The Perfect Tuna Casserole

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Liberally spray a fry pan with the cooking spray. (I know, I know—normally veggies are sauteed with butter or olive oil, but there is so much flavor in the this dish, why bust the waistline with the extra calories?) Heat the pan over medium to medium-high heat and toss in the sliced mushrooms and chopped onions. Season them with salt and pepper, then sauté them until they’re soft but the mushrooms are still tender, just under 10 minutes.

While the onions and mushrooms are doing the glorious thing they do when some heat is thrown in the mix (i.e. perfume the air with a mouthwatering aroma), set the flame underneath a pot of boiling water (or light a coil if you have an electric stove). When bubbles-are-a-roilin’, dump in those egg noodles and cook as long as the package says.

In another pot, combine the milk and flour and whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes, give or take. Then add the shredded cheeses and stir until smooth and when you pull up your swizzle stick, cheese trails from it to the pot in the way only melted mozzarella does. Then sprinkle in the nutmeg and stir again.

Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the egg noodles, tuna, onion-mushroom mixture, and the cheesy sauce. Gently stir until all the yummy goodness is evenly distributed, then spread it into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the fried onions atop and bake for 25 minutes. (If you don’t have fried onions, use bread crumbs then dollop a tablespoon or two of butter across the top instead). Scatter the chopped parsley over the top of the casserole after pulling it from the oven.

Scoop steaming piles of gooey deliciousness onto plates or into bowls, season with more salt and pepper if needed, and enjoy!