Easy Tilapia with Wine and Tomatoes

Prep Time:  25 Min     4 servings

 Ingredients:

4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup white wine

Directions:

1.Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.

2.Place the tilapia fillets side by side on a large piece of aluminum foil. Season each one with salt and pepper. Place one tablespoon of butter on top of each piece of fish, and sprinkle garlic, basil and tomato. Pour the wine over everything. Fold foil up around fish, and seal into a packet. Place packet on a cookie sheet for ease in transportation to and from the grill.

3.Place foil packet on the preheated grill, and cook for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Open the packet carefully so as not to get burned from the steam, and serve.

Shopping list for EasyTilapia with Wine and Tomatoes

From the Farmers Market or Grocer:
4 4oz. tilapia fillets
4 fresh basil leaves
1 large tomato

From your pantry:
salt
black pepper
butter
garlic clove
white wine

This dish, serving 4, can be served with your favorite salad, fresh bread and of course, a glass of wine.

The recipe will be posted tomorrow morning. 

Happy shopping,
Elizabeth

An unwatched pot boils immediately ~H.F.Ellis

Grilled Chicken with Rosemary and Bacon

 Ingredients

4 teaspoons garlic powder

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs

salt and pepper to taste

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 thick slices bacon

 Directions

1.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

2.Sprinkle 1 teaspoon garlic powder on a chicken breast and season with salt and pepper. Lay one rosemary sprig on the chicken breast. Wrap the bacon around the chicken to hold the rosemary on. Secure the bacon with a toothpick or an additional thick rosemary stem.

3.Cook the chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

This recipe serves 4.

Serve with your favorite salad, a loaf of bread and a glass of wine.

Happy eating,

Elizabeth

Shopping list for Grilled Chicken with Rosemary and Bacon

From the Farmers' Market or your local grocer:
4 skinless/boneless chicken breasts or thighs (I prefer thighs)
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 thick slices of bacon

From your pantry:
Garlic powder
salt and pepper

You'll serve this chicken with rice and a veggie or fresh bread, your favorite salad and a glass of wine.

The recipe, which serves 4, will be posted tomorrow morning.
Happy shopping,
Elizabeth

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food"  ~WC Fields

Baked Fish with Asparagus Spears

Ready in 30 minutes    Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

- 2 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

- 1 t. fennel seeds

- 4 garlic cloves, chopped

- 1 shallot, sliced

- 2 lbs. haddock fillet

- Salt & black pepper

- 2 T. capers, drained

- 1 14oz. can diced tomatoes

- 2 T. balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 c. fresh basil, about 10 leaves, torn or shredded

- 1/2 c. clam juice

- Crusty bread

- 1 lb. thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed

- juice of 1/2 a lemon

 

Preheat the oven to 400degrees.

 

Heat a large ovenproof, nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat.  Add 1 T. of EVOO to the pan.  Add the fennel seeds, garlic and shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.

 

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Season the fish with salt and pepper, set aside.

 

In a small bowl, combine the capers, tomatoes, the remaining 1 T of EVOO, the balsamic vinegar, basil and clam juice,  Add the mixture to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the fish fillets to the pan.  Spoon the sauce over the fish and set the skillet in the oven.  Bake the fish for 15 minutes or until cooked through.  Add the bread to the oven to warm through for the last minute or two.

 

While the fish cooks, boil the asparagus in an inch of water for 3 minutes, drain and dress with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

 

Serve the fish with lots of juice for mopping up with the crusty bread and the asparagus spears alongside.

 

Happy cooking,

Elizabeth

 



Grocery List for Baked Fish and Asparagus Spears

From the Farmers' Market or your local grocer:

2 lbs of haddock fillet (if they don't have it, ask for something close, the fish police won't catch you)

1 bunch of fresh basil (consider buying the live basil plant - available in many grocery stores and putting it in a pot with a bit of water on your kitchen window sill)

1 8 oz. bottle clam juice

1 loaf crusty bread

1 lb. thin asparagus (if you prefer the larger stalks, go for it!)

 

From your pantry:

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Fennel seeds (this is a spice that I don't normally keep in my pantry)

Garlic

Shallot (lighter in taste than an onion)

Salt and black pepper

Capers

Canned diced tomatoes

Balsamic vinegar

Lemon

 

The recipe, which serves 4, will be posted Thursday morning.

Happy shopping,

Elizabeth



The only real stumbling block is a fear of failure.  In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.   ~Julia Child

Pantry List

One of the keys to easy cooking is a well stocked pantry.  I've included a list of what's in mine.   From time to time I'll update it after I realize that I've forgotten to include something. 

Please, please don't think you have to have everything on the list.  It's meant as a guide.  If there are things you know you don't like or would prefer to substitute, by all means do so.  As I mentioned in the beginning, cooking is meant to be easy and I'll also add fun!!!

Canned Goods & Bottled Items

Canned tomatoes, tomato paste

 Reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth and/or vegetable broth

 Clam juice

 "Lite" coconut milk for Asian curries and soups

 Canned beans: cannelloni beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, black beans, red kidney beans

 Chunk light tuna

 

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

 Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and salad dressings

 Canola oil for cooking and baking

 Flavorful nut and seed oils for salad dressings and stir-fry seasonings: toasted sesame oil, walnut oil

 Butter, preferably unsalted. Store in the freezer if you use infrequently.

 Reduced-fat mayonnaise

 Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice (or rice-wine), apple cider

 Asian condiments and flavorings: reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, chile-garlic sauce, curry paste

 Kalamata olives, green olives

 Dijon mustard

 Capers

 Ketchup

 Barbecue sauce

 Worcestershire sauce

 Flavorings

 Kosher salt, coarse sea salt, fine salt

 Black peppercorns

Onions

Fresh garlic

Fresh ginger

Anchovies or anchovy paste for flavoring pasta sauces and salad dressings

Dried herbs: bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, dried thyme leaves, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning blend

 Spices: allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon,coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric

 Lemons, limes, oranges. The zest is as valuable as the juice. Organic fruit is recommended when you use a lot of zest.

 Granulated sugar

Brown sugar

Honey

Pure maple syrup

 Unsweetened cocoa powder, natural and/or Dutch-processed

Bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips

Grains & Legumes

Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour (Store opened packages in the refrigerator or freezer.)

 All-purpose flour

 Assorted whole-wheat pastas

 Brown rice and instant brown rice

 Pearl barley, quick-cooking barley

 Rolled oats

 Whole-wheat couscous

 Bulgur

 Dried lentils

 Yellow cornmeal

 Plain dry breadcrumbs

 Nuts, Seeds & Fruits

 Walnuts

 Pecans

 Almonds

 Hazelnuts

 Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

 Pine nuts

 Sesame seeds

Peanut butter

 Tahini

 Assorted dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, raisins (Store opened packages of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator or freezer)

Refrigerator Basics

 Low-fat milk or soymilk

 Low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt and/or vanilla yogurt

 Reduced-fat sour cream

 Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese

 Sharp Cheddar cheese

 Eggs (large). Keep them on hand for fast omelets and frittatas.

 Orange juice

 Dry white wine. If you wish, substitute nonalcoholic wine.