Inspired by the green bean casserole poll, I was thinking about my mom’s tuna casserole and remembered I had mentioned her recipe to someone else who’s mom’s recipe was completely different. So now I’m wondering about the SDMB’s spread of differences. I searched for a similar thread but didn’t find one.
My mom’s tuna casserole consisted of: canned tuna packed in oil. Jay’s potato chips (it had to be Jay’s - according to her no other chips would work or taste right), cream of mushroom soup, and frozen peas with a splash of milk. Layer chips, tuna, soup, peas, repeat to the top of the dish, splash with milk, and bake until crispy on top.
Haven’t had it in at least 20 years, but loved it when I was a kid.
My tuna casserole is like your Mom’s, only in one layer, Ripple potato chips, and with egg noodles. I still make this on occasion and love it.
I found this fancy version of tuna casserole in Bon Appetite magazine a while back, and I’ve made it - it’s REALLY good. Not the classic, but worth a look for the tuna casserole enthusiasts.
My mom used to make hamburger casserole all the time and I loved it.
Just press some ground beef into a clear glass (that’s what she used) pyrex type baking dish. Then top with a healthy amount of sliced onions, then, a can of mushroom soup, then, top with sliced raw potato, then bake until done. Sorry, I don’t have the exact directions, but it can’t be hard to screw up. There might have been some more detailed layering and salt and pepper, but this is how I remember it.
My late grandma used to make a simple corn casserole to bring to family gatherings. It was simply 2 cans creamed corn, 1 can sweet corn, broken up Saltines and (sometimes) a bit of cheese.
It tastes better than it sounds, I promise. I’ll make it every now and again when I’m missing her a lot.
Cheeseburger casserole. It was some odd mixture of Bisquick, cheese, and hamburger. Nothing was layered, it was all stirred together. But the meat settled to the bottom. I think the recipe is right on the Bisquick box.
Tater tot casserole. Hamburger on the bottom, topped with frozen peas, then a can of cream of mushroom soup over that, and toter tots arranged on top.
My mom’s tuna casserole was a little different from the standard. Instead of egg noodles, she used elbow macaroni – specifically Creamettes brand. She used canned peas, and oil-packed tuna, which I think may have been the only type available in cans at the time (early 70s). On the top, she used Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup until there was a scare about contaminated canned mushrooms, and then she switched to cream of celery (and never switched back, even after the scare was over). No potato chips or bread crumbs on the top either.
Every once in a while I’ll get a craving for it, which is only partially satisfied by the Stouffer’s version.
