Tuna Noodle Salad

My mother is the cooking challenged member of our family.  There are two stories that have haunted her life.  One story involves nearly burning the house down as she let water boil completely down… melting an aluminum pan to the burner.  She effectively destroyed both pan and stove.  The stench that this disaster caused filled the house.  It was an atrociously noxious smell that lingered for weeks.  The other (less interesting) story revolves around an inedible meatloaf.

Luckily, my grandmother taught me to cook and bake at a very young age.  My father and I are eternally grateful to her.

So, we like to call my mom the queen of salad.  And, this is one of her favorites…

Tuna Noodle Salad
makes one giant bowl

1 lb egg noodles, cooked al dente
1 – 10.5 oz jar Italian tuna packed in olive oil
1 – 11oz. vacuum pouch tuna packed in water, crumbled
5-6 scallions
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, diced
2 carrots,  shaved into thin strips
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper, to taste

1 carrot, shaved into thin strips
one tomato per person, sliced

In a large bowl, toss drained pasta with Italian tuna packed in olive oil.  Then, add all of the remaining ingredients and toss gently.

Serve salad on or near sliced tomato and top each portion with carrot shavings.