tuna pasta salad | 20something cupcakes

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So, do you remember that special day when I shared some very important news with you?

That day, I announced to the world that I was starting a new job. Did you ever wonder what it was?

{I’m sure it’s just been keeping you up at night}

All jokes aside, I’m now the editor for a site called MrFood.com. Have any of you heard of Mr. Food? I’m so curious to know. Before this job, I hadn’t. My aunt, an incredible woman and chef who I’ve spoken about here many times, certainly had – he’s one of her favorite chefs. My wonderful future mother-in-law, Meg, who I’ve also spoken about here many times, was also a huge fan. In a nutshell, Mr. Food is a nationally syndicated TV chef, all about “Quick & Easy” cooking. You may have seen his 90-second vignettes on your local news station. He’s also written over 50 cookbooks, and has released lots of branded products on QVC. I would say that Mr. Food is more of a “down-home” type of cook. No fancy, hard-to-find ingredients, no crazy-long recipes with way too many steps. Just good, old-fashioned family food.

Do I cook a lot of things that don’t fall into this category? Definitely. It’s no secret, however, that I appreciate good, simple food – perhaps more than anything else.

I’m proud to share this recipe with you, as it’s the first Mr. Food recipe I’ve made! And it was pure perfection. Art (Mr. Food, himself) actually gave me one of his very first cookbooks, and went through each and every recipe with me, marking up his favorites. This was the only recipe to be triple-market, so I figured it was a good place to start.

And I was correct. It’s everything you could want in a tuna pasta salad. Like Art suggested, I also recommend making a double-batch – it’s the perfect, easy-to-eat kind of food you’ll want to have on hand all summer long.

Tuna Twist

From Mr. Food

1/2 pound twist pasta {I used a whole wheat pasta}
2 cups mayonnaise {I used light, and maybe a bit less than 2 cups}
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (12-ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup snipped fresh dill

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain, rinse, and drain again. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, and pepper; mix well. Add the pasta and remaining ingredients. Toss until well mixed; cover, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

7 responses to tuna pasta salad.

Lisa (dinner party) August 13, 2011 at 3:57 pm

Nice to know what you’ve been doing! I remember watching Mr. Food’s little cooking segments on Channel 5 growing up. “Ooh, it’s SO good!”

Soleil Doux August 15, 2011 at 2:02 am

What a funny coincidence! I just saw him for the first time on TV the other day. Congratulations on the new editing gig!

Heather Pranitis October 1, 2011 at 2:05 am

I just found your blog and I’m in love! I just tweeted this post and put it on fb. I am soo trying it tomorrow – it looks so very yummy! And a very special congrats on your job. Doing what you love for “your” day job is a phenomenal accomplishment. Have a wonderful weekend and I’ll be back soon.

- Sarah October 1, 2011 at 4:51 pm
  
  Thanks so much, Heather! So glad you found me
  
Kristen January 8, 2012 at 7:13 pm

This is delicious! I’ve made a similar salad for years and did a quick internet search to see how I could jazz it up a bit. The addition of vinegar to this salad gives it the kick I was looking for. I had some fresh parsley on hand and added about 1/2 cup chopped, which really meshed with the other ingredients. Thanks for sharing!

- Sarah January 9, 2012 at 12:56 pm
  
  Perfect, Kristen! When in doubt, adding an acid like vinegar or lemon juice to brighten something up is usually a good idea Glad you found what you were looking for!