Monday, June 16, 2008

Frugal Food Series

Jenn over at Frugal Upstate is in week two of her Frugal Food Series. Last week it was all about eggs! This week, she is talking about tuna!

I am part of my church's meal ministry. We make up meals and take them to other families in the church who just had a baby, who are sick, or just need a helping hand. One of the dishes that I like to make because it is easy and frugal is Cheesy Tuna Mac.

1 package (7-1/2 ounces) macaroni and cheese mix
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken(or whatever) soup, undiluted
1 can (6 ounces) tuna, drained and flaked
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook the macaroni according to package directions; drain. Stir in the milk, butter and contents of cheese packet. Add the soup, tuna, peas, and onion.
Spoon into a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle shredded cheese on top and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 4 servings.

I have found this easy to make ahead and take to a family because I usually have all the ingredients on hand in my pantry. I make the dish all up without cooking it, cover with foil, write baking directions on the foil with a Sharpie marker. I put the shredded cheese in a separate ziploc bag. I compliment the dish with a leafy salad, homemade bread, and dessert. Simple, easy, and filling meal!

For other tuna ideas, head over to Jenn's series at Frugal Upstate!
***photo courtesy of Taste of Home

1 comment:

Jenn @ Frugal Upstate said...

Thanks so much for linking to this for the "Frugal Food Series: Tuna".

I like the idea of using this for taking to a family in need-after all, part of the joy of being frugal is it can allow you to share your largess with others!