Pause buttons and Pistachio Nuts

pulsante di pausa/ pause button

Just a quick not to let everyone know I am limiting my blogging/ blog reading the next week or so, while I wrap up the school year - May 23rd. I have made a couple of decisions that may prompt some changes I can't speak about right now, and with getting the dessert gig up and running as well, blogging will have to move aside for a moment. So, I will be sporadic but will be back shorty. I appreciate everyone for your patience...be back soon.

In the meantime, I leave you with a one of the cookies I made for a friend, for her son's graduation party.

GA Tech graduation party

I saw these beauties over at Ellie’s (Kitchen Wench). I am not a cookie fan, but these?

I had to get them out of my house. Yum....so good! I altered them a bit, so I am guessing the originals must be insanely fantastic as well. Thanks Ellie!

White Chocolate & Pistachio Cookies
(adapted from Ellie’s Kitchen Wench,
who adapted by necessity from
“How to be a domestic goddess” by Nigella Lawson)

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup white choc chips
1½ cups raw unsalted pistachios, shelled and peeled if possible

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and both sugar till soft and fluffy, then add the vanilla and egg and beat till combined, then beat in the flour. Add pistachios and white chocolate and mix to combine. Place walnut-sized balls 2-inch apart on a baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, till the cookies are golden all over and a darker gold around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling down. Stored in a dry, airtight container.

No TWD this week...

No TWD for me this week. Sorry everyone...too much going on. I am looking forward to Tara's (Smells Like Home) choice - Traditional Madeleines.

Off to the TWD Blogroll.....so many Florida Pies, so little time... : )

Salmon Cakes on a Bed of Mushrooms

osteoporosi /osteoporosis

Salmon Cakes on a Bed of Mushrooms

Not only does salmon have Omega-3 fatty acids, which is an outstanding way to increase up HDL (good cholesterol) in your blood stream, but it is rich in vitamin D. Vitamin D helps with osteoporosis. In fact, eating more cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, cod) about 3 times a week helps your body prepare itself against osteoporosis. Please note I did type cold-water fish. Often times, there are instances that farmed salmon is colored artificially with synthetic pigments. The coloring can disguise its natural gray color.

To support Susan’s noteworthy Beautiful Bones Osteoporosis event, I made some delicious salmon burgers, a recipe I borrowed from the International Osteoporosis Foundation. I am including the original recipe here, but halved the recipe when I cooked it, using a 6 oz. can of salmon.

Salmon Burgers
An International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) staff recipe
Servings: 5

14.75 ounce canned salmon

1 egg

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of mustard

sprinkling of pepper

½ cup bread crumbs, seasoned

Drain the canned salmon and set liquid aside. In a bowl, mix salmon together with egg, seasonings and breadcrumbs. Make about 5 patties (add some of the liquid or another egg if mixture is too dry). Heat oil in a frying pan and place patties in the pan. Cook on each side until brown. Place on paper towels to drain before serving. Great with rice and/or salad.

Holy Moly!

Look at the size of the items I bought at Costco!

Now that's a mushroom!