Fast Food in Your Kitchen

As I tweeted the other day, Way Cooler is home for supper every night this week. For those of you new here, he is a shift worker and thusly I only have to make real supper about 50-60 % of the time. The rest of the time it is veggies, fruit and muffins.

I used to make hot supper for the boys and myself but spending 40 minutes cooking to then spend 40 minutes trying to force food down Sprout's throat and then have to put them to bed on my own is not my idea of a good time.

So I apply the KISS principle of dinner preparation and everyone is much happier.

This week however, I feel like a normal wife. I have a menu and everything. Look out Martha. Next thing you know I will be decorating something.

Oh, stop laughing. It could happen. Most likely in a parallel universe, but it could.

ANYWAY, Monday night's supper was such a huge hit (and is usually) that I thought I would share it with you. There will be no pictures as me taking a picture of myself cooking is as likely as me advising my sister-in-law on fashion. NEVER GONNA HAPPEN.

Anyway, we had homemade fish and chips. It is relatively cheap, easy and kicks Captain Highliner's butt in the taste department.

Fish Nuggets

(Adapted from a Light and Tasty recipe by LaDonna Reid)

I use cod, but you could use any firm fleshed white fish. Except catfish. For the love of all that is good in this world, please do not feed that nasty stuff to your family. Yes, I'm talking to you Texas.

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/3 cup crushed cornflakes (throw a couple of big handfuls in a ziploc and work out your aggression - you want them fairly fine)

3 TBSP Parmesan cheese (the powdered stuff from the can, this is not fine dining)

1/4-1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning (depending on your liking of the stuff)

1.5 lbs fish fillets, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 egg, well beaten

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, cornflakes and lemon pepper. In a separate bowl, beat egg well. Dip fish into egg and then roll in crumb mixture.

Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray (do not be like me and forget to skip this step, unless you like scrubbing cookie sheets all night) and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Home Fries

I go by guess and by golly on these ones. I cut up a few potatoes into sticks (I go a little larger than traditional fries) and soak them in cold water for a half hour or so. (This step is not essential, but it seems to make them crisper.) Then I drain them well and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle or two of sea salt. Throw them on a cookie sheet and if you are baking them with the fish you will need to bake them for 4o minutes or so. If you can have your oven at around 425 they will cook much faster and get nice and brown. But since I only have one oven and do not wish my fish to resemble shoe leather I do it this way.

Serve with a nice salad and your family will rise up and call you blessed. Or maybe rise up and do the dishes. Which would be even better.