Tuna Noodle Casserole

One of two recipes I remember from my child hood that I do not like is tuna noodle casserole. However, I wanted something different and easy- and most likely in my pantry. I sarcastically texted Justin while at work and said "Do you want tuna noodle casserole?AKA Puke in a bowl?"  And he unfortunately responded with "Sounds delicious."  Ugh. So as I was scouring the internet for recipes,

 I realized that the recipe my mom made when I was a kid used mayo and milk.  Even if you enjoy this recipe, it takes a long time for the entire recipe to cook down and become the right consistency.

The recipe below took only 15 minutes (versus 45) when it gets in the oven.  I surprised myself and enjoyed this recipe. The key is the crunch from the celery and the crisp of the chips.

Due to my hunger level, I did not get a picture. Next time I make it I will!    By the way, I labeled this 30 minutes or less recipe because you do more waiting than preparing.

Ingredients

• 12 oz.of cavatappi noodles(or any kind), prepared per package
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can cream of chicken
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom
• 2 tablespoon of butter
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 single stalk of celery, diced
• 1/2 cup onion,diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 (6 oz.) can of tuna,drained
• 2 cups of shredded cheese
• 1 cup of crumbled potato chips

Instructions

1. Prepare the noodles as described on package. (Note to self - takes about 20 minutes to bring water to a boil)
2. Use 1 tablespoon of butter and grease a 9x13 pan.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F. After you've placed the noodles in the water to boil,prepare the vegetables. Once the vegetables are diced, melt the rest of the butter in a saute pan and gently add the vegetables(onions, celery and garlic). Saute for 2 minutes and then remove from heat.
4. Once the noodles are boiled,drain them.Don't let them cool, immediately transfer to large mixing bowl and add the cream of soups, vegetables, tuna, peas and half the cheese. Mix all the ingredients until the noodles and others are equally combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the dish, sprinkle the chips and rest of the cheese over the top of the mixture.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, and serve fresh.