Salmon Cakes

So I wanted to make salmon cakes because I love salmon. Actually I enjoy most all seafood. Anyway I wanted to make sure they turned out well so I used a cookbook.

It was a disaster. The salmon cakes wouldn't stick together and they tasted really dry. So I decided I'd try making my own recipe - I mean it couldn't be worse than the first try. And I learned I should trust myself because they turned out quite well.

I used real mashed potatoes and haven't tried it with instant yet. When I'm running short on time (which is most of the time so the wait probably wont be long) I'll add a note about how it works with the instant. Also I used fresh rosemary because it grows in my garden. If someone tries it with the rosemary from their spice shelf let me know how much worked best.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium potatoes
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp milk
• 6 oz can salmon
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 large eggs

Peel and cube potatoes. Add to pan of water and boil for 15 minutes. Drain the water and whip (or mash). Add butter and whip. Add milk and whip until potatoes are a consistent texture.

Drain juice from salmon and remove skin. Add to potatoes. Add all remaining ingredients to potatoes. Stir until all ingredients are completely mixed together.

Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan at medium heat. Drop 1/8 cup of batter per cake onto hot pan. Flip when golden brown (about three to five minutes). Cook the other side for an equal amount of time. Serve hot.

Salmon Alfredo Pasta

This is a quick meal--goes together in about 15 minutes (5 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking). And I think you will be amazed that you can make such great tasting Alfredo sauce at home.

I didn't put in amounts for the pasta or the salmon (or lemon juice and garlic salt--salmon seasoning) because I figured that would very depending on personal tastes and needs. However, the sauce easily covers four servings of pasta.

Ingredients:

• Pasta
• Salmon
• lemon juice
• garlic salt
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Turn oven to broil. Bring a pot of water to boil.

Grease cookie sheet. Top with salmon. Sprinkle with lemon juice and garlic salt.

Mix cream cheese, milk, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper and parsley in saucepan over medium heat.

Add pasta to boiling water and put salmon in the oven. Stir the Alfredo sauce while cooking for 10 minutes.

Remove salmon from oven. Drain noodles.

Dish up noodles, top with sauce then flaked salmon. Use extra parsley for garnish.

Dinner

Often the biggest meal of the day, dinner offers many creative options.

• Beef Stroganoff
• "Can't Be Beat" Pot Roast
• Chicken Alfredo Pizza
• Eggplant in Tomato Sauce
• Honey Nut Pork Stir-Fry
• Moroccan Beef over Rice
• Salmon Alfredo Pasta
• Salmon Cakes
  

Moroccan Beef over Rice

This is a nice dish when you are tired of standard American fare. It also works well wrapped in a tortilla and served for lunch, but I prefer it over rice. Also, I use dehydrated chopped onions. (You can find them in the baking section of your grocery store.) If you are using fresh onions you will need to fry them in olive oil before cooking the beef.
This recipe only requires 10 to 15 minutes of active cooking. But it does need to cook unattended for about 25 to 30 minutes.

• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 cups ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 dried chopped dried apricots
• 1 can diced tomatoes, strained
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/3 dried cranberries
• 1 cup V8 juice

In a large skillet combine beef and onions. Cook until browned.

Use garlic press. Then add garlic, coriander and bay leaf to beef. Cook an additional minute.

Add apricots, tomatoes, tomato paste, cranberries and juice. Cook uncovered on medium low for 25 to 30 minutes. (If you are not using instant rice add one cup rice and two cups water to a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Cover. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.)

Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice.

Why this Blog?

I've decided to start this blog mostly for myself. I have a tendency to get into a rut with my cooking. I come home from work and I'm tired. I don't want to spend a lot of time making dinner. So I find myself making the same thing a million times, which is crazy because I know more than a handful of recipes.

So as my own personal reminder of the recipes I do know I am starting this blog. I will track what worked, what didn't and I'll even try to include about how long each took to prepare and to make. If this helps someone else that's great. But like I said it's mostly for me anyway.