Tuna Cakes

Summer is in full swing now.  With no school Emily is babysitting even more, and when she's not, is spending her evenings at the pool.  I can't believe how quickly she is growing up.
We were busy enough last week that she never got an opportunity to cook, and this week was one thing and then another, but she did make supper on Thursday.
She had selected a recipe for pasta shells stuffed with a mixture of chicken and cheese, which, while sounded very good, but the thought of baking a pasta dish when the temperatures have been in the high 20s just seemed like a less than ideal meal plan.  We'll have to try that recipe in the fall.
Emily combed through our cookbooks and magazines, finally suggesting this recipe.  Originally it was for bite sized appetizer patties.  They would be wonderful as such too, but I suggested she make them bigger & we turn them into an entree.
On my way home Thursday night I stopped at the grocery store for the few things we were out of and got caught in a downpour.  Once I dried off and changed I helped her out by peeling potatoes to make mashed potatoes as a side, and let her mix together the tuna patties themselves.
Our one error, the patties are actually supposed to chill for an hour before you bake them.  We skipped this step for expediency.

Dinner was very good. Emily decided she didn't like the sauce for her tuna, but she ate two, and finished them off for lunch the next day.  Always a good sign.

Mini Tuna Appetizer Cakes

1 package stuffing mix                       3/4 cup water

2 cans tuna, drained & flaked             1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing (Miracle Whip) 

1 cup shredded cheese*                      1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 small stalk celery, finely chopped    1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 green onions, finely chopped           1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix first six ingredients plus 1/4 cup mayonnaise until just blended.  Shape into patties (30 small one, using a tablespoon of tuna mixture for each, for appetizers; use about 1/3 cup of the mixture to make larger patties as an entree) Place on a greased baking sheet; refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400F. Bake patties, 8-10 minutes on each side (longer for lager patties, about 15 minutes) until golden brown on each side.  

Meanwhile combine remainin 1/4 cup mayonnaise, hot sauce, lemon zest and lemon juice. 

*The original recipe called for shredded mozzarella, we had a Mexican blend of cheddar, Moneray Jack & mozzarella.