Eight artists, one each weekend in January and July, will give audiences a chance to check out some nationally acclaimed performers.

A special subscription rate is available for the First Tennessee First Bravo Solo Artist series. This subscription provides one admission to each of the eight different Solo Artist works being presented in January and July of 2009.

All Solo Works performances take place at TheatreWorks.

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Thank you to everyone who participated in the Tuna Casserole Cook-Off for our 1st Sunday Event of A Tuna Christmas on Sunday, November 30th. Everyone had a great time and loved the food. Congratulations to the winners!

CRITIC’S CHOICE AWARD
#7 – Christmas Tuna By June Burnette
1 6 ½ oz jar artichoke hearts
1 6 ½ oz can white tuna
1 10 ¾ oz cream of celery soup
1 3 oz can sliced mushrooms or sautéed fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
pimentos to taste
parsley to garnish

Mix everything except cheese and parsley. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 350º until bubbly. Garnish with fresh parsley.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD – 1ST PLACE
#3 – Creative Tuna Casserole By Lindsey Roberts
1 ½ cups orzo pasta 1 stick butter
8-12 oz mushrooms, sliced 4 scallions, thinly sliced
4 tbsp flour 1 ½ cups milk
12 oz can tuna, drained 1 ½ cups cooked peas
½ cup parmesan ½ – 1 tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper 1 cup bread crumbs
Black truffle oil to taste additional 3 tbsp butter

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. In a medium sized mixing bowl, melt stick of butter, add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, & truffle oil. Mix and spread crumbs onto a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350º and bake until crumbs are golden brown. Set aside. In a large saucepan, heat 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and scallions. Saute, stirring, until scallions are softened and mushrooms are browned. Stir in flour until blended into the butter (you may need to add more butter – check the consistency). Gradually stir in the milk. Continue until mixture has thickened. Add the tuna and peas, stir in salt & pepper to taste. Combine the sauce mixture and drained pasta until blended. Add more truffle oil to taste and continue stirring. Once blended, spoon into the prepared baking dish and top with bread crumbs. Addf the parmesan on top and bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned and hot.

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD – 2ND PLACE
#2 – Yummy Tuna Casserole By Meredith Looney (this is an altered version of Emeril Lagasse’s Tuna Tettrazini)

1 Medium Onion ½ Red Bell Pepper
½ stick butter 1 minced garlic clove
1 pound button mushroom, sliced 1 ½ teaspoon old bay
½ teaspoon thyme ¼ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup dry white wine 1 ½ frozen green peas
1 ¾ cup heavy cream 2 cups chicken stock
1T parsley Pinch black pepper
3 6oz cans of white albacore tuna, drained
8 oz egg noodles (or whatever noodle you want to use…maybe bowtie)
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 small bag of salt and pepper potato chips

Cook noodles and peas in a large stock pot until noodles are al dente. Drain both together and set aside. Sauté onions and peppers in butter in a large pan on medium high until onions are transparent. Add garlic and mushrooms cooking until the mushrooms release liquid. Sprinkle the flour in and cook a minute or two. Then, add wine and chicken stock, making a roué. I use a whisk for this part so it won’t be lumpy. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Add additional spice if desired.
When sauce is thickened, add the prepared noodles, peas, tuna, parsley, salt, pepper, and Parmesan to the skillet and stir until combined. Transfer to a buttered 9×13 inch casserole dish and top with potato chips. Bake uncovered until bubbly and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve while hot.

# 1 – Tuna Alfredo By June Cooper
1 small package of noodles – cooked
½ jar of alfredo sauce
1 can tuna
2 tbsp chopped roasted red peppers
¼ to ½ cup milk
1 cup green peas

Mix everything together and cover top with 1 cup cheese then sprinkle with cracker crumbs. bake at 350º until browned.

# 5 – MY Award Winning Tuna Noodle Casserole By Sue Binnie
7 oz Tuna, drained 1 T Minced onion
2 c Noodles, cooked 4 T Butter
3 Hard boiled eggs 1 C French onions
2 c White sauce 1 C Cheese – Colby (personal choose)

Preheat oven to 350º. Butter 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Carefully combine tuna, noodled, eggs, sauce, & onions, & place in baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over tuna mixture and trim around edge of dish with French onions and bake 20 minutes, until very hot. Sit back and enjoy the best!

# 6 – Tuna Christmas Surprise By Andrew Moore
3 tbsp flour 3 tbsp butter
3 cups milk 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp pepper 1/8 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp garlic salt 6oz can of tuna
1 package of frozen peas 1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 loaf French bread 1 lb pasta

Melt butter in pan. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in milk. Add pepper, oregano, salt. Melt the cheese into the sauce. Add more milk to reach desired consistency. Season to taste. Add the mushrooms, cook them in the sauce for 7-8 minutes or until tender. Add the peas and tuna and toss. Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta in a 9×13 casserole dish. Tear the bread over top of the casserole. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 325º until bread is crispy.