Back in the Kitchen

Randall has been waiting on me while I have been lying on the couch reading recipe books and blogs since my surgery. He has brought me every meal on a tray. Last night I thought I would give him a break and get in the kitchen myself to try out some new recipes I found. It was a little harder than I expected. I can't believe how many little things we take for granted. 

 

 

I  made mango-spinach salad with warm bacon vinaigrette that I found in the March Southern Living magazine. (see recipe below) It was really good even though I couldn't get Randall to try the vinaigrette on his salad since he likes his dry. I followed the recipe as printed except I chopped the onions instead of slicing them and that was only because I misread the recipe.

The other new recipe I tried was baked fish from the April All You magazine.(see recipe below) It is a simple recipe with crushed corn flakes. The only thing I changed was that I added Tony Chachere's to the crushed corn flakes.

 

I had to take a pain pill after cooking but other than that it was nice being back in the kitchen making the new recipes.

 

Mango-Spinach Salad With Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 4 thick bacon slices, diced
• 1/2 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 (9-oz.) package fresh spinach
• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• 1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet.
• 2. Sauté onion in hot drippings 2 to 3 minutes or until soft. Add vinegar, lime juice, and honey; cook 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.
• 3. Place spinach in a serving bowl. Add warm vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Top with mango, queso fresco, and bacon; season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Baked Fish

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 1/2 pounds firm fillets of whitefish such as tilapia (thawed if frozen)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes (from about 3 cups cornflakes)

Preparation

• 1. Preheat to 450ºF. Line rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.  Top with a wire rack and mist rack with cooking spray.
• 2. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt, dredge in flour and dip into eggs, letting excess drip off. Coat fish with crushed cornflakes. Place on wire rack on baking sheet. Mist fish with cooking spray.
• 3. Bake approximately 16 minute or until fish is cooked through. Serve immediately.

 

After we ate we rode to the lake to watch the sunset.