Another Sunday October 22

On Sunday, October 22, 2006 I wrote the first post for this blog. Blogs were still pretty new ways to communicate with a larger community and there weren't the hundreds of thousands of food blogs that exist today. It was an exciting time and I was inspired by some food blogs I had been reading for a few weeks. It seemed like fun and like something I could do. Turns out both were true.

I wrote, "Food is one of my earliest enthusiasms. Baking was how I got started and it remains one of my favorite ways of being creative. Then there are all of the beautiful fruits and nuts just outside my back door in season...pretty California...apples in the fall, but we've gone through blackberries, plums, peaches, pears, walnuts, quince, persimmon in their turn over the years. I grow tomatoes, green beans and lots of summer squash, plus herbs.

Other enthusiasms are painting & drawing, photography, gardening (flowers, too) and writing a bit. Seems like most of these can be enjoyed while blogging or will add to the blog.

I love trying new things and have been cooking long enough that I take the results of new recipes, untasted, to parties and often make small changes to recipes the first time I try them.Foolish? Intrepid? Confident? Who knows?

Looking forward to tasting new things, making new friends and having a good time.

Elle"

Here is a photo from that first fall.

So now, as I begin the twelfth year of blogging,  I look back I find that I did make new friends, and I've certainly had a good time. I've expanded by skills and confidence in the kitchen, tried new techniques, discovered new (to me) cuisines, honed my photography skills, and posted over 1,000 recipes.

These days the main reason I blog is to have recipes that I want to make again easily available for me. The secondary reason is to participate in the Bread Baking Babes and Cake Slice Bakers monthly events, mostly because I really enjoy the other bakers. I also like to host guest bloggers like NoHandle.

So here we go, into the new blogging year, with one of Sweetie's favorite ways to enjoy fish -
Garlic Microwave Fish.

This works best with firm fish fillets. We often cook snapper this way but this time it was tilapia. I am going to do directions more than amounts because it works just as well for small amounts and for big ones...just add or subtract the butter and garlic to taste.

Start with a microwave safe flat dish or pan with low sides. I use a glass pie plate. For larger amounts I use a glass baking pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter for each pair of fillets (about .75 pound total weight) in the dish in the microwave.
Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic, cover with waxed paper, and microwave on high for 1 minute. (1 minute will become familiar in this recipe.)

Take the fish fillets and dredge them through the butter/garlic mixture, on both sides. Lay them on top of what is left, cover with waxed paper, and microwave on high 1 minute.

Uncover. Turn the fillets over, cover again with waxed paper, and microwave on high 1 minute. Uncover and test to see if fish is flakey, especially in the thickest part. If not, cover again with waxed paper and microwave on high 1 minute. Continue to test and microwave 1 minute at a time, turning fish once more at this point,  until fish is flakey.

Serve with the garlic-y juices. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon over if desired. Serve hot.