Catching up

I have cooked and served a few new things in the past few weeks, and all have been delicious. Here's my new favorite way to eat tilapia:

Sautéed Tilapia with Parmesan Crust
(Kayln's Kitchen)

Tilapia fillets, one per person
mayonnaise, about 2 tsp. per fillet (use real Mayo)
grated Parmesan, Mizithra, or Asiago cheese
olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
Pride of Szeged Fish Rub (optional, but very good)

Preheat broiler. Season fish fillets on both sides with salt, pepper, and fish rub if using. Heat heavy frying pan, add olive oil, then sauté fish until lightly browned on both sides and not quite cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Turn carefully and do not overcook, since it will be cooking a little more under the broiler.Take fish out of frying pan and put in ovenproof dish which will fit under your broiler. Spread mayo on the top of each fish filet and top with Parmesan cheese. You want the top of the fish to be well covered with cheese. Broil until cheese is browned and melted, about 4 minutes. Serve hot, with lemon slices if desired.

(*Note to Ben - I'm SHARING my favorite tilapia recipe...)

You can see that I served steamed brussels sprouts with this. After steaming, I tossed lightly with a smidge of olive oil and sprinkled them with toasted walnut pieces. I admit to thinking for my entire life that I didn't like brussels sprouts, but these were SO GOOD. My horizons, they are broadening. :o)

Final temptation

All of the Christmas goodies (what few there were) are gone from the house now. Except the ingredients for one of my favorite things, Rice Krispie bars. We didn't get them made last weekend with everyone here. They've called to me all week, but I knew if I made them, I'd consume them. So, since I was scheduled to work at the theater last night, and there were teenagers and men also working, I went ahead and whipped them up yesterday afternoon to take to work with me.

However, there was still half a package of chocolate almond bark leftover and I didn't want that in the cupboard, calling to me every month. :o) So I melted that bad boy down and dipped the RK bars into it. I've done this in years past for Christmas treats and they are SO good! Makes them taste like a candy bar. Those boys WOLFED them down and I forgot to take a photo before I offered them to the masses.

The recipe for the RK bars is on the marshmallow bag: 1/4 C butter, 1 package mini-mallows, 8-ish cups RK's. (I like to use just a tad less RK's than the recipe calls for so they're nice and chewy.) I microwaved the butter to melt, tossed the mallows in the butter and microwaved those just until soft, then mixed with the cereal.

Let them cool and set up before cutting and dipping into the warm, gooey, melted chocolate. Mmmm...

TIP: You don't have to get your hands all greasy to pat these out into a pan. Just dip a fork in cold water and use it to pack the mixture down in the pan. I learned this many years ago from a Head Start parent when we made RK bars on a home visit.

Simple holiday appetizer

Just a yummy cracker spread with cream cheese and topped with a small piece of smoked salmon (from Seattle). Easy and delicious. Yum!