Some More Recipes!

I love my mom. That being said, she didn't teach me how to cook. She doesn't like to cook. Never has. I, on the other hand LOVE to cook. I remember sitting in my bedroom when I was a little kid, maybe 6 or 7-years-old, watching infomercials about food or cooking shows. I was fascinated by it. So when I met Bryan, I decided that if I was going to learn, I'd have to figure it out myself. Well, by myself with the help Food Network, anyway. Once I had Food Network, I was inspired. The first time I made dinner for Bryan, I was hooked. I get a lot of my recipes from other people, the internet, or cookbooks, but I always tweak them to make them exactly what I want. I always feel like there's something that I can do to make it a better recipe. Every now and then, I come across a recipe that I don't have to do anything to. Oh, and everything that I make is easy. Remember that whole 'lazy' thing I have going on? Recipes that people ask me for the most are fish recipes. I didn't know that fish was so hard to make?? I make it all the time...Here are a few of my favorites.


Chili-Rubbed Tilapia Sandwiches
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1/4 cup sweet paprika

2 tablespoons ground thyme

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets

4 Kaiser buns, split, buttered and toasted

Store bought mango salsa (optional)

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows

In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.

Pour melted butter into another shallow dish. Dip fish fillets in melted butter and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with mango salsa, and cover with top half of bun.

Cilantro-lime mayo:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

This dish is SO good! It's a little smoky, light, and the mayo and mango salsa is cool and refreshing. It's perfect with fries or a salad in the summertime. It is satisfying without leaving you feeling too full.

Grouper Fromage ('Fromage' is French for 'cheese')

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)

1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows

4 grouper fillets, about 8 ounces each

1 lemon, halved

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1 stick cold butter, cut into 8 slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


In a small skillet, add 1 tablespoon butter or oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly.

To the bowl, add the cheese, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce and 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning. Mix well and set aside. Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning. Place the fish in the baking dish and squeeze the juice of the lemon over it and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Top fish with slices of butter. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes or until fish is almost done; the time will depend on the thickness of your fish. Remove the dish from the oven and cover each fillet with 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture. Return to the oven and bake until cheese melts, about 8 to 10 minutes.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder


Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.


For this recipe, I have to thank Paula Deen. I used to watch Paula so often that kennedy knew who she was, even at 2-years-old. The only thing that I would have to say about this recipe is that the sauce is pretty rich. Cutting back on the mayo a little helps with that. This pairs well with roasted asparagus (coat asparagus with a little olive oil, then salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes) and maybe some form of rice or potatoes.


Mustard Roasted Fish
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4

4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper (you could also use tilapia or swai)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 ounces creme fraiche (a good substitute for creme fraiche is sour cream with a little heavy cream mixed in)

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons drained capers

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.


Again, Food Network is awesome. I got this one from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa). It just looked so easy. And it totally is! Again, pairs well with roasted asparagus and roasted red potatoes (with a little fresh dill....mmmmm). Really, is there anything that doesn't go with roasted asparagus? Not really...


These are just a few of the reasons that Bryan and I are a little more padded today than we were 6 1/2 years ago. My love of cooking is a 2 edged sword. Delicious food every night, trying new things...then we have to work harder to be healthy. The Grouper Fromage is the only dish thats really heavy, but if you go easy and don't have it too often, you should be fine.