The Best Uncomplicated Tuna Casserole You'll Ever Eat

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 box of Kraft Deluxe Four Cheese Macaroni & Cheese OR 1 box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese
* 1 12oz can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
* 1 6.4oz pouch of StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water
* 1 8.5oz Le Sueur Very Young Small Sweet Peas
* 1 tablespoon margarine
* 1/2 cup of 2% milk

Okay... so technically this isn't a "casserole".  It's all made in a pot, but it is DELICIOUS!  I'd follow my recipe the first time and then change it up to your taste the next time.  With the exception of the peas, since there's a lot of people that do not like peas.  Or you can skip the peas and tuna and just have a wonderfully creamy mac & cheese.

I love the recipe with the shells best, but I'll take it either way.  And a little secret... I have found a value brand at a smaller grocery store that I like even more, BUT there are so many not-so-great value brands out there, I'd proceed with caution if that's the route you choose.

1) Cook the macaroni or shells until tender in a medium pot.  Drain the water using a colander and leave the noodles in it.  Turn off the burner.

2) While the pot is still warm, pour in the cream of mushroom soup, the packet of cheese from the macaroni box, and the margarine.  Stir until you have a luscious creamy cheese mixture.

3) Mix the noodles back into the cheese mixture and add the milk.

4) Add the tuna and peas.  Voila, you're done!

As wonderful as this recipe is, it does not keep well.  Trust me.  You have maybe a three hour window to eat it before it begins tasting kinda stale.  When I was single I would cut the recipe in half by cooking only half the noodles and folding the box over.  I'd add the other ingredients, using only half of everything, and putting the remaining soup, cheese, tuna, and peas into a small plastic container.  Refrigerate the leftover ingredients to use another day.  However, those remaining ingredients will only taste good for about three days, so... anyway.

I know you'll love this recipe, so ENJOY!

The Best Spicy Chili You'll Ever Eat

INGREDIENTS:

* 3/4 pound ground round
* 1/2 pound ground sausage
* 1 large yellow onion
* 1-2 green peppers
* 1 4.5oz can of Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
* 1 16oz can Brooks Hot Chili Beans
* 1 16oz can Bush's Regular Chili Beans
* 2 16oz cans of Hunt's Diced Tomatoes

* 1-2 16oz cans of Hunt's Tomato Sauce
* 1 package French's Original Chili-O Seasoning
* La Costena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (in 7oz can, but only a few will be used)
* Cholula Original Hot Sauce
* Black pepper and salt 

I'm going for some big flavor here with the perfect mix of basic ingredients, hence all of the different brands, especially with the chili beans.  If you only use Brooks, your chili will taste like Brooks chili; if you only use Bush's, your chili will taste like Bush's chili.  I'm not personally fond of either used solely in my chili.

For the best outcome, follow my instructions exactly except where I leave room for taste options.

1) Begin browning the meats in a large skillet, or as I do, directly in a large pot.  I like to simplify cleanup by using as few dishes as possible.  I would also suggest using a large wooden spoon for all of your stirring needs.

2) Chop the onion and green pepper.  I like to chop them a little coarsely so that you can get a bigger taste in each bite.  While the meat is still browning, throw them in the skillet or pot to cook down in the oil.

3) After all meat is cooked properly and vegetables have cooked down, drain the oil (in a colander or whatever suits you).

4) If not cooking meat already in a large pot, transfer to one now.  Add the green chiles, both cans of beans, and the diced tomatoes.  Pour in the first can of tomato sauce, and only use as much of the second can as you need to get the consistency you prefer.  Simmer.

With the final four ingredients, it is important to taste as you go so that you do not over season.  If serving to other people, use a different spoon for each tasting.  I like to use plastic spoons.

5) After tasting, add a small amount of the Chili-O seasoning, until it is to your liking.

6) Take 1 to 3 chipotle peppers, and more finely dice them than you've ever diced in your life, taking care not to get on your hands or fingers, as it can burn, especially if you rub your eyes.  Then take the side of the knife and smash them down into a paste.  You can use a food processor for this task, but it's such a small pepper, it hardly seems worth the time cleaning to get all of that spicy residue out.  I'd start with one pepper, stir it into the chili, and add more as you desire.  OR, put three whole peppers into the pot and make sure to remove them when finished.

7) Add hot sauce only as a flavoring, so a few splashes, but not too many without tasting.  Same with salt and black pepper.  Personally, I like three splashes of the hot sauce and a little black pepper, but the seasoning packet hardly makes salt necessary.

8) Simmer for at least another hour before serving.  I usually go about three hours before serving.

This tastes even better after refrigerating for the next couple of days, but don't leave in the refrigerator too long so that bacteria doesn't begin to grow.  It freezes beautifully.  I like to use Glad plastic containers (or another brand) and freeze individual portions.

It's delicious with any shredded cheese, sour cream, crackers, and/or spaghetti noodles if that's your bag.  I also like to top iceberg lettuce with it for a nice chili salad, and it is perfect for nachos with some melted cheese sauce.

I know you'll love this recipe, so ENJOY!