Tempt My Tummy Tuesday - Sicilian Tuna Salad

Well, that certainly was a long blogging break. I have to say, "I have really missed my blogging." The Christmas season is always a busy time for my family. I try to slow down a bit and spend as much time as I possibly can with them. My son and daughter are both teenagers now and will be grown and gone before I know it. I am really struggling with this.

In an attempt to get on a blogging schedule, I am going to be linking up with other blogs that I find interesting and helpful. I hope you will find a few new favorites as well. My first link this month is "Tempt My Tummy Tuesday" over at Blessed with Grace.

I'm re posting my version of Sicilian Tuna Salad to get started. I know a lot of you have tuna stockpiled and are looking for something different to do with it.

Sicilian Tuna Salad

12 oz. tuna (close as you can get with what you have on hand)

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 green onions, sliced or a little chopped onion

12 black olives, sliced

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or 1 cheese stick, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 to 3 tbsps olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Drain the tuna if using canned tuna. Put tuna in a large bowl and flake. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is distributed throughout.

I love this salad on a croissant but Jessica loves it on whole wheat bread. What's your favorite bread for a tuna salad sandwich?

For more yummy recipes, hop on over to Blessed with Grace for "Tempt My Tummy Tuesday".

Asian Tuna Wontons

I have so much tuna in my pantry from all the great sale this month. I have been searching high and low for new tuna recipes that don't include the word casserole in them. Here is one that my family really enjoyed.

Dressing:

1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp chili paste

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp honey


Mixture:

2 cans (6 1/2 oz. each) tuna, drained

3 tbsp crushed peanuts ( we used chopped cashews, free from CVS)

4 cups coleslaw mix



1 package of wonton wrappers to make cups to hold tuna mixture.


Heat oven to 350*.

Mix up the dressing ingredients and set aside. Next, put the tuna mixture ingredients in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the dressing to this mixture and toss.

Brush 24 muffin tins with peanut oil (1 tbsp). Place 24 wonton wrappers in tins and brush any dry spots, especially tips with oil. Put in oven and bake for 6-7 minutes. Take out of tins and cool on wire rack.

To serve, place a pile of mixture on the plate and 6 wontons per person.

We served this with egg rolls and fresh fruit. You could also serve it with corn on the cob, if you don't have or like egg rolls. This was a really lite and refreshing dinner.

I think this mixture would also make a yummy wrap if you don't want to mess with the wontons.

Sicilian Tuna Salad

My daughter and I had the most wonderful tuna salad panini at a little bakery last week. We wrote down a list of the ingredients from the menu on the back of a receipt so that we could make it at home. If you don't like mayo in your tuna then give this recipe a try. It is fresh and delicious.

12 oz. of tuna (close as you can get with what you have on hand)

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 green onions, sliced or a little bit of onion diced

12 black olives, sliced

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella or 1 mozzarella cheese stick, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 to 3 tbsps. of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Drain the tuna if using canned tuna. Put the tuna in a large bowl and flake. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until everything is distributed throughout.

I love this salad on a croissant but Jessica loves it on whole wheat. What's your favorite bread for tuna salad? Do you make your own bread? If you do make your own bread, what recipe do you use?

The Best Chili Ever - Canadian Maple Turkey Chili

I just finished having a bowl of the best chili my daughter and I have ever made. We wanted to make the recipe from the Dinner Survival cookbook but did not have everything for the recipe. So, we decided to wing it. Following is the recipe we came up with.

1 to 1 1/4 lbs. lean ground turkey

6 slices bacon cooked in the microwave on paper towels, about 4 minutes or until done

1 onion, diced

2 ribs celery, sliced

8 oz. container of white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced

1/2 of a 1 lb bag of baby carrots, chopped

2 to 4 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

1/2 ground ancho chili powder, less if you don't like spicy food (you can substitute ground cayenne pepper)

1 Tbsp tomato paste (we use a tube because it is easier to store)

1 small can Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes

1 can cannellini beans (mix with 1/4 c. bbq sauce and 2 tbsps molasses) or 1 can baked beans

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 can of corn, drained (save the other have to put in cornbread)

Put 1 to 2 Tbsps oil in dutch oven or large pot. Heat over high heat and add ground turkey. When meat is browned add the onion, celery, carrot and mushrooms. Cook 1 to 2 minutes to soften vegetables, then add maple syrup, salt, pepper and spices. Cook for 3 more minutes, then add tomato paste, canned tomatoes, baked bean mixture, corn, and ketchup. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes.

This chili goes great with homemade cornbread. We follow the recipe on the canister of cornmeal and add the leftover 1/2 can of corn. We mix up the cornbread while the vegetables are cooking.

I hope you will try this recipe and let us know what you think.

For more great recipes, you can visit The Groery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Menu Planning Monday

This is my first attempt at doing Menu Planning Monday. I hope y'all try some of the recipes that I have listed. My daughter is 14 years old and loves to cook. She has been helping out in the kitchen for a couple of years know and has practically taken over the kitchen. I use to call her my little sous chef. Now, I am her sous chef. She has far surpassed my kitchen skills at the age of 14. I use to burn every batch of snap peas that my mother picked from our acre garden. Anyway, it really is nice cooking with someone who actually enjoys it. I hope that by posting our menus with recipes that I might inspire you to try something different at least once a week.

Monday-Deviled Chicken and Grilled Stone Fruit, Jasmine Rice and Steamed Veggie

Tuesday-Eat Out using a gift certificate purchased using a code from here

Wednesday-Sloppy Joe's (this is our favorite recipe), chips and fruit

Thursday-Maui Chicken, Jasmine Rice and Tossed Salad

Friday-Steak, Potatoes and Corn on the Cob

Saturday-Dinner Out after church

Sunday Supper-Well-Dressed Salmon and Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes

Visit Menu Planning Monday over at Org Junkie for more menu planning ideas.

Remember to, "Pay it Forward."