I have 2 questions at the bottom of this post that I’d LOVE for you to answer (please)!
You know one of the many great things about being a food blogger?
That friends introduce you to some of the most wonderful things. Like this.
Now this dear friend does not like celery. And, although I don’t understand that at all, what I’m pretty sure of is, she’s likely yelling at her screen right now saying “Don’t do it!” telling me not to add celery to the best-tuna-I-ever-ate that she gave me.
But, I didn’t ruin it. I swear. I didn’t!
I felt so bad about it, that every time I sliced through that celery cutting it into the most perfect, bite-size pieces, I cringed a bit for her. Sympathy pains maybe?
Anyhoo, as bad as I felt, I think you need the celery for all that great crispy crunch. You get me? It’s got keeerhrunch-ability.
And, although you don’t need 21-grain bread for this recipe (’cause that’s a crazy amount of grains) – it is tasty if you can find it. It makes the perfect match with the crunchy celery with its’ healthy, nutty, chewyness!
Perfect for a soft, warm, gooey Tuna melt with cheddar cheese sandwich! Which is exactly how I had it the first time I ate it.
See that delish cheddar cheese and the itty bit of smoky chipotle stickin’ out? It begs to be eaten. Don’t you think?
p.s. If you’re going the tuna melt route, you can’t forget to add that nice, thick layer of sliced cheddar cheese! It is sssooo important.
Then, grill it to perfection, and cut it while it’s nice and hot.
What makes this sooooo tasty is the spicy, smoky Chipotle peppers, which gives it that extra pop we love so much…
And paired with the creamy ranch, it gets all perfectly balanced out!
And, when you mix all this yummy-ness together, it’s going to look like a hot mess like this.
Which you can make into a nice cold sandwich for lunch, or that fabulous tuna melt!
Questions:
1. I’ve been trying this new format with lots of photos. Do you prefer seeing this many photos or less? Please (be honest!) and let me know! If the answer is less, it will not hurt my feelings. I know it makes the post long, and I know you all know how to cook, and putting this many photos in a post takes a lot of time to put together! You all are totally worth it, but I don’t want to do it if you all don’t like it!
2. What is one thing you love about being a food blogger?
Chipotle Ranch Tuna Melt on 21-Grain Bread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup celery chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 1 6-ounce can gourmet tuna
- 2 Chipotles in adobo sauce chopped
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 slices medium cheddar cheese
- 2 slices Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves see note!
- 4 slices multi-grain bread
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray and set aside.
- Chop celery and red onions and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add drained tuna, chipotles, adobo sauce, ranch dressing and garlic powder and mix well.
- Melt butter and brush with a pastry brush on one side of a slice of bread. Put butter side down in the pre-sprayed skillet. Top with a generous amount of tuna salad. Brush the 2nd slice of bread with butter on one side. Put the 2nd slice on the tuna with butter side up.
- Grill on medium-high heat until done on one side, then flip over and grill on the other side until done. Transfer to a cutting board and let sit a minute or two before slicing. Slice and serve.
Notes
**This post shows both a Tuna Melt and a Cold Tuna Sandwich that is not grilled.
Pam says
Hey Kristi…I have a special request…I need to contribute a recipe for a bridal shower gift. The bride and groom are heavily into camping. Do you have any recipies in your arsenal that would be “cook-out friendly”???
Kristi says
YES!!! I do! These would be a real winning recipe for camp lovers: Chocolate Stout & Marshmallow Smores Bars. What is better than smores when camping! That is a GREAT question (and so FUN!) Pam. I hope you have a wonderful week! Good luck!
Johlene says
Hi! I love seedloaf/bread and pretty much like anything on it.. so these scream EAT ME to me 😉 Xx
Kristi says
Hahaha! Thanks Johlene. I love seed bread too! Have a wonderful weekend!
Cailee @ http://hellohealthyeating.com says
I like all the pictures!! You take such great shots… why not show them?? And I’m not quite a food blogger, but I do blog about food and health- I love sharing my passion for nutrition with others!
Kristi says
Thanks Cailee! Any blogger is fine and I really appreciate the feedback. I want to keep people happy, so hearing what you like is so important! Have a wonderful weekend and thank you!
Danielle @ TheCharmItSpot says
This looks so good! I’m a big fan of tuna, and I recently picked up a can of the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and I think it’s be a perfect addition to this recipe. This looks simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Kristi says
Thanks Danielle and thanks for visiting! I love new readers! I was a late comer to tuna, but when I mix it with the right ingredients, I really love it! And it’s so healthy! Have a beautiful weekend!
Danielle @ TheCharmItSpot says
Thanks Kristi! When I found out there are recipes excluding mayo, I got really excited. I recently mixed a can of tuna with just an avocado and seasoning, and it came out SO good. If you like avocados, you should try it
Kristi says
What a great idea Danielle! I love avocado and would’ve never thought to mix them together. I’m going to try it! I hope you have a great week! Thanks for the tip!
Danielle @ TheCharmItSpot says
Hope you love it! Have a great rest of the week as well.
Kristi says
Thanks Danielle!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Love the multi grain bread! I’m also skeptical about the use of celery but I am more than willing to test the recipe first before…
Kristi says
I am a huge fan of crunch. I love melts and this tuna melt was awesome, but I just needed something crunchy. And, I’m a big fan of celery. Multi-grain? Oh yes! Have a wonderful weekend Daniela!
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Pinned!! Wow, I never thought a tuna sandwich could looks so good. I love your recipe 😀 I haven’t had tuna in quite some time, but these pictures make me want one. I love all your photos! Keep it up 😀
Kristi says
Thanks for the pin Cindy! I don’t eat tuna often either, but I should – it’s healthy! Have a beautiful weekend!
Jess says
This looks super delicious- just like my sort of lunch!
Kristi says
Thanks Jess! Every once in a while, I need something different! Have a great weekend!
Kelly says
I haven’t had a tuna melt but looking at yours is making me want to change that soon. I am a fan of celery with tuna and love that you made this with a multi-grain bread. Love all the photos you add and my favorite part of food blogging is seeing all the yummy food from my fellow food bloggers and interacting with them 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend Kristi!
Kristi says
Thanks Kelly! I’m glad you like all the photos! I was worried I was overwhelming all of you!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Ok, first … yum, yum and yum!!!! That was easy! Second … I do like more photos. I totally agree that it takes more time to blog this way, and Gretchen and I have debated this point more than once. Some of our rationale for including more photos is that 1) As a former communications director who did a lot of publications layout work, I know that photos, subheads, bullet-point lists … anything to help visually break up text … make text more visually appealing to readers and give them more “jumping in” points. This is even more true when you’re talking about digital media like blogs rather than printed media. 2) You mention that most of your readers know how to cook, but our target audience is uber-busy, on-the-go-people, and many of them aren’t super-experienced cooks. So some of our extra shots are just to pretty-up the post, but others actually show critical steps in the cooking process and give visual cues to help our readers through the recipe. Our posts vary – some just don’t need many photos, some have a lot. Ok – that’s my two cents. And … third … I love being a food blogger because it combines by professional experience as a Communications Director with my training and passion for food, with lots of time hanging out with my co-blogger bestie 😀 … to equal my absolute dream job! Yay! 😀 Plus getting to know new awesome bloggers like you = totally the best job EVER!
Kristi says
Thanks Shelley! That was really, really helpful. I’m so glad everyone is liking more photos, because I’ve had a blast doing them! For me, it makes it so much more interesting and helpful in telling the story, so I’m so glad that you all like them! Thank you for your great feedback!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
Love a tuna melt! I’ve never added chipotle peppers, but what a great idea. I love that you are adding more pictures. A few bloggers definitely go overboard with pictures, but I think you have a good number. What I love best about food blogging is a tough one because I love so much about it. The cooking process is probably my favorite thing and how great that food blogging can create an income stream from your favorite hobby. Now were you to ask least favorite, that is easy. Most of the time I hate doing social media stuff. Except Pinterest. I could do that all day 🙂
Kristi says
Thanks Christin! That’s so helpful about the pictures! The social media part is my most challenging too! And, I am a bit (hahaha!) addicted to Pinterest! LOL!
Marcie says
This sandwich looks so good Kristi! I’m loving the sound of all of those flavors. Have a great weekend!
Kristi says
Thanks Marcie! You have a wonderful weekend too!
Nancy/SpicieFoodie says
You had me at chipotle! What a fantastic sandwich recipe. My mouth is watering so much now.:)
Kristi says
Thanks Nancy! It was really tasty! Have a wonderful Sunday!
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
I love both multigrain bread of tuna melts, so I’m sure that this sandwich would be like my new favorite thing ever ;–) It looks incredible.
1) I like the new format. Personally, I love it when there are lots of pics in a post – I think it looks great that way. And you take such beautiful ones so, why not show them?
2) Only one? Oohh, I’d say that making new bloggy friends all over the world is my favorite thing… But I also love the fact that I get to eat lots of yummy food now ;–)
Kristi says
Thanks Consuelo! I love meeting new bloggers too ~ it’s been so fun getting know all of you! Have a beautiful week!
lalaine says
A few pictures of the steps involved actually help build anticipation. Two or three I suppose are ok. I love how Simply Recipes does hers, small and within her recipe box. I want to do step by step photos too for my blog but my kitchen is so dark and I don’t want to take everything out to my patio where I usually take my photos.
I love blogging because of all the good food I get to discover. If I wasn’t food blogging, I would have been eating my tuna the same “just mayo and sweet relish” and never get to try this chipotle version of yours. Sounds delicious!
Kristi says
Welcome! I love new visitors! I’m so glad you like more pictures, because I love taking them! I’m going to jump over to Simply Recipes and check it out. And you’re right – we bloggers get to try amazing new foods. I’m so glad you stopped by and I hope you love the tuna sandwich!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Love the photos! And I think you picked a good amount to showcase. I’m all for more pictures! The best thing about food blogging is taste testing everything 🙂
Kristi says
Thanks Ashley – so glad you love all the photos. I’ve been having blast doing them. I hope you have a wonderful week!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
My dad is a big fan of tuna sandwiches so I am directing him to this link right now!
Kristi says
Thanks Pamela! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Monet says
Oh yum! This looks so good. I love sandwiches. I’m all about simplicity so I usually prefer less but you’re pictures are great so I think either way, I’d be happy!
Kristi says
Thanks Monet – I’m so glad you like it! I hope you have a great week!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
Mmmm tuna melts – i’d definitely go that route! That’s one of my favorite meals! This looks SO good!
Kristi says
Thanks Ashley – I really like a tuna sandwich too – quick and healthy! Have a beautiful day!