR AGO: Soy and Sesame Wild Rice Salad

TWO YEARS AGO: Spring Rolls and Lychee Martinis