Salmon Patties

I have a wonderful friend by the name of Melissa (great name eh?) and I follow her cooking blog fairly closely, although I am not quite as dedicated to healthiness as she is. But I got this recipe from her blog and was definitely not disappointed. We made sliders out of them instead of big ones. My kids also gobbled them up like there was no tomorrow.

1 can salmon (14.5 oz), drained and flaked (I just used 3- 5oz cans)
2 eggs
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1/4 c. dry potato flakes
1/4 c. finely diced red onion
juice of half a lemon (a little more than 1 Tbsp)
5 dashes hot sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
lemon wedges and/or tartar sauce for serving

Preheat skillet over medium heat. Mix all of the ingredients through salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Roll a golf ball sized amount in your hand and flatten to a little less than 1/2 an inch thick. Pour 1 Tbsp oil in the pan and allow to heat. Place patties in pan and cook about 5 minutes on each side until browned. Repeat with remaining mix and oil. Enjoy.

Creamy Baked Risotto

I am trying to get away from always making plain white rice, so I thought I would give this recipe a try. It was delicious! It was also easy, so I will definitely make it again. It's from the "Cook's Country" magazine.

Easy Baked Risotto

5 c low-sodium chicken broth (be sure to use this or it will be salty)
1/2 c water
2 bay leaves
4 T unsalted butter
1 onion
salt and pepper
2 c Arborio rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c dry white wine (I used water with a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar - I personally think you could leave it out all together)
1 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 T chopped fresh parsley (I used dried parsley and added it when I added the rice)

1. Adjust rack to middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Bring broth, water, and bay leaves to a simmer in medium saucepan over med-high heat. Cover and keep warm over lowest possible heat.

2. White broth is warming, melt butter in Dutch oven over med heat. Add onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and cook, stirring until completely absorbed, about 1 minute.

3. Pour warm broth over rice. Cover Dutch oven with sheet of aluminum foil (I had to use two), pressing down so that it rests on top of broth. Crimp foil around edges and cover pot with lid for tight seal. Bake until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes (I had to cook it for about 23 minutes). Discard bay leaves. Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Mexican Pie

1/2-1 pound ground beef
1/2 package taco seasoning
1/3 cup salsa
1 can refried beans
1 tube of crescent rolls
6-8 oz of cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheese

Press undone crescent rolls onto the bottom and up the sides of a pie pan to create a crust. Spread softened cream cheese over the dough. Brown beef in a large pan, add taco seasoning and salsa; simmer until thickened. Stir in refried beans. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Line edges with tinfoil and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with shredded cheese; bake 5 minutes longer without the tinfoil until the cheese is melted and edges are golden brown.