Tuna Salad Appetizer Puffs

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We often have “card nights” with friends where we sit around a table and munch on hearty “finger foods” while we talk and play cards. Every time we do this we go to a different friends’ home. This is one of my favorite ways to relax! We had a card night this past weekend. I made tuna salad appetizer puffs to bring. I’m posting the recipe here. This is a great snack food or appetizer. I’ve even served these appetizer puffs at more formal occasions like afternoon teas.

There are two steps to making these puffs. First, you need to make the miniature “cream puff” style shells. Step two is filling them. To save on prep time last-minute, you can make up the cream puff shells several days or weeks in advance and freeze them. Then about 30-60 minutes before you’re ready to fill them, take the shells out of the freezer and let them sit out at room temperature to thaw. Your guests will never know the shells were frozen, and it saves you some time before a party, when you probably have a million other things you need to do.

TUNA SALAD APPETIZER PUFFS

1. “Cream puff” style shells:

½ cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. salt
4 large eggs

Spray 2 large baking sheets with cooking oil spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, heat butter and water to a rolling boil. Add flour and salt and stir until the mixture becomes smooth and leaves the side of the pan. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until mixture loses its gloss. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, allowing 2-3 inches between each spoonful of dough. Bake about 15 minutes in preheated oven until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool away from draft. You can cool slightly at room temperature and then fill, or you can freeze shells until time to fill.

2. Tuna salad filling:

3 (6 oz.) cans tuna fish (oil or water-packed)
3 celery ribs, washed, dried and diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 T. yellow mustard
½ cup diced yellow or white onion
1 tsp. fresh dill, diced finely
1 T. fresh parsley, diced finely
Salt and pepper to taste

If using oil-packed tuna, drain excess oil. Use a fork to break tuna chunks into flakes. Combine tuna with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until you’re ready to fill the puffs.

Fill puff shells no more than 3-4 hours before serving. To fill, make a slit with a knife in the top third of the shell. There should be an open cavity inside the shell. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into each puff shell, and return top of shell. Refrigerate filled puffs until serving time. Makes about 60 to 80 appetizer-sized puffs.

Enjoy!
~Becky