My First Tuna Casserole

and not my last either... :-) This is adapted from the Tuna Noodle Casserole I on allrecipes.com, using non-fat milk and low-fat swiss cheese for a healthier touch. It's light, yummy ... especially sprinkled with some cayenne pepper (for some :-))






INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (8 ounce) package wide egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup shredded low-fat swiss cheese
• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
• 1 cup celery (cubed)
• 2 tablespoons panko

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 2 quart casserole dish with butter.
2. In a large pot of salted water, boil noodles until al dente. Drain well.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine flour, butter, and salt. Stir until butter is melted and ingredients are combined evenly. Add milk, and whisk until the sauce thickens (usually it is at the proper consistency by the time it begins to boil).
   
4. Add celery cook for a couple of minutes
5. Add cheese to mixture, and whisk until cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Stir in tuna and noodles.
   
6. Remove and spread evenly in prepared casserole dish.Top with panko and some tinily cubed butter
   
7. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then broil for another 5 minutes if the top hasn't acquired a tan :-)
8. Serve hot... and for those who likes it even hotter, have some cayenne pepper on hand for them to sprinkle it on their serving. YUM!