Weekend of fun and salmon

So my cousin kindly pointed out to me that she needed some inspiration to cook the other day and was I going to post any new recipes.....and yeah, I guess it has been awhile. Life certainly has been bumpy the past few months and my cooking is minimal if at all (it's been a great diet though...20 pounds and counting).

Anyhow, through the ups and downs of the last 3 months, I did manage to sneak away to Vancouver to visit my baby brother and best friends....a much needed 3 days of laughing, talking and more than one Twentieth Century Martini - my new favourite, but can't find the key ingredient in bloody Calgary to make it.

The trip made me realize that no matter how screwed up I feel my life is, I have lots of people who love me for who I am and don't judge the weird parts of my life...something that I will be eternally grateful for. Sucks they all live 1000 km's away, but it makes it that much more special when you do get a chance to visit.

It was definitely spring in Vancouver while I was there - the flowers were in bloom, birds were singing. In Calgary spring starts June 25th, and then summer 3 days later :) I jest....I saw my first robin on the fence the other night in Calgary (Batman was close behind him but that's a tale for another time).

I am off to golf in a couple hours (with ear muffs...it's still kinda nipply out here) and my motorcycle is ready to go when the gravel is swept off the roads in a few weeks.....time to make the most of life and not stress and worry about every little thing (see mom, I listened).

I was surprised that I found the Olympic tribute statue so interesting. It was still burning for the paralympic games while I was there and I found myself walking by it every morning. Wouldn't this be a fun fire pit to sit around in the summer ;)

How can I not miss the landscape of Vancouver??

Cherry blossoms.......my all time favourite indicator that spring is here.

And last but not least, Stanley Park. It rivals New York's Central Park any day of the week.

Now onto the food....I love Beef Wellington - if it's on the menu in a restaurant I am sure to order it. So while perusing JBug's Kitchen Antics I found myself drooling over her rendition of Salmon Wellington. How can you go wrong with fish, cheese and pastry? I finally tried this recipe with a friend who is not a huge salmon fan but agreed to be my guinea pig so I could cook for a night.

Well am I ever glad I tried this recipe - it has got to be one of the best salmon dishes I have ever made...and not only did I like it, my friend thoroughly enjoyed and has a new appreciation for salmon.

The dish comes together quickly for both the preparation and cooking - and if you are looking to impress someone special or company that is coming over, it's a winner. I served it with roasted asparagus drizzled with olive oil and salt.

I loved the sun dried tomatoes in the recipe and I opted to use herb and garlic cream cheese rather than add spices to plain cream cheese. Enjoy! (D, I hope I maybe inspired you).

Salmon Wellington adapted from JBug's Kitchen Antics

Note – recipe for 2 servings. May be doubled or tripled as required.

1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed per package directions

2 6 – 8 ounce pieces Salmon fillet at least 1 inch thick
½ package fresh spinach, cleaned washed and dried well
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces herb and garlic cream cheese, room temperature
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup drained oil packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

At least 1 hour in advance, heat oil in a large saucepan, add onion and cook briefly until onion just starts to sweat. Add garlic and spinach. Cook, tossing ingredients with tongs until spinach has wilted. Add lemon zest and cook 1 more minute. Set aside to cool.

Remove skin from salmon fillet using a very sharp knife. Remove any pin bones from salmon. Set aside.

Combine cream cheese with herbs, salt and pepper. Divide cream cheese in half and top each fillet with cheese, spreading to the edges to cover well. Sprinkle with sun dried tomatoes, then top each fillet with equal portions of cooled spinach mixture.

Roll puff pastry per package instructions and cut to fit fillets. Wrap packages well, sealing all edges and use a knife to remove any excess pastry from sides of packages. Slit tops with a sharp knife to allow steam to escape. Decorate as you wish. Place pastry wrapped fillets on a greased cookie sheet. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400. Brush egg wash evenly over pastry bundles. Bake for 25 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden. Be careful not to over bake.