Tuna Melts – Recipe

Tuna Melts (recipe and instructions follow) – I have loved tuna sandwiches ever since I can remember. Plain old, not fried, no cheese, only mayo and pickle relish added to the tuna -tuna sandwiches. It wasn’t until I was around 12 years old that I was introduced to the idea of a tuna melt. I can still remember the day I tried them (no, I don’t remember the first time I tried everything). My wonderful mother was in the kitchen cooking and I could smell them. It was a new smell to me, a weird combination of something sweet with fish :). I wandered in to see what she was making. When she told me what she had done to my beloved tuna sandwich, I was completely grossed out and offended – as often happens when you’re 12. My mom assured me I would like it but all I could think of was how disgusting warm tuna was going to be. She somehow convinced me to try it-bribery in the form of a dollar and the promise of a treat after if I didn’t like it. I was a pretty good negotiator at that age ;D at least in my head. Of coarse it was delicious and it turned out that I wasn’t as good at negotiating as I thought (should have left out the if I didn’t like it part). Now I had to face the tough choice of saying I didn’t like it to get my treat and my dollar and prove my mom wrong-always fun at that age. Or I had to suck it up and walk away with my tuna melt. I made the right choice and took the sandwich-that’s because they’re awesome-like my mom :). I have since taken that basic tuna melt and turned it into one of my favorite sandwiches. I hope you love it too! Happy Cooking!

This is a shallot - isn't it beautiful? :)

Ingredients
5 cans chunk light tuna packed in water, well drained (not the all white-I’ve read it’s higher in Mercury)
1/4 cup shallots, minced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 Granny Smith Apple, small dice
1/3 cup mayo or more if needed (you can use low-fat or half it with yogurt to make this a little healthier)
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup celery, small dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (or more to your taste)
4 ounces cheddar cheese (I use Tillamook Sharp Cheddar)
whole wheat bread (this will make 5 or 6 sandwiches depending on how thick you make them)

Instructions
1. Mix all of the ingredients (except the cheese and bread) together in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Butter one side of each slice of bread (like you’re making grilled cheese).
3. Place one piece of bread in the pan, butter side down, turn the heat on medium.
4. Add a layer of cheddar cheese.
5. Spoon some tuna on top and mash it down gently so it’s even.
6. Place the second piece of bread on top.
7. Place a lid on top of the pan – this helps it heat all the way through.
8. When the bottom bread is golden brown, flip the sandwich * see note.
9. Cook the other side, remove it from the pan and enjoy-we eat these with salt and vinegar kettle chips or pasta salad (recipe coming soon).

*When I flip these, I slide my spatula under the bottom side and lift the sandwich out of the pan. With my other hand, I lift the saute pan and turn it upside down and put it on top of the “top side” of the sandwich. I then flip the whole thing back over. I hope this doesn’t sound confusing, it’s kind of hard to describe. I’m just trying to explain an easy way to flip them so that you don’t dump everything out of the sandwich ;D !