Leftover Lunch Delight

If you have left over Salmon loaf one great way to make it into a quick and easy lunch is to mix a slice into a bowl of egg noodles, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and a pinch of salt and pepper.  A quick and delicious way to get your brain boosting omega fatty acids.

NOTE: only use half the liquid!

During my walk this evening I had planned on making  the salmon loaf recipe which was the very first recipe that I ever cooked on my own.  I found the recipe in my mother's old, worn Betty Crocker cookbook.  I distinctly remember it was from this cookbook because it was my favorite one.  I was disappointed when I got home and found that it has been omitted from the version that I have.  I went through my bookmarked recipe pages and found a suitable recipe (though I was sure it had too many liquids) and gave it a try.  The recipe called for the salmon and the liquid, 1 beaten egg, plus another 1/2 c. of milk.  Against my best judgement I put it all together and substituted Panko bread crumbs over crushed saltine crackers (I don't think that would make a huge difference). Forty-five minutes later I was spooning up a slightly mooshy slice of Salmon loaf.  


My recommendations: reserve three quarters of the liquid from the salmon and omit the milk.

Shanghai Bistro, Hudson Wisconsin

I recommend eating at the Shanghai Bistro if you live or commute around the Hudson area.  It has a nice ambiance for a romantic duo or just the right amount of light for an intimate group of friends.  The Shanghai Bistro does offer a diverse selection of dishes from delicious cuts of sushimi, beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian dishes.  My boyfriend was enthusiastic about the beef dish he ordered (though he said next time he would order something different), and I was happy with the texture and flavor of my sushi plate (I have had bad luck finding good sushi in this area).
Luke and I were pleasantly surprised with the unique dining experience and the grand finale of hot rags (just like I remember in Japan) and a small bill for two; that had each ordered appetizers, a beer, and two main dishes.  We would both recommend Shanghai Bistro for your next dining experience!

It is that time of year again when the snow melts and the nights frost caves way to the sugary flow of the great maple's blood lines.  Rod pulls out his syruping equipment and drills holes in the trees where he pounds in a tap.  Luke hangs a bag on the tap to collect the sap which will be collected and boiled down into the delicious maple syrup we know and love.

LA Ice-Cream Wars

Raspberries & Cream
I made a rich and creamy vanilla based ice-cream with fresh raspberries.  It wasn't too sweet and had an undertone of bitterness from the raspberries that, I thought, was a nice compliment to the smooth creaminess.

Butterscotch Cookie Dough
Luke put a lot of work into his ice-cream (he always picks the hard flavors).  He had to make a custard on the stove (I am not a huge fan of custard) before he could add the other ingredients and put it all together.  He realized after his trip to the store that he had forgotten to pick up a bag of chocolate chips so he found a bag of butterscotch chips to use instead.  We tried the experiment right out of the mixing bowl which was a little too milky for me, but after it was frozen overnight and the flavors could settle it was pretty good.  Maybe a little on the rich side, but interesting.

Winner of this round: IT'S A TIE!

Delicious Dessert
I made a coconut macaroon recipe the other day using the recipe on the coconut bag.  Interesting to know, being I am always experimenting with ways to use alternative ingredients, is that if you are trying to form firm glossy peaks in egg whites, honey will defeat the egg.
The idea of using honey in place of sugar turned into a sloppy  (the honey and egg separated) mess.
Regardless of the consistency of the mixture, which was runny, I topped them with almonds and baked the concoction.  After a few minutes of cooling I coated them in dark chocolate and refrigerated them overnight.  The next day I was rewarded with a finger licking, bite-sized treat. MMM! MMM!