Tuna Mac and Cheese

8 oz. sea shell pasta
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup water
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cans (4.5 oz.) Tuna
French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook shells according to package directions.  Drain and pour into a large mixing bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and both cans of tuna.   Stir to mix.  In a sauce pan melt butter/margarine.  Add onions and cook until tender but not brown.  Stir in flour and pepper.  Add milk and water all at once.  Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened and bubbly.  Pour over shell mixture.  Stir.  Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese has melted.  Top with French fried onions.  Bake another 3-4 minutes.  Serves 6.

Comment:  I've made Chicken Mac and Cheese so why not Tuna.  I used my basic recipe for mac and cheese simply adding the tuna and sprinkling the top with the French fried onions.  This turned out delicious.  I would suggest using tuna firmly packed in water and not oil to give you the delicious tuna taste.  For changes you could add a 1/4 cup of chopped bell pepper to the onions, change the cheese to a sharper blend or maybe add a little Old Bay for an extra kick.  I used the evaporated milk for its richness but that can be changed to milk of your choice. 

Food Tester Carol:  I always feel that the briny taste of any seafood wakes me up , makes me more alert!  This dish puts sea shells on the map in triple force.  Here's why:  The briny taste of the tuna has a particular sharpness that just asks to be noticed.  What can match that but none other than broccoli which is there not because it's a vegetable but another sharp flavor.  Partner those two with the sharpness of Colby-Cheddar and you have a dish that is so perfectly balanced but tasting like triple energy!  Take care what you serve with it.  Choose something equally lively.

Bacon Tortellini 'n Cheese

1 pkg. (12 oz. about 3 cups) 3 cheese Tortellini
1 can (18 oz.) Progresso Recipe Starters Cheese Sauce
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup precooked bacon, crumbled
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 cup French fried onions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cook Tortellini according to package.  In a large sauce pan bring cheese sauce, milk and garlic to a boil stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Fold in bacon and cheese.  Bake 20 minutes.  Top with French fried onions.  Bake another 3-4 minutes allowing the onions to lightly brown.  Serves 6

Comment:  I found a recipe for Bacon Mac and Cheese on the can of Progresso Recipe Starter but did as I always do, made a few changes.  I used the Tortellini instead of penne pasta.  I used an Italian cheese blend instead of cheddar and eliminated the red bell pepper.  I also topped mine with the French fried onions instead of panko.  This dish turned out simply delicious.  You can make changes by using different flavors of tortellini, cheese and by adding broccoli or even spinach.  Think With Your Taste Buds and make this dish your own.

Mac & Cheese with Chicken

6 oz. pkg of pasta noodles, cooked and drained
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 cups milk
3 cups cheese, shredded
bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl whisk milk and flour.  Add 2 1/2 cups cheese, chicken and noodles.  Mix well.  Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bread crumbs.  Drizzle with butter.  Bake 40-45 minutes or until cheese has melted, dish is bubbly and crumbs are browned.  Serves 6-8.

Comment:  I found chicken breasts on sale for $.99 lb. and couldn't resist buying.  Now what to do with them.  I decided to boil and think about it later.  Later came and some went to chicken salad but the rest went into a true comfort food...mac & cheese.  I boiled my noodles in some of the chicken broth which gave them a delicious flavor and for my cheese I used half of a cheddar blend and half of an Italian blend.  This turned out so good.