Lox on a Cloud of Cream Cheese

Lox on a Cloud of Cream Cheese, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This is more a serving suggestion than an actual recipe. I didn't have bagels and didn't want to hassle building these on each cracker. It turned out great; people could take as much or as little of each part as they wanted. It disappeared.

LOX ON A CLOUD OF CREAM CHEESE

8 oz. cream cheese or neufchatel, room temperature
8 oz. nova lox
2 tbsp. green onions, chopped
2 tbsp. capers, optional
Ritz or other buttery crackers

Whip cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Mound on a serving platter in a large "puddle". Mound lox in the center, being sure to keep an edge of the cream cheese showing. Garnish with capers and green onions. Encircle the cream cheese with crackers.

Serves 4-6

Uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums on 11 Feb '07, 4.59am PST.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuna Noodle Casserole 2, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Growing up in the 50's and 60's, casseroles were a mainstay in my mom's limited cooking repetoire. Even though she was basically a housewife, she had lost her senses of taste and smell due to a fall when she was a girl, so cooking was not one of her strong suits. She wouldn't make this dish very often, but it was hard to not go for thirds when she'd serve the noodles with creamy sauce and crunchy, salty potato chips on top.

My family is usually not really fans of this dish - Bob doesn't like creamy casserole dishes, Linz doesn't like tuna, and Brandon doesn't like hot tuna. I'm surprised that Kyle eats it, because he usually doesn't like fish or shellfish of any sort.

I had some leftover cooked spaghetti in the freezer and thought this would be a great dish to throw together for the boys and me. Bob's started his week-long solo trip to Mexico. I probably won't be doing a lot of elaborate dishes while he's gone, since it just the three of us and the boys are happy with grilled cheese/hot dogs/mac and cheese, etc.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

6 ounces egg noodles, cooked al dente
1 6 1/2 oz. can tuna in water, canned, drained
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup celery, minced
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 10 3/4 ounce can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup nonfat milk
4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
3/4 cup potato chips, crushed

Combine soup, milk, and cheddar in bowl. Microwave on low for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Combine with remaining ingredients.

Top with crushed potato chips.

Bake at 350° until bubbly.

Per Serving: 343 Calories; 17g Fat (44.9% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 50mg Cholesterol; 546mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.