Tuna Noodle Casserole

Paul and I both have ever "enjoyed" tuna noodle casserole, so when this recipe said "Never had it?  Try it, trust me.  Had it?  Try this one, trust me" well, needless to say, we had to try it.  And we are SO glad we did.  This is outstanding!  Try it - you'll like it!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

For the Noodles:
2 Tbsp. unsalted Butter
Salt
4 C. Egg Noodles
16 ounces canned Albacore Tuna in Oil, drained and flaked
10 ounces frozen peas, thawed and rinsed (we omitted these in exchange for fresh green beans)
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces Irish Cheddar cheese, shredded (it makes a difference, don't just go all sharp cheese)

For the Sauce:
2 Tbsp. unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 tsp. dried Thyme
1/2 C. chopped Onion
Salt/Pepper
8 ounces Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. Horseradish
2 Tbsp. all-purpose Flour
1.5 C. Chicken Stock
2 C. Heavy Cream

For the Topping:
3 C. Panko
3-4 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt/Pepper

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package directions. (Since we hate peas, we blanched the fresh green beans with the pasta noodles when close to al dente.  We then proceeded with draining and mixing as directed with noodles and green beans together).  Drain and immediately place noodles in a colander submerged in a large bowl of ice water.  Once cooled, drain and pour the pasta into a large bowl with the tuna, (peas), and both cheeses.  Mix thoroughly.

In a large straight-sided pan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, EVOO, thyme, onion, a pinch of salt, & a few grinds of pepper.  Cook until the onion is tender.  Then add the mushrooms and cook until tender and darkened (approx. 10 minutes total).  Add the Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and sprinkle the flour over the pan.  Stir and cook 1 minute more.  Raise the heat and add the stock.  Cook until it thickens, then stir in the heavy cream.  Simmer about 4 minutes more.  Taste and season with salt/pepper if needed.  Stir into the prepared noodles and pour into the prepared dish.

In a small bowl, combine the panko, 3 Tbsp. EVOO, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Stir until the crumbs evenly soak up the oil, adding more oil if needed (but don't saturate).  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the dish and bake uncovered until the top is golden brown (approximately 35 minutes).

Recipe courtesy of Sunny's Kitchen, 2013.  p. 155.