Technically, I’ll be sharing everything with my husband and his German Shepherd. It’s not a great neighborhood. The windows rattle from the vibrations of the cars on the 880 freeway just over the fence. Jets roar from the airport, and trains crash together in the railroad yard. People park cars on the lawn, and the apartment next door reeks of pot.
I don’t care. We will fill our apartment with my bedroom furniture, his parents’ green couch, my grandmother’s rocker, and my parents’ yellow Formica kitchen table and chairs. We will add the wedding and shower gifts: green bowls, silver pots, brown-and-white plates, blankets, towels, a big orange sign that says “Love,” and a “Fiesta red” crockpot in which I will cook tuna noodle casserole, following the recipe in the crockpot book.
The first time I make it, my husband doesn’t come home for dinner. I eat three helpings and give some to the dog. When the man does show up, I offer to reheat the casserole. He shakes his head and opens a beer.
He says it’s too dry and bland. I add more mushroom soup, another can of tuna, and a drop of hot sauce. He washes it down with a cold pinot gris.
The quiet hangs so thick I can grab it by the handful. I rattle the crockpot out of the jumble in the cabinet under the stove. I line up noodles, slivered almonds, tuna, peas, and mushroom soup, pull out the grease-stained recipe, and reach for the can opener I bought in 1974.
Author's Comment
It’s surprising how so much in life can change while so many everyday things remain the same. This simple casserole has stayed with me through two marriages, seven homes, and four crockpots—even though I was the only one who liked it.Tuna Noodle Casserole (adapted from the original cookbook that came with my first crockpot)
1 tsp. salt
½ c. finely chopped onion (less is okay)
1 8 oz. can peas with liquid
2 cans tuna
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
¾ can water
¼ c. slivered almonds
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese (optional)
NOT a Father’s Daughter is an intimate portrait of a woman who unknowingly declared at age eight that she would not be a puppet on a string, not a father’s daughter. Unaware of why her resolve to reject patriarchal dogma was so strong, she reflects on how she observed the world around her and fought the injustices she encountered. Interwoven into her memories and experiences, an inspiring manifesto springs forth for women and men, with equal measures of spirit and soul.
Unapologetic and with courage and compassion, important and controversial issues of the day are explored. Through thought-provoking analysis, light is shed on the ways in which the acquired mind upholds traditional gender roles and thereby the patriarchy and the damaging effects of the patriarchy’s assaults on both men and women.
The reader will be drenched in a lively, thoughtful discussion to trigger reflection and provide understanding to the question, “Why do….?
With candor and wisdom, the author’s call to action requires a dismantling of the acquired gender differences and the bonding together of both men and women of all ages, of all ethnicities to smash the toxicity that pummels and plunders our institutions, our cultures, our country, our world. This dismantling requires the soul and spirit and compassion and courage of each of us.
Available in March from online book sellers, local independent bookstores, or from the author.
Learn more about the author at https://www.elizabethrodenzauthor.com
Sue Fagalde Lick loves to cook and loves to eat. A former California journalist who escaped Silicon Valley, Lick lives with her dog, Annie, in the forest on the Oregon coast. Her books include Stories Grandma Never Told, Childless by Marriage, and the novel Up Beaver Creek. When not writing, she sings and plays piano, guitar, and mandolin.
A poet and painter, Carmen Germain is the author of three poetry collections and has paintings and drawings published in various literary/art journals. She lives on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.
Beautiful story. A lifetime viewed through the mushroom-soupy lens of tuna casserole and crockpots. Tuna casserole holds a special place in my heart, because it's what my then-young husband made me the night my waters broke, and I went into labor with our eldest, who is now in his forties. My recipe has evolved over the years, but it remains my go-to comfort dish.
Loved the story! I have also made almost the same tuna casserole for about 50 yrs. It has come with me throughout the various chapters of my life. Best wishes (and happy eating) for the future.
A humor and human interest columnist with a new book, I am trying to determine if I fit in your lovely publication.