ThanksNovember

I'm always thankful, but lets celebrate in November.  It's ThanksNovember!

I'm thankful for unexpected days at home (and sleeping in!), where the minutes slow down and comfort is paramount.  

I'm thankful for husbands and dogs who cuddle and drink chai and carve pumpkins on expected together days.

I'm thankful for landlords with a two year old dressed up as a parrot who trick or treat bearing candy!  

I'm thankful we have great people all around us. (and I'm sorry we didn't have candy to give)

I'm thankful for pumpkins and knives, and slippery pumpkin guts and candles inside that smell like pumpkin!  

I'm thankful for roasting pumpkin seeds and toasty spices.  And how they crunch and crack in my teeth.  

I'm especially thankful for peanut butter and all pies it contains!  

Nothing beats peanut butter for comfort and pleasure, I'm so thankful my taste buds were able to taste it.

And finally, I'm thankful for cheesy and comforting tuna noodle casserole.  

I'm thankful my mother never made tuna noodle casserole, because I'm certain I wouldn't have liked it.  

I'm thankful I'm exactly one measure smarter now and two times more clever.

This is what we ate for dinner.  

Delicious cheesy tuna noodle casserole. Just what the doctor ordered.

Recipe:

Make the sauce from this recipe here.  One entire batch.

1 tsp oil

1/2 onion, small dice

1 stalk celery, mini diced

1/2-3/4 cup frozen peas

2 1/2 cups egg noodles

1 can tuna

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Make the bechamel sauce from website.

Boil a pot of water and cook egg noodles until al dente.

In a pan over medium heat cook the onion and celery.  When they are softened after about 8-10 minutes add peas, salt and pepper.  Dump into a large bowl.  Add the bechamel sauce, tuna, cottage cheese, 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and cooked noodles.  Mix around well.  In a small bowl mix the bread crumbs and olive oil.  

Pour the noodle mixture into a 6 inch square pan, top with remaining cheddar cheese and then bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered for 25 minutes.

Dessert was peanut butter and roasted banana pie.

There you have it, dinner for October 31, 2012