The Recipe Was Never Written Down

but I know it by heart...

May 09, 2025

Some recipes are passed down without measurements—just a handful of this, a splash of that, stir until it feels right.

That is how my mom loved. Not flashy. Not formal. But full to the brim.

She could make something out of almost nothing—a can of soup, a box of noodles, a few bits from the fridge—and somehow, it became a meal. Not just any meal, but the kind that said, you belong here. She made space where there should not have been enough, and somehow, there always was.

In the chapters of my childhood, one dish stands out: Stove Top Tuna Noodle Casserole. It was not fancy. It came from cans. But it was warm, familiar, and enough. That casserole had a place at our table on busy weeknights, quiet Saturdays, and hard days that needed a soft landing.

The ingredients were humble: canned tuna, cream of chicken soup, sweet peas, and noodles. I swore I would make things differently when I grew up—absolutely no peas in the casserole. But somewhere along the way, I added them back in. And it tasted like home.

Because it was never about the peas. It was about how she loved. With stretch and grace. With room for one more. Her generosity was quiet and steady. She gave the best piece away without ever mentioning it. She showed up with food when words would not do.

Some people are like a bay leaf in a pot of soup—subtle but essential. You might take them out before serving, but their presence lingers in every bite.

That was my mom.

Even though she is gone, I still taste her in everything. In the smell of something baking. In the way I care for others. In the deep need to feed people before I feed myself. She is not just a memory. She is motion. She is mine to carry now.

Her recipe—the way she made people feel fed and seen—is the one I will carry forward. It is not written down. But I know it by heart. And I will keep making it again and again.

Because it still tastes like home.

Stove Top Tuna Noodle Casserole

Course: Main Dish

What You Will Need:

1 lb your favorite pasta noodles
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup, or homemade Magnolia Table Vol 3 page 143
1/4 cup Whole Milk, trust me, whole milk makes it creamier
1 can Tuna
1 can Sweet Peas, drained
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

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What You Will Need To Do:

1. Boil a pot of water and cook 1 lb pasta noodles according to the package instructions.

2. While the noodles are cooking, melt 1 Tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat.

3. Once the butter begins to melt, incorporate 2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 2 batches of homemade Magnolia Table Vol 3) and 1/4 cup whole milk, stirring well.

4. Simmer the mixture and introduce a can of tuna, a can of sweet peas, along with 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined.

5. After the noodles are cooked, drain them and gently incorporate them into the mixture.

6. Serve and savor the deliciousness!

What recipe takes you back?
What childhood comfort food reminds you that you were loved?

Pull up a chair. Let’s talk about it.