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TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
COOK TIME: 45 minutes
surge@doubleincision.com

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one of my favorite go-to comfort food recipes tbh. it's inexpensive, quick, and keeps really well in the fridge or freezer. the basic recipe is nothing fancy, but i've added some ideas at the bottom to change it up a bit :)

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{ INGREDIENTS }

- 4 cups egg noodles
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cans tuna in water, 10 oz
- 1 can peas
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tbsp panko bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
    + i usually add way more breadcrumb-butter topping than this, but this quantity is a good starting point ;)
- salt and pepper

{ DIRECTIONS }

1. cook egg noodles according to the directions on the package, drain, set aside in a large bowl

2. preheat oven to 400 F

3. drain all liquid from the tuna and peas. combine tuna, peas, and milk in the same bowl as the noodles, mix well. add salt and pepper to your preference; i like it a little more peppery!

4. transfer mixture to a casserole dish. bake 25 minutes.

5. mix bread crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. remove casserole dish from the oven, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top, and return to oven. continue baking about 5 more minutes or until the breadcrumb topping is crispy.

// TWEAKS //
there's a lot of ways you can alter and play with this recipe because it's so simple. if you don't like mushroom, for example, you can use cream of celery or cream of chicken soup.

peas can be swapped for, or combined with, just about any vegetable you like. i've made this with canned green beans before and it was pretty good! i've also heard of using canned corn, but i've never tried it. i think if i were to use corn, i would probably add more salt than usual, because corn is somewhat sweet.

to dress the casserole up a little, saute onions and celery and add into the mix. for a more "seasoned" flavor, try onion or garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. you could even throw in a little hot sauce if you like spicy. 

if you want an even crunchier crust on top, crush up some potato chips and add a layer underneath the breadcrumbs. also, cheese...cheese can *always* be added. shredded cheddar is best, in my opinion!