Alaskan Cranberry Salmon and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies...Oh my!

Today was a rough day. It just both seemed out of sinc with each other and butted heads a lot. By evening we both need a release. A headed into one of her little crannies to read and play her I-pad, and I headed into the kitchen to create. 
Cooking and creating new recipes always puts me at ease.

Tonight I decided to pull out a salmon fillet, but I had no clue what I wanted to do with it. I had some lingonberries (low bush cranberries for those in Alaska) sitting in my fridge and I thought why not pair the two. This is what I came up with and it was DELICIOUS!

Salmon with Alaskan Cranberry Glaze

 1 can jelly cranberry sauce
1 cup lingonberries (or you could use cranberries)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 TBS dark brown sugar
1 TBS country style Dijon mustard
1 TBS lemon juice
1 medium salmon fillet

In a medium saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, lingonberries, maple syrup, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Heat over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
Meanwhile, melt 2 TBS butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. 
Season salmon with salt and pepper and place skin side up in skillet. Sear for 3-4 minutes depending on thickness of fillet. Flip salmon skin side down and sear 2-3 more minutes. Transfer cast iron skillet to a 350 degree oven and cook until salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Remove from oven and spoon several large spoonfuls of sauce over salmon and de-glaze pan.

Plate salmon and top with additional sauce.
Enjoy!

Of course feeling as I did, I couldn't just make dinner. I needed to bake. 
I have been in the mood for pumpkin and cream cheese for the last few days and tonight I decided to create pumpkin whoopie pies. They were delicious. At the last minute I decided to add some pureed pumpkin actually into the cinnamon cream cheese filling I had made and it just knocked these over the edge from good to SPECTACULAR!
I'm going to go ahead and share my recipe with yall so I can have it written down somewhere. I made so many adaptations that I want to definitely remember it. 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Pumpkin Cream Cheese Fillings
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 TBS cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS ground ginger
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Whisk together flour,salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
In a separate bowl, Whisk together brown sugar and vegetable oil. Add in pumpkin whisking until mixed. Add in eggs and vanilla and stir until mixed.

Spoon onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. (I didn't have an ice cream scooper, so I used a Japanese soup spoon but judged it by the size an ice cream scoop would be)

Bake at 350 for about 17-20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Meanwhile make the filling.
You will need...
1 stick butter, softened
1 block cream cheese softened
3 TBS milk
4 cups shifted powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin

Beat butter with electric mixer, add cream cheese and beat till mixed. Add in milk while beating. Gradually add in powder sugar 1 cup at a time beating till mixed. Add cinnamon, vanilla, and pumpkin. Beat well till mixed.

Spoon icing on bottom cookie, top with second cookie. Chill 30 minutes in fridge to help set cream cheese filling.
ENJOY!
(I'm eating a second one right now...shhhh don't tell!) 
LOL






Comments

Unknown said…
My goodness! What a feast! I'm from the PNW and the men in my life are avid anglers. I can't wait to share your recipe with the rest of my family. Thank you!

Jade Rivera, www.jadeannrivera.com