Grilled Salmon Fresca- Brio Copy Cat attempt

So, I'm just going to pretend like I haven't gone on a two year hiatus from blogging.  :)

One of my dear friends Marva has a house in New Harmony, Utah that happens to also have a pear and apple orchard in the backyard.  Before she went up one weekend, she asked if I'd like to have some pears.  Who am I to turn down pears right off the tree?  She asked how many bushels I wanted, and before answering, I thought, "Huh... a bushel is like one of those cute little wicker baskets that could double as an Easter basket, right?"  So, I said two.  When she was coming down from Utah, she texted me to let me know that she had my pears.  I was thrilled to death!  Well, I get a knock at the door.  I open it and there is a box on my doorstep that could double as a bed for my firstborn in an emergency that was packed with pears.  I peeked around the corner, and she was bringing a second emergency bed for my other two kids that was also filled with pears.  She smiled, clearly at my shock of having 9,000 pears on my doorstep.  I thanked her, hugged her, and started throwing pears at pigeons flying by just because I had enough to go around.  Okay, I didn't throw any!  These pears were absolutely amazing!  They were juicy and delicious, and I ate about 4 a day.  I gave some away, ate a bunch, made some pear honey, and canned some pears.  Thanks Mom for helping me there!  When I saw Marva the next morning at the gym, I said, "Hey, Marva... I have a bone to pick with you.  I don't think you gave me enough pears."  She laughed out loud because she knows how overwhelmed I was to have all that fruit!  It was amazing, and I'm glad she shared her bounty with me.  She asked me a couple days ago if I wanted some apples from her orchard.  I said, "Yes... 10 of each kind. Notice I specified the amount this time!"  

I bring this story up because this sweet friend took me out to a birthday lunch at Brio here in LasVegas.  It's such an amazing restaurant for Italian food.  I got lasagna because I needed something cheesy and fattening, but she got the grilled Salmon Fresca.  After my eyes were drawn to her plate and drool started dribbling down my chin at her lunch, she may never go out to lunch with me again! I instantly regretted my fattening choice and wished I went the lighter route.  I went back to Brio a few weeks later and ordered it.  I had to try to recreate it at home.  When I did, it turned out amazing.  Maybe not as good as Brio's, but it's sure a lot cheaper!  

Thanks Marva, again, for the pears and the lunch date.  You're a gem!   

Brio's Grilled Salmon Fresca Copy Cat recipe
source: my own creation from the description and the help from a couple websites :)

Serves: 3

Ingredients:
1 fillet of salmon, cut into three chunks, leave skin on
18 spears of asparagus
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks

1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 c fresh spinach, washed, stems cut off

1/2 c feta cheese

1 roma tomato, diced

fresh basil, cut into thin strips

Balsamic Glaze:

source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caprese-salad-with-balsamic-reduction/

1 c balsamic vinegar

1/4 c honey

Pesto Vinaigrette:

source: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/salads/pesto-vinaigrette/

1/4 c prepared Pesto

1 1/2 T white wine vinegar

1/2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 c olive oil

salt

pepper

Okay folks.... here we go!

First off, you're going to make a couple sauces:

For balsamic glaze:

Stir balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan.  Place it over high heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer until the mixture is reduced to 1/3 c- about 10-15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

For pesto vinaigrette:

In a bowl, combine the pesto, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Slowly add the olive oil in a thing stream, whisking to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Boil water in a medium saucepan.  Add the diced sweet potato chunks for 5-7 minutes.  You want them to be just underdone since they'll be broiled later. Drain them and set them aside on a cookie sheet or roasting pan.  Place the asparagus spears and bell pepper chunks on the cookie sheet as well. Set it aside.

Preheat your broiler on high with the rack on the top position.

I was out a gas grill when I made this, so I just used a stovetop griddle pan.  You can grill it, if you'd like.  Preheat your grill or skillet to medium heat.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the salmon.  Place it in the skillet skin side down, cover it, and cook it for five minutes.  

Meanwhile, place the cookie sheet with the asparagus, peppers, and sweet potatoes in the oven under the broiler.  Set the timer for eight minutes.

Remove the lid, flip the salmon over to skin-side up, cover, and cook for 5 minutes more.  Remove the lid, and flip the salmon one last time so the skin is down again.  Generously brush the tops of the salmon with the balsamic glaze.  Cook for a couple minutes more or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  if the salmon fillets are thicker, it's going to take a little longer. Once it's done, remove from the heat and set aside.  

Your vegetables should be about done.  Once the eight minutes is up, take the pan out.  Drizzle about 1/2 of the Pesto Vinaigrette onto the vegetables.  Place the prepared fresh spinach on the cookie sheet.  Return the cookie sheet to the broiler for another 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is slightly wilted.  Remove the cookie sheet.

Remove the skin from the cooked salmon.

To prepare the plates, place 1/3 of the spinach on the center of each plate.  Put 1/3 of the sweet potatoes on one side of the spinach, and the roasted red peppers on the other side.  Drizzle with a little more pesto vinaigrette.  Top with the salmon.  Place 6 asparagus spears on top of the salmon.  Sprinkle some diced tomatoes and feta over the top of the asparagus.  Drizzle some balsamic reduction and a little more pesto vinaigrette over the top of the whole dish.  Top with the fresh basil.

Okay friends, this is an amazing meal.  My 8 year old daughter said it was one of the best things she's ever eaten and wants it every night.  You and me both!  

Enjoy!  :)

Grilled Shrimp Packets

 Grilled Shrimp Packets
source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/50-things-to-grill-in-foil/index.html

1/2 stick butter
1 c chopped parsley (I used cilantro)
1 t minced garlic
salt and pepper
juice from 1 lemon
1 pound shrimp
red pepper flakes

Melt the butter.  Add the parsley (or cilantro), garlic, and pepper.

 In another bowl, combine the lemon juice, shrimp, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

 Add the butter mixture to the shrimp and toss to combine.

 Tear off two pieces of foil and build it up around the edges.  Dump the shrimp/butter mixture into the foil, with equal amounts in each packet.

 Crunch the edges all together to seal.

 Grill for 8 minutes over high heat.

There you have it!  So easy and delicious.  And it is even somewhat healthy.  :)

Creamy Salmon Linguine

This was quite the tasty lunch!  I happened to have everything on hand for this recipe, so I gave it a whirl.  Mmm!  It came together in about 25 minutes, and it really was delicious.  I could have done without with capers since I'm not a fan of little olive things that taste like they have been marinated in ocean water for 100 years.  But- if you're into that sort of thing... go right on ahead an add them.  

 Creamy Salmon Linguine
source: Taste of Home Simple and Delicious August/September 2012
serves 4

8 oz uncooked linguine
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T butter
2 c heavy whipping cream
2 T lemon juice
1 lb. fully cooked salmon, flaked
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 c shredded Parmesan cheese
1 T dry basil or 3 T fresh minced basil
2 T capers
2 t lemon zest

Cook the linguine according to package directions, adding the broccoli during the last five minutes of boiling.

Meanwhile, Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the butter.  When it's melted, add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the cream and lemon juice.  Bring that to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer , uncovered, for 2-3 minutes.  Stir frequently.

Add the salmon, salt and pepper.  Heat through.  Drain the linguine and broccoli.  Add it to the skillet and toss to combine.  Finally, add the Parmesan cheese, basil, capers, and lemon zest.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

I went to Koh'ls today with my five week old, and this grandma wearing a white cotton co-ordinate outfit with floral arrangments on it came up behind me and wascarrying on about how little and cute she was.  Once I told her that the baby's name was Scarlet she said,  "Oh- I just saw Scarlet 'Yohansen' in "We Bought a Zoo.  She was fantastic!"  Then she starts on with a Marco Polo exchange with her husband who was wandering somewhere around in the men's sock department.  She called, "Lenny!  Where are you, Lenny?" I heard a distant reply, "Shirley?  Where are ya, Shirley?"  This continued on about five times back and forth until they finally found each other.  I had to laugh.  Then, she asked him where he got the socks from that he was carrying around.  He responded, "I don't remember."  "How can you not remember?!"  "Honestly, Shirley, you really expect me to remember?"  I wanted to follow these two around all day.

After a successful trip to Kohl's to get some pants, I came home and made this quick and easy meal.  I craved shrimp nonstop when I was pregnant, but I wasn't supposed to eat it.  I was thrilled to finally get to make something with shrimp.  I found this recipe on Melskitchencafe.com, and I loved it!  I love every stinkin' recipe I have tried from her website.  Mel, I salute you!  This recipe is not knock-you-to-the-floor delicious, but it is wonderful.  I loved the light butter-garlic-parsley sauce.  I served it with some Heat-before-you-eat Le Brea Focaccia rolls and a salad.  Delicioso! 

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine
source: Melskitchencafe.com 
4 servings

Canola/vegetable oil
salt
3 T butter
2 1/2 T olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails trimmed (I used the frozen precooked ones and just trimmed off the tails)
1/4 t freshly cracked pepper
3/4 t salt
3 T chopped parsley
zest from one lemon
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 t red pepper flakes
6 oz linguine

Boil salted water and add a little olive oil.  Cook the linguine as directed on the package.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan with the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and saute for about one minute.

 Add the shrimp, salt, and pepper.  Saute for a couple minutes until the shrimp is cooked through.  If it is fresh, cook it until the shrimp turns pink, about five minutes.  If it is frozen and thawed, cook about three minutes or until heated through.

 Zest the lemon.

 Once the shrimp is cooked, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

 Once the pasta is done, drain it.  Put it back in the pot and add the shrimp mixture.  Toss to combine. 

There you have it! 

Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze

Oh, how I love Steelhead Salmon.  However, when I eat it, for just a split second, I feel really guilty.  These crazy fish swim upstream for miles and miles to spawn only to get snagged up.  All that work for nothing.  At least they are delicious, and I will not let their efforts prevent me from devouring them every chance I get.  Could you imagine if humans had the instinct to return to their place of birth to spawn?  Watch out, Price, Utah!  Here I come!  Ha!  I'll pass.  But I won't ever pass if this salmon is present at the table.  It was tender, flavorful, and delicious in every way.  The green onions were a nice touch, too.  That was my own doing, but I loved it.

 Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
source: foodnetwork.com  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/salmon-with-brown-sugar-and-mustard-glaze-recipe/index.html

3 T brown sugar
1 T honey
2 T butter
1/4 c dijon mustard
2 T soy sauce
2 T olive oil
1 T grated ginger (or 1 t ground ginger)
vegetble oil
salt and pepper
8 salmon filets
green onion (for garnish)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, and butter. 

 Cook and stir until the brown sugar has dissolved.

 Remove from the heat and add the dijon mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and ginger.  Stir until everything is well combined. 

 Preheat the oven to 375.  Cover a baking sheet with foil.  Place the salmon filets on the foil.  Drizzle some vegetable oil on top and salt and pepper each filet- unless you have a five yer oldlike mine that loves salmon but without seasoning.

 Brush some of the brown sugar and mustard glaze onto the filets. 

 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  I brushed a little more glaze on each filet and sprinkled with a bit more brown sugar before serving it.  Use a spatula to scrape the fish off the skin.  It comes off really easily, and you can just throw the foil away. 

Sprinkle some cut green onions on top of each filet.

Miso Salmon

A few weeks ago, we were eating at my Mom's house, and she busted this out.  I ran outside trying to find the catering business that dropped off this tasty salmon.  After ten steps, I gave up.  I came inside to see that my mom made a copy-cat recipe of The Cheesecake Factory's Miso Salmon.  I've never had it there, but if it is anywhere near as delicious as this stuff, I'd be impressed.  This is such an amazing recipe.  I asked her for the recipe, and she passed it on down.  I couldn't wait to try it.  Finding the ingredients presented a challenge for me, though.  It asks for Red Miso, which I've never even heard of.  I went to Smith's, Albertsons, and an Asian market, for crying out loud, and I had no luck.  I finally called up my brother and begged for some of his leftover Miso.  The next ingredient that I definitely don't have on hand is Sake.  For Pete's sake, what is Sake?!  I had to call my brother, and he let me know that it was a wine.  Well, when I was on my way into the store to get it, there were a couple kids from my church out front selling some cards for a fundraiser.  Since it was a blazing hot day, I told them that I would bring them out some ice cream bars, which I did.  However, I wasn't about to prance out of the store carrying a bottle of liquor!  Luckily, my brother hooked me up with that, too.  I very, very rarely cook with liquor, but I had to try it in this recipe.  The alcohol cooks out, so you don't have to worry about that.  If you're concerned about that, you can use some white cooking wine, which is sold by the vinegar in the grocery store. Don't be intimidated by the presentation!  It's really not that hard, and I promise that it is worth the effort!

 Miso Salmon
source: My mom, but I think she got it out of a Top Secret Recipes cookbook

Miso marinade:
1/2 c red miso
3/4 c sake
3/4 c brown sugar
1 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t minced garlic
1/4 t minced ginger (or 1 t dried ginger)

four 8 oz salmon filets
2 c uncooked white rice

Sake Butter Sauce
1 c Sake
1 T minced shallot (or onion)
1 t minced ginger
1/2 c unslated butter
2 T flour
1 c heavy cream
1/4 t kosher salt (if you only have salted butter, omit this)

20 lightly steamed snow peas
4 green onions, julienned

Whisk the marinade ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.    If you don't know where to find Red Miso, my brother found it by the egg roll wrappers in the produce section.  It will be refrigerated. Once the mixture starts to bubble, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until it is thick. 

 While it is still hot, pour the mixture through a strainer to remove the chunks of garlic and ginger.  Reserve 1/4 c of the marinade and put in the fridge.  Pour the remaining marinade over the salmon in a large ziplock bag or other container.  Let it marinade in the fridge for 4-6 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 425.  Place the salmon filets on a cooking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.  I placed mine on aluminum foil for easy clean-up. 

Cook the rice according to package directions and set aside.

While it is baking, prepare the Sake Butter sauce.  Pour the Sake, minced shallot, and minced ginger in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half.  Pour this through a strainer and save the flavored Sake.  Discard the chunks of shallot and ginger. 

 In another saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Once it is melted, add the flour.  When it starts to bubble, cook for an additional minute.  Whisk in the cream.  The sauce will start to thicken.  Add the reserved Sake and the salt.  Cook it for another minute or so.

 When the salmon comes out, it will look golden and a little bubbly from the marindae.  As you can see around the edges, the marinade does burn in that hot oven, so clean-up is much easier with the aluminum foil. 

 If you want to just serve a salmon filet on a plate with sauce spooned over the top with rice and sugar snap peas on the side, that's quite alright!  However, if you want to be a little on the fancy-pants side, it's really fun to put this together.

Put some butter on a paper towel and brush in on the inside of a ramekin or other small bowl. 

 Pack the rice into the dish.  And, I mean pack!  If it's in there loosely, you're going to have a rice disater all over the plates.

 Put a plate on the top of the dish, hold them, and flip it over.  I had to tap the ramekin a couple times, but when it came out, it came out like butta'.

 Pour the Sake butter sauce around the rice.

 Arrange the snow peas like spokes of a tire or like a big, rice/pea sun. 

 Using a spoon, put small drops of the reserved marinade inbetween the snow peas.

 Gently place the salmon filets on the rice.  Obviously, you have to cut the filets to make this work.  I placed one on top, and one off to the side.  Top with the julienned green onions.

Now, I'm sure if anyone at the Cheesecake Factory is reading this because mine doesn't look as good, and maybe the recipe is way off.  Laugh it up, folks!  I could eat this every week and love every second of it.  It always makes my day when my five year old says, "Dang, mom!  This looks fancy and delicious!"  I love that girl.  I hope someone out there reading this tries it and comes back to tell me how they liked it.  I think it's phenomonal.

Skewered Shrimp on Grilled Pineapple Planks

I'm a teacher, and although the pay is not great, I'll give you three reasons to be a teacher: 1. June 2. July 3. August.  I rest my case.  I'm officially on Summer vacation, and I am loving every second of it.  My summer vacation has been filled with drafting ideas for Children's Books (my dream job), exercising, playing with the kids, cooking healthier, and playing Angry Birds.  As an added bonus, we finally sold the piano that did not belong to us that has been sitting in our front room for a year.  Now, I have a sitting area in my front room with my record collection.  Words cannot describe how awesome it is to listen to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Simon & Garfunkel, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, and Led Zeppelin on vinyl.  Ahh... I'm loving life right now. 

Now, to the recipe.  I checked out a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook from the library awhile back and found this recipe.  Since shrimp is now a staple in my freezer, I knew I had to try this.  Grilled pineapple planks and skewered shrimp?  Sounds like a dream come true to me.  When my husband came down for dinner, he looked at the plate and said, "Who are you?  The editor of Better Homes and Gardens?!  This looks amazing!"  I found it quite humorous when I told him that it was really from that magazine.  This is a delicious meal, and I'd imagine that it's pretty healthy.  Relatively speaking... Compare this to my Mexican food or steaks smothered in Mushroom Cream sauce, and it's like eating carrot sticks and asparagus.  I know it seems "weird" since it's not your traditional grilled meal, but I promise it won't disappoint- especially if you like shrimp and pineapple.

Skewered Shrimp on Grilled Pineapple Planks:
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

1 lb shrimp (I used medium)
1 fresh pineapple, crown removed and peeled
3 T butter, melted
1/4 c BBQ sauce
1-2 T canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c chopped cucumbers
1/2 c chopped, peeled jicama (I omitted this)
1 T lime or lemon juice
1/4 t salt
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

To prepare the pineapple, cut off the skin and any pokey parts left on the fruit.  Slice it into thin planks.

Brush the pineapple with 1 T melted butter.

Combine the remaining melted butter, BBQ sauce, chipotle peppers in Adobo, and garlic in a bowl. 

Add the shrimp and let it marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

In another bowl, combine the diced cucumber, Jicama (if you're using it... I couldn't even tell you what it looks like), cilantro, lime or lemon juice, and 1/4 c chopped pineapple from the one you cut up.  Keep in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Skewer the shrimp and grill over medium heat for about five minutes per side.  If you're using bigger shrimp, they'll need more time.  If you'd like, brush with more BBQ sauce while they are on the grill. 

Place the pineapple planks on the grill as well and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes total.

When it's all said and done, place a pineapple plank on your plate, add some of the cucumber relish, and top with the skewered shrimp. 

I served this with brown rice, steamed vegetables, and some of that frozen Strawberry Daquiri drink- non-alcoholic, of course.  It was wonderful! 

Hopefully, I'll be back again to post more soon, but I'm really enjoying this summer break.  I've been doing pretty good with my diet, too.  I'll find something more to post this week though.  Hang in there!  I haven't completely abandoned you! 

Marinated Grilled Salmon

Since I have been trying to eat better, I've been trying something over than beef covered in cream and Mexican food smothered in cheese.  It's been quite the adjustment.  The first couple of days, I did grilled chicken with vegetables, rice, and fresh fruit.  It was pretty good, but I think if I keep that up, my family will sell me as a health club short-order cook on ebay.  Any buyers?  I've branched

out a bit, and figured that I can make things that are somewhere in the middle of healthy and not-as-much but have smaller portions. 

When we were in Costco the other night, my husband saw some Steelhead Salmon and wanted to buy some.  I've been pretty iffy on salmon my entire life.  Sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't.  While perusing cookbooks, I came across this recipe in a Taste of Home cookbook- of course.  I gave it a shot, and it turned out fantastic!  I only made 1/2 of a filet, and I should have made another whole filet for my husband.  He could not get enough of that stuff.  Even my four year old was begging for more.  She ate half of mine and all of her brother's leftovers. 

This is a simple recipe, and it'll turn out wonderful.  Again, I wasn't planning on blogging this until my husband gave it google eyes and started whispering sweet nothings to his plate.  So- I apologize for only having one picture.  Next time I make it, I'll take more pictures and add them in here.

Marinated Grilled Salmon
source: The Taste of Home Cookbook; It's also on their website

1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c soy sauce
3 T unsweetened pineapple juice
3 T red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T lemon juice
1 t ground ginger
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t hot sauce
1 salmon filet (2 pounds)

Combine all ingredients in a large resealable bag.  Pour out and reserve about 1/4 c of it to use for basting the fish while it's grilling.

Place the fish in the bag and let it marinate for one hour.

Prepare the grill by preheating it to medium heat.  While it is heating up, tear a piece of aluminum foil off that is double the size of the salmon.  Fold it in half and place the salmon, skin side down, on the foil.

Place the foil with the fish on the grill.  Close the lid and grill it for five minutes.  Then, brush the salmon with the reserved marinade.  Close the lid and grill for another 15-20 minutes or until the salmon forks easily with a fork.

I served this with Foxy Lady Salad (recipe coming soon), fresh fruit, brown rice, and steamed carrots. Oh- and Brazilian Lemonade

Fish tacos with Mango-Avocado salsa

I'm pretty sure that I used to make fun of people that ate fish tacos- probably quite recently.  Well, my curiosity got the best of me, and I gave them a try.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I will make these again for sure.  The mango salsa was amazing.  However, after dinner was long over, I realized that I forgot the sweet chili sauce.  Arg!  That would have revolutionized these tacos.  Next time, my friends, next time.  I don't know too many kids that would eat this, but it's easy to grill chicken alongside the fish or brown some ground beef for them.

 Fish Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa
source: Taste of Home Annual Cookbook 2011

1 medium mango, peeled and cubed
1/2 c cubed avocado
1/4 c chopped red onion
2 T chopped, seeded jalapeno pepper
1 T minced cilantro
2 t olive oil, divided
1 t lemon juice
1 t honey
1 lb fish (halibut, cod, or another mild flavored fish- don't stink out the neighbors)
1 t olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
4 flour tortillas

Thai sweet chili sauce

Prepare the Mango-Avocado salsa by combining the first eight ingredients in a bowl.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.

 Prepare the grill to medium-high heat.  If you've never used a grill, you should give it a try!  It's not much different than a stove, and it doesn't heat up the house.  I love to use it! 

Brush the fish filets with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill for 4-5 minutes per side or until it flakes easily with a fork.  You can also broil it for 3-5 minutes on each side. 

 While the grill was on, I turned one of the burners down to low and toasted the tortillas on there for about 20 seconds per side.  Keep on eye on them though.  They can burn pretty easily. 

 Compile the fish tacos.  The original recipe used a large piece of Bibb lettuce on the tortilla first.  Top with the Thai chili sauce, and you'll have a wonderful summer meal.  Isn't is lovely? 

I will leave myself open to public mockery for any anti-fish taco eaters out there.  It's fair game.  However, when you finally come around and try them and love them, I will expect an apology.  :)