Random thoughts on a sunny summer Saturday:
1. What is your favorite fish? And how do you fix it?
I’ve never cooked fish before and I’m looking for ideas.
2. This week I published another episode of “What I Bought Wednesday” on my YouTube Channel including the BEST new way I found to get rid of stink.
You can see it here.
3. Did you know you can soak hydrangeas in water to bring them back after they wilt? One more reason hydrangeas are the best summer flowers.
4. It was an amazing week on the blog. We discussed the best beach reads for 2021 and talked about summer celebration ideas and the most realistic house plants and the summer capsule wardrobe I put together.
5. And I”ve been fraying all my jeans lately (and distressing them a little, too). I just cut them off and toss them in the dryer and they look a little more vintage every time.
And now?
I’ve rounded up the best stuff this week for all of us.
LET’S GO.
Look at this.
SO YUMMY. It’s fettuccine alfredo made with zucchini noodles and shrimp.
You can see the recipe here.
And you know I’m all about a thrifted find.
Here are seven of the cutest.
This idea is filed under “Why didn’t I think of that?”
See these flowers?
You’ll NEVER guess what she made them from?
And I found a new blog for us.
Have you seen Robyn’s French Nest?
It’s FULL of the CUTEST decorating ideas.
And in random news:
This coastal home tour
This no-bake key lime pie
20 random acts of kindness you can do this week
These ideas for the Fourth
Love this trend
This summer kitchen
5 unexpected things to toss into the dishwasher
These fireplace makeover ideas
This dorm room checklist
And this.
Look at this adorable way to serve muffins
And did you see the giveaway with the new Mary Kay Andrews book?
I stayed at her beach house on Tybee Island (and of course I took pictures).
Here’s the cutest beach house tour (with extra sunshine).
Cooking fish. . . We usually grill salmon - no skin.. Light brush it with olive oil and grill it. Drizzle some fresh lemon juice on it and enjoy!
Hi KariAnne - for a quick, easy, and delicious salmon recipe, put a salmon fillet on top of a piece of foil and spread dijon or regular mustard over the fish. Randomly scatter capers over the top of the mustard, then put lemon slices over the entire fillet. Get another piece of foil and roll up the edges, so the fish is basically in a foil pouch. Place the foil pouch on a cookie sheet rack and cook at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until the fish is done in the middle. (You can also put the pouch on a hot grill and cook it in the BBQ until done in the middle). Slice the cooked fish into serving sizes, and garnish with fresh lemon slices and parsley.
Soooo many fun things today, KariAnne! Thanks for the kind feature! What an honor!
Yes, love Robyn's French Nest. We just toured together. Wish we had the shops you guys have in NJ. Nothing comes close for these old pieces.
You should try Halibut. Veracruz from Guy Fieri on the Food Network site. It’s delicious and you could substitute other white fish.
I love ordering fish when I'm out but I rarely cook it at home. When we do, we'll throw some oil and balsamic on a swordfish or tuna steak and grill it outside on the grill. Very simple but delicious! So many great ideas this week. Enjoy your weekend! Shelley
Salmon in an oiled pan. Top with lemon slices. If skin is on bottom, no problem, fish will lift right off skin when cooked. Sometimes I cook in oven, sometimes in a covered pan on stove. Very, very easy.
What a great list of Thistlekeeping this week, KA! I enjoyed it very much! Thank you! Have a happy weekend.
I just recently got an air fryer, not sure if you have one. I had a combo toaster oven/air fryer that I was not happy with! Finally was talked into getting a stand alone air fryer and I love it. Cooked cod plain with just a touch of olive oil and seasonings, cod dipped into egg beaters then into panko with a squirt of olive oil and salmon with a squirt of olive oil and a little seasoning. Cooks fast and is super delicious. Easy to clean too! From what I’ve heard, some air fryers work good, some not so great!!
Thanks for the fireplace makeovers. Mine has a crack in it and I need to cover it--what to do??? Readers give me a clue!!!
Oh, my beautiful post today! I love the fish recipes in the comments! Keep them coming, ladies!!!
The forsythia floral stems!!!!! All the heart eyes!!
Good morning!! I don’t like fish (never have) but when I do want something lighter I’ve made these burgers. I will always buy the fish the same day I’m cooking it and only from the butcher counter. I’m super picky about it because it isn’t a favorite, the burgers are surprisingly delicious. I hope the link works for everyone. 💝 (Capers are found in the grocery store near the canned olives. They give a fantastic flavor to the sauce) https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/salmon-burgers-with-dill-tartar-sauce
Happy Beautiful Saturday! Love all the posts.
Great roundup! Thank you for sharing my shrimp alfredo and zoodles! I'll have to make up some delicious salmon recipes for you. xoxo Stacey
I live fish but never cook it...I have no good cooking tips for you LOl. Thanks for the feature friend, you are amazing
K- big fish eaters here in MA…you should check out Mark Bittman’s cookbook called fish, either from the library or buy it. Full of recipes, but more importantly tells you what fish you can sub in if you like a different recipe, and covers all fish available. When you’re on the Cape this summer, buy some haddock. Simple is best…put a sheet of tinfoil in lipped cookie sheet, brush the fish with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle bread crumbs mixed with Parmesan cheese on top, broil til the fish flakes with a fork and is white, not translucent. Squeeze lemon over the top and you’re done, best meal going.
Good one today, KA! That cane-back sofa in Seven Thrifted Finds is stunning--what I wouldn't do to stumble on to one of those. I love salmon (and just about any whitefish). Filets are easy and fast; I'll top it with a bit of EVOO and some lemon/capers, or sometimes just seasoning for some flavor, and pop it under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, flip it over to get the other side for 3-4 minutes, and it's done. That's barely enough time to heat up the kitchen, which is good in summer (hey, TX/OK summers are not meant for cooking). Have a good rest of your weekend!
I'm on a get away with my husband for Father's Day, and having trouble with slow internet, but looking forward to scrolling through your sunny summer finds next week! We aren't "fishy fish" lovers, but try to eat fish once or twice a week. Hands down marinating the salmon and grilling ( using a grill cage) is by far the best, I think! It tastes like something you order at a fancy restsurant! I will make a note to send you the recipe next week. 😊 Sunny Saturday, friend!
frozen fillet of haddock put in pan add a little water sprinkle paprika, lemon pepper, & salt on top of fish bake 1 hour at 350 if not frozen bake 30 min my favorite to put in oven on time bake , come home from church n its done add a baked potato or sweet potato
Have a wonderful week at the Cape! Enjoy every moment. Meanwhile I will be trying that shrimp recipe! I have a fabulous lemon trout recipe on the blog if you need one. I use it for salmon, too.
Love the random Saturday ideas! We have a 4x4 sprinter undergoing customization similar to the Scandinavian Home shown. We can't wait to go on our first trip. As to fish recipe one of our favorites is Miso Salmon with Cilantro Salsa. The flavor combo is so good. Have a great time on the Cape.
Thank you so much for featuring me this week.
We have had seafood at least every week for years: can’t imagine not having it on a weekly basis. Salmon, tilapia, snapper, sea bass, halibut, shrimp, mussels, catfish, cod. We sauté it , grill it, baked it, roast it, pan fry it. So good for you and so delicious. I hope you find ways to prepare it.
Look at this beautiful blog, filled with amazing fish recipes! https://www.foreveroceans.com/ocean-raised-blog/
This is a family favorite and is easy to put together. My mother (grandmother and great grandmother) were born on an island in the Louisiana Bayou so we eat a lot of seafood as a family. Let me know how you like it….also have the shrimp cocktail at Souter Shack there on Eldorado… You will enjoy! Ingredients: 4 large grouper filets, red fish (or other firm fish) Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup flour ¼ cup olive oil 1 small garlic clove, minced ½ cup white cooking wine ½ cup chicken broth 1 lemon, halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon drained capers 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley Directions: Season the fish with salt and pepper. Coat the fish with flour, shaking to remove any excess. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add the fish and sauté for 2 to 2 ½ minutes or until lightly brown. Turn carefully and sauté the other side for 2 to 2 ½ minutes or until light brown. Remove the fish and place on a warm platter. Place the platter on the bottom rack in a 200-degree oven. Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté for 10 seconds. Add the wine and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the chicken broth. Juice half the lemon and add to the pan. Simmer until reduced by half. Add the capers and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir until melted. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the sauce over the fillets. Cut the remaining lemon half into thin slices and arrange on top of the fish.
Should say Super Shack on Eldorado.
I have become obsessed with SMOKED paprika. It is sometimes difficult to find but it makes everything delicious: meats, omelets, and yes, fish. Tilapia is known to have little flavor. I spray mine with zero calorie butter. Next, I sprinkle on a variety of spices such as garlic salt, onion powder, rosemary. Lastly, I sprinkle on the smoked paprika. I bake mine on a greased sheet at 400 for fifteen minutes. SO low calorie and delicious! On another note, you must try WALDEN FARMS CHIPOTLE RANCH DRESSING. 0 Net carbs, 0 calories, fat free. It is fabulous and can be found at Walmart.
We don't eat meat anymore, but when we did we loved salmon. We would buy the fillet with skin on. Put it skin side down on foil on a grill pan with no oil. Cover it in mustard. I know this sounds weird but COVER the sides and top with any mustard. We preferred spicy brown. Add fresh cracked pepper. Grill until the doneness is at your liking. When you remove it from the pan slide the spatula between the flesh and skin to remove it from the grill pan. This could probably be done in the over but in NC grilling is always doable!
Hi KariAnne, I just posted about how I make tilapia in our Nuwave oven, it is super simple! LOL. I also experimented with mahi mahi this past week, it was pretty yummy too! We love fish around here... Thanks for the tip on hydrangeas, I did not know that. AND... I love my jeans frayed, and I am sooooo excited it is back in style, but do you suppose it really ever goes out? Here's hoping it does not~ makes us short gals lives easier, huh? To fish, long living hydrangeas, and frayed jeans!
Since you have been given many wonderful fish recipes I'll skip to the summer reading list. I'm one to let other things get in my way of finishing a good book so this summer I'm changing that. I did finish "Where the Crawdads Sing" because I just couldn't put it down. It is that good and I encourage anyone that hasn't read it to do so. You will not be disappointed - even in the parts that break your heart!
I live in Maine where we have an abundance of fish. We eat fish at least 2 times a week. A few things about fish: 1. Make sure it's fresh. It should not smell "fishy". At the fish counter don't hesitate to ask to smell the fish before they wrap it up for your purchase. 2. Don't cook too long. I cannot emphasize this enough. 15 to 20 minutes at 400 in the oven for a fillet that is an inch thick. The fish after cooking should still glisten a bit. One of my favorites is cod or haddock fillet topped with garlic or plain mashed potatoes and baked at 400 for 20 minutes. To make it fancy, run a fork over the top of the mashed potatoes prior to putting into the over. When done baking, put under the broiler to brown the little ridges in the masked potatoes. This is a real comfort dish!
Ohhh so many yummy goodies! But that coastal home tour?!! Wow!!! xoxo
Great post! Thanks so much for sharing my flag cake! It's so fun to make!