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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Oven Parmesan Crusted Fish

This is a different coating for fish.
it's all parmesan cheese, seasoning. 
 It's easy and delicious.
 I'm using catfish, but this recipe will work with
tilapia or any fish. Mix up the coating in a pie dish.
Cut your filets into somewhat even sizes if needed.
Coat with the cheese mixture. 
Press on coating on boat sides to adhere.
Put on a sprayed baking sheet and bake until
opaque, about 10-12 for tilapia
and 15-20 for thicker catfish.
Squeeze on lemon juice and serve. 

Parmesan Crusted Fish
1 lb Catfish or Tilapia (or any fish)
¾ C grated parmesan cheese
2 t paprika
1 T chopped parsley
¼ t salt, ¼ t pepper, to taste
1 T olive oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges
In a  pie dish combine the parmesan, paprika, 
parsley, salt and pepper. if the filets are large 
cut into 4 equal pieces. Drizzle each side of the
 fish wit olive oil, then coat in the parmesan 
mixture, pressing it on with your fingers.
Put on a shallow baking sheet. Bake at 400º
 for 10-12 minutes for tilapia and 15-20 minutes
 for thicker fish, like catfish or until the fish is
opaque. Squeeze lots of lemon juice over the top. 
Serve with lemon slices.
Enjoy!


Monday, March 28, 2016

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

I love any dinner that I can throw in the oven.
This is such an easy way to make tasty 
breaded pork chops. 
 Use a pie plate to mix the ingredients. I use 
my glass pie plates for so many tasks. Click HERE
for 10 ways I use them and where to get them cheap.
I'm using boneless chops this time because they 
were BOGO at the store this week. I prefer 
bone-in rib chops because I think they
have more flavor and stay moist and tender. 
 Coat the chops well, pressing on the crumbs.
Put them on a sprayed foil lined baking sheet
 To make this dinner extra easy roast your
potatoes along with the pork chops. just toss
 them in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 
 Do the same to your vegetable; broccoli,
green beans, brussels sprouts, whatever and
pop them in for the last 20 minutes.
You'll have a complete oven dinner. Easy!
 The potatoes will get crispy and golden brown.

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops
4 pork chops
1 T olive oil
½ C Italian bread crumbs
½ C Parmesan cheese
1 t pepper
1 t garlic powder
In a pie plate combine the 4 dry ingredients.
Rub the pork chops with olive oil and press into
the cheese mixture until well coated. Line a 
pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. 
Place the pork chops on the pan and bake for
35-40 minutes @350º until golden.

Enjoy!


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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Oma's Spargel mit Weisse Sosse (White Asparagus in Cream Sauce)

This classic German dish is one of my very
favorites growing up with my German family.
I was born in Lampertheim, Germany which is the
 white asparagus (spargel) capitol of the world. 
Lampertheim
The Lampertheimer Spargellauf (“Asparagus Walk”) is a public walking event that is traditionally held a week before the Lampertheim Asparagus Festival (Lampertheimer Spargelfest).  Every finisher gets a Spargellauf T-shirt. 
During the spargel harvest season there are 
festivals all month long celebrating this delicacy.
Last summer I was having dinner at a well known
German restaurant in Dallas, TX. The sign outside
 boasted that they had white asparagus flown in
from Lampertheim, Germany! Imagine that!
My little hometown, founded in 832.
It's  not so little anymore.
I found fresh white asparagus at the farmers
market last weekend. It's not always available.
Here's how I make it.
Start by trimming off a bit on the ends. 
Add those ends to the pot for extra flavor. Use a
saute pan large enough to fit the spears; add salt,
 1 c water, cover and simmer until fork tender.
Use a spatula to gently remove to a platter while
 you  make the sauce. Save the cooking liquid.
Add the  butter to the sauce pan and let melt. 
  (saved cooking liquid in a measuring cup)
Add enough milk to the reserved cooking
liquid to equal 1 C.
Whisk the flour into the hot butter. Stir until
bubbly and cooked, about 2  minutes; add salt.
Whisk in the reserved 1 C liquid, stirring
constantly until bubbly and thickened. 
Now add the egg to the measuring cup and
whisk in the Half and Half. 
Add that mixture to the pan, cook,
whisking constantly. Turn off the heat.  
Whisk until smooth and thickened.
Taste for salt and add a pinch of nutmeg.
Carefully return to the asparagus to the pan.
Cover to keep warm until serving. Or...
put on a serving platter and keep warm in a
low temp oven along with your dinner plates.
You'll have enough cream sauce to ladle
some extra sauce over boiled potatoes which
are traditionally served as a side with spargel.
This is good with grilled chicken, pork, steak,
roasts, and of course schnitzel.

Oma's Spargel mit Weisse Sosse
       (White Asparagus in Cream Sauce)
1-½ lbs white asparagus
4 T butter
4 T flour
¼ t salt
pinch sugar (optional)
1 C reserved asparagus broth 
    (add water or milk to equal 1C)
1 egg
½ C half and half
pinch nutmeg
1. Use a shallow sauce pan that will fit the
 asparagus. Add 1 c water and salt, cover with
 the lid and simmer until fork tender, about 5
 minutes. Use a spatula to gently remove the
 asparagus to a serving platter.
2. Add the reserved cooking liquid to a 
measuring cup and add enough
milk to equal 1 C liquid.
3. Add the butter to the saucepan and when
bubbly hot add the flour, whisking until
smooth and cooked, about 2 minutes.
Add salt. Whisk in the reserved 1 C
cooking liquid. Cook until
 smooth, bubbly, and thickened.
4. Add the egg to the measuring cup
 and whisk, then whisk in the half and half.
Add that to the sauce in the
pan and turn off the heat. Taste and add
 more salt if needed. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg. 
5. Use the spatula to return the asparagus 
to the pan and cover it with the sauce.
Put the lid back on the pan to keep warm
 until ready to serve or put everything on 
an oval serving platter and keep warm in
the oven. 
*You'll have enough sauce to spoon little 
over the boiled potatoes side dish. 

Tip: If you cannot find fresh white asparagus, use
2 jars of Reese (brand has 11.6oz jars). Skip step 1
and drain the asparagus and reserve the liquid to
use in the sauce for step 2

Guten Appetit!

Monday, March 21, 2016

Pistachio Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

My cake for March is Pistachio Bundt cake.
It's greenish tint makes it just right for 
Spring and especially St. Patrick's Day.
We love having cake in the house over the weekend.
Keeps well covered on a cake plate.
And sits on the kitchen island just
asking you to cut a piece.
This one is easy because it uses
cake mix and instant pudding mix. 
 Mix the cake ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for 3 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a sprayed bundt pan
with about an inch of batter.
 Combine the nut filling in a small bowl. 
Sprinkle half of the cinnamon nut filling mixture
 evenly on the batter. 
Add another layer of batter and sprinkle with
all but 2 T filling. 
 Bake at 350º for 45 minutes until cake tests
 done when lightly touched. Remove from oven
and let cool for 10 minutes before inverting.
 Let cool.
 You can simply dust with powdered sugar.
Or...you can make a drizzle icing.
 Combine the icing ingredients in a small bowl.
 Drizzle over the cake and sprinkle the top with
the remaining 2 T cinnamon-sugar-nut mixture.
 Two nice cinnamon, nut swirls. I have made this
without nuts, just cinnamon sugar, but it's 
better with them. 
 Gives it a nice coffee cake taste.
Pistachio Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
1 box yellow cake  mix
1 box pistachio instant pudding, (3.4oz)
1 C club soda, 7-up, or water
½ C oil
3 XL eggs
½ t almond extract
Mix cake ingredients in a large bowl. 
Beat for 3 minutes until smooth.
Filling
½ C sugar
½ C chopped pistachios or pecans
1-2 t cinnamon
mix together in small bowl
Icing
1 C powdered sugar
2-3 T milk
2 T soft butter
drop almond extract (¼t)
pinch cinnamon (¼t)
Mix until smooth in small bowl
Directions
Layer the bottom of a sprayed bundt pan
with cake batter. Sprinkle ½ of the cinnamon
nut mixture evenly over the batter.
Add another layer of batter to cover the nuts.
Add all but 2 T of the remaining nut mixture.
Spoon on the remaining batter, smoothing 
evenly. Bake @350º for 45 minutes until the
 cake springs back when lightly touched. 
Let cool for 10 minutes then invert onto 
a cake plate. Let cool completely.
Drizzle with icing and sprinkle the top
 with the remaining cinnamon-nut mixture.

Enjoy!


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