I’ve covered a lot of the classics, so you knew I would have to make this one eventually. This seems like the opportune time. Sometimes you just NEED comfort food.

My husband had surgery on his hand this week. It’s been a blur of sleepless nights, alarms set for pain pills, and general worried feelings because I just wish I could make him feel better. He’s now on the mend, so I thought some old school comfort food would be perfect, and he thought tuna noodle casserole sounded good when I mentioned it. Why not? It’s warm and hearty, and easy to eat when you can’t use your dominant hand.  Plus, it makes more than two people can eat in one meal. HELLO leftovers! Leftovers are a definite plus for this tired caregiver.

Classic or Cliché?

In some ways it seems silly to post a recipe for tuna noodle casserole. Everyone knows what it is, right? It’s not hard to come by a recipe, and it’s so easy you could make it up on the fly. My hope is, however, that it just gives you a little inspiration. As cliché and kitschy as tuna noodle casserole is, sometimes it’s the foods that you have eaten or even thought about for years that are fun to make when you’re too tired to think of something to make. Does that make sense?  I hope so. I’m tired.

There’s something lovely about the way the serving spoon cuts through the casserole, much like that first spoonful of crème brule. At first there is resistance as the spoon passes through the cracker and cheese crust. Then, it easily dips into the creamy center.

Make it Your Own

I snuck some frozen peas into the sauce to get a few veggies into our diet. The great thing about tuna noodle casserole is it’s adaptability. You can throw any veggie you like into the sauce, or change things up with different toppings. Crackers, potato chips, or buttered cornflakes are some of the toppings mentioned in my vintage Joy of Cooking.

My husband asked for seconds, so I think he liked it.