Ash Wednesday - Meatless Meal

Well,

I wanted to make a meatless dinner for Ash Wednesday, thought of Tuna Noodle Casserole, but couldn't stomach the canned cream of mushroom recipe I ate for years. Saw VP Joe Biden on the news this evening with ashes on his forehead, thought that half of the Country probably was wondering what did he have up there? Felt like I was an insider.

I looked on line for a new recipe but most were worse than above, I did find one that was good, but I settled on a recipe from one of my many cookbooks.

My first choice was from my ever-present "Joy of Cooking", the 1997 edition by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer, her daughter and Marion's husband, Ethan Becker, updated for the first time sine1974. This recipe has sauteed vegetables; onion, red and green bell peppers and mushrooms to which you add 1/4 c of flour and 2 1/2 C of milk. Heat then add to the cooked egg noodles, 12 oz., and two cans of drained tuna, 1 C of grated sharp cheddar cheese mixed with some chopped parsley and topped with bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes.

I ended up using, for the first time in a very long time, "The Family Circle Cookbook, New Tastes for New Times, from the Family Circle editors and David Ricketts; a five ring binder book.

The recipe was basically the same but they added two stalks of celery to the veggie mix, a mir poux, but they had less milk, 1 1/2 C, which made it just a little dry, next time, and there will be a next time, I will use more milk, 2+ cups. FC did add 1 T of fresh dill to the dish, which I had on hand for salads and this was a great addition, I have never added this before and it added a great level of taste.

For my topping I used the crushed corn flakes, bought pre-crushed, to which I mixed with some Parmesan cheese and 1 T of melted butter.

This dish looked great and tasted even better, it was well worth the effort above and beyond the soup-based version.

Served with some steamed veggies and everyone went back for seconds which is a good sign.

I'll discuss my wine decanter soon.