List du Jour

[callistra]

- 2,000 words
- Plan 3 activities for the week with vinnie (3 plus an emergency one)
- Think of meals which either include vinnie or else think of an activity for afternoon
- clean and sweep
- 15 minutes sorting clothes in Jack's room
- 15 minutes cleaning my bedroom
- stack dushwasher
- finish, and post the bra order
- finish, and post Babalon's stuff
- buy some vegies

The first thing to do is check your recipe. We were making tuna mornay tonight, and since it consists of some tins with a white sauce, I figured The Big V could help out. The recipe we used:

1 x tin tuna in brine
1 x tin corn
(I usually like finely chopped gherkins but we had none in the house. *sigh*)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
425 mLs milk*
salt and pepper
1 cup grated cheese*
1 teaspon mustard*
cheese or whatever for topping

Utensils
2 x tablespoons
1 x microwave safe bowl
wooden spoon or other stirring implement
sieve or colander for corn and tuna
casserole dish
----

I discovered the other day when we made the play doh that Vinnie is quite capable of measuring flour and putting things into the right bowl at the right time and gets a HUGE kick out of it, and an even BIGGER kick out of mixing them up. So.

Give Vinnie the tablespoon. (I have three sets of measuring spoons. Yes, I need them all, and in fact I need two more sets. *grin* ) Give him the slab of butter and a teaspoon too, and help him measure the butter into the microwave safe bowl. Nuke 40 seconds.

Give him the other tablespoon and the tub of flour. (I have my flour in an 8.5 kilo tub.) He knows how to measure the flour OK and needs no help getting two tablespoons of flour into the bowl. Let him mix it up while crowing triumphantly like a rooster to a new henhouse.

Microwave 30 seconds. Give him the cup full of milk and tell him to put a little bit in. Mix it up. Or he mixes while you add a little bit in. In theory if you do this bit right there will be no lumps. Realistically, I have a sieve.

Anyway, add all the milk, salt and pepper to taste, and microwave 2 minutes. Let him stir it, and then microwave it another 2 minutes 30. (This is for an 800 watt microwave. If you have an insanely high voltage microwave, go and read a cookbook for a suitable white sauce recipe.) Add the cheese and mustard and beat/mix until all melted and happy. As the sauce gets hotter, make sure that you hold the bowl while he does the stirring to ensure there are no accidents.

If this doesn't melt enough, just nuke for another minute or so at a time until gooey happiness results.

Give him the tuna with the can opener already started off unless your tuna has a pull-ring lid. Help him as much as necessary. Drain the tuna, and do the same with the corn. Mix them together in the casserole dish, get him to pour the white sauce on top, and mix it in!

Last is to get Vinnie to sprinkle cheese on top. He's now covered with enough cheese, tuna, corn, flour, butter and white sauce that he's probably eaten enough via osmosis, but pop it into the oven for about half an hour-ish or until hot and bubbling and you're hungry and have dinner! A nice green salad with a sharp dressing is a good idea to eat with this, and garlic bread is good with everything.

Enjoy!

Comments

[kaths.livejournal.com]

I make something similar, although without the corn, as one of my favourite dishes. But then I pour it all over either rice or pasta. One of my comfort foods!

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I am sure every one has their own recipe for this.
:-)
I consider it an Australian great since it's in most homes at some point... a lot like apricot chicken
:-)

[leahcim.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that's something I haven't made for a while. *makes a mental note to check the pantry for apricot nectar and french onion soup mix at some point in the near future*

[callistra.livejournal.com]

it's my favourite dish