~Fantastic Tuna Salad With 3 Variations~

We love "traditional" tuna salad sandwiches but after a while they can become a bit boring. Our solution is to perk up our favorite basic recipe with some interesting additions that give it a whole new taste and flare. Here is the basic recipe we use and three variations ... serve with your favorite crusty artisan bread, tortilla, wrap or good old stand by white bread, these variations are sure to please!

~Basic Tuna Salad ingredients:

12 oz. canned tuna packed in water and drained
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
5-6 tbsp. light or regular mayonnaise ( adjust to taste )
3 tbsp. lemon juice ( fresh if available )

~directions:

In a medium sized bowl combine all ingredients with a fork until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour or longer. Stir and serve on your favorite bread.


~for a Mediterranean Flare stir in:

3-4 tbsp. capers ( whole if small or chopped if large )
3 tbsp. chopped black and green olives mixed
2 tbsp. fresh basil chiffonade ( or cut very finely )
1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel ( optional )


~for a Southwestern Flare stir in:

3 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp. sun dried tomatoes
1-2 jalapeno chile very finely chopped
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cumin ( optional )


~for a Curried Flare stir in:

1/3 cup tart Granny Smith apple chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2-3 tsp. curry powder ( adjust to taste )
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. turmeric ( optional )

Enjoy!

~Shrimp Fra Diablo~

~ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
4 cloves crushed garlic
2 chili peppers minced ( seed for less heat )
1/2 cup tomato paste
3 pints stewed tomatoes ( include juice )
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine ( use a good one )
1 cup water
1 tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp minced fresh basil
2 lbs raw shrimp , peeled and cleaned

~directions:

Heat oil in large pot. Add onions, garlic, peppers, and saute for 5 minutes. Add all liquids including tomatoes and paste. Stir well to incorporate paste. Simmer over low to medium heat until onions are tender. Add fresh basil, cayenne pepper and shrimp. Continue to simmer a few more minutes until shrimp is just cooked, do not over cook or shrimp will become tough. Remove from heat immmediately.

Serve with your favorite pasta or rice, Enjoy!

~Linguine With Roasted Grape Tomato And Basil Marinara Sauce~

This is a simple and delicious recipe that is great as a meal or as a side paired with your favorite main dish.

~Ingredients

1 lb dried linguine
2 pints grape tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt for sauce, more is needed to salt the pasta water
1/4 - 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper, to taste
1 small to medium onion sliced thin
2 cloves garlic finely minced or grated
1/2 cup fresh basil chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese or your favorite hard Italian cheese
olive oil
balsamic vinegar


~Directions

Fill a large pot with salted water, bring to boil and cook linguine according to package directions. Reserve one cup of pasta water for use later if needed. Heat up broiler. Place grape tomatoes in a baking pan (that fits in your broiler) with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt and the pepper. Broil the tomatoes , shake once or twice to get more even cooking, until the skins are split and they have a nice char, usually about 15 minutes or so. Put approximately a tablespoon of olive oil in medium sized pot and slowly cook the garlic, and onions until they are soft and translucent, do not brown. If they need a little more moisture use a bit of the reserved pasta water. Add the roasted tomatoes, basil and parsley to the pot and cook on a low to medium heat approximately 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally. Toss with the linguine. If needed add some of the pasta water to lengthen the sauce. Serve drizzled with balsamic vinegar and topped with the grated Parmesan. Enjoy!