Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

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CA Boy and DC Girl may debate the merits of the Atlantic vs. Pacific, but they agree on one important point: seafood. This pair would gladly eat fish every day of the week - which would be great for their diet and terrible for their bank accounts. If you don’t want to spend $15.99 a pound on salmon, you have another option: tilapia. Or, as CA Boy affectionately calls it, “possum of the sea.” Like possum, this fish is short on meat and taste. But it can have a delicious texture, and will easily take on the flavor of any sauce.

While it may not have the taste or health benefits of other fish, tilapia (like possum) is a healthy source of protein. There was a time when DC Girl would sauté her tilapia, submerging it in a bath of tomato sauce until it became a kind of fish soup. But CA Boy soon taught her the error of her ways: give tilapia a nice crispy Parmesan crust, and that cheesy ectoskeleton will keep the fish from breaking apart while it cooks, and leaving you with a delectable filet.

Our favorite recipe is for Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, which CA Boy made for DC Girl and her roommate (who is, incidentally, a CA Girl) after a particularly busy day at work:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Shenandoah State Park

$, Group Friendly, Needs a Car

If they had their druthers (or a private jet) CA Boy and DC Girl would spend their weekends hiking around California's Sierras or New Hampshire's White Mountains. But they have 101 days for this challenge, and start with a few smaller peaks a short drive away from the nation's capital. For their inaugural outdoor adventure. CA Boy and DC Girl join a group of friends in Shenandoah River State Park. The park rests on 1,604 acres in Bentonville, along the south fork of the Shenandoah River. It includes a few leisurely hikes and 5.6 miles of river frontage … the perfect spot for a leisurely afternoon spent fishing and cooking. This is luxury car camping at its finest: bathrooms, showers, water spigots, and carts to wheel your stuff from the parking lot to the camping spot. This is the perfect destination for a group camping trip where you have mixed levels of interest in “roughing it.” Those more ambitious characters can use the park as a jumping off spot for nearby hikes, while others can hang out by the river and fish. A word of warning – be sure to reserve your spot far in advance, they book up fast!

Location and Directions

The park is located in Warren County, eight miles south of Front Royal and 15 miles north of Luray. It's off Rt. 340 in Bentonville. From D.C., take I-66 West to exit 13 (Linden). Turn left off the ramp. Go one block to a stoplight where you'll take a right onto Rt. 55 West. At the fifth stoplight, turn left onto 340 South. Drive eight miles; the park's entrance is on the right.

Tips

CA Boy takes car camping as a personal challenge to bring as much stuff as possible. Just think of all the stuff you CAN’T bring on a backpacking trip, and throw it in your car. Fishing poles, big tent, French press, queen size air mattress, Coleman stove, etc. If the kitchen sink could be transported, CA Boy would bring that too. But here are a few convenient tips for minimizing hassle on a group camping trip:

• Starbucks VIA coffee packets: terrible at work, fantastic outside. Forget the French press and bring a few of these for the group.
• Food: Divide the group into teams responsible for each meal. If you are the trip organizer, make clear that you (or an assignee) will bring standard cooking accessories and condiments.