Crispy Tilapia Fillet

Crispy Tilapia Fillet

Let's prepare a fish dish for our meal to change things up a little. I make an effort to eat seafood or fish once a week. My goal while making tilapia fillets is to give them a crunchy texture and a hint of pepper in the batter. This goes well with some veggies and mashed potatoes. Sure, it goes well with pasta or even steaming rice.

Food for us comes from our relatives, whether they have wings or fins or roots. That is how we consider food. Food has a culture. It has a history. It has a story. It has relationships. - Winona LaDuke

Chestnuts

Chestnuts are among my favorite Christmas fare. Nat King Cole's song served as the catalyst for everything, and you've undoubtedly heard the opening line of "The Christmas Song"—"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire." I was curious to give this nut a taste, so I did. Since then, I've become addicted. What say you, too? Would you mind sharing your preferred holiday snack?

Chestnuts are my favorite ingredient to use in the fall, especially for the holidays. I always find that they are meaty, hearty and have a mysterious refinement when cooked or roasted over sea salt.

Geoffrey Zakarian

Creamy Lemony Chicken Sausage Orzo

This one-pot meal is a great addition to any recipe book. This recipe might be your go-to on nights when your fridge is nearly empty or you just don't have the energy to prepare a fancy dinner. Here, orzo gets toasted in olive oil that’s infused with the flavors of lemon, garlic, and butter before cooking in a flavorful chicken broth amped up with tomatoes and dried oregano. When they simmer, the starch they produce gives the sauce a creamy texture that is reminiscent of risotto. It's a quick and easy dinner to prepare because everything is prepared in a single pot in less than an hour. Topped with fresh Parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

“Eating is so intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life.” — Maya Angelou

A Holiday Greeting

May the joy of the season envelop you and your loved ones with smiles and treasured memories as the holidays progress. I hope you have a joyous and festive Christmas.

Thank you for all your support this past year.

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you.”—Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Beef and Broccoli

Broccoli and beef go well together, and this quick and simple stir-fry makes the most of it. There are several of recipes for broccoli beef, but my favorite is the one that calls for sesame oil. This is a basic stir-fried dish that is enhanced by the sweet taste of the nutty sesame oil. You can customize this stir-fry dish to use any protein or vegetables you have in your kitchen, and it still gives a fantastic mix of flavors and textures. This meal offers a flavor of traditional Chinese takeout. One of my mother's favorites.

“I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food” ― Erma Bombeck

Filipino Chicken Adobo

As the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, the most common preparation of adobo in the Philippines involves browning the meat first, then braising with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns; the proportions of these ingredients depend on your own preferences. I always enjoy this dish and prefer my adobo to be slightly saucy and savory, rather than sour. Filipino adobo is great with steamed white rice. And if there are any leftovers, adobo tastes better a few days later.

When we are with our loved ones around the table, something extraordinary happens. The charm of a good meal fuels a sense of belonging and connection, and the air is filled with the perfume of excellent food. My father would prepare a weekly batch of chicken and pork adobo while I was growing up. It's a memory I will always cherish.

 "I realized very early the power of food to evoke memory, to bring people together, to transport you to other places, and I wanted to be a part of that." — José Andrés Puerta