Food Waste Friday

Not too bad this week. I'm still wasting ingredients rather than whole dishes or leftovers, which is an improvement. But I hate wasting produce! I meant to put the squash in with the Pasta and Veggies on Monday, but it must have gotten buried underneath something, because I forgot. The onion is really going bad. I started smelling something on Wednesday whenever I opened the pantry and when I checked yesterday I found just how gross it had gotten. Luckily, it was the only one that was bad.

I've got a little bit of fresh broccoli that needs to be used up. Does anyone know if I can freeze it? Do I need to blanch it first or anything? Suggestions are appreciated!

Some New Favorite Blogs

I spend a lot of time blogging and reading other blogs. As a result I am always finding new blogs to read. I try to limit myself so not to over-burden my Google Reader, sometimes I just can't help myself! Here are a few of my new favorite blogs.

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam – Jennifer's blog is dedicated to frugality and raising her 5 children. She hosts Tasty Tuesday and I really enjoy her Frugal Fashionista series.

Be Someone: Compelling, Complex, Unforgettable – This blog is written by one of my closest friends from high school. Kristin isn't the most consistent blogger, but when she does post, she has the most insightful things to say. She writes on a variety of topics all relating to trying to be a better person. Her close relationship with the Lord is super inspiring.

Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice – I just started following this blog on Monday and I've already found two great recipes to try. She hosts a Burger Club where readers can try and rate a new burger every so often. I haven't participated yet, but I'm looking forward to it!

Coal Creek Farm – I found April's blog when I was voting on some blog awards a while back. She writes about living on her farm with her husband and their four children, being a chicken doctor (I'm serious), and many other very random things. Everything she writes about is hysterical. Stop by whenever you need a laugh.

Krafty Librarian – The Krafty Librarian is a medical librarian and I'm using the blog as a way to better acquaint myself with the world of medical librarianship.

Premeditated Leftovers – Alea is a reader and I've been familiar with her blog for a while but only recently started following. She participates in a lot of the same things as I do including Menu Plan Monday and Food Waste Friday. She blogs frequently about going gluten-free and has some really great recipes.

The Tasty Kitchen Blog – Tasty Kitchen is an amazing website and if you aren't using it, then you are missing out. It's replaced AllRecipes as my go-to place for recipes. The blog is run by the author of Steamy Kitchen and Ree from The Pioneer Woman drops by one a week or so to blog and sometimes give something away. This blog spotlights the best recipes Tasty Kitchen has to offer.

The Cheap Chica's Guide to Style – I don't usually like fashion blogs, but I love this one because the author blogs about fashion and where to buy it cheap. This is a great way to keep up with the latest trends without spending a fortune. She also shares internet-only deals and the codes needed to get them.

Christine's Little Blog – I have to mention this blog because it's written by my best friend and that's what friends do. No really, Christine has a gift for sharing funny stories that happen in her job as an athletic trainer. She also tends to get herself into messes (God love her) and the resulting story is usually hilarious.


I hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I do! Have you found anything new to read lately? Please share!

Recipe: Blondies

Blondies are almost as good as brownies. Keyword here is almost. These taste like a cakey chocolate chip cookie, which is always a good thing in my opinion. Just nothing beats a brownie. Especially these brownies. But blondies come in a close second. Okay, maybe third behind a double chocolate gooey butter cake. But they are still really good. Trust me.

Chocolate Chip and Nut Blondies – Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1¼ cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup coarsely chopped nuts (I like peanuts or pecans, but use whatever nut you like), divided

½ cup chocolate chips (I use milk chocolate, but semi-sweet or bitter sweet would provide an interesting flavor)

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8x8 baking dish. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in a small bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Allow to cool 2-3 minutes. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined (you may need to switch to a rubber spatula as batter will be thick). Stir in ¼ cup nuts and ¼ cup chocolate chips.

Pour into greased baking dish. Top with remaining nuts and chocolate. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and blondies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Best served warmed (or rewarmed in the microwave) with ice cream and chocolate syrup.

Recipe: The Best Macaroni and Cheese on Earth

No offense to Ree Drummond, Alton Brown, or anyone's southern grandmother, but no one makes Macaroni and Cheese like Paula Deen. There is something about this dish that is special; I can't put my finger on it, but I just know that I want to eat the entire 9x13 pan myself. The next time you are craving comfort food, make this recipe. Your taste buds will thank you. Although your waistline won't. But that's another story.

Macaroni and Cheese – Adapted from Paula Deen Celebrates

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup whole milk

3 eggs

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground mustard

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup sour cream

1 can (10¾ oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray (or butter if you don't like your arteries). Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water (it gives the pasta more flavor) and cook the macaroni just until tender, about 7 minutes. Do not overcook!! Drain pasta and return to pot. (Note: I suggest spraying the pot with cooking spray; it makes clean up easier.) Add 2 cups of the cheese to the hot, cooked pasta and stir until all the cheese is melted.

In a measuring cup combine the milk, eggs, and seasonings; mix well. Add the milk mixture, the soup, the sour cream, and the butter to the pasta and cheese. Stir until everything is incorporated and mixed well. The mixture will look rather soupy.

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining cheese, and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the mac and cheese is cooked through. Allow to sit for 5 minutes (if you can!) just so the pieces cut better. Serve to people who like fatty foods and/or things that taste amazing. 

Food for thought: Once I tried to make this "lightened up" by using whole wheat pasta, skim milk, light sour cream, 1 egg, reduced-fat cheese, and Smart Balance in place of butter. It tasted okay, but it didn't have the same creaminess and deliciousness that the original recipe has. So treat yourself on the very rare occasion to this amazing creation and enjoy every single bit. 

Picture courtesy of Paula Deen's website. 

This post is linked to Side Dish Showdown: Thanksgiving

I had a Job Interview Yesterday

Oh yes, I did. I had my first face-to-face interview since January. How did it go, you ask? It went quite nicely if I do say so myself. I was able to answer all the questions, asked some questions of my own, and didn't sweat off my makeup (it was really hot in there). When I asked the interviewer what she was looking for in a librarian, she said someone exactly like me. I took that as a good sign.

What's the job? It's the permanent librarian position at the hospital library I currently work at. Yes, my friends, I am working on being a medical librarian. Two months ago I was gung-ho about academic reference and hopefully being the collection development specialist for history. Not that I don't want that sort of job any more, I do, but this job is turning out to suit me perfectly.

I get to run the show (which is always good for type-A personalities) and really get to know my patrons. That's the biggest attraction to this job; the idea of knowing my patrons when they walk through the door or call and ask for an article. I think in a special library that's very important so I'm super excited about that prospect.

I have a ton of ideas for the library and many of them my would-be supervisor seems enthusiastic about. They are looking to make changes in the library and in medical education and want someone young, eager, passionate about librarianship to do the job. I just really really hope that person is me.

Hopefully, I'll hear something soon! I'll keep you posted!

Recipe: Broccoli Salad

I promised to share this amazing recipe last week, but I never got around to it!  So this week I'll hopefully be sharing THREE wonderful recipes.  Broccoli salad is a lot like pasta salad; everyone makes it, but no one makes the same way.  A quick search through AllRecipes turned up over 100 recipes for this one dish!  This recipe comes from The Chocolate Biscuit Tea Room in Trussville, AL.  It's one of my favorite places to have a ladies lunch and the food is just fantastic.  If you are ever in the Birmingham area, have lunch at The Chocolate Biscuit; you won't regret it.  

Broccoli Salad - 10 servings

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 bunch fresh broccoli, chopped into fairly small pieces
8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled (or an equivalent amount of bacon bits)
6 green onions, sliced
1 cup roasted sunflower seeds

Mix mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate at least two hours or overnight.  Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl and pour dressing over.  Stir gently to combine.
Note: Many people substitute red onion for the green onions.  Raisins (including golden raisins and cransins) are a popular addition.  

Menu Plan Monday

Saturday: Pasta with Shrimp, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Artichokes, Homemade Dinner Rolls

Sunday: Steak, Roasted Potatoes, Asparagus

Monday: Pasta and Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

Tuesday: Macaroni and Cheese, Corn on the Cob, Green Beans

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Grilled Chicken, Pasta Salad


I am looking for a new pasta salad recipe. If you have one, put it in the comments!

I Finally Get Around to Spring Planting

My mom brought home a basil plant on Friday, and today I decided to plant it. Well that meant that I had to find some planters (which is how I discovered that weeds that were growing in one of them is actually mint that had returned from last summer) and some potting soil. We didn't have any potting soil, so I talked my dad into going with me to Home Depot. I had big plans to buy some tomato plants as well. I was able to get the soil, but the tomato plants were so expensive! Not good for the Unemployed Librarian. Dad and I went to a local nursery, just down the hill from our house and were able to find two great looking tomato plants (they are Sweet 100s) and some rosemary. The yard doesn't get very much sun, so we have to use containers and grow things on the deck. It's the only place that gets enough sun. 

Don't they look great? I can't wait to see some tomatoes!

My cat, CeCe, stood watch while we planted.

Food Waste Friday: Two Weeks Edition

I haven't blogged about our food waste in a while, but I'm trying to do better! My family is doing a really excellent job of eating leftovers to help us cut back on our food waste, but unfortunately, we are still wasting food. Over the past two weeks, we have thrown away:

• 5 onions that had mold on them (ever seen a moldy onion? Neither had I.)
  
• ¾ of a jar of pasta sauce
  
• Most of a bunch of parsley
  
• Two carrots that I can't remember when we bought them.
  

I seem to be wasting ingredients, rather than leftovers. I need to focus on using up the produce before it goes bad!

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday: Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Sauted Squash and Zucchini

Monday: Hamburgers, Chips, Broccoli Salad (recipe coming soon, I promise!)

Tuesday: Chicken Spaghetti

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Nothing planned; probably either leftovers or take out

Friday: Grilled Salmon, Roasted Asparagus, Rice Pilaf

Menu Plan Monday is brought to you by I'm An Organizing Junkie!

Where I’ve been…

You may have noticed that I haven't blogged since Wednesday. It wasn't intentional, like when I stayed away from the internet for a whole weekend. This was sort of an accident. Maybe it's only having a part-time job, maybe it's being back at home, I'm not sure, but things are not the best for me personally right now. My friend Megg at The Life of a Not So Desperate Housewife recently blogged about her depression reappearing. I was diagnosed with depression in 2005 and after a year or so of some hard work, I thought I was pretty much done with it. It's resurfaced a few times, just temporarily, but this time it seems to be hanging around. It's nowhere near as bad as it once was, and things are pretty tolerable. But sometimes, like these past few days, getting on the computer and writing something have seemed too exhausting.

I've been keeping busy by cooking, working, running errands, and attending the Alabama Library Association's annual convention (more on that soon!), but whenever I have some downtime I find myself sinking into a bit of a funk. I've got a lot going on in the next few months; my cousin is having her third baby (yay!), some good friends are coming back in town from grad school, I'm planning a trip to see my best friend before she moves, and I'm in a close friend's wedding in June. I'm hoping that having lots of activities and people to hang out with will prevent me from retreating too much into myself and making things worse than they are.

I'm sharing this with all of you because admitting that something is wrong is the first step in getting things right again. I don't think I need therapy or medication again, but friends to lean on, things to do, and people who depend on me give me a reason to get out of bed in the morning when even that small task seems impossible. So bear with me here as I try to regroup and get back on the right track. I have some great recipes and ideas to share this week, including details about my trip to the conference. Stay tuned!

It’s National Library Week!

This week is national library week, the perfect time to celebrate libraries, librarians, and all the other hard-working members of the library staff and those dedicated volunteers. Need some ideas on how to celebrate? Make an extra trip to the local public library this week to see how libraries are making your community thrive; don't forget to thank your librarians for all their hard work! Libraries love to hear from their patrons, so use this time to reply to a library's blog or tweet, post something on their facebook wall, or send them an email sharing what you love about the library. Maybe your kids (if you have them!) can make homemade cards to give to their librarians at school. National library week honors all libraries, public, school, academic, special, archives, everything; so make sure to honor the librarians in your community, school, or workplace!

eBooks: Love 'Em or Leave 'Em?

For the past two months I've been working part-time in a small hospital library.  The library is moving to a newer (albeit much smaller) location, and I was hired on to help with the move.  The library is without a full-time librarian, so I'm helping fill that role along with the current library assistant, another girl who was hired on with me, and the library consultant.  A big part of the job was weeding the current collection in order to fit the smaller size.  After talking to some of the library patrons (almost exclusively residents) we decided to leave all the books as they were and just weed the journal collection.  The doctors shared that they were more likely to use the books to refresh their memories than to use the journals.  Many of our residents are fresh out of medical school, so I can see where books, especially surgical textbooks (we have a lot of surgical residents), would come in handy.  Many of them also expressed the desire to see more ebooks.  

We've begun some initial research on ebook packages, but have yet to find exactly what we need.  All of this has got me thinking about the usefulness of ebooks, especially in a medical and/or research library.  Because of licensing, the ebooks would only be able to be used on the four library desktops.  More than likely, it will be out of our budget to purchase remote user access, so we will have to limit access just to the four public computers.  How many doctors are going to come in, sit at a computer, and read an ebook?  I can't foresee that happening all that much.  Because we don't have remote access to most of our electronic resources, many patrons rely on the library staff to find their articles and email them, so that they can read them on their own time, not in the library.  We definitely have a barrier, but not one I see changing anytime soon.

My university (where I did my undergrad and graduate degrees) had a large library of ebooks, but I never used them.  Why?  Because they had to be read from a computer.  Sure, they are searchable, and often interactive, but I don't find that any different from using a table of contents or an index to find what I need.  I dislike reading on the computer screen; I prefer to print out my research or use a book.  I like to be able to take my research wherever, and read it when I have a few free moments. Ebooks do not offer that kind of flexiblity.

Let me take a minute to clarify.  I'm not talking about the kind of books you can download on an ereader (like a Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc).  Some textbooks and reference tools are available this way, but there aren't enough to warrant purchasing the rights so that they can be downloaded as needed.  Many of our doctors have iPhones and iPod Touches and would love to be able to get medical books that way, but for the time being, that is out of the question.  I would love to see this happen in the future though.  The kind of ebooks we are thinking of purchasing would be the kind that have to be read on a computer.  I don't really see our library patrons using these.  Maybe if we were able to get the remote access rights, but without that, I think it would be a waste.

What do you think?  Are ebooks the way to go?  Does anyone have any experience with purchasing ebooks for small, special libraries? I would love to hear from you!

Menu Plan Monday

This is a strange week for us. Dad and I were out at the race track all weekend, so we ate out on Friday and had take-out on Saturday. Not the most economical of weekends, but it was a special occasion. This Wednesday and Thursday, I'm going to be at the Alabama Library Association's annual conference. I've planned meals, but since I won't be around, I guess it doesn't really matter!

Sunday: Pasta with Mom's Homemade Sauce

Monday: Weight Watcher's Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms, Roasted Carrots and Potatoes

Tuesday: Homemade Pizza

Wednesday: Pasta with Broccoli and Toasted Garlic

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Shrimp and Grits (this got moved from last week)

As always, visit Menu Plan Monday for more ideas!

Food Waste Friday

It's another no waste week here! That makes it four weeks in a row. Not too optimistic about next week; I've got some herbs in the fridge that are looking a little sad. We'll see what I can come up with.

I'm going to the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama this weekend! Look for some pictures to be up soon!

Recipe: Pasta and Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

I made this for dinner on Monday night, and alas, I forgot to take a picture. It was delicious though! A perfect spring dinner. This recipe is very customizable, so feel free to add lots of other veggies to this. I think it would be especially delicious with asparagus, green beans, and/or mushrooms.

Pasta and Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce – Serves 4-6

1 8 oz package of long pasta (such as spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz zucchini, washed and cut into chunks

1 lemon

1½ cups frozen green peas, thawed

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (use the good kind, trust me)

~2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Chopped fresh parsley, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted boiling water. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and zucchini to pot and season well with salt and pepper. Saute until tender and slightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Add peas and the zest of the lemon, cook for another minute. 

Drain pasta, reserving slightly more than 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add pasta to veggies along with cream, cheese, the juice of the lemon, and ¾ cup of the pasta water. Reduce heat to medium and toss until all ingredients are heated through and the cheese has melted to form a sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in fresh herbs and more salt and pepper, if needed. 

Serve immediately, passing extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Photo Credit

 

 

Is Classic Library Instruction Outdated?

I'm a huge of fan of library instruction. No, wait, take that back. I'm not a huge fan of library instruction; I actually think library instruction is kind of pointless. Case in point: Once upon a time, when I was a graduate student (not to mention employed!) I was in an elevator at the largest library on campus when two students got in holding worksheets. They were joking around about being on a scavenger hunt and I happened to notice that one of the instruction librarian's names was on the sheet. They were doing something for a library instruction session. The library students in the elevator with me started to giggle when we all realized what they were doing. The two students looked confused so we told the students that we were librarians. As the doors opened, we wished the students good luck and one of them said, "I don't need it. This is pointless because I'm a senior".

That took me by surprise because what is a senior doing in a library instruction class? I could see if it was an advanced course that involved some research, but it was clear that this was a very easy instruction session aimed at new users to the library. I knew this because I participated in this same library scavenger hunt as a freshman in undergrad. So what was a senior doing in that session? And more importantly, what was he going to learn?

A lot of librarians think that instruction is pointless. The students don't listen; they're too busy playing on the computers. But I think that, when done well and correctly, instruction can be very beneficial. I'm a huge fan of teaching information literacy. I interpret that to mean teaching students how to search so no matter which database or catalog they end up in, they can find what they need. The key is learning how to search, not just where the books are or what databases are best for a particular type of assignment. My version of information literacy also teaches how to evaluate sources to determine their credibility. This is especially important when looking at web resources. But plain old library instruction? Teaching students about call numbers and where books are in the library? That's what is pointless. In this day of fast access to peer-reviewed journal articles, students need to know about databases and other online reference tools. Students need to learn how to manipulate search engines to find exactly what they want and how to judge the validity of that source. They need to be able to critically think. Teaching about print sources is important, but there are very few students who are going hunting through the library for a book when they can find something else just as good online.

So in this librarian's opinion, classic library instruction is outdated. But teaching students the mechanisms for search is a skill they can use throughout their education and throughout life.

My Favorite Quotes About Libraries

"Librarians are almost always very helpful and often almost absurdly knowledgeable. Their skills are probably very underestimated and largely underemployed." ~Charles Medawar

"Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings." ~Heinrich Heine, Almansor

"A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone." ~Jo Godwin

"To add a library to a house is to give that house a soul." ~Cicero

"The only true equalizers in the world are books; the only treasure-house open to all comers is a library." ~ J.A. Langford

"He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge -- where it is written and where it is to be found." ~A.A. Hodge

"I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library." ~Jorge Luis Borges

"The library is not a shrine for the worship of books.  It is not a temple where literary incense must be burned or where one's devotion to the bound book is expressed in ritual.  A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas - a place where history comes to life." ~Norman Cousins

"A library is not a luxury but one of the necessities of life." ~Henry Ward Beecher

"Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the masses. They preserve every aspect of human knowledge. Librarians rule. And they will kick the crap out of anyone who says otherwise." ~Librarian Avengers

Menu Plan Monday

I realized this morning, when I went to link up Menu Plan Monday that none of my scheduled blog posts had posted themselves. Sigh. Look for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's posts to be up soon. But on to Menu Plan Monday…

Saturday: Steak with Burgundy Mushroom Sauce, Campfire Potatoes, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes (a favorite spring/summer treat!)

Sunday: Lunch with entire family; we are bringing Broccoli Salad (recipe coming soon!)

Monday: Pasta with Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan sauce

Tuesday: Bubbling Chicken, rice, sauted squash and zucchini

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina

Friday: Shrimp and Grits

Menu Plan Monday has loads more menu and recipe ideas!

Eliminating Food Waste

Yesterday was my third no food waste week in a row. I thought I would share how I'm working to eliminate my family's food waste. 

But first, why is cutting down on food waste so important? Because every time you throw away food, you are throwing away money. 

Food isn't like a shirt you bought, wore once, and threw away. You can't "wear" food (well you can, but that's another story).  Better put, you can't use food once and then throw it out. If you don't eat it, it gets thrown out. Which means that whatever money you spent on buying those ingredients is also being thrown away. 

Make sense? 

Whenever I have to throw food away, whether its leftovers or an individual ingredient (in my house it's usually an herb), I think of it as throwing literal money in the trash. Makes for a very painful image and it leads me to harassing my family into eating leftover breakfast casserole three days in a row. 

Learning not to waste food has been a huge challenge. I started working on it when I lived alone and have taken those hard learned lessons and applied (or attempted) them while living at home. 

One big thing that helps is not to buy more food than we need in a week. I make a menu plan every week, and write my grocery list based on ONLY what I need for the week. At the grocery store, I have to control any impulse spending, which gets easier every week. Then once I'm home, I make an effort to only cook what we can eat. I may make a little more pasta or another chicken breast, purposely planning for leftovers, but I don't like to make a huge casserole or tons of rice because I know that we will get tired of eating it before it's all gone. 

Eliminating food waste has not been an easy road. It's mostly about planning in advance. It starts with planning my menu, tracking what I buy at the grocery store, packaging meats in smaller portions before freezing them, and only cooking what my family can eat. I will never claim to be a pro at this, nor do I especially enjoy having to eat leftovers, especially in strange combination (leftover rice and pizza, anyone?), but I just keep thinking about throwing money away. That seems to help.

Food Waste Friday

Another Friday…another no waste week!! I'm really getting the hang of only cooking what we need and making sure that the family eats what's in the fridge. We have a ton of leftovers right now, so I'm harassing my dad to eat the leftovers at every opportunity. Hopefully we'll eat them all this weekend and have another no waste week again next week!

For more about why Food Waste Friday is so important, visit The Frugal Girl.

Recipe: Greek Tilapia

This is what my dad requested for his birthday. He loves it, which I find slightly amusing because it's super simple to make. It's also very healthy which is a plus for my family since we are trying to eat more healthful right now. You could easily substitute red snapper or mahi mahi for the tilapia, or even use frozen tilapia because fresh fish tends to be very expensive. Just make sure to thaw it out first. I hope you like it!

Greek Tilapia – Adapted from Publix Simple Apron Meals

4 tilapia filets (about 1½ pounds total)

1 teaspoon Greek seasoning, divided

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup diced onions

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (14.5 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and cut into smaller pieces

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

¼ - ½ cup white wine, depending on taste

Pat tilapia dry with paper towels and season both sides with ½ teaspoon Greek seasoning and black pepper. Spray large skillet with non-stick cooking spray if desired and heat over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Saute onions for 2 minutes until slightly softened, but not brown. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add fish, artichokes, tomatoes, wine, and remaining ½ teaspoon seasoning. Bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and allow to cook 15-20 minutes or until flavors are blended and the acidity has been cooked out of the tomatoes. Serve fish with artichoke-tomato mixture on top.