Smoked Salmon = Easy Dinner

Someone gave us some smoked salmon. My husband asked me how to eat smoked salmon. My mind went blank. That happens a lot after 3 c-sections, 3 kids, and all that is going on in my life. I did remember eating smoked salmon on a bagel with cream cheese, red onions, cucumbers, and some other vegetables. This was the perfect opportunity to look online for an easy, smoked salmon dinner.

Food blogs. Food Network - even though we don't have cable. These are my not-so-secret addictions. I started looking at food blogs a few years back, when I was searching for cake and cupcake recipes. My eyes were opened to a whole new world. I wondered why I hadn't discovered it earlier. I searched for a perfect Swedish, princess cake recipe = marzipan cake = Swedish Bakery (Chicago) = Yum, Yum, Yum!!!!!!! Food Network, my nieces and nephews know. 

Well, I decided to visit a site that I really like: La Fuji Mama. The writer lived in Japan for a few years and learned many simple and delicious recipes. She even knows how to make tofu! I have made many of her recipes and have enjoyed them all: onigiri (triangle shaped seaweed rice with filling), caramel popcorn, Japanese strawberry shortcake, to name a few.

As I was browsing the site, I came across her smoked salmon, cream cheese, and jalapeño temaki sushi recipe. How awesome is that! I went to my husband and said that I had found the perfect recipe for dinner. 

He said, "Are you sure?" 

I said, "Yes." 

We had to tweak it a bit to use what we had, and it turned out so good! I cannot begin to emphasize how good this was. My kids were asking for more and more and more. If they hadn't had to go to their Wednesday night commitment, they would have kept eating. Please try this! You will not regret it!!!

Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, and Muffalata Rolls

adapted from La Fuji Mama

Ingredients:

Smoked Salmon

White, sticky rice with quinoa and mushroom (We made 5 cups)

1/2 cup of quinoa

1/4 cup of dried, minced mushroom

1/4 block of Cream Cheese 

Spicy Olive Muffalata

Nori (sushi seaweed)

1. Add quinoa and dried mushroom to rice in rice maker.

2. Cut the nori length wise (the long way).

3. Cut cream cheese into long, 1/2" strips.

4. Place a sheet of cut nori on your plate.

5. Fill 3/4 of nori with rice (from left to right, leaving 1/4 space on right empty).

6. Place salmon, cream cheese, and muffalata diagonally (top left corner to right bottom) on rice.

7. Roll nori into a cone starting from the bottom, left corner to the upper, right corner.

Everyone made their own. This made the meal a lot of fun for the kids. I apologize for not having pictures. After we finished the meal, I thought that I should have taken pictures because this is a recipe that should be shared. Please visit La Fuji Mama to see her version. This meal was truly delicious, nutritious, and big hit-ious! 

This morning I did remember how we had eaten smoked salmon in the past: in a seaweed roll with the salmon and cut vegetables. Delayed thoughts and reactions are a part of my life.