Cream Tuna on Toast

2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 can tuna

Melt butter over low heat in 1 ½ quart saucepan.  Add flour, salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.  Gradually stir in milk.  Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Add tuna.  Serve over toast.

I grew up with this one.  If I had to describe my mom's cooking it would be "Create what you can out of what is available then add a can of corn."  My mom says she hates cooking and is a terrible cook...I loved her cooking.  True, the same meal usually didn't turn out the same way twice, and my mom does have a knack for going one step too far, but I love her cooking!  Except she does like to cook in leftover bacon fat...and I just can't dig that.  Anyways, this is one of her creations I grew up with.  It was one of the few things I could make in college.  Honestly it isn't my husband's cup of tea, but the girls eat it and so do I.  Since my husband isn't a fan we don't eat it often.  It's quick though and easy!

Tilapia with Homemade Pesto

Source

1 ½ cups fresh basil (lightly packed)

4 ounces toasted pine nuts
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces (6 ounces) fresh tilapia
1 TBSP olive oil

Preheat broiler.  Grind the basil, pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese with a blender or food processor until a smooth paste forms.  Slowly add ¼ cup of olive oil, grinding until a smooth sauce forms.  Season the pesto to taste with salt and pepper.  Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and cook the fish for 1 to 2 minutes on the flesh side or until it turns light golden brown.  Flip the fish over and spoon the pesto generously over the fish.  Transfer pan to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.  Remove fish from broiler and allow to rest on a plate.  Serve fish hot.

Fast, Fast, Fast.  Tasty too.  Our children like fish, so this is always a good one when we're crunched for time.  Especially since the Pesto lasts for a bit when refrigerated.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

I think this is the original recipe

½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
3 TBSP mayonnaise
2 TBSP lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon celery salt
2 lbs. tilapia fillets

Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.   In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.   Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Another fast and easy one.  I like this one a lot.  The mayo mixture lasts for a while in the refrigerator, so it can be used again and again.  Just be sure not to double dip when spreading the mayo mixture on the fish...that way the mixture doesn't get...fishy.