Tuna casserole~not!

He's out of town...now what do I make???
Tuna casserole is one of the foods my husband & I had to agree to disagree upon years ago. He has never wanted to darken that door again as an adult. I don't know how he was worn out on the classic Tuna Noodle delight but he truly dislikes every part of the creamy,gooey pasta & crunchy topping we all grew up with. Apparently it occupies some dark epicurious cavern within my his childhood. He doesn't want tuna casserole, warm tuna or really much of anything tuna!! We now live in a country where tuna dishes seem to pop up where one least expects it. I've witnessed tuna stuffed peppers, tuna empanadas, aspics & oceans of tuna products that are too off the wall to mention. Mexico has gone upscale in the Tuna world as well. I routinely see $75.00 Jars of Spanish Tuna packed in oil. *Yes, that is 75 American dollars!! Tuna is both gourmet & pedestrian at the same time in Mexico.
Tuna Casserole is the dish I've made over the years if & only if the Mister isn't in town. On that note I've found a rather grown up, lightened up version which while it's not a casserole is certainly a pleasing substitute for the old worn & tired Tuna Casserole.


















Sweet Pea & Tuna Salad

4 cups short pasta, such as shells or orecchiette
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 6-ounce cans tuna, drained
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, peas, celery, onion, parsley, and tuna. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, mustard, and pepper. Pour over the salad and gently toss. Serve at room temperature or chilled
~Gleaned from the pages of Real Simple magazine. (One of my favorite American magazine I export back South of the Border with me!)