Cooking for 2: Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies & Tuna Potato Casserole

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

Ingredients

5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

3 Tablespoons white sugar

1 Tablespoon whisked egg

¼ teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon imitation rum extract

½ to 1 teaspoon lemon zest (between ½ to 1 lemon)

¼ teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

Mix butter and sugar.  Add whisked egg, vanilla, and imitation rum.  Mix flour in a separate bowl with baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Add lemon zest and poppy seeds.  Roll into 6 balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or greased.  Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet.  Transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Tuna Potato Casserole

Ingredients

1 5 oz. albacore tuna

1/3 cup peas, fresh or frozen

2 Tablespoons green pepper, chopped

2 Tablespoons onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup evaporated milk

½ cup grated cheese

Salt

Pepper

Bread Crumb Topping:

1 slice of bread

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon dill

½ teaspoon parsley

Directions

Grease a small baking pan., around 5x7 inches.  Peel potatoes, cube and boil in water until soft, but not mushy.  If you are using frozen peas, just stick them in with the potatoes.  I also added the chopped pepper and chopped onion with the potatoes as well.  It was the lazy way, but it worked just fine.  Drain and put in a mixing bowl.  Make white sauce by melting the butter.  Add the flour and stir.  Add 1 cup evaporated milk and stir with a whisk to avoid lumps.  Use a medium heat.  When sauce has begun to thicken, add ½ cup grated cheddar cheese.  Salt and pepper to your taste.  Mix sauce with potatoes, peas, onion and green pepper in the mixing bowl.  In a food processor, mix Parmesan cheese, bread, dill and parsley.  Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of casserole.  Bake at 350 until done, about 18-24 minutes or until lightly brown.  The dill in this recipe makes a HUGE difference, so if you don’t have it, buy a little in the bulk section of your store or borrow some from your neighbor if necessary!