Fish Turbot (Fish Casserole)

When I first moved out of the house at 18, I quickly learned that cooking for one was much different than cooking for 6 or more.  Buying fish was difficult - I bought frozen fish, the cheap stuff,  and it always came in a lump. You had to thaw all of it to use any of it.  I came across this recipe in an old Betty Crocker book and have always loved it.  It's fairly easy to make and you don't need exacting amounts of anything. You are doing layers, so select a deeper rather than wider casserole dish.

On this occasion, I left out the salt in the white sauce because I figured that the oyster crackers would provide enough.  I added about 1/8 tsp. to the sauce that would go on top.  Ok.. That almost worked.  I'm adding more next time (included in recipe).  A normal white sauce would have you adding a lot more. My fish was tilapia that came in those individual frozen packages. I used 4 of them.  You NEED citrus in this recipe, but it doesn't matter really what you use.   My recipe reflects what I have tried that worked. Feel free to use more than I have listed.

I prefer to add my onions once the white sauce is made up.  You get a stronger onion flavor in the completed dish.  You can choose to saute the onions after melting the butter. Then add the pepper and salt and flour to the onion/butter mixture and continue to make up your white sauce.

This is a great leftover dish.  After taking from fridge, add about 1/4 cup of water on top, put a cover on and microwave at 70% for about 5 minutes. 

Fish Turbot

16 ounces of cooked flakey fish
1 cup of oyster crackers
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. mace
1/2 onion, chopped medium fine
3 tablespoons lemon juice or 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
parsley - dried or fresh, chopped fine

Cook your fish.  I microwave it at 70% power with a small amount of water. Remove fish and flake it in smallish pieces.  You can add any water in the container to your white sauce.

Make white sauce.  Melt butter, and add pepper and salt.  While stirring constantly, add flour in small quantities, mixing continuously. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning.  Very slowly, and while stirring, add the milk, removing any lumps as you go. Stir and heat.  Beat the eggs in a small bowl. When the white sauce is hot, add about 1/2 cup of white sauce to the eggs, stirring.  Then add the egg/white sauce mixture, back to the white sauce and mix thoroughly.  Add in the lemon juice or orange juice concentrate. Mix. Heat.  The sauce will be thick, but don't hesitate to add a little milk to thin it out just a bit. Too thin and it won't hold in layers, too thick and the crackers don't absorb enough liquid, resulting in a rather dry casserole.

Using a 2 quart casserole, butter or spray (with Pam) the bottom and sides.  Put a single layer of oyster crackers on the bottom (uses a bit more than half). Add half the fish, spreading it evenly over the crackers.  Add half of the sauce. Sprinkle parsley across the layer evenly.  Add remaining oyster crackers.  You don't have to completely cover.  Add the rest of the fish. Sprinkle with parsley.  Pour the rest of the white sauce over and smooth out.  Add a few oyster crackers and parsley for decor. 

Put casserole into oven for 30 minutes at 350 F.  Remove and serve with a salad.

Peanut Clusters

No new recipes, but an old standby. Years ago, my Mom worked at the local hospital and in those days, they issued cookbooks with recipes by employees, for sale to raise money for some cause or other to benefit the hospital.  So, this recipe comes from Savory Creations, a cookbook by Mercy Employees Assn. Mercy Medical Center, Coon Rapids, MN in the 1980s.

This recipe is simple, simple, simple, but very yummy.  We found the store brand peanuts in a jar are just fine, but READ THE LABEL.  Many of the salted peanuts have other ingredients, such as garlic, that don't work so well.  I found that the unsalted and lightly salted peanuts are least likely to have other additives and the lack of salt doesn't seem to make much difference.    Try a batch without adding salt.  If you think it needs it, add no more than 1/8 teaspoon.

Peanut Clusters

Recipe submitted by Sue Fox

1 1/2 pounds almond bark
18 oz. chocolate chips (about 1 1/2 (12 oz) bags)
1 pound peanuts

Melt almond bark and chocolate chips together over low heat.   Add peanuts.  Drop on wax paper to set. Makes a lot.