My dear friend and neighbor, Bonnie Hildebrandt, gave me this tasty recipe for salmon pate. Like me, she modifies her recipes to suit her taste. This is the result of our individual modifications. This is a good use for leftover salmon, too. If you have less (or more) than 8 ounces, use roughly an equal amount of cream cheese. Adjust the other ingredients accordingly, but the exact measurements don't seem too critical. I usually add extra horseradish and onion.

8 ounces smoked salmon (or any cooked salmon)
8 ounces cream cheese (regular, whipped, or low fat)
1 to 2 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated or finely diced onion
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp capers (optional)
1/2 tsp liquid smoke (if you don't use smoked salmon)

Simple preparation (the way I do it): Throw everything into a food processor, blend until smooth. Put into a serving dish. Refrigerate until ready to serve with crackers.

Fancy preparation (the way Bonnie does it): It's all the same until she puts it into a serving dish. She lines a fish mold with plastic wrap, puts the pate in it, and then refrigerates it for several hours. When she transfers it to a serving platter, she decorates it with sliced almonds for the fins and pimentos and olives for the facial features.