Salmon Cakes with Bacon

Salmon BLTs got me thinking how good bacon would be into a salmon cake! It really was! It also was a great use for the 2nd portion of salmon after grilling the other piece and wanting something different. I ate it like a burger but it would be great on a salad or fun as sliders.
The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cakes with Bacon

Bacony Salmon Cakes with Herb Aoli

Ingredients: (for 2)

~4 oz fresh salmon
2 strips bacon
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 egg
salt & pepper
2 teaspoons mayo
1 teaspoon fresh herbs (mine was chive & thyme or use parsley/oregano/etc)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of dried herbs (mine was a mix of basil/oregano/thyme/rosemary)
2 rolls
sliced tomato & arugula to serve

Directions:

Pan fry the bacon until crisp.
Chop the salmon and add to a bowl with the bacon, garlic, breadcrumbs, mustard, egg, and salt & pepper. (I chopped half the salmon into larger chunks and half into fine chunks.)
The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cakes with Bacon
Heat a medium skillet to medium heat (preferably the same pan as the bacon cooked in) with a drizzle of olive oil. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
Stir gently and form into 2 patties.
Pan fry, covered for about 3 minutes on each side. Then bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
While the patties cook, add the mayo, fresh herbs, garlic powder, lemon juice, and dried herbs to a small bowl.
The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cakes with Bacon
Stir the aoli and refrigerate until assembling the sandwiches.
The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cakes with Bacon
Let the salmon cakes cool for a few minutes before assembling.
Spread the aoli onto the top bun and serve with greens and tomato.
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Salmon Cakes with Bacon

I loooooved the bacon in here! It kept it juicy and was a great compliment to the salmon. Mixing it in was way better than serving it on top. The an herby aoli has that touch of lemon to be a quick condiment for just the zing the salmon needs.

Serving a group: mix up the salmon cakes and bake in the oven for ~15 minutes on a generously oiled pan, flipping once or twice. Then you won’t have to baby-sit them frying in a pan! The aoli can be made ahead of time or double it and use the rest on burgers or sandwiches. I made 2 salmon cakes and froze the other for a treat some night when we grill since it’ll only have to warm through.

What I Ate: Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

What I Ate’ is a series of posts for so-easy-this-doesn’t-need-a-recipe but I’m sharing with you for the idea or inspiration.

I love a build-your-own rice bowl and have adapted many times. The little one can eat his weight in brown rice so this one came together easily in the spirit of a weeknight dinner to be prepped in advance. Those mad rushes between daycare pick up, arriving home with a sweet request for playtime outside, and dogs who have missed humans mean that once 6ish strikes dinner neeeeeds to be well underway.
The Three Bite Rule - Teriyaki Bowls

I made the brown rice in the pressure cooker that morning, roasted the broccoli most of the way that morning, AND cooked the ground turkey the night before. #winning Photowise, I wish I had tons more add ins, but this was quick & easy so it won’t win an instagram prize, but it is real-life!

Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls (for 3-4)

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice (& liquid as rice instructs)
3/4 pound ground turkey (or sub ground chicken/pork/beef)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 small heads of broccoli
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook the rice according to the package. (If cooking it in advance, add a splash of water when reheating.)
Brown the ground turkey in a large pan. When it has cooked for about 3-5 minutes, drain off any moisture. Then add in half of the teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon) and the garlic to cook another 3-5 minutes. (If prepping in advance, cook less and ensure to cook through before serving.)
Roast the broccoli with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper for ~10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Whisk together the remaining teriyaki sauce (1 tablespoon) with sesame oil and rice vinegar.
Assemble with rice on the bottom, broccoli, ground turkey, a small drizzle of sauce (careful, it is strong flavored), and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Enjoy!

I loved this. It was super flavorful and a nice balance. I would also love other add ins, like: edemame; lightly sauteed purple cabbage; and bean sprouts.
The Three Bite Rule - Teriyaki Bowls

I tend to grab ground chicken since it is 99% of the time priced lower than ground turkey but this time the turkey was on sale. These bowls would be an easy use for any leftovers, or could be reduced for a single serving. The little one was most into the rice and the crunchies (sesame seeds).

Mint Coconut Macaroons

My colleague brought macaroons into the office and there were regular and mint with mini chocolate chips. They were SO good and it got me thinking that with so few ingredients I should try making them! They worked, though it was a little touch and go there.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons

Macaroons = (mac-a-roooon) easy, minimal ingredients- mostly coconut & egg whites
Macarons = (mac-ron) complex, French,

Mint Chocolate Chips Coconut Macaroons (makes 12 large, or 24 small)

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon mint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops green food coloring
4 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
With a hand or stand mixer, whisk together the eggwhites, sugar, salt, extracts, and food coloring until frothy.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
By hand, stir in the coconut and the chocolate chips.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
Scoop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking sheet.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons
Bake ~25 minutes until toasted. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet.
Enjoy!

I freaked when I saw some liquid spreading out around them. They seariously each got a little skirt. I don’t know what that was. I lifted the cookie part that stayed together off the pan and they were good. They were delicious. I loved the mint amount – nothing like mouthwash.
The Three Bite Rule - Mint Chip Macaroons

Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon

Maple bacon just wasn’t good enough, the bacon needed to to be glazed in maple syrup. Annnnd the grilled cheese needed to be cooked in the pan from the bacon. Of course.
The Three Bite Rule - Maple Bacon Grilled Cheese

Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon

Ingredients: (for 1 sandwich)

2 slices of bacon, sliced in half
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 slices sourdough or oatmeal bread
2 slices of American cheese
~1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Pan fry the bacon until crisp then drain on paper towel. Brush each side with maple syrup.
The Three Bite Rule - Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon
Drain most of the bacon out of the pan. Keep the pan on medium heat.
While bacon cools, assemble the sandwich with cheese, bacon, then more cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Grilled Cheese with Maple Glazed Bacon
Pan fry the sandwich for ~3-4 minutes on each side. Carefully flip over and cook the other side. Cover to ensure all the cheese melts.

This is the ultimate breakfast grilled cheese. That’s a thing, no?

Potatoes, Gruyere & Caramelized Onion Tart

Call it a galette and feel fancy or call it a tart and feel cute. Either way, this sucker was delicious. I used sweet potatoes, white potatoes, gruyere cheese, and caramelized onions tucked inside a not-fussy crust. This #MeatlessMonday plan was hatched when I was inspired after seeing some other posts around like a flaky crust when Eats Well With Others posted a galette with Asparagus & Gruyere  and I wanted all the cheese and potatoes when Bev Cooks posted these Cheesy Skillet Potatoes.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart

We ate this on a drizzly night with a quick arugula salad. It absolutely hit the spot for me. The cheese is the perfect splurge and has perfect nutty meltyness for this. The rest of this is so super cheap so go for the good cheese! Shred it yourself, or slicing/dicing it is fine too!

Potato, Gruyere & Caramelized Onion Tart

Ingredients: (for 1 small tart, feeds ~3 for a meal, or ~6 for a side)

1 sheet pie crust (mine was a roll defrosted from the freezer)
1/2 – 1 small onion
1 sweet potato
1 white potato
~4 oz/1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (sometimes labeled Alpine style if not imported from Switzerland/France)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon each rosemary, thyme, garlic powder
salt & pepper

Directions:

Bring the pie crust to room temperature.
Slice the onion and add to a skillet over low heat with a drizzle of olive oil/butter. Stir regularly and cook for ~30 minutes until caramelized. (I did this the night before).
Peel the potatoes and cut in thirds. Boil for ~5-8 minutes, until the outsides are getting soft but not cooked all the way through. Then slice into thin disks. A mandolin made this faster (that was my tactic). Or, peel and slice into thin disks and roast in the oven for ~10-20 minutes at 350-degrees.
While the potatoes cook, shred the cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart
Melt the butter and mix in the rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.
Spread out the pie crust onto a sheet of parchment paper, baking mat, or baking sheet well sprayed with non-stick spray.
Leaving 1-2 inches around the outside, layer half of the potato slices, half the cheese, and a quarter of the onions. Sprinkle cheese over and drizzle half the butter/herb mixture.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart
Repeat for another layer reserving a few potato slices to be the very top.
Working around the tart, fold crust inward then turn and fold more crust inward and repeat all the way around.
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart
Bake 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees. (I baked ~20 minutes when prepping in advance and baked another 10-15 before serving.)
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart
Let sit for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Potato Tart

I prepped this in advance, I know, story of my life. It comes together quickly but getting home on a weeknight with a toddler and two hungry dogs means dinner is really nice when mindless. I baked 20 minutes when I prepped it and another 15 to heat through before serving. I literally partially baked it and kept it on the parchment and covered it in the fridge for the day. Then I uncovered it and slid the parchment back onto a baking sheet that night.

Should we do a cost breakdown? Let’s! I haven’t in forever!

Cost Breakdown (for what was used)

Potato, Gruyere & Caramelized Onion Tart
1 frozen sheet pie crust = $1.59
onion = $0.89
white potato = $0.75
sweet potato = $1.10
Gruyere = $5.99 (used half) $2.99
= $7.32 or ~$2.44 for about 3 servings

Does that sell you on making this for dinner or your next gathering? It is so cheap!