Smoked Tuna Melt

I was too tired to deal with dinner... but managed to pull off a pretty good tuna melt.  In keeping with the premise of 'using what I've got', my dad gave us this bizarre food package a while back with a bunch of smoked salmon, pre-made seafood soups and a can or two of smoked tuna.  I'm not a big fish person... that's what made the gift a little bizarre.  But last night, that can of smoked tuna came in handy.  If you can find it, I would recommend using it with this recipe. I thought it was a good flavor 'foil' for the sweetness of the grapes I had left over from a party we had this weekend. If you can't find it, regular tuna would be just as good.

The grapes were handy and reminded me of my momma's tuna salad.  She always put chopped apples in ours and the sweetness was such a great little 'zing'.  I put a good bit of celery in my tuna 'cuz I love it and the extra crunch it lends to an otherwise bland texture.

If nothing else, the pictures came out better than anything else so far...

Smoked Tuna Salad

1 can smoked tuna
2-4 tablespoons mayo (depends on your personal mayo preference)
1 teaspoon Coleman's English Mustard
1/4 cup chopped red grapes
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon chives, chopped

Combine all ingredents.

Smoked Tuna Melt

@ 2 tablespoons butter, softened
4 slices of bread, preferably good grainy wheat bread
4 slices munster cheese
Smoked tuna salad
2 tablespoons mayo
4 pieces of lettuce, preferably red leaf

Preheat an iron skillet on medium, low. Lightly butter both sides of each slice of bread. Griddle bread in iron skillet lightly on each side.  Set 2 slices aside. Turn off skillet.  Place two slices each of munster cheese on 2 slices of bread, put back in skillet, lid on. The residual heat will melt the cheese.
Meanwhile, mayo the other two slices of bread and arrange the lettuce then top with your preferred helping of tuna salad.  When those halfs are assembled, lay on the cheesy side.  Slice diagonally (as required by certain sandwiches) and enjoy!