When the weather starts to heat up, folks at my house tend to eat less. They have not exactly lost their appetites, but they would rather fill up on ice cream and freeze pops than worry about supper.

I was looking through a vintage cookbook for menu ideas, in hopes of teasing my family into eating something that would pass as a meal and ran across a recipe for tuna melt sandwiches.

Tuna melt sandwiches bring to mind grandmotherly women serving afternoon tea at the local church lawn social. Maybe that is just my idea of tuna melt sandwiches from the old days.

I took the basics of the tuna melt recipe I read and fixed it up to fit my tastes, and boy did the results get rave reviews from my family!

I used ingredients that I had on hand, you know I always keep a couple cans of tuna on the shelf. I consider that a pantry staple. Canned tuna is inexpensive and quite flexible, so you might want to begin stocking some in your pantry if you do not already.

Roma tomatoes were what I had, but you can use your favorite tomato. I like Beefeater tomatoes for slicing on sandwiches, but am afraid they might be too big for this open faced sandwich.

Yes, this is an open faced sandwich. I had quite a conversation with my son when he was pre-school age about sandwiches that have lids and why some do not. I am sure you can imagine the debate since there is no logic that can top a four-year-old’s rationalizations.

Tuna Melt Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can (5 oz) tuna
• 2 T mayonnaise
• 1 English muffin
• ¼ c shredded cheese
• 2 slices tomato

Instructions

• Drain the tuna and place in a small bowl.
• Add the mayonnaise and mix until well blended.
• Slice the English muffin in half and toast lightly.
• Place toasted English muffin halves on baking sheet, cut side up.
• Spread the tuna mixture evenly over the two halves of the English muffin.
• Top with shredded cheese and one slice of tomato on each half.
• Place preheated broiler and broil on low for 3 minutes.
• Remove from oven, transfer to serving plate.

Approximate Nutrition Information: Servings Per Recipe: 2, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 324, Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 323g, Total Carbs: 14g, Protein: 27g.

Make it a Meal: Serve with chips, a green side salad or fruit cup.

Variations: Optional mix-ins for the tuna include pickle relish, diced onion, finely chopped celery or diced hardboiled egg. Add the mix-ins with the mayonnaise step. Another way to change up these sandwiches is to vary the type of cheese used for topping: mozzarella, Swiss, cheddar or Colby.

Since the sandwiches are only under the broiler long enough to melt and brown the edge of the cheese, the tuna does not get very warm. If your family thinks warm tuna sandwich rates on the ewww scale, relax, this sandwich keeps a cool center.

Toasting the English muffin before assembling the sandwich is not really required, but I like the crispness toasting adds to the muffins. It also helps minimize the soggy factor that often accompanies tuna sandwiches. Making sure you completely drain the tuna prior to adding the mayonnaise helps, too.

Regardless of the whole open face issue and the heat, my family did a pretty good job of leaving empty plates on the counter after supper. I think they liked the tuna melt sandwiches!

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