We pride ourselves in finding some of the best recipes out there.  Recently, while checking out the fabulous fare at Zabar's we came across this tuna casserole recipe (and touching story) that we're sharing today.

To read Grandma Bertha's story from Zabar's, click here

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To make the best tuna casserole ever, follow her recipe below.

Ingredients:
2 Pounds De Cecco Elbow Macaroni
2 Cans Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
8 Large Eggs
1 Large Bag Frozen Peas
1 Large Sweet Onion - Finely Minced
½ Cup Mayonnaise
2 Large Cans Solid White Tuna – in Water
4 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Cup Shredded Fontina Cheese
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella
Corn Oil for the Pan
Corn Flake Crumbs or Bread Crumbs for Topping
(I really prefer the corn flake crumbs – you should be able to find them near the bread crumbs in your local supermarket. Its not corn flake cereal – it is a box of corn flake crumbs)

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook pasta according to the directions on the box. Do not overcook. You want the pasta to be firm since it is going to be baked. Drain well.

In a large bowl add the tuna (drain and discard water then mash with a fork to break apart) mushroom soup, frozen peas, mayonnaise, minced onion, lightly beaten eggs, and shredded cheese. (Yes, you can use the packages of shredded cheese – but fresh cheese really makes a big difference). Mix well and add drained pasta then mix thoroughly too evenly distribute tuna mixture and pasta.

Add a few teaspoons of oil to bottom of a large lasagna pot – or large disposable aluminum roasting pan. Add pasta mixture – sprinkle corn flakes crumbs on top for crunch - and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Please Note: Because of the eggs the casserole will raise slightly while cooking so I usually bake on a cookie sheet to prevent a sticky oven mess.

Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serve warm, serve room temperature – just enjoy!
CAN BE FROZEN!

PS: You can omit the peas, you can add carrots, you can use cheddar cheese only or substitute your favorite cheese. You can use celery not onion. You can omit one can of soup and add a can of unsweetened condensed milk (or unsweetened evaporated milk), use can even change the shape of the pasta – the one thing you can not do to this recipe is mess it up!

One of our biggest supporters is a lovely woman who lives in Arkoma in the house her husband and father built, reads voraciously and is the best Southern cook I know. 

She also happens to be 90-something, so her recipe box is overflowing.  One of Fern Holmes' favorite desserts is her Cherry Surprise cake.  We tried it and now we're converts.

Cherry Surprise Cake

by Fern Holmes

1 cup Wesson or Crisco oil

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour (measure after it’s sifted).  If you don’t have a sifter, just pour your flour in a bowl, use a wire whisk to stir it up.  Now you’re ready to measure

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

4 eggs

1 can cherry pie filling, 1 lb. size

Mix oil and sugar thoroughly, beating with electric mixer.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until fluffy.

Add vanilla.

Sift flour, measure, then add the baking powder and salt, then add this to the oil mixture gradually.  Beat until mixed, about two minutes. 

Divide batter in half.

Topping:
½ cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Grease a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan.  Pour ½ of the batter over the bottom of pan.  Batter will be stiff.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together.   Sprinkle ¼ cup of the mixture over batter.

Sweeten pie filling just to taste, and spoon filling over the batter.

Add the ½ of batter over cherries.  Sprinkle the remaining mixture of sugar and cinnamon over the top.

Bake at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, or until done.  (I bake mine for 45 minutes, and that’s when my cake is done.)