Living on Leftover Starch

I'd like to say I'm so organized that, last week, I efficiently planned this week's dinner menus.  But, in actuality, I just made too much last week and so provided myself with leftovers to work from this week.  We had white rice with stir fried vegetables, last week, except I made a disproportionate amount of rice.  Years ago, I travelled with Mark to Asia on a business trip and we had a layover in Narita, Japan.  Mark travelled alot at that time and so we had access to the full service travel lounge in the airport.  The Sapporo beer was good but my favorite was rice porridge, a simple staple in Asian homes.  At the airport it was called congee, which is the Chinese name.  In Korea is is called juk, and in Japan (except at the airport) it is called kayu.  There are many ways to make it and garnish it but, basically, it is leftover rice simmered in chicken broth until it becomes gruel-like.  I like it with finely chopped chives and a little dash of soy sauce.  And I do eat it for breakfast - especially now that the weather is turning chilly.

We also had chicken and mashed potatoes last week.  As with the rice, I made way too many potatoes.  Truth be told, I did have salmon cakes on my mind at the time.  And that is what I did last night - salmon cakes.  It's one of those menu items that has surprised me in that everyone in our house loves them, comments on how good they smell, and asks for more.  Salmon.  (Bare Naked Ladies have a song "I Don't Like" - click here to listen to the salmon part.)  I use two different recipes and sort of combine them but I'll attempt, here, to replicate the recipe.  I don't measure - I'm guessing, educated guessing, but still, you may adjust as you like.  Also, unless I have left over salmon fillets, I use Chicken of the Sea salmon pouches (by the tuna in the canned meat aisle).

Salmon Cakes
15 oz. flaked salmon
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl combine all ingredients.  Form mixture into 2-3 inch cakes and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes.