Back in the Kitchen

It has been a while since I've taken the time to try new recipes. This weekend I tried two new recipes and both were great! I found both of them on www.allrecipes.com which is one of my favorite go-to sites when I'm trying to figure out what to cook. One of my favorite parts of the site is the search function because you can search by the ingredients you have on hand and recipes will pop up!

The first recipe I tried is called 'Yummy Lemon Salmon Burgers'. I replaced the canned salmon with fresh salmon that I broiled and then cooled before adding it to the rest of the ingredients:

Yummy Lemon Salmon Burgers

Prep Time: 12 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/4 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 pinch dried basil

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the salmon, eggs, parsley, onion, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of basil, and red pepper flakes. Form into 6 firmly packed patties, about 1/2 inch thick.
   
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the patties, and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned.
   
3. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of basil. Use as a sauce for your patties.

The second recipe that I tried is called 'Creamy Asparagus Pasta'. I used half the amount of butter, half the amount of cream, whatever pasta I had on hand, and topped with grated Parmesan.

Creamy Asparagus Pasta

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pint light cream

1 pound linguine pasta

1 lemon, juiced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Boil asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes; drain.
2. In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Sauté garlic and asparagus for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and transfer to a serving dish.
4. Stir lemon juice into asparagus mixture; pour mixture over pasta