Salmon Patties with Avocado Tomato Salsa

(Sorry no photos)

Salmon Patties with Tomato Avocado Salsa

1 can salmon, drain, flake and break up bones
2 Tbsp onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 egg beaten
3 to 4 Tbsp dry bread crumbs (I used more)
Olive Oil

Mix together all except the olive oil. Heat oil in a large skillet. Shape salmon mixture into 4 patties. Cook in the oil until browned on both sides.


Salsa

1 cup diced tomatoes
1 or 2 avocados, diced (I actually used 1 1/2)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all together. Serve over the salmon patties

Homemade Pasta Sauce and Easy Foccacia Bread

Homemade Pasta Sauce - crockpot

4 medium tomatoes, diced (I had about 25 ounces total when I weighed them)
1/2 cup diced onion
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 can sliced mushrooms (or 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms)
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
2 beef bouillon cubes
salt and pepper to taste




Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and stir. Cook on low until tomatoes break down and flavors are blended (about 6 hours on Low). Remove bay leaf before serving.




I made mine the night before and refrigerated, then warmed it up on the stovetop. Serve over hot pasta of your choice. I served it over some Porcini Mushroom Tortellini.


Easy Foccacia Bread

1 package crescent rolls (or the crescent baking sheets)
olive oil
Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Parmesan cheese

If using crescent rolls, do not separate but press seams together when spreading out in the baking sheet.
Place crescent sheet/rolls on a baking sheet and roll out to cover surface.
Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle on Italian seasoning, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove bread from pan and let cool on cooling rack until ready to serve. Cut into squares.

Orange Crusted Salmon with Mango Salsa

This is adapted from a Weight Watchers online recipe. Prepare the salsa at least an hour before cooking the salmon.

Orange Crusted Salmon

1 pound frozen salmon fillets, thawed and drained
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat broiler. I line the broiler pan with aluminum foil to make clean up super easy!
Mix together the sugar, salt, orange zest and pepper. Arrange salmon on broiler pan and rub the sugar mixture over the top of the fillets. Use all of the sugar - it will start to melt into the salmon. (You can rub the sugar on the salmon and refrigerate up to 8 hours before broiling)
Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 6 minutes per inch thickness. Salmon should be flaky.

Mango Salsa

1 medium mango, peeled and diced
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, minced
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
juice of an orange (use for zest for the salmon)
juice of a lime
Cilantro - if desired (DD2 does not care for cilantro so I omitted it and still tastes good)

Mix all together and chill at least an hour before serving.

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa
This is a variation of a recipe from Weight Watchers online



2 mangos, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (use gloves)
3 Tbsp diced red onion
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
juice of one orange (about 1/4 cup)
juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp)

Stir all together and chill at least one hour.

Egg in Toast

I'm sure there are some fancier names for this breakfast standby - like maybe Bird in a Nest - but I am just calling it Egg in Toast - because that is what it is.
I never cooked this for my kids when they were little although I know it is a favorite of many moms. One of the babysitters would cook if occasionally for them. I thought I would give it a try this morning.



Egg in Toast:
Slice of bread
Egg
Butter or Margarine
Salt and pepper to taste

I had a loaf of fresh bread from the bakery - one of those football shapes French loaves that are so good! I cut a slice about 1 inch thick and then used a juice glass to cut a circle out in the center of the slice.
Butter the bread on both sides and lay in a hot skillet. Place a pat of butter in the hole.
When the butter is melted, break the egg into a small bowl - gently pour into the hole in the bread.
Allow to cook until the bread is golden brown and the egg is set on the bottom.
Flip gently and brown on the other side.
Serve immediately - salt and pepper to taste.

I had some sausage links left over from our pancake dinner a couple nights ago and some fresh cantaloupe - yummy breakfast!

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Creamy Chicken Taquitos - original recipe can be found here


Here is my version:

4 oz softened cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa verde
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro (opt'l - I omit it as my daughter doesn't care for it)
1 Tbsp chopped onion (opt'l)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used boneless skinless chicken thighs)
1 cup shredded fiesta blend cheese
14 small flour tortillas (the number will vary)


Preheat oven to 425
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, and cumin. Stir in the cilantro and onions if using. Add the chicken and cheese and mix thoroughly.
(You can chill the mixture at this point to use later)




Warm a few tortillas at a time in the microwave by placing between 2 paper towels and heating for 30 seconds. (I don’t usually warm them.😉)
Spread 2 Tbsp of the chicken mixture along one third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.



Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Continue until you have used all of the chicken mixture. I got 14 taquitos from mine.



Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes (I baked for 15 and may have been a little bit too long - of course, this will vary depending on your oven and how tightly you have rolled the tortillas)


I might have overfilled a few as the filling flowed out the ends. I used a little over 2 Tbsp since the recipe said 2-3 Tbsp but I think 2 Tbsp would have worked well and I would have gotten even more.

The original recipe states you can freeze the rolled taquitos before baking them. I did put a couple in the freezer on some aluminum foil and will place in a ziplock bag when they are frozen. I'll have to back them some time when I have the oven on and see how they compare. If frozen, bake at 425 for 20 minutes.


They were very tasty. I figured 3 would be a good serving size - and that was filling for lunch today. For dinner, I would add a salad and maybe refried beans on the side. Could possibly get by with 2 taquitos for a serving with the sides.

Update 5/25/18 - I freeze these all the time now.  After rolling the tortilla filled with the chicken mixture, place on a parchment lined baking sheet (close together - you can pack them on it).  Place in freezer for 4 - 12 hours.  Once frozen, place the taquitos in a zip lock bag.  A gallon bag will hold about 20 taquitos.   Repeat as long as you have filling and tortillas.
Cook from frozen in preheated 425 oven for 15 minutes.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie ( a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes if you have any - or next time you make mashed potatoes, make extra and you are a step ahead for your next meal)



Meat layer
2 lb ground beef
1 medium yellow onion
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce (maybe use more next time)
1/2 cup beef broth (fat free)
2 cups frozen peas or peas and carrots

Potato layer
6 to 8 cups mashed potatoes -
I used
8 medium russet potatoes - peeled, cut up and boiled until soft
1/2 cup chicken broth (fat free)
1 Tbsp margarine

Brown ground beef and onion until beef is no longer pink and onion is translucent. Stir in worcestershire, tomato paste and beef broth - heat to boiling. Add peas and cook until peas are warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Mash potatoes adding margarine and chicken broth. These should be a little stiff.
Spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with oil. Spread meat mixture in bottom of dish. Spread potatoes over the beef mixture. The best way I have found to do this without having the meat mix in with the potatoes - take very thin spoonfuls of the potatoes and place on top of the meat - spreading just a little. Once you have covered the whole dish with a thin layer, spread the remaining potatoes over top. To finish off the top, take a fork and make lines through the potatoes - this will help give the crunchy brown potato edges that are so good!


Serving size is 1/8 of the casserole - 8 WW PointsPlus.



Serve with a veggie or fruit on the side and you have a meal! I thought it could have used a little more salt (but of course I like salt and need to cut back).
I pre-cooked this yesterday by preparing everything up to the point of layering it in the casserole. Very easy to assemble and bake after church today (and very little mess).