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.

BLACK BOTTOM CUPCAKES

My grandmother always made these for me. This recipe will yield about 30 cupcakes. The cupcakes also freeze well, so you don't have to eat them all at one time. But good luck trying to get them to the freezer.

Filling

8 ounces of cream cheese
1/3 cup of sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon of salt
6 ounces of chocolate chips

Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
3/4 teaspoons of salt
1 1/2 cups of water
1/3 cup of oil, plus 2 tablespoons of oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and salt until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Set aside.

Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Add water, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

Fill paper muffin cups 1/3 full with cupcake batter. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes.

GOOD EATS REVISITED - CHIMICHURRI MEATBALLS

I have been dreaming of chimichurri meatballs. For the past 2 weeks, I have tried to make them, but each time I'd try, I 'd realize that I was missing an important ingredient. The first time it was the pork, then the feta, then the green onions. I finally got my act and groceries together.

Chimchurri sauce originated in Argentina as a marinade and basting sauce. The prime ingredient is parsley, although many recipes call for cilantro. While there are many commercial brands of chimichurri sauce out there,  nothing tops a sauce made from fresh herbs and other fresh ingredients. It is easy to make and you can adapt it to your tastes and dishes.

These meatballs are easy to make. The recipe should make 48 small meatballs. You want to keep them small so they cook quickly. You also want the freshest parsley possible. I grow 2 kinds and always have it readily available.

This time I put them and the chimichirri sauce over fettuccine. Worked out well.

Even if you aren't interested in the chimichurri sauce, the meatballs are excellent and could be used for other recipes. I have used the chimichurri sauce as a dressing for salads and it tastes good over pasta or rice.

Check out the recipe for yourself.
Chimichurri meatballs