D.I.Y. Fish Fillet Sandwich

Homemade-takeout hybrid.

At 380 calories per serving, the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich is one of the more calor-rific items on the menu—that's 130 calories more than a Hamburger, or 80 more than a Cheeseburger… Not that any of that has ever stopped me from enjoying the "fishy" fast-food find every now and then.

Crispy, chewy, cheesy…overall scrumptious!

Although these days, whenever I have a hankering for fried fish fillet spliced between two slices of soft bread, smothered with tartar sauce, and topped with a square of cheese, I've taken to the kitchen for the surprisingly easy-to-make treat.

Building blocks of a great sandwich.

The breeziness of the "homemade" version, I credit to the nearby fish store that sells both fresh and cooked seafood—including an assortment of deep-fried fish for the latter: tilapia, flounder, porgy, and more.

And, here's a bit of trivia: When food is fried at the right temperature, the hot oil acts like a "seal" for moisture that steams the food from the inside, which results in minimal oil absorption. Too low of a temp means you have yourself a grease sponge. So, whip out a thermometer and reap delicious—even healthy—results! Or, like me, enjoy a homemade-takeout hybrid meal once in a while, and use the best ingredients you can find. Plus, you know the drill: everything in moderation.

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

Hello, Friends!

I am not forgetting about this blog (or my blogging and online life in general)! My work life has just been extra-extra hectic lately that what usually happens when I get home is one or a combination of the following:

– tinker around the apartment/kitchen

– do laundry (or postpone laundry for yet another day)

– hang out with my husband and our dear doggie; go for a walk

– have dinner, work on a deadline (for the things I do outside of my day job)

– watch a TV show, pass out, wake up in the morning, and do the hustle all over again

I know I shouldn't be making any excuses. I've said this time and again, my writer and editor friends multitask and do all of this with aplomb. Case in point as always: Frances, who at the moment, is due to give birth soon to her second child, keeps house, helms the local edition of OK! Magazine, writes blogs, goes to events…the works.

Anyway, I do have a bunch of food-related posts in the backburner with pictures ready that I just have to sit on and write. There are those long overdue hazelnut brownies, a scrumptious D.I.Y. fish sandwich, and more.

Soon, friends. Soon.

Web Window Shopping

While doing research for an article, I stumbled upon this supercute illustration:

Courtesy of Lancôme.

Makes you want to shop, doesn't it? View the deets over at the Lancôme website.