Now that the holiday feeding frenzy is over (well, sort of) we are left with hunks and wedges of cheese and packages of smoked salmon. I swear my cheese drawer looks like a graveyard of half eaten-half scooped items. But there is no reason to let them go to waste and they are easily re-purposed into something amazing.
We were lucky enough to have smoked salmon around this holiday season. But don't worry, this recipe would work well with any leftover salmon or fish you have now or throughout the year.
I shredded up some wedges of cheese, about 3-1/2 to 4 cups total. I used Parmesan, Dubliner, Pepper Jack and Monterey Jack and I had about 1-1/4 pounds of leftover smoked salmon.
To make things even easier, I used a can of Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Three Cheese Cooking Sauce as part of the base for my sauce. Have you tried these yet? They are so great to have in the pantry when you are needing a quick meal.
And I used some of my Litehouse Freeze-Dried Herbs, chives, garlic and parsley. I've talked here before about how much I love these. These are a lifesaver when you don't have an herb garden. If these are not available to you, use what you have dried or fresh.
By throwing in fresh baby spinach and a handful of frozen peas, this dish turned into a beautiful meal that was just as special as any other holiday feast we had enjoyed.
Leftover Holiday Cheese and Smoked Salmon Pasta
Recipe by Noble Pig | Serves: Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 1 pound bowtie pasta, dry
- 1 can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Three Cheese Cooking Sauce
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3-1/2 to 4 cups shredded cheese (any combination of leftover cheese you might have)
- 2 teaspoons Litehouse freeze dried garlic or fresh (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon Litehouse freeze dried parsley or fresh
- 1 Tablespoon Litehouse freeze dried chives or fresh
- 1-1/4 pounds leftover smoked salmon or regular salmon, broken into pieces
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
Garnish with:
- red pepper flakes
- ground black pepper
Directions:
- Boil pasta according to package directions.
- Add Progresso Recipe Starter can to a large skillet over low heat. Add milk, garlic, parsley and chives and bring to a slight boil, stirring frequently. Add cheese and stir until melted.
- Add salmon until warmed. Stir in peas and spinach. Add pasta to sauce and combine well. Garnish with red pepper flakes and freshly ground pepper.
Cathy owns a vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. She is a food writer for Davis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living. She lives with her husband and two sons. You can visit her at noblepig.com.