Todd always likes to complain that I have too much food in the house.  I do like to keep the fridge and freezer full and I have a healthy store cupboard.  The last time I went to Canada without him, he made a huge dent in the store cupboard.  He bragged that he didn't have to spend more than £10 a week on groceries. (I seriously doubt that, but you know men!)  In any case I reckon he must have had the strangest meals, made up of whatever tinned food he could get his hands on. I dare not think of it.  I can only tell you that it took me a while to build it back up again, and he broke the can opener when I was away.

 

I can tell you one thing, however  . . .  in these past couple of weeks he has come to appreciate my store cupboard in a way he never has before.  I confess I am a bit worried that we won't be able to make it last.  We are quite lacking in fruits and vegetables.  I have tried to create an online order for some, but you can't get a delivery space at all, and there is no telling if you will even get what's on your list if you did.  I have heard stories of people only getting a fraction of what they needed.  I have also contacted some home delivery vegetable schemes, but again, have had no response. I am afraid we have what we have and that is that.

 

For the moment we do have plenty of frozen protein and I have potatoes and onions, garlic.  Canned tomatoes, beans, mushy peas, corn, apples, peaches, pears, mandarins and pineapple, and I also have tinned fish, chicken and ham, as well as corned beef and some spam. 

 

I am so very grateful for the frozen fish that we have.  We have cod and salmon, haddock and squid rings.  I get all of my fish from Seafresh Quality Foods, which is an online fish monger.  We have always been more than happy with the service and product which we have received from them.

 

Their Cod Loins are exceptional.  Sustainably sourced from the cold waters of the North Atlantic, they are meaty and sweet and beautifully white in colour.

 

They also have much more than fish and seafood available in their online shop. You can also buy chicken and duck, beef and lamb and an assortment of oven ready products.  I love, LOVE their fish fingers! 

 

All of the restaurants and pubs are shut down in the UK now.  Even McDonalds is closed.  Who would have ever thunk that such a day would come.  We are having to get really inventive at home, but really that's no hardship. We have plenty of time on our hands now . . .

 

Today I created a quasi-Fish & Chip supper for us, using some of our precious potatoes and some Cod Loins. I have given quantities for four people but you can easily cut it down to feed two.  I did.

 

You cut the potatoes into fingers and toss them together with some oil and Italian Garlic seasoning.  Spread out on a baking sheet, they go into a hot oven while you prepare your fish.

 

I had thawed my fish out in the refrigerator over night.  I just patted it dry with some paper towel and popped it onto another baking sheet.  I created an herb, garlic and cheese mixture to spread over it and once the chips were about halfway done I popped them into the oven to cook.

  

The end result was perfectly cooked, tender and flavourful cod and chips that we both enjoyed immensely.  I opened a small can of mushy peas to enjoy along with them.  Not quite like the chippy, but probably a whole lot healthier!

  

How are you coping with the restrictions we are having to live with at the moment?  I am a bit worried that what I have will last, but we will see.  In the meantime I think we are very blessed to have what we have.

A few things about Seafresh:

 

Who could have even predicted a week or so ago that we would be living in the new world we are living in at the moment.  A world filled with uncertainty and fear.  

 

For, the moment this is the new normal and we have no idea if things will ever be the same again.  I am hopeful that they will be, but only the man upstairs knows  for sure.

 

My husband and I decided last week that we were going to self-isolate for as long as it takes. 

 

Because he is 82, and a fairly recent cancer survivor, and we both have underlying health conditions, we feel it is the safest route to take for us and we are prepared for this in every way.

 

I have always kept a healthy store cupboard.  As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we have have always been cautioned by our leaders to be prepared for emergencies. 

 

That means we have food storage to keep us for at least 2 months, 72 hour packs, etc.  It is not hoarding, just common sense, and we are prepared to share what we have with those who need it.  We all are.

 

We've been taught to store foods that we will use and to use what we store so that it is rotated regularly.  Again that only makes sense.  Because of our preparedness, we have no need to panic.  

 

It makes me sad to see all the panic buying that is going on now and the hoarding.  I get that people are afraid, I really do, but what I see is panic mixed with greed and it doesn't paint a very pretty picture.

 

There are quite a few people who lack the means and the ability to stock up and I have seen photos of elderly people wandering around the shops unable to find even a small pack of loo roll.  That's just sad and I think unnecessary.  

 

Last week at Costco I saw people with their carts filled to overflowing with loo roll. Surely as a humanity we are better than that.  

 

If you have more than you need, do the kind thing and share with those who don't.  This is the perfect opportunity for us to show love and compassion for one another.

 

As a couple who are self isolating we are still quite capable or ordering in things we need on line, fresh items like meat and poultry, fruit and veg and fish. 

 

I get my frozen fish from an online fish monger called Seafresh. They are just brilliant and have not only fish, but also  meat and poultry.  They also have a line of oven ready items such as Lasagna's, Wellingtons, Chicken Goujons, Pies, Battered Fish Portions, Crisp Bakes, etc.

 

Today I used some of their Cod Jumbo Battered Fish Fingers to create a delicious store cupboard casserole for us. 

I love fish fingers. In sandwiches, casseroles, on their own, etc.

 

Their Jumbo Fish Fingers are not like regular fish fingers. They are much larger and made with delicious white Cod, just cod nothing else, and are coated in a light crispy golden batter.  

 

They are quick to cook from frozen and are perfect for casseroles such as the one I am sharing with you today! We love, LOVE them!

 

This casserole is a very simple bake that goes together in a flash and is oh-so-delicious when its done. 

 

I hasten to add that children just love it.

 

You have a creamy base of cooked rice, mixed with evaporated milk (you could use cream or half and half if you aren't bothered by calories), a small amount of  creamy ranch salad dressing, grated cheese and a quantity of frozen vegetables.

 

Today I used frozen peas, corn and green beans, but you can use whatever vegetables your family enjoys.  You can also cook vegetables from fresh to use, or even use drained tinned vegetables.

 

You could leave out the vegetables altogether and just use a tin of drained chopped tomatoes, which would also be nice.  Especially if you traded out the Ranch Dressing for a creamy Italian and replaced some of the cheese with a grated Parmesan.

  

In short it is very adaptable to what you have on hand and what kinds of things your family likes to eat. 

 

If you use these jumbo fish sticks/fingers you will find that one of them is  the perfect size for one person.

  

This is a casserole that also reheats well the day after if you are a smaller family, or very easily cut in half if you are not a couple who enjoys leftovers.  

 

Its very forgiving to say the least.

  

We enjoyed it with an Oriental Chopped Salad on the side.  It went down a real treat! 

 

I am so very grateful that in this day and age we have these options available to us, that we can do our shopping online if we choose, very quickly and easily.  What a special blessing!

 

As with any fish dish, quality speaks for itself.  When you are starting with really good fish, you really don't or shouldn't have to do very much to it to get the best from it.  The fish fingers from Seafresh are beautiful. I think they are the best I have ever eaten and that says a lot!  If you are looking for quality fish at a great price with a fabulous delivery service I can't recommend Seafresh highly enough!  Their product, delivery service, packaging and customer service are exemplary in my opinion and so is this recipe!! 

A few things about Seafresh:

 

I am really excited to share this one pan sheet pan supper for two with you today for Garlic Butter Salmon & Broccoli!  Salmon and broccoli are perfect partners.  

So are salmon and garlic! Put the three together and you have a really delicious entree that everyone will love.  It is perfectly sized for two but you can very easily multiply the amounts to serve more!

 

Best of all th whole thing bakes on one baking sheet, which, if you line it with aluminium foil, makes for a really no fuss no muss supper option! 

 I did bake some sweet potatoes to have with it as well, which makes this a Triple Super-food Supper option!

 

Roasting sweet potatoes is so easy. I just wash them well, dry and pop them onto a baking sheet and into a hot oven. They are usually done in about 35 to 40 minutes, depending on their size.  

Simply cut in half, scoop out the flesh and mash. Nothing else needed.  They taste fabulous all on their own.  Roasting sweet potatoes in the skin and then mashing them makes for one very tasty side dish!

 

I used some lovely salmon fillets in the freezer that we had gotten from Seafresh. Their fish is so amazing.  I have never had any fish from them that I didn't like.  

Its frozen fresh at the source and so it is the freshest fish that you can find.  Their salmon fillets are absolutely gorgeous. Boneless and skinless and individually frozen so that you can take out as many or as few as you want to cook.

 

Sourced from the clear cold waters of Scotland and the Farroe Islands, they are centre cuts, cut from the thicker mid-section of the salmon, rather than the tail.  

Fish cuts from closer to the tail are a lot "fishier" if you know what I mean.  Stronger in flavour.  I much prefer the higher quality centre cuts.

  

I always like to wipe my fish and pat it dry with paper towels before I use it.  I didn't need to oil my foil either, as I used Bacofoil which is non-stick.  

Just pop those fillets onto the foil lined baking sheet.

 

A mixture of a small amount of butter, some fresh garlic, a bit of brown sugar and dried herbs makes up the garlic butter.  

There is only 3 TBS of butter used between the fish and the vegetables, so spread out that isn't overly bad, plus I did not use any butter in my sweet potatoes.

 

This is the perfect low carb entree and great for diabetics.  High in fibre, low in carbs and salt. You only add as much salt as you want to add.  

There is plenty of garlic herbaciousness going on there that you don't need to use a lot of salt.

  

Salmon is a favorite choice when it comes to choosing to eat healthy,  because it contains significant amounts of essential omega-3 fatty acids , which support heart and eye health . 

This heart-healthy fish boasts a boatload of other nutrients, as well.

  

 

I think of all the fishes in the sea, Cod is my favourite and I have to say that we have beautiful Cod here in the UK.  I first tasted it when I had come over to  meet Todd in person for the first time back in the year 2000.  We had been chatting on line for about six months and decided it was time to meet for real. I had always wanted to come to the UK and had a bit of money saved and so I decided to come over here.  When I think about it now, it was rather brave of me!

 

We spent 3 weeks getting to know each other in person before deciding to get married. I returned to Canada to get the necessary visas and the rest of the story is history.

 

While I was here for those three weeks I spent the nights at a friend from our church's house. I did not want to be a bother and so I either cooked for Todd and I myself each day or we ate out.  I had never experienced English Fish and Chips for real, so one night Todd decided to get us Cod and chips for our tea.

 

He rode his bike down to the local chippy and got it in for us.  I had never seen such big pieces of fish.   Each piece was so enormous it overlapped both sides of the plate, and it was absolutely beautiful.  Love at first bite.  I say.  Love at first bite.  I have been in love with British Cod ever since.

  

I always get my fish from an on line fish monger, Seafresh Quality Foods. I have to tell say I have always been  thoroughly impressed with this company's service and the quality of their fish. Everything has always been just beautiful.Their Cod Loins are exceptional.  Sustainably sourced from the cold waters of the North Atlantic, they are meaty and sweet and beautifully white in colour.

 

I had actually planned on sharing this recipe with you on Friday, but we are in a bit of a mess here today.  We are getting rid of our large china cabinet and they weren't supposed to come and pick it up until Friday, but ended up they are coming today, and so I wasn't able to cook anything new for you and so am falling back on Friday's plans.

 

This is another of my cooking for two sized recipes, but it will also very easily double to feed more. 

 

Cod loins are seasoned with salt and then swished in a mix of lemon juice, white wine, olive oil and garlic before being placed on a buttered baking tray.

 

Bread crumbs are then mixed with some herbs, lemon zest and olive oil and sprinkled on top.  I used Panko bread crumbs because I love their light crispness.

 

The fish is then baked in a hot oven for a short time (15 - 20 minutes) until the crumbs are golden brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork.

 

The length of time depends on the thickness of your fish. My pieces were quite thick.

 

As you can see it was perfectly cooked . . .  and oh so delicious.

  

I served it with roasted beetroot, sweet potatoes and sauteed garlic spinach for the win!

 

Just look at how nicely cooked that fish is.  This was one very beautiful piece of fish, thanks to Seafresh.

A few things about Seafresh: