Tuna Melt in a Bowl: Dru Ann's Cheesy, Creamy Tuna Mac Casserole (as made by Cleo Coyle)

One of the ways Marc and I keep ourselves warm and cozy during the freezing cold winter months is by cooking up comfort food casseroles like this one. Every time we make this easy, one-bowl meal, we love it, which is more than appropriate since it came from a woman named Love, award-winning blogger and book reviewer Dru Ann Love!

So let's get Dru's recipe started...

👇

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A Note from Cleo 

Several years ago, Dru Ann Love shared this easy recipe when she appeared here as the guest of our co-blogger Lucy Burdette. (See her original post here.) We made only a few small changes to Dru's recipe, which she adapted from something she learned years ago in a Home Economics class. 

One of the reasons we're re-posting today is because we wanted to share a convenient, downloadable PDF of the recipe. Now you can print it out, too, and keep it on hand in your own kitchen for some culinary comfort. As we said at the top, we love this dinner. It's a quick and easy meal, yet oh-so satisfying on a cold winter's night. May you eat with one-bowl, tuna-melt joy!

~ Cleo 

🍴

To download Dru's recipe in a
free PDF that you can print,
save, or share, click here.

Click for Free Recipe PDF.

🍜 Dru Ann Love's Tuna Mac & Cheese Casserole 

-

(or as we call it) "Tuna Melt in a Bowl"

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

1/2 box of medium pasta shells (1 lb box)

3/4 of an (8 oz) block extra sharp cheddar cheese (or you can use the entire block if you want it extra-cheesy)

1 (5 oz) can solid white tuna in water

2 - 3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise (Hellman’s is Dru's favorite, and ours, too.) 

1/2 teaspoon or so of seasonings (see the suggestions in the note below)

Directions: First preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare the pasta as directed on the box, and be sure to make it al dente (do not overcook or the casserole will be mushy). While the pasta is cooking, drain the tuna well, place it in a large bowl, and flake it with a fork. Season it (see note below) and set aside. Slice the block of cheese into small cubes and set aside. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain well, and pour it into the bowl with the seasoned tuna. Add the cubed cheese and mayonnaise. Toss well, until all the pasta is coated. If needed, add more mayonnaise. Pour the pasta into a casserole dish (1-1/2 quarts in size) or a loaf pan (9x5-inches) and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before digging in!

A note on seasoning: 

Dru Ann suggests Black & Red from spice merchant Penzeys. This is a great seasoning suggestion! If you don’t have this on hand, you can make your own by mixing freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of hot red cayenne. 

Our suggestion from Penzeys is either Northwoods Fire (if you like a little heat) or Northwoods Seasoning (if you prefer no heat or spiciness). To make your own version of these spice blends, mix these spices togehter: coarse salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, rosemary and granulated garlic. For heat add a bit of cayenne red pepper and ground chipotle pepper. If you'd prefer a mild version, simply leave the pepper spices out.

Click for Free Recipe PDF.

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Eat (and read) with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle

New York Times bestselling author
of The Coffeehouse Mysteries 

Alice and Marc in Central Park. 

Together we write as Cleo Coyle. 

Learn more about us here.
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Welcome Guest Dru Ann Love

LUCY BURDETTE: You'll soon see that today's special guest, Dru Ann Love, loves to read, especially cozy mysteries. And so you'll understand that we love Dru Ann--she's like a good fairy for cozies. You can find her on book blog called Dru's Book Musings, and on Facebook, and she also blogs as an honorary Cozy Chick with Dru's Cozy Report. Welcome Dru Ann--we're so happy to have you!

DRU ANN LOVE: I am a lazy cook.  My idea of a good meal is dining at a local restaurant or take-out.  On that rare occasion that I make a dish, one of my favorite (although I am not a huge fan of tuna fish) is my tuna fish casserole. 

I think I got this recipe from my home economics class and of course I did some modifications (do they even still have that in junior high/middle school?) to the recipe and the best part is that it is easy peasy with only four ingredients. 

My idea of baking is setting the oven to 350 degrees and putting the timer on for 30 minutes and only checking on the food when the timer goes off.  Again, this meal meets my qualifications as well.  So, you got an easy peasy recipe that bakes for 20 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This allows me the time to read a book, watch TV or do some quilting.
Ingredients: 

1 box of medium pasta shells (use half the box for this recipe)
1 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 can of solid white tuna in water
Hellman’s mayonnaise

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the pasta as directed on the box.

While the pasta is cooking:


Flake the tuna fish in a bowl and season it (I use a Penzey’s Black and Red spice)


Slice the cheese block into small cubes

Drain the pasta




 
Put the pasta, the flaked tuna fish, ¾ of the cubed cheese and 2 scoops (I use medium size wooden spoon) of mayonnaise in a mixing bowl.  If you like it cheesy, add all of the cheese.

 



Mix well; making sure that all the pasta is coated.  Add more mayonnaise if needed. 
 
 Pour mixture into a cake or loaf pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. 








Take out and let sit for 5 minutes
 and then dig in. 
Enjoy!

 








(and Lucy says--Dru thanks so much for visiting! Dru Ann is so smart--with this recipe, she has all kinds of time left over for her favorite pastimes...)

Tuna Casserole

Did you grow up on Tuna Fish Casserole? It was my mother's go-to dish if she was going to be super busy doing something else. We never complained about it. There's something comforting about tuna casserole.

With all the talk about mercury in tuna, I hardly ever make it anymore. I tried substituting salmon but it just wasn't the same. It has to be tuna.

So then I tried using organic soup instead of Campbell's. That was a disaster. There's nothing quite like good old Campbell's soup. I did use their heart healthy Cream of Celery Soup this time around and it worked out fine.

This is a recipe that I wrote in the back of my worn copy of The Joy of Cooking. I called it my Yummy Tuna Casserole. I actually wrote "loads of garlic powder" which I interpret to mean -- use it liberally!

Yummy Tuna Casserole

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
1 package broad egg noodles or fettucine
1 package frozen corn
2 cans tuna fish
1/2 to 1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
two pinches sage
1 pinch thyme
loads of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 9 x 11 baking pan.

Heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

When the mushrooms are cooked through, stir in the Cream of Celery Soup.

Drain the pasta and return the noodles to the pot. Add the mushroom mixture and all other ingredients except Parmesan cheese. Stir to mix, taste and add salt and pepper. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle liberally with Parmesan cheese. Bake 45 minutes.