Family

Please excuse my silence...a long overdue trip was taken back to my hometown to spend time with the woman I have always looked up to.

Happy 92nd Birthday Grams.

Salmon & Dill Croquettes

I am FAR from a food blogger, a dietician, or a chef...but every once in a while, I run across an amazing recipe that share-worthy.

My SIL gave me a bunch of old Oxygen magazines a while back and I recently busted a few out and stumbled upon this recipe while pursuing the pages and feeling badly about my body image. (damn you fitness models)

Of course, being my Mother's Daughter, I had to add a little twist to the ingredients list to it to sass it up.

Salmon and Dill Croquettes
Adapted from Oxygen Magazine

Ingredients

1 Medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 Small onion, diced
1 16 oz can Salmon, drained (I used Trader Joe's brand)
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon old bay seasoning

1 Clove fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper
1/2 cup Yellow cornmeal

Preparation

1) Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
2) Steam sweet potato and onion in about 1/4 cup of water until the potatoes are soft and the liquid has been absorbed. Add more liquid as needed to complete the cooking process. Place potato and onion mixture in a large mixing bowl.
3) In a bowl, mash the salmon (bones included) with a potato mashe.
4) Add the salmon to the potato mixture. Add mustard, eggs, seasonings, garlic, lemon juice and dill. Mix together.
5) On a small plate, pour out the cornmeal
6) Take 1/4 cup of the salmon mixture at a time and use the palms of your hands to roll it into a ball. Roll the balls in the cornmeal mixture to coat. Add more cornmeal as needed to coat each croquette evenly.
7) Place croquettes on a lined/greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve Hot.

I served mine over my "go-to" Kale Salad, with a spritz of a new Truffle Oil Spray I discovered last week.

So Yummy!

How to Staycay...

In a day. No hotels involved.

Wade and I woke up BRIGHT and early on Sunday morning to get our long runs in. 10 sweaty, humid miles later we reconvened for coffee, ran into our friends and had a nice little morning. On our walk back home Wade said to me "let's pretend we are on vacation today!".

If anyone knows my husband, this is slightly out of character...but I was totally on board!

We cleaned up, took a power nap and headed out the door to start our mini vacation day.

First stop:

Modern Steak

We shared fresh oysters and I ordered the Warm Lobster Salad and Wade enjoyed the Shrimp and Artichoke Tortellini. Cocktails were enjoyed as well. The interior of this place is TO DIE. I want to live there. So so perfect.

 We were already at Scottsdale Fashion Square, so we walked over to check out the Nordstrom's sale, where Wade scored some new sunglasses and then we popped into the Ted Baker store where I was treated to a shiny little present. He's very sweet.

Next Stop:

Papago Brewing Company

Beer tasting. Twist my arm. We each sampled 3 beers and then settled on a small beer for enjoying. Great brewery, good beers. Good service.

Final Stop:

Talking Stick Resort and Casino

1. Blackjack Tables. Low bets only. Make lots of new friends.
2. Weasel your way into fancy restaurant as a "VIP" and get private seating.
3. Eat delicious food.
4. Drink equally delicious wine.
5. Enjoy rooftop bar.
6. Wander down to cigar bar.
7. Listen to live music...Stevie Nicks covers, love love love.
8. Drive home WAY past bedtime.

I told him to "be serious". Lordy.

Waking up this morning sucked and I got a well deserved ass beating by Naydine and a Bosu Ball at the gym. I really wanted to throw up. But, I felt much better afterwards. Silver lining, right?

Today was clean clean eating after all that indulgence. But it was one of the BEST days we have had together. So fun, so carefree, so close to home. We made a promise to do this more often.

Does anyone else do this in their hometowns?

Lightweight

Just an FYI. 1 beer and 1/2 glass of wine gives me a fierce buzz. Work events are awesome.

#officiallyold