BOOOOOOOOOOO! The holidays are over.

          Merry belated Christmas, you turkeys! I hope most of you had a good holiday with your family, I know I did. We spent the first part of the week in New Mexico with my family, then we spent the rest of the week in the Phoenix area with Donnell's parents. I always look forward to Stewart Family Christmas and this year was no exception. It was Don's first Stewart Christmas and he was greeted warmly & enjoyed getting to know everyone. Likewise, this was my first holiday with his parents. They graciously opened their lovely home and it was good to have a chance to get to know them better. 
          But wouldn't you know it? All week, I was using the "mind over matter" school of thought to combat what I was pretty sure was a cold (and some bourbon too, if I am being totally honest). And after a relatively crapulent red eye flight from Sky Harbor to Thurgood Marshall BWI, the cold took full effect. The cold seemed to say "Hey guess what, a******, not only do you have to go to work tomorrow, but you'll also feel like you have a mild case of the Black Plague". What fun! 
          Griping aside, I am glad we are home and that we, along with our families, had a great holiday. AND MY SWEETHEART TURNED 39! Happy birthday, babe! We went to Seasons 52, one of our favorite restaurants and he picked up a lovely pair of soft, Italian leather loafers as his birthday present. 
           I have been meaning to get this recipe posted for ages and have not been on task. But, here it is! This halibut recipe is outstanding and one of our favorite recipes. It's filling and satisfying, no matter what time of the year. MAKE THIS! 

Baked Halibut and Sautéed Vegetables

Ingredients

-       1 ½  to 2 pound of halibut filets

-       2 small zucchinis

-       2 small yellow squash

-       1 medium yellow onion

-       1 to 2 fresh tomatoes

-       3 to 5 cloves of garlic 

-       1 tablespoon Italian blend seasoning

-       salt and pepper to taste

-       ¾ cup crumbled feta

-       non-fat cooking spray

Fish marinade

-       1 bottle of Italian or Greek dressing

Preheat Oven to 450˚ F

1-    Using a large bowl, place the fish in the bowl and pour the entire bottle of dressing over the fish. Move the fish around using a spoon and make sure the fish is submerged. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2-    Dice the onion into small pieces. Spray a large, non-stick pan with the non fat cooking spray. Over medium heat, add the onions to the pan and spray the onions with the cooking spray as well. Sauté for about 3 minutes.

3-    While the onion cooks, dice the squash and zucchini. Combine the two in a bowl and set aside. Next, dice the tomato and put in a separate bowl.

4-    Finely dice the garlic. Use as much or as little garlic as you like (I PREFER A LOT OF GARLIC).  Sauté for about one minute, or until fragrant.

5-    Add the squash and the zucchini to the pan and stir. Add the Italian seasoning. Sauté for about 4 minutes or until softened. Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir again. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down, about two minutes. Salt and pepper according to taste.

6-    Remove the fish from the marinade bowl, and allow the excess to drip off. Place the fish in a 9” x 13” Pyrex baking dish, and sprinkle the top of the fish with salt and pepper.

7-    Ladle the vegetable mixture over the top of the fish evenly.

8-    On a plate, using a fork, break the feta cheese up into tiny bits. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the vegetables.

9-    Place the dish in the preheated oven and allow to bake for 15 minutes. Allow the  fish to rest for about 3 minutes before serving.  Et voila!