Baked Tilapia!

I wasn't planning on blogging about the dinner I cooked tonight, but it was so good I just had to share my recipe. I bought fresh tilapia from Whole Foods Market when it was on sale the other day. I coated it with cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic. I served it with some yummy risotto, steamed broccoli, and twice baked potatoes. I normally wouldn't serve 2 starches in one meal, but my fiance can put away some food! He doesn't even call it a meal if it doesnt have at least one meat, starch, vegtable, salad, and bread.

Heat oven to 350-375
3 pieces of tilapia
1/2 package of crackers
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt/pepper
garlic powder
parsley flakes


2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 lemon
flour

2-3 tablespoons butter (melted). You can subsitute olive oil for butter. For my filet I omitted this step for personal dietary preferences.

1. crush package of crackers into crumbs and place into a sandwich bag
-add parmesan
-salt/pepper
-garlic powder
-parsley flakes
Shake ingredients up and then pour into a dish that is at least 1 inch deep
2. beat 2 eggs
-add lemon juice
(can add milk/buttermilk if desired)
-place into a dish that is at least 1 inch deep
3. place about 1/8 cup flour onto a separate plate
4. form an assembly line-flour first, then egg wash, and last should be the bread crumbs
5. cover counter space with seran wrap (easy cleanup)
6. unwrap each filet and season with salt pepper
7. lightly coat with flour
8. dip into egg wash, cover entire fliet, but make sure you let excess wash drip off
9. dip into cracker mixture, using your hands to fully coat tilapia
10. repeat steps 8 and 9 and then place onto pan
11. bake until fish turns white and flakey (10-20 minutes depending on oven and preference of doneness). Check on fish and right before it reaches desired doneness pour butter mixture on top of each filet. Let it broil unti the crust on fish turns a golden brown.
12. Remove from oven and serve with desired sides.

Yummy!

Smashing Tomato

I am taking a break from blogging about weddings to blog about food, and not just any food, but one of my favorite restaurants in Lexington-Smashing Tomato. I love this place. Seriously. It is some of the best pizza I have had. My fiance's friend, Ben, who has lived in Italy for a few years, says that Smashing Tomato has the most authentic Italian pizza in the states. They use some authentic Italian style wood-burning stove that bakes their pizza to perfection. Their Neopolitan style pizzas range from their Margherita, topped with fresh basil and imported buffalo mozzerella, to one of my favorites, the Quatro Formaggi (4 cheese). This pizza is loaded wtih mozzarella, provolone, pecorino, and gorgonzola.

Smashing Tomato doesn't just stop there with pizza; they also feature two amazing salads. One is a ceasar and the other, my favorite, is a chopped salad loaded with fresh romaine, red onion (I love red onions), walnuts, parmesean cheese, and then topped with their balsalmic dressing. On the side comes a yummy piece of bread that is pretty much a pizza crust with no toppings. I try to not touch it (sometimes that doesn't work), but it works great as a tool to help you shovel the crisp salad into your mouth. If you go wtih a a friend or a group then I would recommend trying their hot artichoke dip as a starter. This hot and creamy dip is delicious on their freshly baked bread. Oh, and the best part about this place? You don't have to tip. It's kinda like a Panera Bread with pizza. Make sure you go before 3 p.m. You get the lunch special with a small pizza and salad for $5.99. I already know where I'm headed for lunch tomorrow:).
http://smashingtomato.com/

Candy bars...not the Hershey kind

I love this idea. It is probably one of the things I am most exicted for regarding my upcoming wedding ceremony. I am on a mission to find cute mismatched apocathary jars to house the many pounds of candy I will need to feed 150 guests. Of course all of the candy I use will match my wedding colors. I came up with this idea as I was trying to comeup with ideas for wedding favors. I thought this was a cute idea and I can't wait to see it in action!