Something's Fishy!

This is the easiest and least messiest was to cook fish. It can be frozen or fresh. We usually buy fresh fish when we can get it. We like salmon or tilapia.Then, we freeze it in a serving size for two people. When we want it, it's there. You do not need to thaw it out. However, if you do, just adjust your cooking time.  

Spray a glass baking dish with Pam.

Place frozen fish in the dish-Salmon is my favorite.

Cover with: Cavendar's Greek Seasoning, 


















fresh onion rings, butter, lemon slices.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes depending on amount and size of fish and if it is frozen or fresh.

Remove from oven.

YUMMMMM!

Serve over rice with something green
We like petite green peas,
green beans or broccoli.

Corn on the Cob Easy Peasy!

I used to cook corn on the cob in boiling water for 10 minutes and take it out and butter. That involved shucking the corn and dealing with the silks. What a mess.

The key phrase is "I used to". Then, our friend, Tom, gave us the 'Tip of the Year' (to date). Microwave it! Yea! No more silks to deal with and it's ready to eat in about 5 minutes-4 minutes in the microwave and 1 minute to put on the plate.

Chuck was in charge and did a great job so I took a video to walk you through the process. Here you go! Good Luck and happy eating.


 

Tiny Tidbit for Today

I'm stuck on Tuna!
Add chopped celery to your Tuna Salad for a nutty taste and a crunchy texture!  No need to add egg...it doesn't add taste or texture
...save an egg! 

Tiny Tidbit for Today

Add Pepper to your tuna fish and it will mask the 'fishy' taste!*

*Also, a lot of mayo makes it even better!

Tiny Tidbit for Today!

More about honey:


I have read that honey doesn't spoil. Do your research.  Here is a link that talks about that fact: Search io9

Reheat thick or crystallized honey in hot water not in a microwave. A microwave could burn it. It doesn't take long.  Practice being patient:)


If my honey is fresh, but still too thick to pour, I just run in under the hot water tap* for a few minutes.  It doesn't take long!

*tap...is that a Southern word for spigot or is spigot Southern for tap?

Our New Favorite Topper

We started with honey on our biscuits and toast.  

Then, the 'aha'!  Why not add a little or maybe a lot of cinnamon to the bear. You cannot beat it!  It is delicious!  Our biscuits* now taste like cinnamon rolls!

The down side?  You could eat it so often that you wear your taste buds out with the taste of it? Not!!!!

*Heads Up!  Pillsbury Southern Style Frozen Biscuits taste like homemade.

Tiny Tidbit for Today

1 Cup Crisco + 2 TBS Water 
equals
1 Cup Butter or Margarine

(Probably doesn't taste as delicious?
   ...just saying:)

Kitchen Bouquet!

What would I do without it???? 

Dinner tonight: I am cooking frozen meatballs thawed in Mushroom Soup (any brand--who can tell the difference between Campbell and the store brand?) from Kroger, LaSueur English Peas, and egg noodles...add a Combination Salad*..voila, dinner.

Ugh!  the mushroom soup gravy is white! Enter: Kitchen Bouquet.  Ah-h-h-h...rich brown gravy!

No, I cannot give it up.  I refuse to make brown gravy from scratch. Maybe...someday, but not any time soon!


* You do know what how to make a Combination Salad? or is it a Southern "thing"?  Iceberg Lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and mayo...mixed together.  How hard is that?

Kierre's Kountry Kitchen Jury's Out

Hit some golf balls today at Northshore Golf Range near Maumelle.  We have been wanting to try Kierre's for a while.  Two different people recommended it to us.  So that is where we headed when we left the range.

It is certainly not a restaurant with an ambiance.  That is unless you like a warehouse atmosphere.  However, the service was good and the waitress had a great smile!  She was very helpful for us newbies.  Also, in her favor she didn't hover...my pet peeve.  Just when you are in the middle of a conversation the waiter/waitress interrupts.  


I had smoked chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans and buttered carrots.  Chuck had the fried catfish with slaw and French fries.  This is the good part.  The portions were so generous that we decided to split the catfish and my vegetables for lunch. We took the chicken home for tonight's dinner.  


That is where I am headed now...to the kitchen to warm up the chicken.  Chuck made his famous potato salad to go with it.  It can't get any better that this!

Franke's Cafeteria, A Little Rock Institution

Rodney Parham

Franke's is where we go to eat real home cooking when we don't want to cook at home.  That's what we did tonight.  




We usually get a lite plate and something we not only don't, but won't, cook at home.  I got roast beef, "the best", mashed potatoes "real" and Brussels sprouts (Chuck won't eat them :).  Chuck got liver and onions (I won't eat liver), mashed potatoes "real" and black-eyed peas (we do fix those at home).  He gets a roll and I get a corn muffin and give it to him.  I save my bread calories for something more worthy...maybe a dessert or a glass of wine.

I was introduced to Franke's in 1962 when they were on Louisiana Street across the street from the Arkansas Theater.  My friend, Carolyn, and I would go there on our lunch hour.  We sat at the counter and had a cheeseburger with  grilled onions.  Sometimes a group of us would go through the line.  Yes, Rufus was there to carry our tray and we tipped a whole quarter for his service.

Then, my Mom and Dad moved to Arkansas to be near their only child...that would be me :D.  


Dad managed the Franke's in Hot Springs for several years.  They fixed a baked ham dish with pineapple that was delicious.  They don't have it anymore.  Also, the egg custard pie was warm.  Then, everyone got worried about bacteria and the Health Department made them refrigerate it.  The only time we get warm egg custard pie now is when my sister-in-law makes it  at Easter.


There are two Franke's ....one on Rodney Parham and the other in the Regions Building.*


We love Franke's!


*(The Regions Building began as First National Bank Building where Chuck and I worked for many years...I'll save that for a story on my Blog: Plaid Papers, A Journal.)

65th Street Diner

A nice lady was kind enough to let me borrow this picture...
it was in the napkin holder on the table!

Home Cookin!  Yummmmmmm!  It's Friday and fish day...do you remember when we always had fish on Fridays for lunch in the school cafeteria?  I do....ahhhhh...you are as old as I am!

I left the Fletcher Library at Noon today; 

picked Chuck up at First Tee and headed for 65th St. Diner!  


Chuck has had a cravin' (Southern speak!) for catfish for the last three weeks.  We debated between Catfish City on University, Frontier Cafe on I-30 access road and 65th St. Diner after the Otter Creek exit.  65th St. won!  It has the best catfish for the best price.  It is cafeteria style and the line always move fast even at noon.  Today was no exception.  We even got a fresh batch of the fish!  We had to let a few people in line before us, but the sacrifice paid off!  We got fresh fish, fries, pinto beans, hush puppies, iced tea(it would be nice to have real lemon for the tea and fish) and slaw (the best in town!)...


I would love to have the slaw recipe.  I have yet to make an edible slaw.   I refuse to give up.  If I figures it out, I will share the secret.  (you probably already have it...if you do, will you share? :D)

Eating In Tonight

A good country meal...Meatloaf, Squash, Green Beans, Cantaloupe and Cornbread. It's the kind of meal you could go back for more helpings.

The meatloaf recipe came from The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook that I have had since the '60's.

Onion Meat Loaf

1 Cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 Cup minced onions

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 TBS chopped parsley

1/2 Cup grated carrot

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

2-6oz cans tomato juice...I use one plain and one Hot 'n Spicy

2 strips bacon

We use a mix for the cornbread-Martha White's Cotton Country Buttermilk Cornbread Mix.  The squash is simmered w/onion in a saucepan with a little water until tender.  The green beans are Del Monte whole green beans boiled, then simmered, with 1 tsp. of salt for 30 minutes (they taste like home grown to us). 


Bon Appetit!