TILAPIA ROASTED WITH LIME

Ingredients

2 lbs. tilapia filets
3 tbsp extra-virgin Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 pickled jalapeno chilies, chopped
6-8 tbsp chopped fresh basil
lemon and lime wedges


1 Place the fish fillets in a nonmetallic bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lime halves over the fish.

2 Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Remove the skillet from the heat.

3 Place a third of the onion mixture and a little of the chilies and basil in the bottom of a shallow ovenproof dish or roasting pan. Arrange the fish on top. Top with the remaining onion mixture, chilies, and basil.

4 Roast in a preheated oven, 350°F/180°C, for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish has become slightly opaque and firm to the touch.

5 Serve at once, with lemon and lime wedges for squeezing over the fish.

WHITE TRASH RAINY AFTERNOON MENU

I have been stuck inside for days now. I've grown bored, and slightly bitter. And hungry, of course. I'm also broke which has limited my menus. I went on a tightly budgeted shopping trip yesterday and came home with ingredients for ranch pretzels, Texas hash, and easy yogurt pie.

TEXAS HASH

Easy and tasty. I make it as hot as I can stand it.

1 pound of ground chuck, browned
1/2 cup of rice (I use brown rice)
10 oz. bag of frozen corn, or one 14 oz. can of corn
1 14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
1 green pepper, chopped
3 larges onions, chopped
hot sauce, to taste
chili powder, to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

After browning the beef, add all ingredients to a crock pot. Cook on high for 3 - 4 hours.

TILAPIA WITH JERK SEASONING AND MELON SALSA

(In regards to this pic . . . see  my confession below.)

Melon Salsa Ingredients

1/2 cup of cantaloupe, chopped
1/2 cup of honeydew melon, chopped
2 tsp. of honey
8-10 chopped fresh mint leaves

Combine, and let sit while you prepare and cook fish.

Tilapia

2 tilapia filets
jerk seasoning

Heat oven or grill to 400 degrees. Place fish in oiled pan. Sprinkle with jerk seasoning. Place in oven or on grill for 15 minutes.

When fish is finished, serve with melon salsa.

NOTE - I use Nantucket Off-Shore Rasta Rub. Check out their other offerings here. Nantucket Off Shore

CONFESSION - Usually I keep the salsa in a bowl, rather than on the plate with the fish. I put both on the same plate for the pic, but I won't do that again. Nope, I want my melon salsa in a bowl by my fish. You, however, may do as you please.

Green Curry Paste

4-6 Long Green Hot Finger Chile Peppers

2 tbsp. Chopped Shallots
1 tsp. Kaffir Lime Rind (If you can't get the Kaffir, substitute another type)
2 tsp. Chopped Garlic
2 tbsp. Chopped Ginger
2 tbsp. Chopped Lemongrass
1/2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp. Coriander Seeds
1/2 tsp Salt

Put in food processor and process until ingredients form a paste. Add a little oil if needed.


I used the paste to make chicken and vegetables with green curry paste.

Chile Cheese Soup

Since I'm now cooking for one most times, I usually freeze half of this recipe, sans cheese. Good tomatoes are very important. If it's not tomato season, I strongly suggest you put out the extra money and purchase hothouse tomatoes.

4 cups of rich beef stock
10 garlic cloves, peeled
4 large tomatoes (Tomatoes need to be good quality and ripe)
3 medium onions, quartered
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs
1 scant tsp of sugar (I use Splenda)

1 medium onion, cut into thin rings (I usually halve the rings,)
2 jalapeno peppers, cut into thin rings ( I leave seeds in because I like the soup to be spicy)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into thin rings or chopped
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup of mozzarella cheese


I couldn't find four large tomatoes - at least not of the quality I needed so I used nine small. You do not need to remove the skins. I just use my tomato shark to remove the tops.

In large saucepan, bring broth, garlic, tomatoes, quartered onions, herbs, and sugar (or sugar substitute) to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking for thirty minutes. Puree in blender or food processor and return to pan. ( I do half at a time)



Add onion rings and peppers and simmer until tender, about fifteen minutes.

Toss together cheeses. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Add cheese and stir gently. Serve.

Tilapia Veracruz

I adapted this from a Red Snapper Veracruz recipe. I cannot get red snapper here. I've also made the sauce and used it over pierogies. I've never put it over pasta, but I'm sure that would work too.

1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen skinless red snapper or other fish fillets
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 large onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS cooking oil
2 large tomatoes, chopped, (2 cups)
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 dry white wine
2 TBS capers, drained
1 or 2 fresh jalapeno or serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp sugar (I've used Splenda)
1 bay leaf

Thaw fish if frozen. Cut fish into 6 serving size portions. Rinse fish: pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

For sauce, cook onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet till onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, olives, wine, capers, peppers, sugar and bay leaf. Bring to boiling. Add fillets to skillet; return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 6 to 10 minutes or till fish flakes easily with fork.Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer fish from skillet to a serving platter. Cover and keep warm.

Boil sauce in skillet for 5 to 6 minutes or till reduced to about 2 cups, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I use celery and tortilla chips as dippers.

Boil three chicken breasts halves. Allow to cool and then shred.

In a bowl combine 8 oz. of cream cheese, 1 cup of bleu cheese dressing, 1 cup of hot sauce. Mix with shredded chicken. Top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Microwave until cheese is bubbly.

Spicy Baked Shrimp

I love this dish. I like it very hot and served over Forbidden Rice.

½ cup of olive oil
2 tbs. of Cajun seasoning (I make my own. Recipe follows this one)
2 tbs of fresh lemon juice
1 tbs of honey
1 tbs of soy sauce
Pinch of cayenne

1 lb of shrimp, shelled, deveined

Combine first 6 ingredients. Place prepared shrimp in glass baking dish. Pour sauce over shrimp. Marinate at room temp for an hour stirring occasionally.




Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bake until shrimp are cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Serve over specialty rice or brown rice.

Cajun Spice Blend

I use this mix in Spicy Baked Shrimp and if I want to blacken anything. Better than store bought blends.

2 tbs cayenne
2 tbs paprika
2 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs oregano
1 tbs thyme
1 tbs onion powder or onion flakes
1 tbs salt
½ tsp white pepper
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper