A Simple Recipe, and Not Much More

I don't have much of anything to say about the recipe listed here today, except it's really, really good.  I made it as a simple, fairly nutritious weeknight dinner that was different.  It took me about thirty minutes max, and maybe even less. I also didn't get to take a picture.  When I made the recipe, I had no idea how good it would be.  Sometimes, simple recipes really are the best.  And this is a simple recipe.  It's all about timing and planning in advance, because there are several steps, though none are very complicated. A tostada is like an open face Mexican sandwich, if you aren't familiar with them. It kind of has to be, since the tortilla shell is so crispy and delicious. If you'd like to make the tortilla a little healthier, skip the frying and place them under the broiler, flipping half-way through. 

Tilapia Tostadas

8 six inch flour or corn tortillas
canola oil, for frying, plus more for sauteing
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1ear of corn, peeled.
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds tilapia fillets, cut into three inch pieces 
 Sour cream, for serving


Line two baking sheets with paper towels. Heat about one inch of canola oil in a medium skillet. While the oil is heating, dice the vegetables and heat about 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet under medium heat.  Add the pepper and onion and saute for about three minutes.  Cut the corn off the ear and add to the skillet.  Using the back of a medium knife, squeeze out the juices from the cob into the pan. Add the red pepper flakes and cumin and saute for 1 minute longer.  Turn off the heat and move to a bowl for serving.

Working with one tortilla at a time, place a tortilla in the hot frying oil with tongs.  The tortilla should puff up and float. After about 1 minute, turn the tortilla over and fry for another thirty seconds. Remove the tortilla to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Continue frying all of the tortillas.

Sprinkle salt over the tilapia pieces.  Mix the cornmeal and cayenne on a shallow plate.  Wipe clean the large skillet used for the corn salsa with a paper towel and heat another tablespoon of canola oil over medium high heat.  Dredge the fish pieces in the cornmeal mixture and fry the tilapia until the fish flakes, about three minutes on each side.

For Wurst: A Case for Using Parchment Paper

I did it.  I made a total rookie mistake. When I realized that I didn't have any parchment paper in a recipe that specifically said to line the pan with parchment, I should have stopped. right. there.  But, I continued to make my cake, thinking that if I just greased the pan a little more, it would be fine. 

Obviously, things did not turn out as rosy as I had hoped.  The cake stuck to the pan and I had a lot of trouble getting it out. So, it ended up cracking. A lot. But in the end, it didn't really matter: the cake was pretty boring.   The texture was surprisingly dry and chewy for a cake that called for a cup of sour cream, three eggs and three egg whites. And not very lemony.  I've made at least two cakes like just this one in the past, though at least they didn't get stuck to the bottom of the pan. However, as you can see, we ate some of it before I took a picture, and it was still a freshly baked cake.  And that's always something.  If you're interested in making the recipe you can find it here (and I just realized, the original picture also has a slice taken out too.  That wasn't on purpose!).

Yum...Cake

Photo from Urban Comfort

Geez Louise, has it ever been a long week.  About half-way through, I began requiring wine and vast quantities of cake to make it to Friday.  Last night, I spent a couple of hours just looking at pictures of cake.  It was weird. I really have never just sat around, looking at pictures of food before, I swear.  But really, there are some cakes out there in the blogosphere that are really inspiring, and not just for baking. I also recently saw the latest issue of Martha Stewart Weddings in the grocery store.  While I certainly don't miss planning most parts of a wedding, I'm still interested in looking at wedding cakes (as if you hadn't guessed). Some of the cakes featured looked like wallpaper or embroidery.  And so, I give to you some of my picks for the best of inspirational cakes.

From Martha Stewart Weddings--I think you could hang this display on a wall!

From The Knot--this would make a great girl's birthday cake.

From Martha Stewart Weddings--I love the classic Art Deco style.

Hello Again!

After a year-long hiatus, I've decided to resume blogging.  Hopefully I'll be more *ahem* consistent with my posts this time around.  I want to expand my focus, and talk a little more about other things that make the home a cozy place, and not just cooking. I've also changed my name.  There are two other blogs called Sugar and Spice, and one of them is a popular cooking blog. I was never really happy with the name, anyway.  It didn't feel quite right for me.  Though, please note, that while there will be plenty of butter used in the making of this blog, I don't foresee too much wurst.

As for my life, since I've been away, I got married, which was pretty much where we left off.  I've been able to get my stomach issues under control, and I've become a healthier cook--though I still love a nice piece of cake.

I've also had to become a more frugal cook, as my husband was laid off from his job of the past five years, about two months after we got married.  He then decided to take a chance on a similar position, but the business didn't work out.  He's now planing on going back to school, starting next month.  Sean will be a full-time student with an almost full-time job.  We'll also be moving back into the city of Pittsburgh.  Our new home will be a freshly renovated row house, built in 1900.  The kitchen will be a little smaller, but I think it will be a huge improvement for us on the whole. It turns out that I'm not much of a suburbs person, though I already knew that.

 As you can see, my life has become no less busy, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  I tend to be a sleepy, person, watching TV on the couch while thinking about what my next cooking project will be.  But this is such an exciting time for Sean and me as a family, and I think that lots more changes are in store. I hope you stick around with me to see them.