Good morning to everyone and welcome to the Wednesday edition of A to Z Recipes newsletter. Linda has quite a catch for you but I wanted to chat with you for a minute, first.

Things are going well here in Texas. My kids are doing great and I am seeing my way clear of a nasty cold. Our weather has been fairly typical for Texas: If you don't like it, wait five minutes... it'll change! We've had really hot temperatures with some truly severe thunderstorms thrown in for good measure. Hurricane season will be here before you know it and I am searching out ways to keep my children out of the path of any potential storm (I must stay at the PD to work). Everyone I know who could take them in during a hurricane lives in areas that are also dangerous. I like having a 'Plan B' for every crisis. Heck! I don't even have a 'Plan A' yet! For those who either do not live in hurricane-prone areas or can evacuate when one is imminent, you may not appreciate my dilemma. Folks who live in the Gulf Coast regions understand exactly what I mean! My friends in these areas are scratching their heads right about now, thinking "Duh!".

You may have noticed the Birthday Babies section of our issues. This is such a fun way to get to know you as I often receive emails chock-full of what you like and dislike when you send me your birthday information. This not only adds you to the list, but it helps me provide more of what you like. April has a lot of Birthday Babies and I am hoping more of you will join in the fun. If your special day is in May (or any month), send me an email using the link found in the Birthday Babies section. Make sure to include the day (you can keep the year a secret, lol), your first name, and where you live. I'll add you to the list!

The current theme of Heirloom Recipes will end on April 30th. If you haven't sent in a tasty hand-me-down recipe, I hope you will. You will find the link and necessary information about the topic in the Monthly Theme section. While we've not had a huge number of recipes submitted, we have had some of the best recipes ever sent in. We could use yours, so please participate. The Monthly Theme issue is scheduled for posting on May 7th.

Here is Linda...


Hi from Linda in Michigan. Gather ‘round kiddies. It’s time for the next chapter of the “Brand Name Recipes Cookbook”. If you remember, the next chapter that I was supposed to do awhile ago was on “Fish”. I wasn’t in the mood for fish then, so I went on to the next chapter. Well, I am in the mood for fish now. Actually, I usually prefer fish to meat. That used to drive Mr. Mike crazy. He is a confirmed meat eater and could never understand why I would order fish when we went out to dinner. Although he is the easiest guy to cook for, because he will eat anything, dinner out means STEAK. Period. I will get him to eat fish if I prepare it for him at home. I found some wonderful recipes in the Brand Name Cookbooks. Some are very healthy…and some are not. (Can you say “Fish sticks” ?). Try some of these recipes. I think you might enjoy them.

“If I go down in for anything in history, I would like to be known as the person who convinced the American people that catfish is one of the finest eating fishes in the world.”
Willard Scott (The Today Show)

Key West Pinks
by Doug Heyman, Key West, January, 2005

To live in the Southernmost City 
in the continental U.S.
is to love eating fish
there’s no doubt no guess
We eat grouper and yellowtail
lobster and dolphin
whether it’s from the Atlantic
or whether it Gulfin.
Sure there are raw bars
from one end of Duval to the other
but the oysters are foreign
they’re northern not souther.
When in Rome 
do as they do it is said
so even if you visit the keys
just use your head.
If we do it the best
above and beyond it is noted
then eat the darn thing
it’s so close to where it floated.

The star of the show
the Stock Island fleet it does catch
quite a prize I must say
a pretty penny it oft does fetch.
What is this denison of the deep
that’s such a thing of beauty?
More valuable than gold
from a Galleon’s booty.

It’s the favorite local on this isle
I know I don’t think
it’s the shrimp el primo
the Key West Pink!

Nutrition Information 
Source: www.meatlessmonday.com

It seems that almost every day a new study touts the health benefits of eating fish, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends at least 2 servings per week. At the same time, the FDA and others warn that certain fish are contaminated with mercury and PCBs. So, which fish are best? 

According to Oceans Alive Guide, fish high in omega-3s that are low in contaminants and are caught or farmed in an environmentally sound manner include wild Alaskan salmon (fresh, frozen and canned), Atlantic mackerel, sardines and farmed oysters. These fish should be frequent guests at your dinner table. 

Others we really like include:
Alaskan halibut 
Catfish (farmed) 
Clams 
Crabs 
Crawfish 
Herring
Mahi-mahi (or dolphinfish)
Mussels
Squid
Striped bass
Tilapia 
These are okay too, but they should only be eaten once a month by moms-to-be and young children:
Alaskan halibut
Farmed bay scallops
Farmed sturgeon (caviar)
Albacore tuna (white canned)

On the other hand, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and shark should be avoided due to mercury and PCB contamination, especially by women and young children. Other fish you should serve less often are: tuna steaks, yellowfin tuna, bluefish, orange roughy, sea bass, snapper, and rainbow trout.

For some fish, like swordfish, it’s hard to find a good substitution. But many of the fish in our ‘Best Choices" list above are quite versatile and can be used in place of many other types of fish.

Catfish instead of: orange roughy, cod, haddock
Mahi-mahi instead of: grouper, snapper, Chilean sea bass, halibut, orange roughy
Striped bass instead of: grouper, snapper, Chilean sea bass, halibut, orange roughy, Pacific rockfish
Tilapia instead of: cod, haddock, orange roughy

The Real World: Omega 3s vs. Mercury vs. a Yummy Meal 

For men and older women the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids will probably outweigh the long-term risks of mercury, so go ahead and enjoy that tuna steak. But kids, teens and women in their twenties and thirties should be more cautious with the types of fish they consume. If you MUST have the tuna steak or swordfish, try to avoid fish for a few weeks afterwards. 

Our best advice is to be adventurous! Enjoy different types of fish each week from different bodies of water. 


Some Helpful Cooking Tips
Source: www.walleyecapital.com

1) Be extremely careful not to overcook the fish. Fish are delicate. Do not cook your fillets too long or at too high a temperature. This will make the fish tough and rubbery. Cook the fish only until it flakes easily at the touch of a fork. Fish cooks much faster than most people realize. 
2) If you are going to batter fry the fish, always make sure the batter is cold. Cold batter will prevent the fish from absorbing too much oil. Also, make sure the oil is hot. This can be done by dropping in a small piece of bread or batter. It should brown within a minute. 
3) To keep fried fish crispier while cooking, put the cooked fish in a warm oven on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined plate. 
4) Never be afraid to experiment with different recipes. Try changing the seasonings to the liking of your personal taste. 
5) Spend the extra time making sure no bones remain in your fillets. Nothing puts off the appetite more quickly than finding bones in your fish. 
6) Leftover fish? Cut it into bite sized pieces and add it to a salad. 
7) Try the microwave if you're dieting. Fish cooks quickly and tastes great with just lemon juice and seasoning. Watch the fish carefully, the micro cooks it quick. 
8) Basting lean fish such as walleye and bass when broiling will help keep them from drying out.

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~Maggie~

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Jim had an awful day fishing on the lake, sitting in the blazing sun all day without catching a single one. On his way home, he stopped at the supermarket and ordered four catfish. He told the fish salesman, "Pick four large ones out and throw them at me, will you?"

"Why do you want me to throw them at you?"

"Because I want to tell my wife that I caught them."

"Okay, but I suggest that you take the orange roughy."

"But why?"

"Because your wife came in earlier today and said that if you came by, I should tell you to take orange roughy. She prefers that for supper tonight."



Born Again

A Jewish man lives into a Catholic neighborhood. Every Friday the Catholics are driven crazy because, while they're morosely eating fish, the Jew is outside barbecuing steaks. So the Catholics work on the Jew to convert him to Catholicism. Finally, after many threats and much pleading, the Catholics succeed. They take the Jew to a priest who sprinkles holy water on the Jew and says, "Born a Jew, Raised a Jew, Now a Catholic." The Catholics are ecstatic. No more delicious, but maddening smells every Friday evening. But the next Friday evening, the scent of barbecue wafts through the neighborhood.

The Catholics all rush to the Jew's house to remind him of his new diet.

They see him standing over the cooking steak. He is sprinkling water on the meat and saying, "Born a cow, Raised a cow, Now a fish."

SERVICHE CON TWO FINGERS

? cup lemon juice
? cup lime juice
? cup Two Fingers Tequila
2 small dried red chili peppers
1 clove garlic, pressed or diced
1 teaspoon salt
Dash dill weed
1 pound sole, halibut or any white flesh fish
1 sweet red onion, sliced
Lettuce

Combine lemon and lime juice with tequila. Seed peppers, and finely grind. Add to first mixture, along with garlic, salt and dill. Cut fish in one inch pieces, and pour the mixture over. Top with onion slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until fish is opaque. Serve as an appetizer or as a salad on lettuce. 

Makes about 2 ? cups.

Note: The citrus juices have much the same effect on the white fish meat that boiling the meat does, so it is essentially “cooked”. 



FISH FILLET CORDON BLEU

1 package (8 ounces) Mrs. Paul’s Fried Fish Fillets
4 slices boiled ham
4 slices Swiss cheese
1 can (10 ? ounces) cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup
? cup milk
Parsley, chopped

Prepare fish fillets according to package directions. Top each cooked fillet with a slice of ham and cheese. Return to oven for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is partially melted. Meanwhile, heat soup and milk together in a small saucepan. Pour over fish fillets and serve at once. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 4



BAKED HADDOCK IN CUCUMBER SAUCE

2 pounds frozen haddock fillets, thawed
2 tablespoons Meadow Gold Butter, melted
? teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon each, pepper, paprika
? cup sliced green onions
? cup (? stick) Meadow Gold Butter
? cup flour
1 teaspoon salt 
1 container (8 ounces) Meadow Gold Plain Lowfat Yogurt
1 cup chopped, pared cucumber, drained

Pat fillets dry with paper toweling; arrange in shallow baking dish. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with ? teaspoon salt, pepper and paprika. Cook onions in ? cup butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in yogurt. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Stir in cucumber. Spoon sauce over fillets. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

6 to 8 servings.



SHRIMP WITH CASHEW NUTS

2 tablespoons Planters Peanut Oil
2 pounds raw shrimp, shelled and deveined 
? cup finely sliced green onions
2 cups (10 ounce package) frozen peas
1 cup chicken bouillon
? cup sliced water chestnuts
1 teaspoon salt
? teaspoon ground ginger
? cup soy sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch
? cup Planters Dry Roasted Cashew Nuts (salted or unsalted)

Heat Planters Peanut Oil in a skillet. Add shrimp and sliced green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp turn pink and onions are tender. Add peas, chicken bouillon, water chestnuts, salt and ginger. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until peas and shrimp are tender. Blend soy sauce and cornstarch. Stir into shrimp mixture and cook until sauce is clear and slightly thickened. Stir in Planters Dry Roasted Cashew Nuts. Serve immediately with hot rice and fried noodles.

Makes 6 servings.



SEA TOASTIES

1 package (9 ounces) Mrs. Paul’s Fish Sticks
1 package (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried mustard 
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
8 slices bacon, crisply fried and crumbled

Prepare fish sticks according to package directions. Separate crescent roll dough into individual pieces at perforations. In a medium size bowl, combine remaining ingredients and spread approximately 1 ? tablespoons of mixture onto each crescent roll dough piece. Place 1 ? cooked fish sticks on each dough piece and roll up as for crescent rolls. Bake according to directions on roll package.

Serves 8.



SCALLOPS AU GRATIN

4 Bays English Muffins
1 pound scallops (sliced in half)
1 cup chicken stock
4 tablespoons salted butter
? cup chopped green pepper
? cup chopped onion
? teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream
1 pimento, chopped (approx. ? cup)
2 tablespoons sherry
? teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash nutmeg
Parmesan cheese
Bread crumbs
Butter

Put scallops and chicken stock in a large frying pan and poach until scallops are opaque. Remove scallops. Reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid. In the same frying pan, melt butter and saut? green pepper and onion, over low heat, until soft. Turn up heat to medium; stir in paprika and flour. Stir constantly for about 1 minute. Take pan off heat and stir in reserved poaching liquid and cream. Return pan to the heat and stir constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Add pimentos, sherry, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir well. Fold in cooked scallops. Keep mixture warm. Toast and lightly butter 4 Bays English Muffins. Place two halves in each of four au gratin dishes. Pour 2/3 cup of the scallop mixture in each dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Dot with butter. Broil until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.

BROILED FISH WITH FRESH TOMATOES

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
? teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
Dash pepper
1 pound fish fillets
2 tablespoons Mazola Margarine

Stir together the first 5 ingredients. Brush both sides of fish with margarine. Arrange fish on rack in broiler pan. Top with tomato mixture. Broil 4 inches from heat 4 to 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily. 

Makes 4 servings

55 mg cholesterol per serving

CRISPY PEPPER PLATE

1 can Bumble Bee Chunk Lite Tuna in Water
? cup dairy sour cream
? cup diced cucumber
? cup shredded carrot
? teaspoon dill weed, crumbled
Dash freshly ground black pepper
Dash garlic salt
1 large green bell pepper
For garnish: carrot sticks, radishes, fresh fruit

Drain tuna; combine with sour cream, cucumber, carrot and seasonings. Cut pepper in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Fill each half with tuna mixture. Sprinkle with additional dill weed. Serve on luncheon plates garnished with carrot sticks, radishes and fresh fruit.

Makes 2 servings.

206 calories per servings



STUFFED SOLE FILLETS

4 slices filet of sole (about ? pound) 
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
? teaspoon dill weed
1 (12 ounce) can Diet Shasta Lemon-Lime Soda
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 small bay leaf
? teaspoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vinegar

Sprinkle fish with 1 ? teaspoons seasoned salt, the pepper, onion and dill. Roll up each slice to enclose seasoning; skewer with wooden pick. Combine remaining ? teaspoon salt with all remaining ingredients in a small skillet. Bring to a boil. Place fish rolls in liquid, reduce heat to simmering and cook gently until tender, about 10 minutes. 

Makes 2 servings of 2 fillets each.

143 calories per serving.

BROILED SALMON AULD ANGUS

1 salmon steak, about I inch thick
2 tablespoons melted butter
? teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons Johnnie Walker Red
? cup bread crumbs

Oil broiler pan lightly. Brush both sides of salmon with a little melted butter and place in pan. Combine rest of butter, seasonings, and Johnnie Walker Red with bread crumbs. Put half of crumb mixture on top of salmon. Broil about 2 inches from heat, for 3 minutes. Carefully turn salmon. Pat on rest of crumb mixture and broil 3 minutes longer.

2 servings.

BEER BATTER FISH

1 pound fish fillets or cooked large shrimp
3 to 4 tablespoons Bisquick Baking Mix
1 cup Bisquick Baking Mix
? cup beer
1 egg 
? teaspoon salt
Soy sauce or vinegar

Heat fat or oil (1 ? inches) in a heavy saucepan or deep fat fryer to 350 degrees. Lightly coat fish with 3 to 4 tablespoons baking mix; reserve. Mix 1 cup baking mix, beer, egg and salt until smooth. Dip fish into batter, letting excess drip into bowl. Fry fish until golden brown, about two minutes on each side; drain. Serve hot with soy sauce.

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