Dill Pickle Tuna Macaroni Salad

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad
My own creation

You cannot tell from the picture, but there is actually Albacore tuna in this pasta salad. It's similar to my Macaroni Salad, but slightly different. The regular macaroni salad (without tuna) has green pepper and black olives. (Instead of celery and dill pickles). This and my regular macaroni salad may not be anything new to you, but most macaroni salad I've eaten, whether it be at an Amish restaurant or potluck, is almost always sweet. I like those sweet versions too, and if you like a sweet macaroni salad please try my Broccoli Pasta Salad HERE (with bacon). I'm crazy about it!

Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad

Ingredients
1 lb dry macaroni, any shape (I use GF)

2 small can Albacore Tuna, drained
6 hard boiled eggs, grated
1½ cups mayonnaise (Hellmans or Dukes)
1 - 2 Tbs yellow mustard
¾  cup celery, chopped
¾ cup sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
1 cup Baby Dill pickles (whole) chopped
2-3 Tbs cream, only if needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  Cook the eggs about 12 minutes; place in cold water and ice. This will make it easier to peel the eggs! Set aside. Boil the macaroni according to pkg directions and drain in a colander. After it has drained (without rinsing) place in very large bowl. I don't rinse the pasta anymore because it makes the salad too runny. Drain the tuna and add to macaroni, breaking up big chunks.

  

  While the macaroni is cooking, chop the celery, sweet onion and pickles. Add to the macaroni after it's been placed in the big bowl. Grate the peeled eggs into the macaroni with a grater. (I don't like big chunks!) Add mayonnaise and mustard. Stir this all together. Taste it and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Add more mayo if needed. If you want it a little more creamy, just add some cream, but not too much. Hope you enjoy it! I am addicted to this, and it's so refreshing for summer on a hot day!

* This main dish Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad is a lot like my Tuna Salad for sandwiches but with added pasta. In my regular tuna salad, though, I add sweet pickles, as well as dill pickles. Everybody asks me for the recipe!

Coconut Curry Thai Chicken or Shrimp Soup

 

My Version of Thai Coconut Curry Soup 

I made this Thai Coconut Curry Soup with Shrimp and Chicken for my daughter, Jamie and her family. My sister, DonnaGay, ate it too, when she was visiting me. Everyone loved it! I love it too!

I just can't get enough of this delicious soup! Before I made it the first time I looked at many recipes on Pinterest and on YouTube and took the ingredients I thought I would like best. I've made it probably 8 times now and tweaked it til it was just right! I go by my taste but you may want to use less or more of some ingredients. 

My recipe makes about 6-8 servings, depending on whether this is a main dish or a small bowl before a meal. Cooking rice and putting 3-4 tablespoons in each bowl before the soup, will make this go further. (I love it with rice!)

 Note: I know shiitake mushrooms are expensive & if you cannot find them you can use any other kind of mushroom, but I LOVE the taste of shiitake mushrooms. You could even buy then dried at an Asian grocery store. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 Tablespoon oil (more if needed). I use avocado or olive oil.

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (could use ginger in the tube or ginger powder)

1 Tablespoon lemongrass in the tube (produce section)

1 Tablespoon yellow curry powder and

1 Tablespoon red curry paste

3½ cups chicken broth (I use powdered mixed with water)

3  Tablespoons fish sauce

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

½ lb fresh Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 cans (13.5 oz each) Coconut milk (not lite!)

1 lb shrimp, cleaned (make sure you clean off the shells and devain them before putting in the soup OR buy them frozen already cleaned

OR  

1 lb boneless chicken, cut into ½" squares Note: sometimes I use both chicken AND shrimp!

¼ teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)

2 tablespoons lime juice (fresh or in the bottle)

OPTIONAL: ½-¾ cup Red bell pepper, sliced into ¾" slivers

Salt to taste

Green onions, chopped as a garnish for each bowl

OPTIONAL: have white pepper available for anyone who likes a little heat, to sprinkle on their soup

OPTIONAL: cooked rice to put in the bottom of each bowl, before putting the soup in the bowl. My favorite rice is Basmati!

DIRECTIONS

Heat coconut oil in large pot on low heat. Add 1 Tb lemongrass, 1 Tb grated ginger, 1 Tb red curry paste and 1 Tb yellow curry powder to oil. Do not let it burn. Add a little more oil if needed.

Add chicken broth, fish sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and heat to dissolve sugar for about 5 minutes.

Add mushrooms and heat (simmer) for 5-10 minutes or till mushrooms are soft.

Add coconut milk and heat

Now add the shrimp or chicken. If chicken is raw, simmer till it's done (maybe 5 minutes or longer). Then add the shrimp if raw. It takes much less time to cook (maybe 3 minutes)

Ad red bell pepper about 5 minutes before soup is done. You don't want it to get too soft.

Add salt to taste

Add garlic powder to taste

Add 2 Tb lime juice

Taste everything to see if you need to add more of any seasonings (lemongrass, curry powder, ginger, fish sauce, garlic powder, salt or lime juice). 

Put a little cooked rice in bowl before adding soup. Then add chopped green onions to top. Or another idea is to add oriental noodles to the soup. (I use GF rice or shiitake noodles)

I hope you like this!