You may remember the recession in the early ’90s, an economic decline that lasted about a year. Many felt the pinch. I assume that most of us have had tight food budgets along the way, challenges that include the inflation we’re presently confronting.
In the early days of my first marriage, my husband was in medical school, and I was earning a very modest new-teacher salary. I cooked every day, trying to make the dollars stretch. On a visit to the doctor that included a long delay in the waiting room, I pirated a recipe for tuna casserole out of one of the office’s magazines.
It was a rice and tuna concoction bound with a white sauce spiked with cheddar cheese. Fresh mushrooms, celery, and onions add taste and texture. It was a hit.
In those days, I hunted for tuna on sale, looking for cans that cost under 50 cents. I remember a can that I bought for 29 cents; when I opened it, I found that it looked like cat food. The casserole’s tasty ingredients made it tolerable.
I vowed to up my game after that, paying more for fish-in-a-can, reaping better flavor, texture, and aroma. The recipe for that ’70s tuna dish is included here, along with several other formulas for tasty cheap-ish eats. Cherry tomatoes are the focal point of this tasty sauce.
I have limited space in my yard, but I make room for growing cherry tomatoes in a few large pots, usually Sungold and Super Sweet 100 varieties, along with a couple of basil plants. The bounty of cherry tomato plants is so rewardi.
