A Day Full of Love

Here's your traditional Valentine's day shot: flowers, cards, wine, candles.

 

I have say, Valentine's Day was not much different from any other night with Brian. That's a compliment, not a compliant. His gifts to me? A clean kitchen and dining table set with candles, flowers and a card when I got home. My gift to him? A delicious dinner, his favorite dessert and a card.

Frankly, minus the cards and flowers, it's how we spend our evenings most nights. I start on dinner, unwinding from the day while he continues to write or skypes with his family. I can hear them talk, debating the bible, discussing his middle brother's wedding plans, laughing about how his youngest brother is totally smitten and won't be home until the middle of the night. I holler at him in the study, "Honey, we've got hot fried fish ready to go! Tell your family I love 'em!" He gets off the call, comes in, looks at the bounty in the kitchen and tells me, for the 50th time that day, that he loves me.

The best husbands pour the wine

 

We sit at the dinner table most nights, talking about our days or what we're reading. We're discussing some exciting steps in our life and we sit over cleaned plates with glasses of wine, debating pros and cons, asking God to show us how best to follow His plan, pulling bits from sermons or bible study to apply to our life. I can't go into detail on what we're considering, but it's become clear that God is speaking very strongly to me through what I've been reading about missional living. As Brian and I talk over and over again about our priorities, our dreams for how we want to live overshadow goals for accomplishments, prestige, wealth. It's inconsistent with the American dream which creates tension and anxiety. But where will we liiiiivveee? Who will hire us? How will we support ourselves? How we will support the family we hope to have?

That would be Brian's spot empty, because I served myself first.

Sometimes, when there's a lot of tension on your heart, it's really nice to be able to sit down to a comforting, delicious meal. This Panko-Pecan Tilapia fulfilled that need last night and set us into silence for a few minutes.

Panko-Pecan Tilapia

2 fresh Tilapia fillets. (Any flaky white fish would do)

3 eggs, cracked and whisked together with a folk, in shallow dish

coating:
1/4 c AP Flour
1 c panko bread crumbs
1 c finely chopped pecans
1 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use Lawry's)
Ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
Mix your coating in a second shallow dish

 

Rinse and dry your fillets. Take a large frying pan and fill it about 1/2 an inch up with vegetable oil. I heat it on medium high heat and test it before I put the fillet in. I seem to have a knack for getting the oil right for frying things, if you're unsure, google fried fish temperature. Google'll set you straight.

One at a time, dip your fillets in the eggs, really move it around and get coated well. Dip it in the panko-pecan mixture, pressing the coating onto the fish.

When your oil is hot, gently slide the fillets in and do not leave the kitchen. They will not take long. Give them 3 or 4 minutes on the first side, until the costing is crispy and golden. Gently flip them over with tongs until the other side is golden. Let drain on paper towels.

Call your dinner partner in. Hot fish waits for no man.

Real food, not "plated" but seriously good