Canned salmon is a good staple to have in the pantry. Salmon cakes are a quick meal when everyone is starving. The Salmon Loaf is delicious with a sauce that fits with it perfectly. The Salmon Loaf is elegant enough for company.

My family has made the Salmon Cake recipe for years. It is quick and easy and few ingredients. If you have leftovers, break up the Salmon Cake in bite-size pieces and add to a salad for lunch.

Pink salmon is milder than the red salmon and is less expensive. The red sockeye salmon looks better if you are serving it in a salad or in a dish that needs more red color. The bones in the canned salmon and do not have to be removed. Some people remove the round bones that are usually in the center. If you want to remove the round bones, drain the salmon, remove the salmon and gently open the salmon up with a fork or your fingers and you will find a row of round bones.

Salmon Cake

Oil or bacon grease
1 can salmon (drain the salmon and remove the small white round bones usually in the middle, the smaller bones are soft and do not have to be removed)
3 eggs
4-5 soda crackers (crumble them up with your hands)
Pepper to taste

Mix together in a bowl.  Put oil or bacon grease in a skillet and get it hot.  You can test it by dropping a tiny sliver of the mixture in the skillet.  It should bubble around the edges.  Take a serving spoon and fill it with the salmon mixture and gently put it in the skillet.  (This can pop so use a lid or a pizza pan for a lid).  Cook until golden brown—a few minutes on each side.  Drain on a paper towel.

Salmon Loaf

1 1-pound can (2 cups) salmon drained and flaked
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2  tablespoons minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup evaporated milk
1 beaten egg

In a bowl, combine salmon, crumbs, vegetables, spices, and lemon juice. Blend milk and eggs. Add to salmon mixture mixing gently. Put the mixture in a greased 9×5 loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. When loaf is removed from oven turn it upside down on a platter or plate.

Olive Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup evaporated milk
water
1/4 cup stuffed green olives
1/4 cup chopped salted almonds

Combine mayonnaise and salt in bowl.  Blend until smooth.

Pour evaporated milk into a measuring cup and add water to make 1 cup of liquid. Slowly add to mayonnaise mixture. Pour sauce into saucepan. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in ¼ cup of water. Add to sauce. Cook on medium heat. Stir until thick. Add sliced stuffed green olives and chopped almonds. When olives and almonds are warm remove from heat.

If the sauce is not getting as thick as you would like, mix a little more cornstarch and water together and add to the sauce.

Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
2. Canned Tuna Classics
3. Peanut Chicken with Linguini

Canned tuna is very versatile and we tend to use it in more recipes in the summer.  Tuna is a refreshing alternative to other meats for a meal and it is rich in protein. Some of our class tuna favorites are: tuna salad for sandwiches, stuffed avocados, stuffed tomatoes, and tuna casseroles.  Canned tuna is not only healthy, but it is also a good dollar stretcher.

Tuna Salad

Ingredients

4 cans tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 diced onion
3-4 hard boiled eggs, minced
2-3 small sweet pickles finely diced or pickle relish (optional)
1 teaspoon sweet pickle juice
1/4 cup diced celery or 2 teaspoons celery seed, bruised slightly for more flavor
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4-1 1/2 cup of mayonnaise

Preparation

Mix all ingredients together.  Add the mayonnaise so that the tuna salad is the consistency you like. Chill.

Serving Suggestions

Sandwiches

Try using different breads, bagels, and muffins instead of plain white or wheat bread.

Stuffed Avocado

Instead of making sandwiches, take an avocado and cut it in half, remove the seed.  Remove a small amount of avocado for a garnish.  Pack the avocado halves with the tuna mixture. Add a dash of pepper. Set the avocado on a lettuce leaf or salad greens. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Stuffed Tomato

Cut the top off the tomato and scoop out the tomato pulp leaving a small amount of pulp in the bottom.  Fill the tomato with the tuna salad.   Garnish with green onions and a dash of pepper. Set the tomato on a lettuce leaf or salad greens. Serve with your favorite dressing.

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients

1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked egg noodles
1 can tuna, drained and flaked
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Blend soup and milk.  Add noodles, tuna, and parsley.  Pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole.  Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake in 350º oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.  4 servings.

Serving Suggestions
Serve with salad and crunchy French bread

Variations

Use crushed potato chips instead of Parmesan cheese for topping.

Use 2-4 tablespoons buttered breadcrumbs for topping instead of Parmesan cheese.
Add a can of drained corn or peas to the mixture.  Either vegetable is very good and extends the number of people the dish will serve.

In the tuna recipes you can substitute canned boned chicken for the tuna.  Tuna should be firm, flaky and moist, but not soggy.  I use the chunky tuna packed in water.

Tuna is very versatile and can be combined with most flavors from asparagus to melons.  This is a good product to have on hand in the pantry for quick meals.  The tuna will last about a year or so in the cupboard. Tuna is inexpensive, has high protein, and best of all most kids like it.

Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Very Veggie Tuna Sandwich
2. Canned Salmon
3. Tuna Pot Roast with Tomato, Basil & Capers

Related posts:

1. Grilled Chicken Fajitas
2. Pan Fried Rosemary Chicken
3. Peanut Chicken with Linguini

Tilapia is one of my favorite types of fish because it is so mild and can be prepared in so many different ways. We use it from everything from seasoned filets to fish tacos. Almond crusted tilapia is one of my favorite easy weeknight dishes. It is so fast and easy to make and I haven’t met anyone (even people who normally don’t like fish) who won’t eat this tasty dinner. You can change up the taste of this dish for some variety by adjusting the seasonings and using different  nuts for an entirely new flavor.

Frozen tilapia can be found at most grocery stores (my favorite brand is sold at Costco) and stores well for several months. Tilapia can be quickly thawed by putting it under running water for several minutes so start to finish, this meal can be done in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• Tilapia
• Butter
• Flour
• Slivered almonds (try the bulk foods section for a great deal on slivered almonds)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Preparation

Sprinkle the tilapia fillet liberally with salt and pepper. If you want to add any additional spices, this is the time to do it.  Salt really brings out the flavor in this dish so don’t skimp unless you add additional seasoning.

Scoop a thick layer of flour onto a cutting board or plate. You can substitute wheat flour here for a healthier option, although I find that I use so little flour in this recipe that it doesn’t make too much of a difference. Lay the salt and peppered tilapia on the flour and then flip to coat. Don’t worry about having a thick layer of flour. You just want to provide a surface to brown during cooking.

Fill a frying pan with a thin layer of olive oil and heat to medium-high heat. Gently add the tilapia to the frying pan. Tilapia is a very firm fish before it is cooked so it’s easy to work with.

Allow the tilapia to cook undisturbed for at least 3 minutes. This step can be difficult for most busy moms. I like to pick at things while I cook to hurry them along or I get distracted while not disturbing something and end up burning it. Enjoy the quiet time for a minute. Watch the fish fry. It’s actually not as tedious as watching water boil. When the flour has lightly browned, flip the tilapia and cook the other side for about 3 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

When the tilapia is fully cooked, remove it from the pan. I like to cover it with a piece of foil to keep it warm while I finish the rest of the meal. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, or more if you like butter. I like butter. When the butter has melted, add a small handful of slivered almonds to the pan to toast. I don’t measure this. I generally just try and have a enough of the butter sauce to cover the number of tilapia fillets I have cooked.

Pour the toasted almonds and butter over the cooked tilapia fillets and serve. This goes with pretty much any side dish. We often serve it with rice and veggies. We recently joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) so we decided to use up some of our tasty veggies and try something new by making mashed turnips with garlic. They were surprisingly good and all my kids ate them. Anything goes. Leftovers make amazing fish tacos.

Related posts:

1. Almond Crusted Tilapia
2. Broccoli Almond Pizza
3. Mushroom Almond Pate

This is a recipe for Tuna Pot Roast from Molly Stevens’ book All About Braising. Don’t let the length of the recipe scare you away–the technique here is so simple you probably won’t need to read it again save to check for ingredients after you’ve made it once. And if you make it once, you will most definitely make this one again. I would also try this set of sauce/braising liquid ingredients with chicken, pork tenderloin and quite possibly even tofu. It’s a lovely blending of flavors vaguely reminiscent of pasta puttanesca, but softer and more suited to the delicate flavors of the tuna.

Enter to Win All About Braising by Molly Stevens

Tuna Pot Roast with Tomato, Basil & Capers

(adapted from All About Braising by Molly Stevens)
Serves 4-6
Braising Time 20-25 minutes

The Basil-Anchovy Paste

2 large garlic cloves
3 anchovies, minced (Courtney note: vegetarians or those who hate anchovies can generally get away with subbing a few oil-cured black olives for the anchovies, minced fine)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil, stems reserved
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

The Braise

1 3/4 to 2 pounds tuna loin in one piece, at least 3-4 inches thick
all purpose flour for dredging (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
1 small celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 cup chopped ripe or canned tomatoes
course salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup loosely packed shredded fresh basil leaves, stems reserved
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

Season the tuna–1-4 hours in advance: Coarsely chop 1 garlic clove and combine it with the anchovies and basil in a mortar. Season with salt and pepper, and crush and grind the garlic, anchovies, and basil into a paste using the pestle. (If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, combine the ingredients on a cutting board and using a combination of chopping motion and smearing with the side of the blade, reduce them to a paste.) Slice the remaining garlic clove into slivers. With the tip of a sharp knive, make small incisions all over the tuna loin and stuff a sliver of garlic into each one. Smear the anchovy-garlic-basil paste over the entire surface of the tuna. Cover loosely with plasic and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.
Dredging the tuna: Spread the flour out on a plate. Roll the tuna loin, paste and all, in the flour. Some paste may come off, but don’t worry. Lift the tuna loin out of the flour, and pat it to shake off the excess. Discard the leftover flour.
Browning the tuna: Add 2 tablespoonsof the oil to a heavy high-sided lidded skillet or braising pan that will neatly hold the tuna without much room to spare, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Lower the tuna into the oil, using your hands or sturdy tongs, and sear it on all sides, turning with tongs, just until a pale brown crust forms, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the tuna to a plate, using a large spatula to lift it and a pair of sturdy tongs to steady it so as to avoid piercing the fish with a fork. Discard the oil. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
The aromatics and braising liquid: Add the remaining 2tablespoons oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute, stirring occasionally, until translucent and limp, about 8 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by about half, about 10  minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Tie the reserved basil stems together with kitchen string, then stir in the basil stems and capers and simmer for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.

The braise: Return the tuna to the pan, again using the spatula and tongs, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Lift the lid after a minute or two to make sure that the sauce is  just barely bubbling. If it is simmering too vigorously, lower the heat or set a heat diffuser beneath the pan. Baste the tuna every 5 minutes or so, spooning the tomato braising liquid over the top. After 10 minutes, carefully turn the tuna using the spatula and a sturdy pair of tongs; do not drip too tightly with th tongs, or you may tear the tuna. Continue braising until the tuna is just cooked through, another 10-15 minutes. An easy doneness test is to insert a narrow blade or skewer into the center of the tuna. Wait a moment, then pull out the blade or skewer and touch it gingerly to your lip or the inside of your wrist. The blade or skewer should feel just warm to the touch, not cold and not scorching hot. You can also insert a small knife into the tuna and pull back the flesh to peek. The fish should be just cooked through but not at all dried out. Transfer the tuna to a serving dish, and cover loosley with foil to keep warm.

The finish: Remove the basil stems. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and taste it to evaluate its flavor and texture. If the sauce appears thin, boil to thicken it some, about six minutes. It should be thick enough to spoon over the tuna. Stir in the shredded basil and taste for salt and pepper.
Serving: if serving immediately, carve the tuna into thick slices or chunks and spoon the sauce over each. Or leave the tuna to cool in the braising liquid, then carve the tuna into slices or pull it into chunks and serve with the braising liquid.

Variation: Tuna Pot Roast with Tomatoes & Black Olives
Add a scant 1/4 cup small unpitted black olives (such as Morroccan oil-cured or Nicoise) and 2 strips of orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler (each about 3 inches by 3/4 inch) to the braising liquid along with the capers and basil stems in Step 4.

Related posts:

1. All About Braising (Closed)
2. Red Wine and Garlic Crock Pot Roast
3. Simple Tomato Sauce

Tilapia is a wonderfully mild fish that is great for introducing fish to your family’s diet. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week to get the Omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies need. Many parents are reluctant to add fish to the menu because they don’t think that their kids will eat it. The earlier you get your kids used to fish the more likely they are to learn to enjoy it. In our family, we introduced fish early and it is one of my 5 year old’s favorite foods. help your kids establish healthy habits that will last a lifetime with this low-fat and nutritious meal.

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 1 T olive oil
• 4 tilapia fillets
• 1/4 cup sliced (or chopped) almonds
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Grate the peel from 1 lemon and squeeze 3 T of juice from it. Cut the second lemon into wedges to serve with the cooked fish and set aside. In a small bowl, mix the lemon peel, lemon juice, 1 T of olive oil, 1/4 t salt, and 1/8 t coarsely ground black pepper.

Lightly coat a glass baking dish with olive oil and place tilapia in it. Drizzle tilapia with the lemon miixture and top with sliced almonds.

Bake the tilapia for 17 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Optional Side Dish

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 12 ounces of fresh green beans
• 1 package of mushrooms (you can use any variety, I like baby portabella), sliced
• 2 T water
• salt
• pepper
• 2 T lemon juice

In a 12 inch skillet, add olive oil and chopped onion. Cook for 5-6 minute, stirring occassionally, or until the onion is transparent. Add the green beans, mushrooms, water, 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t black pepper.

Cook for about 6 minutes or until the liquid evaporates and green beans are tender, but still crisp. Toss with lemon juice.

Related posts:

1. Almond Crusted Tilapia
2. Pinto Beans
3. Greeny Zucchini Soup

Lunch time has the potential to be really fattening if you resort to convenience foods with little to no nutrition. These simple tuna sandwiches are tasty and provide 3 servings of vegetables.

Served on 100% whole wheat bread, this sandwich can give you the energy that you need to make it through the rest of the afternoon.

Ingredients

One Can of Tuna Fish (in Water)
2 T of Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup of low fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup of chopped carrots
1/4 cup of chopped broccoli
1/2 an avocado
100% whole wheat bread

Preparation

Open a can of tuna fish and drain the water. In a small bowl, mix the tuna fish, ranch dressing, and mayonnaise. Using a food chopper or food processer, finely chop the carrots and broccoli. Add the vegetables to the tuna mixture and stir well.

Peel and thinly slice a ripe avocado. Layer the slices of avocado on a piece of 100% whole wheat bread. Top the avocado with the tuna mixture and a second slice of whole wheat bread.

For a well rounded lunch, serve with a side of fruit, yogurt, or a cheese stick.

Related posts:

1. Canned Tuna Classics
2. Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad
3. Garden Vegetable Herb Dip