annie blog

Month: August 2005

August 6, 2005
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This is the dinner that I had last night. (P.S. 8/9/05: I had this at a local restaurant…some of my readers thought that I actually made this for dinner! Maybe someday in the future. :)) Almon-Encrusted Tilapia with Amareto Butter Sauce and Fresh Berries For sauce: 1/4 cup amaretto 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, divided salt ground white pepper For fish: 1 2/3 cups sliced almonds (about 5 oz.) 2 T all -purpose flour, plus more for dredging salt ground white pepper 1 pinch ground red (cayenne) pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning 2 T beaten egg 1/4 cup milk 4 tilapia fillets (about 7 oz. each), rinsed and patted dry 2 T butter, divided Cooked wild-rice blend 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries, divided To prepare sauce: Warm amaretto in a small skillet over medium heat; when amaretto begins to bubble, quickly touch the surface with a lighted match and flame the amaretto. When flames subside, set aside. In a heavy sauce pan, cook cream over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thichened and reduced by about half. Stirring constantly, add butter, about 1/2 T at a time. (Adding butter too fast will cause the sauce to curdle.) Stir in amaretto and salt and pepper to taste. Set sauce aside in a warm place. (Makes about 1 1/3 cups sauce. ) To prepare fish: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, grind almonds to the consistency of coarse meal. Add 2 T four, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, cayenne and lemon-pepper; pulse to combine well. Pour additional flour into a shallow bowl for dredging. To make an eg wash, stir together egg, milk, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of whilte pepper. Dredge each fillet in flour, coat with egg wash, then coat with almond mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Place 1 T butter in each of 2 large ovenproof skllets; place over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add fish to the skillets; saute until bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn fish; transfer skillets to oven and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until fish flakes easily. Arrange each fillet on a bed of rice, drizzle with about 1/4 amaretto Sauce, and top with 1/4 cup strawberries.

This is the dinner that I had last night. (P.S. 8/9/05: I had this at a local restaurant…some of my readers thought that I actually made this for dinner! Maybe someday in the future. :)) Almon-Encrusted Tilapia with Amareto Butter … Continue reading →

August 6, 2005
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11 Comments

This is the dinner that I had last night. (P.S. 8/9/05: I had this at a local restaurant…some of my readers thought that I actually made this for dinner! Maybe someday in the future. :)) Almon-Encrusted Tilapia with Amareto Butter Sauce and Fresh Berries For sauce: 1/4 cup amaretto 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature, divided salt ground white pepper For fish: 1 2/3 cups sliced almonds (about 5 oz.) 2 T all -purpose flour, plus more for dredging salt ground white pepper 1 pinch ground red (cayenne) pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning 2 T beaten egg 1/4 cup milk 4 tilapia fillets (about 7 oz. each), rinsed and patted dry 2 T butter, divided Cooked wild-rice blend 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries, divided To prepare sauce: Warm amaretto in a small skillet over medium heat; when amaretto begins to bubble, quickly touch the surface with a lighted match and flame the amaretto. When flames subside, set aside. In a heavy sauce pan, cook cream over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thichened and reduced by about half. Stirring constantly, add butter, about 1/2 T at a time. (Adding butter too fast will cause the sauce to curdle.) Stir in amaretto and salt and pepper to taste. Set sauce aside in a warm place. (Makes about 1 1/3 cups sauce. ) To prepare fish: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, grind almonds to the consistency of coarse meal. Add 2 T four, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, cayenne and lemon-pepper; pulse to combine well. Pour additional flour into a shallow bowl for dredging. To make an eg wash, stir together egg, milk, 1/8 teaspoon salt and a pinch of whilte pepper. Dredge each fillet in flour, coat with egg wash, then coat with almond mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Place 1 T butter in each of 2 large ovenproof skllets; place over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add fish to the skillets; saute until bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn fish; transfer skillets to oven and cook 7 to 9 minutes, until fish flakes easily. Arrange each fillet on a bed of rice, drizzle with about 1/4 amaretto Sauce, and top with 1/4 cup strawberries.

This is the dinner that I had last night. (P.S. 8/9/05: I had this at a local restaurant…some of my readers thought that I actually made this for dinner! Maybe someday in the future. :)) Almon-Encrusted Tilapia with Amareto Butter … Continue reading →

August 6, 2005
by
11 Comments

This is the dinner that I had last night. (P.S. 8/9/05: I had this at a local restaurant…some of my readers thought that I actually made this for dinner! Maybe someday in the future. :)) Almon-Encrusted Tilapia with Amareto Butter … Continue reading →

August 4, 2005
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3 Comments

Now that I saw a hummingbird today that Wilco song by the same name is stuck in my head.

August 4, 2005
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I saw two really interesting things out in nature today. The first was a ruby-throated hummingbird. It swooped down and checked out the flowers and then it was gone in a few seconds. I have never seen a hummingbird around these apartments. And I have spent lots of time outside here over the last nine years. The second thing that I saw was a praying mantis fighting with a yellow jacket. It was really duking it out! The praying manits was stung, I think, because it quickly fled from the yellow jacket at some point during the fight. It landed on the ground and immediately started….I don’t know, licking?, its big front arms. It was so wild. The preying mantis was about 3 inches long with overall brown coloration and a pattern on its back. Wild nature sightings at the Barlow porch…..

I saw two really interesting things out in nature today. The first was a ruby-throated hummingbird. It swooped down and checked out the flowers and then it was gone in a few seconds. I have never seen a hummingbird around … Continue reading →

August 4, 2005
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0 comments

I saw two really interesting things out in nature today. The first was a ruby-throated hummingbird. It swooped down and checked out the flowers and then it was gone in a few seconds. I have never seen a hummingbird around these apartments. And I have spent lots of time outside here over the last nine years. The second thing that I saw was a praying mantis fighting with a yellow jacket. It was really duking it out! The praying manits was stung, I think, because it quickly fled from the yellow jacket at some point during the fight. It landed on the ground and immediately started….I don’t know, licking?, its big front arms. It was so wild. The preying mantis was about 3 inches long with overall brown coloration and a pattern on its back. Wild nature sightings at the Barlow porch…..

I saw two really interesting things out in nature today. The first was a ruby-throated hummingbird. It swooped down and checked out the flowers and then it was gone in a few seconds. I have never seen a hummingbird around … Continue reading →

August 4, 2005
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0 comments

I saw two really interesting things out in nature today. The first was a ruby-throated hummingbird. It swooped down and checked out the flowers and then it was gone in a few seconds. I have never seen a hummingbird around … Continue reading →

August 4, 2005
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0 comments

If you like art, you should check out this article. It appeared in the August issue of “Wired” magazine and is about the artist known as Banksy, a self-described “art terrorist”, who lives in London. I especially like that the British Museum chose to include his art in its permanent collection. It shows foresight on their part. And, the idea of a cave man pushing a shopping cart just is so, so funny.

If you like art, you should check out this article. It appeared in the August issue of “Wired” magazine and is about the artist known as Banksy, a self-described “art terrorist”, who lives in London. I especially like that the … Continue reading →