It’s not often you find yourself with leftover poached salmon. It’s pretty light, and when served with veggies and a salad, is likely to be eaten up. This past weekend was the exception. Too much salmon.

This is about 1-1/2 cups of salmon.

Add 2 eggs and about 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs.

Form into patties and fry in your favorite oil. I prefer olive oil, but use what you like.

This was put together to use up leftovers, but you can serve this as a great appetizer or pass-around at a party. Just reduce to bite-sized and they’ll be a great addition to your appetizer list.

Note: add the breadcrumbs slowly, you’ll know when the texture is right. If you mix in too much, just add 1/2 egg. This is one of the rare recipes I’ll put up that doesn’t have precise measurements. Some people prefer to cook that way. Others will just walk away when they don’t see the exact amounts. I don’t mind the random tinkering now and then, and for the first time I’ve ever made these, they came out great. The poached salmon had enough flavor that egg and breadcrumbs were all I used here. Let us know if you’ve made these and whether you use an exact recipe.

written by admin \\ tags: appetizer, leftover, salmon

When I was a youngster in Brooklyn (NY) there was a restaurant named Junior’s which was known for having the best NY style cheesecake. It’s still there and in fact, there’s a location now right in midtown Manhattan. Some time ago, over 30 years, the New York Times printed the Junior’s recipe, and I’ve made it, unaltered, and enjoyed the results every time. I’ve seen other recipes claiming to be Junior’s, I can’t vouch for them, maybe they are copycat recipes. I only know mine came from the paper of record, and I’ve never gotten a complaint. I was just at a book group discussion and served this cheesecake. The first thing I was asked is if I was willing to share the recipe. Here’s the recipe, a few pictures and some advice.

Junior’s Famous Cheesecake

1 lb. + 14 oz. cream cheese
7/8 cup sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

Ok. You caught me, I use a graham cracker crust, premade. The crust is the least of the recipe, you can make it from scratch if you’d like.

You can mix this by hand, but the Kitchen-Aid can’t be beat. Mix cream cheese until light and fluffy, gradually add combined sugar and corn starch, beat in egg, then vanilla and cream. Pour into a well-greased 7 inch pan with graham cracker crust on bottom.

It looks light in this picture, but this weighs over two pounds. Bake in a pre-heated 450° oven for about 40 to 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. – I’m struggling with my oven, it browned pretty fast this time, just over 25 minutes. Next time, I plan to start it at a lower temperature, 350. Whatever you do, keep any eye on it. When the top browns, pull it out.

I simmered a pound of strawberries (in 2 TBL water with 1 TBL sugar) for nearly 45 minutes to make the topping. My family told me the topping was too liquified, they’d like chunks of strawberries. My book group friends were too polite to comment on the topping, maybe they’ll let me know how they make it. This will make 16 decent sized slices of cheesecake. Last night, half of it served 12 people. If you’ve ever been to New York, or a just a fan of NY style cheesecake, try this out and let me know how you liked it!

written by admin \\ tags: cheesecake, juniors-cheesecake

This is a recipe for caramel popcorn, very similar to Cracker Jack. By the case, this snack will set you back over $9/lb. But if you have the time and patience, it’s a small fraction of that.

1/2 cup butter (this is 1/4lb stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 quarts popped popcorn (I microwave it in a lunch bag, no oil)

Start by melting the butter over low heat, add brown sugar, and corn syrup, stir until it boils, then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, add the baking soda and vanilla, then pour over the popcorn in a big metal bowl. Bake for 1 hour at 250F, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Tell me if this doesn’t taste like the real thing. (I know, I missed the peanuts. Add them if you like!)

written by admin \\ tags: cracker jack, popcorn, snack

A few weeks back, along with the Stuffed Baked Potatoes, we had Southwest Veggie Nachos, an excellent low fat dish.

6 oz backed tortilla chips
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed/drained
1 diced green pepper
1/2 cup corn
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup sliced black olives
3 tbl pickled jalapeno slices
1-1/2 cups low fat shredded cheese (Mexican blend if available)
4 large plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 sliced avocado

Heat Oven to 425F coat cookie sheet with cooking spray. Spread chips. Combine beans, pepper, corn and cumin, spoon over chips, top with olives jalapenos and cheese, bake 5-6 minutes till cheese melts. Combine tomato, onion, cilantro and juice, mix in avocado, serve with salsa.

Note – this dish lends itself to any changes you’d like. Add turkey, chicken, or ground beef if you’d like. Leave out the peppers if you don’t like hot. Have fun, and enjoy! This was served as a main dish, but would make a great appetizer or game day snack in front of the big screen.

written by admin \\ tags: mexican, nachos