Salmon Loaf with Creamed Peas & Mushroom Sauce

Salmon Loaf

1 can wild red salmon
3/4-1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 cup rice cake crumbles (take 1 1/2 plain rice cakes; crumble them up with a rolling pin or roll a glass over them, or buzz them up in a small blender, or crumble them between your fingers till crumbly)
2 beaten eggs (about 1/2 cup)
salt, pepper, paprika

Clean the salmon: dump it in a colander or strainer, then pick through it to remove the larger bones and larger pieces of skin. Leave the tiny bones in there, it's good calcium.
Put the cleaned salmon in a bowl and add the water, olive oil, rice cake crumbles, and eggs. Mix well.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Grease up a loaf pan and put the mixture in it.
Sprinkle paprika on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered.
Slice and serve with Creamed Peas & Mushroom Sauce over each serving.


Creamed Peas & Mushroom Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour (can be gluten free, such as Bob's Red Mill all purpose GF)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed sweet basil
1 four oz. can button mushrooms
1 eight oz. can sweet peas, drained
milk

Drain the mushroom liquid from the can of mushrooms into a measuring cup.
Add enough milk to the mushroom liquid to make 1 cup and set aside.
Now melt the butter in a saucepan, and blend in the flour, salt, and basil.
Add your cup of mushroom/milk mixture slowly and gradually, stirring CONSTANTLY till the sauce thickens. You will think this is never going to thicken--just keep stirring, you are making a White Sauce! It magically thickens, and then you add your drained peas and mushrooms.
Cook on low another 5-8 minutes or so.
Serve in a bowl on the table for each person to pour over their salmon loaf.

FYI:  Whitney loves salmon loaf. So do I.