Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

I got this recipe from my friend's blog: My Predilections who adapted it from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.  It's a keeper!  We've made this several times--it's my new go to recipe for fish and a quick healthy delicious dinner.  The Tilapia is a great mild fish.  With this recipe even my pickiest eaters eat it and the rest of us are vying for seconds.

2 pounds tilapia, fresh or thawed from frozen
2/3 cups cornmeal
2 tablespoons paprika (I've also subbed chili powder or chipotle powder in a pinch but used less since they're both spicier).
salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp kosher salt and about 1/4 tsp pepper) 
4-6 tablespoons olive oil, divided.

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large 12 inch skillet heat 2-3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat.
2.  In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, paprika, salt and pepper with a fork or whisk until blended.
3.  Coat each side of the fish fillet in the cornmeal and place in the hot frying pan. (I fit 3-4 at once without crowding). Cook for three minutes. Flip. Cook for three minutes more or until golden brown and crispy. The texture should be firm and will flake a little when you cut into it. Remove to a warm plate.
4.  Repeat with second batch of fish. This recipe makes 8-10 fish fillets.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Note: This is a mild fish dish perfect, for non-fish eaters.

INGREDIENTS 

·          1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

·          1/4 cup butter, softened (I usually reduce this to 2 T)

·          3 tablespoons mayonnaise (low-fat or fat-free works)

·          2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·          1/4 teaspoon dried basil

·          1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

·          1/8 teaspoon onion powder

·          1/8 teaspoon celery salt (I omitted this because I didn’t have it on hand)

·          2 pounds tilapia fillets

Preheat your oven's broiler. Line a pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side.

Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Watch closely and be careful not to over cook the fish.  Serves 8.  from allrecipes.com

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Snow Peas with Coconut Curry Sauce

Note: This come together super fast, so have all the ingredients prepped before cooking, including the sauce.

SHRIMP

·          1 pound extra-large shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined (I bought frozen ones and then peeled them.  They were already deveined)

·          2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

·          2 teaspoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Note:      I substituted 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon of coconut milk).

STIR-FRY

·          3 scallions, minced

·          3 garlic cloves, minced

·          1 T grated fresh ginger

·          5 teaspoons canola oil (used 1-2 teaspoons at a time)

·          2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into matchsticks

·          1 recipe of Coconut Curry Sauce*

1.  For the shrimp:  Toss the shrimp in the soy sauce and rice vinegar mixture in a bowl and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour in the fridge.

2.  For the stir-fry:  Combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon of oil in a bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking.  Add the shrimp, break up any shrimp that stick together and cook until lightly browned on all sides but not fully cooked about 1½ minutes.  Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set aside.

4.  Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet and return to high heat until shimmering.  Add the bell peppers and cook until almost crisp-tender 2-3 minutes.  Add the snow peas (I also added shredded carrots) and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute longer.

5.  Clear the center of the skillet, add the garlic mixture and cook, mashing the mixture into the pan until fragrant 15-30 seconds.  Stir it into the vegetables.

6.  Return the shrimp, with any accumulated juice, to the skillet.  Whisk the sauce to recombine, and then add to the skillet.  Simmer, tossing constantly, until the shrimp are cooked through and the sauce has thickened 1-2 minutes.  Serve over rice or quinoa.  From The American’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.