Tuna Casserole

One plated serving of my Tuna Casserole.

The Best Tuna Casserole

This is better than a basic recipe for a Tuna Casserole but it is easy and it’s delicious. Last week, I made a very simple and basic recipe, which was descent, but it didn’t strike me as a yeah I want more kind of a dish so, I decided to step it up. The end result turned out great and I really think you’re going to be pleased because I stuck with all of the basics and through in some ingredients to give this dish more bite.

Frying pan on the stove half full of chopped Holy Trinity ingredients, garlic and peas.

The Holy Trinity with Peas

Many basic Tuna Casserole recipes call for frozen peas but I decided to take it a step further and add the Holy Trinity. As you may or may not know, the Holy Trinity is just 3 simple ingredients made famous in in French and Cajun Cuisine; chopped onion, celery and bell pepper. These three ingredients are a fundamental start to many recipes and I decided that this dish shouldn’t be any different so, I added them.

Mixed Tuna Casserole ingredients, in a large bowl, before baking.

Creamy and Crunchy

One of my favorite things about a casserole is the top layer. I like the crunchy flavor of salty Potato chips and/or fried French Onions. In this case, I decided to add both for more flavor. I crush the potato chips and add them to the mix and add the french onions as a topping with cheddar cheese. That’s not the only cheese I add to this recipe, however. Again, I’m going for flavor and I like anything creamy to be rich so, I added grated Parmesan cheese to the mix along with some cream of mushroom soup and a little milk.

You have to be careful with the mixture of all of these ingredients because you can, very easily, do one of two things; either make it runny, with too much liquid or dry it out with not enough. Those potato chips and the “Al dente” noodles like to suck up that moisture with the casserole is baking so, be sure you’ve added the right amounts that I’ve listed below. And, if by some chance you’re tastes are different than mine, just adjust the liquid, milk, accordingly.

Oh, I almost forgot… I usually salt the boiling water before I cook my noodles to add more flavor but, in this case, I chose Chicken Bouillon. Just think of it like adding the seasoning packet to your ramen and flavoring the noodles. It isn’t weird, it’s pretty much the same frickin’ thing!

Tuna Casserole video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet.

Tuna Casserole Ingredients:

1 12 oz bag Egg Noodles
Cook the Noodles in Chicken Broth or use Bouillon. Approximately 4 quarts of water and 1/3 cup of Knorr Chicken Bouillon.

1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Butter
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 bunch Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 stick Cellery, diced
1 Bell Pepper, diced
1 cup Peas, frozen
1/2 Onion, diced
2 cans Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 cup French Onions
1/2 cup Potato Chips, crushed
3 cans tuna, Solid White Albacore
1 tbsp Worcestorshire

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bake at 400° Fahrenheit for 20 minutes then add the Cheddar cheese and French onions and bake for another 5 minutes, then serve.

P.S. You can easily turn this dish into a Chicken Noodle Casserole by swapping out the canned Tuna for Chicken and the canned Cream of Mushroom Soup for Cream of Chicken Soup, instead.

Pinsoon Air Fryer Oven

Pinsoon 10 Quart Air Fryer with 8 cooking presets, Rotisserie and adjustable time and temp.

The Best Air Fryer

This Pinsoon Air Fryer has got to be one of the best kitchen appliances I have ever seen. As a younger man, I lived in and out of Hotel’s for years, because of the work I was traveling for, and I wish I had something this compact and practical I could’ve traveled with back then. This machine doesn’t just air fry, it acts like a mini oven or toaster oven. Plus it has a rotisserie motor in it with a spit rod for meat and a basket attachment for more containment. I tested this thing out, with everything I could throw at it, and these were my results.

Top Round Sirloin Beef Roast with Garlic, Onions, Mushrooms and Sweet Peppers.

Pinsoon Air Fryer Recipes and Presets

One of the things I really like about this Air Fryer is the control panel. It’s got a Digital face with smart touch functions including presets, time and temperature adjustment, oven light, rotisserie rotation and a start button combination with the power switch. It’s very user friendly and it comes with a book with over 30 recipes they recommend. Everything I cooked in the video, I cycled back to back cooking just like I would do in a restaurant. I just kept running different options, just like different orders of food coming in, and kept the heat going and it handled everything I threw at it, with precision.

If you’re looking for a simple lifestyle change but you don’t want to change what you’re eating, this might be the answer for you. It’s healthier eating because it cooks the fat off the food instead of baking or deep frying more back in. This company is giving you 20% off for a limited time if you use this code Tara10QT and This Link!

Pinsoon Air Fryer Oven video tutorial by Poor Man’s Gourmet Kitchen.

Country Style Barbecue Ribs

Braised and Baked Country Style Barbecue Ribs.

The Best Barbecue Country Style Ribs

If you love ribs, you’re going to love this Country Style recipe because it’s got it all. These ribs can easily be cooked outdoors on a grill or inside on a stove and in the oven. I season the ribs with my Blackened Seasoning recipe, then braise them in barbecue sauce and pineapple juice. These ribs are finished off in the oven to caramelize the sauce and firm up the out side of the rib. The results are a fall of the bone tender barbecue rib that, literally, melts in your mouth.

Store bought Country Style pork ribs.

What are Country Style Ribs

Wikipedia describes Country Style Ribs as the blade end of the loin close to the pork shoulder and they’re considered more of a chop than a rib because the bones aren’t rib bones at all. They’re the Shoulder Blade or “Scapula” bones behind the shoulder. The result is a loin cut portion that is more than 3/4 meat vs. bone. The benefit to this, if it isn’t obvious, is more bang for your buck. An average rack of baby back ribs weighs 3 to 4 pounds and so does a package of Country Style ribs but the baby backs cost twice as much. So, by purchasing these ribs instead, not only are you cutting the cost in half, you’re getting twice the eats because there’s a lot more meat.

Blackened seasoned Country Style ribs just marinating.

Seasoning Country Style Ribs

One of the secrets to any good rib recipe rings true for these Country Style ribs, as well. You’ve got to have a good rub or seasoning. For this recipe, I use my Blackened Seasoning and I showed you how to make that in the last YouTube video and blog post. There’s other substitutions that can be used like Old Bay or a Crawfish Boil Seasoning. Zatarain’s and Slap Your Mama are both good choices. Even my Brisket Rub recipe would be excellent for these ribs because all of these have the same basic ingredients with small twists and variations is all but will have very similar results.

Braising Country Style Ribs in Barbecue Sauce and Pineapple Juice.

Braised Country Style Ribs

Essentially, this Country Style Ribs recipe is braised and baked but many avid grill masters do the exact same thing on the grill. So everything you learn here can be applied to your barbecue if you want to grill this recipe instead. These ribs are braised in a mixture of barbecue sauce and Pineapple juice. You can replace the pineapple juice with beer instead, if you want to go that rout. It’s a real common practice with just as good results, just slightly different taste. Season and sear your ribs, then braise in the sauce for 1 1/2 hours and grill for 5 to 10 minutes to caramelize.

Baked Country Style Barbecue Ribs.
Oven Baked Country Style Ribs

Now that you know that you can take this Country Style Ribs recipe to the grill let’s talk about how easy it is to bake in the oven. 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, after the braising. That’s it and that’s all. So, if you don’t think you can handle cooking these ribs after you watch my video tutorial, I’ve done something terribly wrong. Good luck!

Country Style Barbecue Ribs Ingredients:

1 pkg Country Style Ribs
2 cups Barbecue Sauce, I use Baby Ray’s
1/2 cup Pineapple Juice
1 tbsp Kosher Salt, approximately
2 tbsp Blackened Seasoning, approximately