Open Face Tuna Melts

As a child, I hated tuna and not to be discriminating . . .most fish in general.  This is a tough route when your family is Catholic and ate fish every Friday.  And I do mean EVERY FRIDAY (not just the ones during Lent).  In fact, I was even known to tell little white lies about what we had for lunch at school on Fridays.

My Dad (who usually cooked dinner):  "What did you have for lunch today at school?"

Me: "Fish."

I always held out a little hope that if I responded that we had fish at school - that I wouldn't have to eat it again that night for dinner.  I would say it was only a lie about 50% of the time.  However, we did eat fish on Fridays at home 100% of the time.  As for the lying-part . . .I had to have something to confess about at my next round of Reconciliation!

This continued for nearly all my school-hood years.  And in all those years, I had never had a Tuna Melt.  Sure, we had tuna . . .tuna hotdish, tuna macaroni salad  or cold tuna sandwiches.  But never a Tuna Melt.

And how did I ever come about eating such a thing?  We'll just say it wasn't such a happy occasion . . .rather, it was while my father was in the hospital dying.  My Uncle Russell decided I should eat something and took me down to the hospital cafeteria.  And you guessed it . . .it was Lent.  And it was Friday.  And, as you recall, we are of Catholic Faith.  So, he ordered me a Tuna Melt.  It was on white bread, toasty and gooey with cheese  along with a couple slices of tomato.  And it was delicious.

Open Faced Tuna Melts

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Tuna

4 Slices Bread

3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

2-3 Stalks Green Onion

1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar or American Cheese

12 Grape Tomatoes

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Step 1:  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Meanwhile, in your toaster (not the oven) - toast the bread.  Set aside as it is done.  

Step 2:  Drain the tuna and place the meat in a medium bowl.  Clean and finely slice the green onion and add it to the bowl.  Add the mayo to the bowl and stir to combine everything.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3:  Slice the grape tomatoes in half the long way.  

Step 4:  Place the toast on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Next, divide the cheese evenly among the toast.  Now, evenly divide the tuna mixture among the toast.  Top each one with 6 grape tomato halves.  

Step 5:  Place the tuna toasts into the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes - until everything is slightly bubbly.  Serve immediately.