Tilapia, two ways

So, a month ago I made some delicious tilapia with a grape chutney . . . or "fruit sauce", as Nate calls it, since "no one knows what 'chutney' is." I had a college roommate who was a culinary student. I'm pretty sure some people know what chutney is. :)
The recipe that served as my inspiration is from the Better Homes & Gardens website.
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken/tilapia-with-grape-chutney/

Ingredients:
4 fillets of sole or tilapia ( I only cooked 3, because I was splitting up a package of six fillets, and am only feeding two. . . or two and a half, as some might say.)
salt
ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil (I used olive oil, I believe)
1/2 cup tropical fruit bits
1/3 cup sliced green onions (omitted)
1/3 cup apricot fruit spread

Directions:

1. Thaw fish, if frozen (mine was). Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In your skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add fish. Cook fish for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until it easily flakes when tested with a fork. Chop grapes in half while fish is cooking. [I actually did my fruit chopping before putting the fish in the skillet, because I did not want to feel rushed and have my fish burn! Cooking is always smoother when any prep work is done ahead. It is good to thoroughly read your recipe before starting.] 
3. Transfer the fish to a plate and keep warm [I threw some foil over it to keep it warm]. Add grapes, fruit bits, fruit spread, and green onions to the skillet. Cook and stir for two minutes. [Some bits of the fish might have stuck to the skillet when cooking, that is ok, it will get mixed in with the chutney and be delicious. Trust me.] Season to taste with salt and pepper. Server sauce over fish, and enjoy. The recipe suggested serving over brown rice, but we just had some spring lettuce mix on the side.

I followed it pretty closely, with a few exceptions when it came to the ingredients. Instead of apricot fruit spread, I used orange marmalade (I already had it on hand). I could not find a bag of tropical fruit tidbits, so I bought some chunks of dried pineapple that I chopped into smaller pieces, and this worked just as well. I also did not use green onions. Not really a big green onion fan, and didn't want to buy some for just one recipe. We did have some cilantro, so I chopped that up to put in my chutney. The picture was taken on Nate's phone, and can't figure out how to get it on, when I do, I will edit to show you the finished product.

The other three fillets had been in my freezer since I had made that dinner a month ago. Every time I would open the freezer door they would remind me they were still there and that I needed to make another fish dinner that was as equally delicious as the last one. I'm not even a big big fish eater, and truth be told, I don't believe Nate is much of a fish fan either. I bought the fish because it was on sale, and fish is good for you. :)
Tonight I made foil-baked tilapia with a lemon-garlic butter. This is what my mom called a "girl scout dinner" when I was describing it to her over the phone. On the back of the fish package it gives instructions for bake or broiling. It says to wrap the fish in foil and heat for 12-15 minutes in an oven preheated between 350 and 400 F. Well, I knew better than to just put fish in foil and heat it up. For someone who isn't big on fish, that didn't sound too appetizing. I know that lemon juice goes well with seafood, so I wondered what I could do with that. Went to handy-dandy Google and found a couple different recipes that I blended together, and added my own twist to.
Foil baked tilapia with lemon-garlic butter
Ingredients:
4 fillets of tilapia (I used 3. 1 and 1/2 in two foil packets)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (it could have used another for more of a lemony flavor)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
dashes of salt, pepper, & cayenne pepper [the recipe I looked at called for paprika. One red spice is as good as another, right? ;) ], and a pinch of parsley
a little bit of thinly sliced vegetables (I used bell pepper, onion, and baby carrots that I cut in quarters length-wise. Squash, zucchini, or other such vegetables might work just as well.)

Directions:
In a saucepan combine the garlic, butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, and cayenne. Once melted, spread a little bit of butter sauce onto prepared foil [when I say "prepared" I mean "a piece of foil large enough to fit the fish, and be folded over, turned up on the ends, so the butter won't run away"]. After spreading a tiny bit of the butter down, you will then layer the vegetables evenly and place each filet on top of the vegetables. Drizzle the rest of the butter sauce over the fillets and then fold up the foil and put in the oven (preheated to 350 or 375) for 12-15 minutes. Once the fish is in the oven, start on some rice to accompany it. Normally when I make rice it is just water with rice, but the bag does suggest an optional tablespoon of butter. I thought this would taste good with the savory fish. Yup! It did. :D

Before, ready to be folded up and placed in the oven!

After. so beautiful and delicious.

This is dedicated to my dear friend, college roommate, and foodie, Emily Bearden. :)

What is your birth plan? Part 1 -- Where?

     Not long ago this would be looked at as a silly question. The obvious answer being "I'm going to go to the hospital after laboring at home for a bit, and the doctor will deliver my baby after I labor for some time at the hospital. I'm sure they will give me something for the pain too, most likely an epidural -- I hear they work really well. . ."

There is a lot more publicity nowadays about the many different options women have when giving birth. There are options regarding where you will give birth, who will be there to help you deliver your baby, and options about how you will deliver your baby. Many of these options have always been available, but since the 1920s when going to the hospital to have your baby with a doctor started to become more common, many other options have gotten forgotten about.

 Where are you giving birth? What are the options?

• The hospital. The most common place nowadays to give birth is in the labor & delivery ward of your local hospital. Many hospitals have taken great strides in making it as comfortable a place to give birth as possible. It used to be that there would be separate rooms for laboring, delivering, and recovering, but many hospitals now have "birthing suites" where everything takes place all in one room. The baby is sometimes even allowed and encouraged to room-in with the mother during their stay in the hospital after the birth, rather than being taken to a nursery. 
• Pros:
•  Access to medical staff in the case of an emergency complication during or after the labor & delivery.
• It is the safest place for a woman with a high-risk pregnancy, or history of complications during previous pregnancies.
• No need for an emergency transfer in the case that a surgery (or other medical intervention) is needed.
•  Cons: 
• The mother will have to travel to another location to give birth while in labor. If her labor is a fast one, or she is farther from the hospital, she might not make it in time.
• A hospital birth is more expensive than other options (though most insurance companies will cover a majority of the cost).
• It could be seen as a less-comfortable option, since the mother is out of her "element" and many people feel uncomfortable simply setting foot in a hospital.
• Many women who give birth in a hospital setting end up getting pressured into interventions (pitocin, epidural, episiotomy, forceps/vacuum delivery, cesarean section delivery) that was not needed or desired in their original plan.
• The home. Laboring in your bathtub (or birthing tub) full of warm water, giving birth in your bedroom or living room.
• Pros:
• The mother might be more relaxed in an atmosphere she is more familiar with. What is more comforting and familiar than your own home?
• There is no need to travel to a separate location to give birth.
• The least expensive option. You certainly aren't going to charge yourself a fee to give birth at your own home. :)
• The mother might feel more control in regards to possible interventions, and her care provider respecting her birth plan.

• Cons: 
• In case the need for a surgeon arises, the mother would need an emergency transfer to the nearest hospital.
• While it is inexpensive to give birth at home, some insurance companies might not cover a home birth, so it would need to be paid for out-of-pocket by the parents.
• The part of the house where the birth took place will need to be cleaned afterwards. This is most often done by the father and birth team (midwife and other helpers), not the mother. Her job is to care for the baby! :)
• The birth center. A comfortable, home-like atmosphere that is either connected to or independent of the local hospital. Independent birth centers are run either by licensed or CNMs, certified nurse midwives (I will get to them in part 2). Hospital birth centers would have doctors and/or CNMs providing the care for the mother and baby.
• Pros:  
• This is looked at as a nice middle-ground between the two previous options, for mothers looking for a comfortable, home-like atmosphere who don't want to give birth at their own home.
• The independent birth center is less-expensive than a hospitable birth, and insurance companies are more willing to help with the cost (unlike home births).
• Whether independent or part of a hospital, women who give birth at birth centers are typically closer to medical personnel, if an emergency arises.
• Cons:
• There is a need to travel to a separate location to give birth during labor.
• Unless it is a birth center connected to the hospital, it might not be the best choice for a woman experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, or certain labor complications.

I am planning on giving birth at an independent birth center. Where did you give birth? What were your reasons? Did I forget any?

Long Time No Write. . .

SO yeah, apparently it's been over a year since my last blog entry. A lot has happened in the past year.

A few big highlights. . .

•  I graduated from Bob Jones University on May 4, 2012, with an Associates of Science in Christian Ministries (and no. . . that does not mean I want to be, or am qualified to be a pastor. There is a lot more to ministering in a church setting than being a minister. Counseling, administrative work, teaching, etc. . .).
• I married the love of my life in a beautiful church wedding on Dec. 21, 2012. It wasn't the end of the world, like people had thought, based on the Mayan calendar, but rather the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of me and my man. We were blessed to have his dad (an ordained pastor) perform the ceremony and to have our closest friends and family be there with us as our groomsmen and bridesmaids. It was a simple ceremony & reception compared to others' weddings, but it was perfect just the same, because at the end of the night, I was married to my best friend, and that's what counts, right? The most unique part of my wedding was that Chick-fil-A hosted our first dinner date as a married couple. We went from the reception to the Chick-fil-A where I had worked, where we had a special dinner (white tablecloth and candles included) of waffle fries, grilled chicken with salad, their fresh lemonade, and even sparkling grape juice. I had a mini sundae and Nate had a cookies n cream shake after the meal. It was wonderful to see everyone and say one final goodbye to everyone who couldn't make it to the wedding. 
• Wedding tip - don't change into "going away clothes" before heading to the hotel, if you did not reserve a special room. When checking in, the guy at the desk noticed Nate wearing his tux and asked if he had come from a wedding or something. He said "yes, my bride is out in the car." The desk clerk upgraded our room to a bigger suite for no additional charge, and congratulated us as we carried in our bags. :)
• Nate graduated from Bob Jones University on May 3, 2013, with a Bachelor of Arts in Youth Ministry. His next step in to be ordained as a pastor the last Sunday of July, and for us to find a church desiring him to be their youth pastor. He has a heart for youth (teens, and even the younger kids too). He is patient with children, and shows interest when they tell him things. He desires to help teens grow closer to the Lord and live for Him while living in a world where it is easy to get distracted by peer pressure and temptations that Satan likes to entice many with as being "fun, innocent, and harmless."

Things Coming Up. . .

        Well, as mentioned, we are still a bit unsure of where we are headed. We have goals and ambitions, and are looking forward to seeing them come to fruition, but until then, we greatly covet prayers regarding our next steps. One big thing that we are both looking forward to is the arrival of our first child this coming fall. We found out we were expecting after only 3 weeks of wedded bliss. It was (and still is) a bit overwhelming. But God does have a plan, and His timing is greater than ours ever could be. He knows the big picture, and we are trusting that everything will work out, be it baby or job related. Matthew 6:26-34. He knows our needs, and as His children, will take care of us. We have even seen prayers answered in just the short half-year that we have been married!