Faux Fried Favorites

As healthy as I try to be fried foods are still a tasty tasty thing, and fried green tomatoes scream summer time to me. I guess it's because they are all over the farmers markets (and my backyard right now) so in an attempt to make my favorite treat slightly less awful for those who enjoy it, I delved into the wacky work of 'oven' fried.

Cornmeal-Battered Oven-Fried Catfish
Ingredients

1 tsp Lemon Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup(s) Skim Milk
Cooking Spray
1 pound(s) Catfish Fillet(s), cut into 4 pieces
1 medium lemon(s), quartered
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a shallow soup bowl, combine cornmeal, paprika, cayenne, salt, lemon pepper, garlic powder and pepper. Pour milk into another shallow soup bowl.
3. Dredge fillets first in milk and then in cornmeal mixture, coating both sides and pressing cornmeal mixture gently to adhere. Place coated fillets on baking sheet and lightly spray each with cooking spray.
4. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Let stand at room temperature 2 minutes before serving with asparagus and lemon wedges.

Oven-Fried Green Tomatoes
2 Cups Panko
2 Cups Parmesan Cheese
2 Egg Whites
Salt, Pepper
Vegetable Oil Spray
3 Sliced Green Tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Mix panko, salt, pepper and parmesan in a shallow bowl.
3. Place egg whites in a separate shallow bowl.
4. Dip tomato slices in egg white then in panko mix, coat both sides then set on baking pan.
5. Cook five to six minutes on each side, when they are flipped, spray with additional veggie oil.

Wish I had some of these ready (or someone who wanted to make them for me), starting at 11AM today and finishing up around 6:30PM I have been helping my parents unpack, move and work with their mountains of boxes after their return from Mexico so I am beat...any volunteers to do the faux-frying :)

Hot Hot Heat!

Summer in Texas is a hot affair, typically in the high 90s or low 100s during the day and you'll be lucky if you hit the low 70s at night....now, I know it's just begun and that today's 97 degree weather is nothing compared to what it's going to feel like in July but it still inspires me to think (and eat) cool.

Nothing is better for a hot summer night than a crisp, cool salad. In welcoming back the former ex-pats I've taken to some slightly more tropical cooking...like this shrimp/watermelon salad. It was a perfect blend of sweet, smoky and spicy!


Watermelon Jicama Shrimp Salad
1 Personal Watermelon, cubed or balled
½ a small Jicama, chopped
1 large Cucumber, chopped
¼ cup Cilantro, chopped
2/3 cup Red Onion, chopped
½ a large Poblano Pepper, minced
1 ½ lb Shrimp
2 Tbsp Acadia Adobo Honey Ancho Sauce & Marinade

Dressing
Juice of 2 large Limes
1 tsp Tajin Calsico Seasoning (con limon)
2 tbsp Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar
4 tbsp Grapeseed Oil

1. Marinate shrimp with Adobo sauce for up to twenty minutes. Drain off the extra marinade and saute shrimp until they are fully cooked.
2. Toss Watermelon, Jicama, Red Onion, Poblano and Cucumber together in a large salad bowl.
3. Mix Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar, Limes, Tajin Seasoning and Grapeseed oil together to create the dressing.
4. Place shrimp over salad and pour dressing over the top - serve chilled!