in which the author invents a spicy salmon pasta casserole

I’ve been eating almost solely out of my pantry over the last week, but even my inventive chef alter-ego (he speaks with a Swedish accent, like the Muppet chef, in case you were wondering) was a little stretched by what was on offer as of yesterday. Fortunately that imaginative side came to the rescue, and I created a delicious recipe that I am recording here in case I should ever find myself in such dire straights again. Like next week. But I won’t have any mayo left at that juncture, so maybe I should just give up while I’m ahead? Ahem, back to the recipe.

Spicy Salmon Pasta Casserole

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. pasta (I used whole wheat fusilli, but rotini or others would do)

1 14.5-16 oz. can green beans (two cups of thawed frozen green beans would work just as well)

1 10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 14.5 oz. can salmon meat

1/3 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lemon juice concentrate

1 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

4 oz. shredded Mexican cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray or grease an 8x8 or 8x11 pan.

Bring 6-8 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add pasta to water with a pinch of salt and approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Drain and set aside.

Open and drain (or thaw) green beans. Set aside. In large bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup, salmon meat, mayonnaise and other ingredients (except shredded cheese). Next add green beans and pasta. Mix until pasta is completely covered.

Pour pasta blend into the prepared pan, cover with shredded cheese and place in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes. Then enjoy! Serves 4-6, depending on how much you like to eat. Warning: this tastes good and is super-filling. You may not have room for dessert!

compare this!

I took the “Which Jane Austen Character Are You?” quiz just now, and learned that there must be a bug in the system.  Because it claims that  

Take the Quiz here!

I didn’t try to fool the quiz.  In fact, I was fairly sure I was going to be one of the Dashwood sisters from Sense and Sensibility.  I even said that Kate Winslet or Charity Wakefield would play me in a movie or TV series!  Be that as it may, it’s flattering, if flawed.  To take me back down a couple notches to where I belong is my result in the “Which Muppet Are You?” quiz on Facebook.  I am:

Fozzy Bear

 

A regular jokester, nobody is safe from your wisecracking and punchlines but it's all good-natured fun.

And my friend Elizabeth insists that I am Oscar in The Odd Couple, and our mutual friend Sean (who I’ve mentioned from cat-sitting) is Felix.  Quite a bevy of comparisons, aren’t they?  

To end with, more photos from the urban hike along Ponce, taken by Eli (organizer).  Including one of me hugging a tree.