Healthy Pan Seared Tilapia with Avocado

Photo from here

Another healthy dinner that was a winner!

4-6 Tilapia Filets
1T Paprika
1T Garlic powder
1T Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 Avocado peeled and sliced
* Sriracha sauce is optional

Rinse and pat dry fish filets.
Combine spices in a bowl
Spray frying pan with cooking spray
Sprinkle fish with spice mix
Fry in pan on each side for about 2-3 minutes, spraying with cooking spray as needed to prevent sticking. Edges will be brown and crispy, inside turns from translucent to white.

Top tilapia with sliced salted avocado on top, with a side of rice, and sriracha sauce to dip in.
Could also be served on a bed of spinach!

Shrimp dip

My neighbor lindsay brought this over for me yesterday and I have been eating it nonstop ever since.



PS this recipe makes a ton!  We usually halve it, but do as you please!

3 blocks of softened Cream Cheese (or low fat kind)

3 ½ C Sour Cream  (Note a small container is 2 C)

1/8 tsp Ground Pepper

1 tsp    Salt

1 ½ tsp Garlic powder

1 ½ tsp Onion powder

1 tsp    Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp    Lemon juice

2 cans tiny shrimp, drained.



Make sure Cream Cheese is room temperature before blending it together with
the sour cream.  Add everything but the shrimp.  Blend thoroughly.  Add
additional seasoning to your taste.  Then add one can shrimp and blend with
mixer until it is broken up.  Then spoon in the final can of shrimp.

Penne Rustica

This is one of those divine dishes that you simply MUST try. It looks involved. And complicated. (and well, it kind of IS) And BELIEVE me when I say that it is BAD for you. Very very deliciously bad. 

And so you gain five pounds. worse things have happened.

Penne Rustica





Gratinata Sauce:
2 teaspoon Butter
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 cup marsala wine
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream


Saute butter, garlic , and rosemary until garlic begins to brown but do not burn the garlic.
Add marsala wine and then reduce by one-third. Add remaining ingredients and reduce by half of original volume.
Set aside.


Penne Rustica:
1 oz. pancetta or bacon
18 shrimp peeled and deveined
12 oz. grilled chicken breast, sliced
4 1/2 cups of granita sauce
3 lbs. cooked Penne Pasta
3 teaspoons pimentos, minced
6 oz. butter
1 teaspoon chopped shallots
1 pinch of salt and pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 sprigs of fresh rosemary


Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp. Cook until shrimp are evenly pick but still translucent, you do not want to overcook the shrimp or else it will be rubbery. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Add granita sauce and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and simmer until the sauce thickens.
In a large bowl, combine shrimp and chicken mixture with precooked pasta. Place this mixture into single serving dishes or one large casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and pimentos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs.


* I NEVER BAKE MINE. Who can stand to wait an extra 10 minutes????

Drunken Sailors

So.... another pregnancy craving drove me to try this recipe. If you are feeling a little scandalous I urge you to give it a try! And of course it involves the deep fryer, so you know I recommend it! I call it Drunken Sailors....but really if you must know they are Fish tacos battered in beer.

Shopping List:


3 Fish filets (I recommend tilapia, but Halibut is probably great if you are a high roller!)
Small corn tortillas - 2-3 per person
Bag of shredded cabbage


Oil for frying


Batter:
1 - 1 1/2 cups of Beer  I used Budweiser because I couldnt tell you a thing about beer, and I couldnt bring myself to go buy it, so my bff Amy did the dirty work for me! Thats the sign of a true friend - willing to embrace the appearance of evil for you!
1 cup of flour
3T corn starch
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste - be generous


White Sauce:
1 T minced capers
1 minced jalepeno
1T Cumin
1/2 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (go easy if  you dont want heartburn!)
4 oz plain yoghurt
4 oz mayo

1. Get out yer deep fryer, fill with oil, and start heating it up!
2. Whip together the white sauce ingredients and set aside. Dont skip the capers or jalepeno - it seems minimal but the sauce was DIVINE and wouldnt be great without them. 
3. Next, cut your fish into strips. Gently coat in some flour.
4. Whip up the beer batter ( mix together dry ingredients, then add wet)
5. Dredge floured fish strips in batter until well coated. 
6. Drop in deep fryer or skillet. Fry until golden brown.
7. Place fish in corn tortilla, top with shredded cabbage, and DROWN it in white sauce!
8. Enjoy your drunken sailors!

Bobbin's Salmon Dip

Time to don your best red coat and get out your marching hands....because this little recipe will have you ready for tea time - in no time a'tall! Brought to you by the main soldier dancer herself: The Sherry Bobbins' Infamous Salmon Dip:


Ingredients:
Cooked Salmon, seasoned to your taste and flaked with a fork
1 brick of Cream Cheese
Diced green onions
*Bacon is optional


Prepare:
Soften cream cheese to room temp and stir in salmon. Top with chopped onion and if you want - some bacon. This is all to taste, so if you like it fishier add in more fish. I usually like to make it more cheesier, onionier, and baconier. But thats just me. And are those even words?


Serve with small bread rounds, crackers, vegetables, bagels, or if you are alone and this is depression food, or chick flick food - a large spoon will do.