A Big Bowl of Cold Tuna Salad on a Hot August Day

My mom is the queen of comfort foods. Whether it was coming home after school and the house being filled with the aroma of chili and freshly baked bread, or coming home after swimming lessons and tasting one of her fantastic summer salads. My kids and I still go over there with our requests.

The other day I had the WORST craving for her tuna noodle salad. It has the perfect blend of sweet, salty, crunchy, creamy. I like a little more "kick" than my mom puts in hers, so I sprinkle a little cayenne in for fun.

Two things I highly recommend: 1) use good tuna. Water-packed solid white Albacore is my favorite. Save the can of mushy stuff for something else. 2) Try Barilla Plus pasta. It is whole grain, has extra fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. And it tastes GREAT! I am not a fan of whole wheat pasta cuz it tastes too healthy. The Barilla Plus is just plain nummy.

so, here we go!

Mom's Tuna Noodle Salad (with a twist of Stacey)

1 pkg Barilla Plus Farfalle pasta (cook as directed, rinse, and cool)

2 cans solid white Albacore tuna

1 small can of young peas

2 ribs of celery, chopped fine

1 Tbsp onion, chopped fine

1 cup Hellman's mayonnaise

splash of dill pickle juice

1 tsp dill weed

1/2 tsp beau monde seasoning

handful of sugar (more may be added to taste)

few pinches of cayenne

salt and pepper to taste

paprika for garnish

Toss all ingredients together, taste... add more mayo if it's too dry, and add spices to your taste. Garnish with paprika. Refrigerate. Keeps for about 5 days.

(Bringing the salad somewhere, but the bowl is messy on the sides from stirring??? Simply edge the bowl with lettuce leaves. No need to switch bowls, and the salad on the edges help the lettuce hold.)