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I made this for dinner tonight.

Tickle Me Elbows
(from “Crazy Plates”, i.e. Looneyspoons 2)

Translation: Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole. 6 servings.

· 8 oz elbow macaroni, uncooked (about 2 cups dry)
· 1 can (7-1/2 oz) water packed tuna, drained *
· 1 cup sliced celery
· 1/3 cup chopped green onions
· 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
· 1/4 cup diced pimento **
· 1 can (10 oz) reduced-fat cream of celery soup, undiluted ***
· 1/2 cup 1% milk
· 1 cup shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz) ****
· 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
· 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. In a large bowl, combine cooked macaroni, tuna, celery, green onions, green pepper and pimento. Mix well.

In a small saucepan, combine soup and milk. Heat over medium heat until smooth. Add cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and stir in mayonnaise and pepper.

Pour sauce over macaroni mixture. Mix well. Pour into a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350° F, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

My notes:
This dish is very popular fresh and as leftovers, so I usually double the recipe (in a 3 quart dish). I also recommend the following changes…

* When I double the recipe, I use three cans of tuna (for more tasty tuna goodness…).

** The original recipe in the book has a tip indicating that “roasted red peppers” may be substituted for the pimento (both found near the pickles and olives in the store). I always make this substitution because I think the r. r. peppers greatly add to the taste.

*** I’ve used other cream soups without noticing the difference… By my sister’s request, I’ve tried to find soups without MSG, and found that Cream of Broccoli works well.

**** This is the biggest difference between what I do, and the recipe; I use a different cheese. Look for a red (margarine type) tub with a black lid that contains extra-old nippy style cheddar cheese (the brand name is something like “MacLarens”…). Half a tub is used for each batch (a full tub for a doubled recipe). This is an extremely strong & flavourful cheese, which makes the casserole very cheesy! Mmmmmmmm!