When the food pantry and the refrigerator are organized, I feel less stressed.

It’s been very stormy. Easter weekend, wind and rain pounded the coast with menacing dark clouds; I find coziness in the gloom. After my Spring clean and with everything in it’s place, I can take time to enjoy hobbies; reading, playing the piano and writing.

For this week’s menu, I wanted to include some ingredients from the pantry.

It’s important to keep a rotation when you keep a back-up pantry so that food doesn’t go to waste. By this I mean, using food before their expiry dates and replenishing them after they are used. Canned tuna and salmon are an inexpensive staple in the pantry and these Croquettes are a frugal meal that costs less than $10 to make.

Work-day dinners are kept quick and simple. A green salad to go with the Croquettes and I even have a packed lunch for work the next day. I use canned tuna from the pantry for my super easy Tuna Zucchini cakes. That recipe HERE

Croquettes with Canned Salmon

RECIPE – will make 6 Croquettes

• 2 cups of mashed potato
• 1 can of Wild Pacific Sockeye Salmon
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup each of parsley and chives
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 – 1/2 cups breadcrumbs + more to coat the croquettes
• Vegetable oil for cooking

I used 2 potatoes to make the mash and added salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and a bit of Old Bay seasoning to the mash to give it some added flavour.

Combine the mashed potato with the salmon, onion, parsley, chives, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix together thoroughly so the salmon is broken up and combined with the potato. You can eat the bones of canned salmon – it is an excellent source of calcium. I think next time I make these I’ll sautee the onions a little so that they are more cooked inside the croquettes. Form into round cakes. Add some breadcrumbs in a bowl and place each croquette into the breadcrumbs and cover completely. Place the croquettes in the fridge for an hour to firm up.

Heat oil on Medium/High in a frying pan and pan fry the croquettes. They should cook for about 15 minutes flipping them over half way. When they’re golden brown, they’re ready.  

The perfect weekday meal can be quick yet delicious and a simple green salad made the perfect side. I added Romain lettuce, chopped cucumber, tomato, olives and avocado to the salad and dressed it with sea salt, freshly squeezed lemon juice and olive oil.

This in-between season, when the earth is no longer in deep winter sleep yet hasn’t fully awakened to the warmth of the sun, is a slow time. There is still much to do before the lazy days of Summer arrive. There is the Spring Garden to be planted, food to be cooked, walks in the woods after the rain. Take a moment to truly take in every moment, every season.

Until next time,

Love,

Jennifer

“ To realize the soothing power of simple life is to find the secret of happiness!”