BIRTHDAY POST SCRIPT

The guided striped bass fishing trip was fun, I assume. The result was one eight pound striper. A hybrid striper was caught and released to grow up a tad.

According to my husband {H} it must have been a day of what we call short 'hits,' where the fish somewhat reluctantly feed. I, being a foodaholic, have no idea how to 'reluctantly feed.'

He, his friend and the guide all were reeling fish in but about half-way to the boat the fish released, jumped off, whatever....they never made it to the boat. The guide seemed frustrated himself.

Despite taking his camera, H made no pictures.

One of you mentioned it was too bad I did not go, too, as I like to fish. Well, with my bionic knees, short legs, etc. I am somewhat of a pain to take fishing. When I don't go, no one has to worry about me falling overboard, etc. [I don't swim.] It was not my birthday, so I happily stayed home awaiting the fishing report. Besides the hot humid weather is not very compatible with my various health maladies.

As far as recipes for cooking, the South is primarily FRY! BABY FRY! I have heard of some expert backyard grillers, grilling striped bass. Most recipes have a variety of herbs and a touch of lemon and wrapped in foil.

Here is my favorite coating and technique for BAKING FISH TO TASTE NEARLY LIKE FRIED. It is composed of two mixtures. You have to determine the amount of fillets to be be baked and adjust the mixtures.

If you like heavily battered fish double these amounts which are for about 20 oz of fillets cut in 4 pieces.

Heat Oven to 400 deg. F

EGG MIXTURE:
Lightly beat one egg; add 1-2 T milk or cream if not watching calories. Water may also be used.

COATING:
1/4 c  cornmeal
2 t     parsley, dried
1/4 t  black pepper
1/2 t  salt (optional to those watching salt)
1/8 t  cumin
1/8 t  cayenne
1/4 t  paprika

[Herbs and spices certainly can be varied in kind or amount to taste]

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Dip fillet in egg mixture, moistening it well; then roll in coating mixture, lightly coated,I and place on baking sheet.

When all fillets are on sheet, lightly spray fillets with cooking spray, so they will brown.

Bake 10-15 minutes or just opaque in center.

Suggested side dishes, backed potato sticks and lemon wedges.

This is and adaptation of a Weight Watcher recipe. I found cooking time is a little longer, plus turning the fillets and spraying with cooking spray makes browning more uniform.

Further if those sharing the meal really, really like fried, I sometimes double the mixtures and really coat the fish.

Although I have never tried it, I feel the mixtures could easily be pan-fried or deep-fried.

Some day when I bake this recipe I'll try to capture a photo. 

Otherwise today I spent the morning perusing grocery store selections for low to no salt versions of various items. I found Kashi has two ZERO sodium ready-to-eat cereals (Heart to Heart). I found Nabisco Wheat Thin Flatbreads, and Ritz Lower Sodium Crackers low enough to eat carefully and also Kashi TLC Crackers in the non-cheese flavors.

I bought two flavors of Mrs. DASH (no salt) to try, on at the table and the other to cook with, although I have several homemade mixture that employ very little salt. I make and store them in old spice shaker containers I've washed and saved.

It is hard to watch salt, sugar and fat all together, although SPLENDA does alleviate so sugar cravings.

DO YOU HAVE TO WATCH SALT, SUGAR, FAT?

[I don't know why some of my hyperlinks are highlighted in yellow as I have speller turned off.... I checked.] 

THREE QUARTERS OF A CENTURY

Today is my husband's birthday. You can figure his age from the title of the post.

After a marriage of 41 years and no children, we usually choose our own celebration or lack thereof. This year he chose a guided striped bass (colloquially called stripers) trip on Lake Norfork with a friend, also our neighbor.

I previously gave him a guided trip about two years ago, so guessed it was one gift I won the lottery on. Gifting sometimes is difficult as life churns on.

I actually think he started celebrating with all the improvements and renovations we completed on the property. But that is OK, too.

He is fishing as I write this, and hope one or both guys hook one of the big ones. For those who are unfamiliar with stripers, they are an ocean fish that have adapted to certain deep freshwater lakes. The striped bass is related to the fresh water white bass; and there are hybrids of the species. A striped bass can be over 6 feet long and weigh about 125 lbs. Typically in our area they are much less.

 A hybrid is still a pretty big fish, too.

So I am waiting for his arrival home in a couple of hours to see if they were lucky today. Hot weather is not the best fishing time for a great number of species in our area as they are lethargic and deep. So I just hope they catch a keeper of any species.

We'll post results and pictures later as he took his camera.

Usually if the guide fails to deliver results, a second trip is given free or half price.