Salmon Meatballs

Salmon Meatballs

Yes, I know, my picture taking skills are lacking.  This is why you will never see my on any cooking show.  My food only tastes good.  I have no ability whatsoever to "plate" my food so it looks fancy.  I'd rather it tasted good than looked good.  :)

I thought of this idea b/c, well, Bella doesn't like fish.  I figured she wouldn't b/c even when I was pregnant, I'd get nauseous just smelling tuna, so it's plain to see that she hasn't like fish since conception.  LOL  But I'm always trying to get her to eat fish b/c it is really healthy.  And dammit, I like fish.  And since the husband isn't a big fan, I need a partner in my fish loving ways.  After some random googling and trial & error, I've finally created the perfect Salmon Meatballs!  They are delicious, healthy and best of all?  Bella loves them.  :)

Here's what you'll need:
8 ounces of salmon
-I used 2 fillets from a bag of frozen salmon that were 4oz each.  I thawed them in a bowl of cool tap water, but if you are someone who plans ahead, just defrost them in the fridge.  Or buy fresh!
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
-I used the seasoned kind.  But that's just my taste
1/4 cup mayo
Healthy squirt of mustard
Parsley
Pepper
1 egg
Garlic powder
Dried onion flakes (b/c I hate onions, but oddly, the dried flakes don't bother me)
Oil for frying
Panko

Place your defrosted salmon fillets on a foil lined baking sheet.  Do not use oil, do not spray it with anything, don't use the fancy non-stick foil.  You want the fish to stick!

Bake at 350 for 20mins.

Remove pan from oven and let cool until it's okay to handle.  Gently peel your salmon off the foil and (here's the cool part!) the skin will stay on the foil and you'll have happy salmon that ready to flake up!  Make sure you scrape off that weird grey stuff and the oozing white stuff.  I don't know what it is, I don't want to know what it is.  But it grossed me out, so I took it off.

Place fillets in a bowl and mush it all up so it's nice and separated.  Add in all other ingredients except the oil and Panko.

Mush Mush Mush

Cover and let sit in fridge for 1/2 hour to let everything combine.

Grab a plate and pour some Panko into it.  Not a huge amount.  I'd guesstimate I used no more than 1/2 cup, probably less.

Pour a thin layer of oil into a deep skillet and heat over medium heat.  While your oil is heating up, shape the salmon mixture into little golf balls (it's gonna be sticky from the egg!) then lightly roll them in the Panko.

Set them aside until you have them all rolled up.  If you get bored with rolling balls out towards the end, just grab all the leftover and make a patty out of it.  At least that's what I did.

Using tongs, gently place them in the hot oil, turning to evenly brown all sides.  This will not take much time at all, so keep an eye on them!

Drain on a paper towel.

Serve to your picky non-fish-eating child with some ketchup and tell her it's chicken.

Sit back and revel in your awesome sneakiness as your child declares, "YUM!  These taste really good, Mommy!"

Hair Cuttery

Hair Cuttery takes walk-in clients, so they say. I walked in to get my 4y/o's hair trimmed. Just a trim, nothing else. She'd never been to a salon before, and I thought maybe they'd be kid friendly. Not so much. Well, after walking in, I see 2 clients getting their hair done, 3 employees sitting in the back gossiping, and 2 gentlemen in chairs waiting to be seen. A woman takes my name and info, then says, and I quote, "It will just be a few minutes". Over an hour later, someone comes back over and tells me once again, "I'll be with you in a just a few minutes". I was fuming by now. Not only had no one bothered to check on us for over an hour, but other walk-in clients, who seemed to be friends with the stylists, were getting sent straight to a chair and immediately attended to. No fewer than 3 ladies walked in and were seen before my child was. When I did finally get someone to take us back, I told them politely that I didn't want them washing her hair. I mean, c'mon, she's 4. There's no way she was going to enjoy having her head put in backwards into a sink and have a stranger wash her hair. The lady became extremely rude at this point. She then used a fine toothed comb to yank at my childs' hair. My daughter has very fine, and very long, blond silky hair. You can yank it like that. I was seeing clumps of her torn hair falling to the ground. Luckily, my child knows to just be calm and not cause a fuss, so she sat there and took it, even tho' I could see how unhappy and in pain she was. I asked to talk to a manager so I could explain my displeasure and all she said was, "Oh, well, sorry about that" then continued on her merry way. This place is run very unprofessionally, they do not talk to you before yanking the hair out of your child's head, and will make you wait over an hour while they chit chat and cater to their friends. Do not go here.

Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt & pepper to taste

6 drops of Tabasco

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon sugar

1 LARGE tablespoon dijon mustard

Parsley

Mix all together, blend in food processor to emulsify. Pour over cooked cold pasta, or use as a salad dressing. Will keep up to a week in the fridge.