Tuna Melts Recipe

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Tuna Melts are the best!

I have quite a specific passion for easy, tasty and filling weeknight meals. Only because for the fact that I don't want to eat out, but at the same time, I'd be too hungry and thus have close to no patience/energy to cook anything too "elaborate" or "adventurous" on weeknights. Again, I eat a lot so these dinners MUST be easy and filling in my household!

But ever since I started work, I realised I almost had to HALVE the level of difficulty of the already lazy/simple food that I cook. Only because there are days when I get back late at night from class feeling tired; and only begin cooking my meal at 10pm to pack for lunch for work the next day. It's tough but after a few weeks of doing this, I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge of keeping the ideas fresh and exciting, as quirky as it may be sometimes. I'm sure all you working folks who pack lunch can relate.

Of course... I coulda just picked the easy path and just got some takeaway for lunch/dinner, but that's really not what I'm about. Also, I believe that doing this is sort of my way of telling people that "Hey! Cooking doesn't have to seem as troublesome/daunting as you think. And you can do it too!"

So, yes. I was genuinely happy to find this Tuna Melts Recipe that I made a while ago in my drafts folder when deciding which recipe to share next. I made 2 trays of this together with my Green Tea Cheesecake Bites for a friend's birthday potluck last year. Was so simple to do and tasty to eat, cannot fault the flavour at all. You can also easily cut em up to make it easier to share at a party, canapes style, like I did.

Also, gave me the idea of making this for my work lunch this week -- WIN!

The great thing about this recipe is that you can easily just pop em in the microwave instead of the oven. Sure, you don't get the crunch from the muffins or golden colour from the cheese; but if your cheese is still as gooey and it's SO much quicker to make, why the heck not? Definitely bringing the filling from home and melting the cheese on top with my office microwave at lunch.

Hope you're all enjoying the first signs of Spring with your loved ones! Weather is too gorgeous to be cooked up indoors all day. Cheers!!

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Tuna Melts Recipe

(makes 6, adapted from this recipe by The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients:

150g canned tuna

1/2 red onion (finely chopped)

1/2 red capsicum (finely chopped)

1 whole fresh jalapeno (finely chopped, optional)

2 whole hard boiled eggs (chopped)

4 whole sweet gerkins (sliced)

3 dollops mayonnaise

1 dollop Dijon mustard

Splash of pickle juice (from jar)

Salt and pepper to taste

6 whole English muffins (split in half)

12 sliced or grated cheese (any)

Dashes of dried herbs (any)

Note: A dollop here is one heaping with a normal tablespoon

Method:

Preheat oven to 210degC. Combine tuna with onion, capsicum, jalapeno, eggs and gerkins. Stir in mayonnaise, Dijon and pickle juice. Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed; be sure not to undersalt.

Place English muffin halves on a large cookie sheet. Place a large spoonful of tuna salad on each muffin and briefly spread/flatten with spoon. Using broiler option in the oven, bake for up to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and finish with a small sprinkle of dried herbs on each muffin. Serve.

Alternatively: Zap it in the microwave for 15 secs or until cheese is melted =)

Two big trays to serve at the party =)

This is the microwaved version, just as good to me!!!