Late Spring Supper

Some nights, I have a hard time coming up with something that sounds good for dinner. I get stuck in a rut, rotating through the same standard meals. Especially when the season is changing, that rut just doesn't feel right. Usually, I'll turn to the 'net for some inspiration, often finding on someone else's blog an idea for something good. So, I figure it's my turn to give back! If you're slap out of ideas for dinner, try this one on for size. It's a late Spring supper that's easy, tasty, and healthy.

We're making roasted tilapia and roasted asparagus. That's the first thing that's easy about this meal--the same preparation for both dishes, so you can set it and forget it.

First, you pour a bottle of beer {a citrus-flavored one, if you've got it on hand}...

...over your tilapia filets in a Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and stick it in the fridge for 20 minutes. Turn the oven to 400 degrees to preheat.


Then, create the breading for the fish. This is quite flexible, but I used equal parts bread crumbs and parmesan cheese {the grated stuff in a can is just fine for this purpose--no need for fresh} as the base. I added some finely chopped pecans for texture, and a sprinkling of garlic powder, sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and a smidge of cayenne. I'm sure it'd be tasty with some herbs thrown in or with chopped sunflower seeds, instead of pecans.

Mix all your breading ingredients together.

Go ahead and fix up an egg wash {1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water} and put to the side.

Next, wash the asparagus and snap off the tough ends. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a small foil-lined {for easy cleanup} roasting pan, dump in the asparagus, drizzle a bit more olive oil on top {it doesn't take much}, grind some pepper and salt over the top, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Give the pan a good shake to coat all of the asparagus (asparagi?).

Line a larger roasting pan with foil and spray with Pam. Pull that fish back out of the fridge. Dip each filet in egg wash and then the breading mixture, covering thoroughly. Place filets in the roasting pan and give the tops a quick spray of Pam, as well.

Stick both pans in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is done and the asparagus are a bit charred on the ends. So simple, but quite tasty! Enjoy!

The fish comes out nicely crisped on the outside, with a bit of tang from the beer and a smidge of heat from the cayenne. And there's no frying, so it's good for bathing suit season. The asparagus are smoky and sweet. This is the only vegetable I've ever made that inspires my meat-and-potatoes husband to ask for seconds, and it's SO easy! Shhh...don't tell!