smoked salmon with pasta and peas

 this is a very easy and quick dish to prepare. i usually have most of the ingredients on hand so it can thought of at the last minute. again, some of the ingredients can be substituted.

ingredients:
1 pound of pasta, i used farfalle here but any sturdy pasta cut will do

1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup garlic scapes (ok, instead you can use 2 shallots and 2 garlic cloves or a small onion and 2 garlic cloves) i had frozen scapes from last june...
8 ounces smoked salmon ,chopped or torn
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon tomato paste (not necessary but i like the pink tinge it makes)
freshly ground pepper
1 cup petite frozen peas
1 handful arugula, chopped (or parsley)

place a large pot of salted water on the burner and bring it to a boil.
while the water heats, assemble the ingredients
when water is boiling, add the pasta and stirring constantly till it is boiling

 NOW: stir the tomato paste into the cream

 place the oil,wine and garlic, onion and salmon into a large pan and simmer of low

 place the frozen peas in the bottom of the colander in the sink where you will drain the pasta
when the pasta is close to done, add the heavy cream and freshly ground pepper to the salmon.
heat it to a simmer

drain the pasta over the frozen peas

mix the two (pasta and salmon sauce)

toss in the arugula or parsley at the end

                                                                           enjoy!

pear/gingerbread upside down cake

the first time i made a pear-gingerbread upside down cake, it took  longer that it does now. it was fall and i was inspired by an abundance of fresh pears. guests were coming for dinner so i thought i would give it a try. i made the gingerbread from scratch and used fresh pears. THIS IS THE QUICK VERSION... and just as good. my 8 year old granddaughter and i made these. we had lots of pictures but while trying to set the date on my camera, the card was 'wiped clean'.

a winner

ingredients for 1 cake:

8 or 9 inch spring form pan

1 gingerbread cake mix

1 can pears, drained and juice saved

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar,either light or dark
1/4 cup melted butter

1.preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.butter bottom and sides of spring form pan
3.melt 1/4 cup butter and add 1/4 cup brown sugar...stir and put in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly
4.arrange pears on top of melted butter and brown sugar ( no picture so remember they are upside-down ;)

5.follow directions for cake mix but instead of all water, use 1/4 cup of molasses and the juice from the pears. add water if needed ( the mix i used called for 1 egg and 1 cup of water. the molasses and pear juice made a full cup so i did not need any water). add ingredients all together and stir with a spoon till mixed. 6.pour over pears
7.bake according to box directions...mine took 30 minutes



out of the oven and on to the plate

remove from pan and flip over on plate while still hot. otherwise the sugar and butter will start to harden and stick to the pan ...do not ask me how i know this!  ;)

serve with whipped cream and ...............................enjoy!