Fast Fish and Friendly Folks

Hello friends! I am sorry to have been so long in adding a post to Our Friend Oven. My days are so very busy and, while I am doing a lot of cooking for my family, it is not always worthy of sharing with you. You know how it is. Sometimes a girl is fortunate to just get something on the table to hold body and soul together until time for the next meal!

Today's recipe is a favorite and quick go to dish when time is short. You can use any type of skinless fish fillet. I use tilapia because I buy bags of individually frozen fillets from Sams Club. It is so easy to take out the number pieces you need for the meal and the filllets thaw quickly.

The recipe for Heavenly Fish Fillets came to me from dear friends who live on the Georgia coast, Fred and Mary Alice Newlin. Back in the "good ole days" of pharmacy, representatives from drug manufacturers made calls on pharmacies, taking orders, picking up out of date bottles, etc. We saw these people so often they became friends. "Mr. Fred" was one such friend. Being an avid fisherman, he often had photographs of his latest catch and loved to share them with us. I am not sure exactly how it all came about, but hubby accepted an invitation from Mr. Fred to come down to his house and do some fishing in the intercoastal waterways. Hubby took another friend with him and they had such a good time that a lasting friendship was forged with the Newlins.

Sometimes the wives and children would accompany the hubbies on their trips down to fish with Mr.Fred. We would stay at the house with "Miss" Mary Alice who thrilled the children by making homemade play dough. The Newlins did not own a television but that didn't mean we got bored there. There were plenty of toys to occupy the kids while Miss Mary Alice shared her latest craft project with us ladies. When the guys returned home with their catch of the day, Miss Mary Alice would have supper on the large round dining table. Holding hands around the table, Mr. Fred would say the blessing, ending with a hearty "Amen, and we pass to the right!"

It has been years since we have visited the Newlins. I still remember the quiet, peaceful setting of their home on Jericho Island and how they opened it and their hearts to us. Every time I prepare Heavenly Broiled Fish from the recipe written in Miss Mary Alice's own hand, I think of those dear, sweet people.

Heavenly Broiled Fish
2 lbs skinless fish fillets
2 tablesoons lemon juice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup softened butter
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped green onions with tops
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash liquid hot pepper sauce
Place fillets in a single layer in a well greased baking pan, such as a cookie sheet with sides. You can line the pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup much easier. Brush fillets with lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients. Preheat oven to "broil" and broil fish 4 inches from heat approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove fillets from oven and spread cheese/butter mixture evenly over fish. Return fish to oven and broil 2 to 3 minutes until fish flakes and is lightly browned.
*Note: number of fillets and amount of topping can be adjusted for number of servings desired.

Happy cooking,
Nan