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Emily Farris

The Ultimate Recession Food

Almost Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

While a “real” classic tuna noodle uses canned peas, I prefer frozen sweet peas that go in right before baking.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients
12 ounces large egg noodles
1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
2 (6 oz.) cans white albacore tuna
1 large white onion, chopped
16 oz. frozen sweet peas (preferably Cascadian Farm)
Salt and pepper
2 cups French-fried onions or a few handfuls of potato chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Parboil the noodles just under al dente, drain, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine the soup, noodles, onion, tuna, peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a 2 ½- to 3-qt. casserole dish. Bake, uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until bubbling. Remove and add the crunchy topping of your choice.

Bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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December 8, 2008 | 6:32am
Comments ()
auditmonkey

In the UK people are turning more to haggis as times get tight http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/in troducing-the-national-dish-of-sassenachs-1055689.html not much of an idea for vegetarians out there though

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7:02 am, Dec 8, 2008
Bunnyhop234

I find it so weird that people are anti-casserole.They are really good! Isn't the idea partly that they are cheap? I find these articles I have been seeing lately where people are saying casseroles are back and then giving us recipes that have ingredients that cost $20 or more kind of silly. I can make a good casserole for under $10. If I am needing to spend more than that, I might as well make something else!

Also, what's up with the boyfriend being embarrassed she brought a casserole? Get a life!

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9:39 am, Dec 8, 2008
britspeak

Like Midwesterners (to whom so many of us relate), we Brits have never given up on casseroles. And even after 27 years in the US, as a poorly paid freelance writer, I still make them weekly: cauliflower or broccoli cheese, shepherd's pie, ground buffalo chili, you name it, using cheap but natural/organic ingredients. The best inexpensive, hot, and lasting one-dish meals in the world. Why would anyone even think of querying such logical food choices, especially in this economy? Great little piece, Emily. Daily Beast should do more of these shoestring budget pieces as a column.

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12:30 pm, Dec 8, 2008
urbangardener

Yum, love cheap food! There is something really comforting about it.

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1:31 pm, Dec 8, 2008
braindouche

a $20 casserole? Seriously? I love one pot food with an unholy enthusiasm, always have, but with 20 bucks I could also do 4 classy courses for a family of 6. Show me a 5 dollar casserole that feeds 8, tastes good and still has leftovers and I'll be impressed.

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11:45 am, Dec 9, 2008
davebarnes

THERE IS NO TILDE IN HABANERO!
And, they are sold in the orange-red state, not green, in the super mercado.

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1:52 pm, Dec 9, 2008
Talyssa

a 5 dollar casserole that feeds 8? Dunno what the grocery prices are like where braindouche lives but unless you're shopping at the dollar store and are prepared to have a mushy all-canned-items flavorless casserole, food costs more than that.

Anyhow I loved this column. The last recipe looks freaking amazing and I'm ready to try that sweet potato recipe. And I suppose I'll make the tuna one for my midwestern-descended bf.

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6:42 pm, Dec 9, 2008
AdrienSeybert

You go girl! In an effort to reduce my grocery bill last week, I took to cleaning out my fridge with my roommate out of town. I came up with some interesting combinations such as bacon, pickled pepper, aging mushroom pasta. It rocks. Now, to find something to do with the organic filet mignon I found in the freezer. But it's nearly four years old. Perfectly preserved but still. Can't chance a visit to the emergency room. God knows how I'd pay for it.

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7:30 pm, Dec 22, 2008
ScottRose

On a cold, windy winter night, there are few dishes so satisfying as an Alsatian potato and bacon casserole. Just thinking about this, I wish it were cold and windy right now.

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9:33 am, Dec 29, 2008
Veronicaxy

"I was barely out of the bassinet when the country last experienced a recession."

That would make you...six years old?

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10:10 am, Dec 29, 2008
finderj

Let's hear it for casseroles! Now, if I can just get a finicky teenager to eat 'em!

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11:45 am, Dec 29, 2008
tourist13

yucky!

casseroles aren't popular because they are disgusting. I don't care if you use organic Gorgonzola and fresh organic arugula it's still a weird dish of mush. Plus there are a lot of us who were raised on enchiladas, posle, and tamales... talk about cheap and delicious!

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4:07 pm, Dec 29, 2008
dm10003

maybe the cookware, cooking show, and cookbook industry makes more money on multipart, multiplate, multipot, multitrend food.

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4:17 pm, Dec 29, 2008
mehitibel

Adrien - I hope you didn't ditch the frozen organic filet mignon. Thaw it, smell it. If it smells fine it is fine. If it was wrapped well it is just fine. Make a beef strogonoff with it.

Aloha,
Ellie

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8:01 pm, Dec 29, 2008
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The Ultimate Recession Food

by Emily Farris

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