Recipe: Cheese Encrusted Tilapia with Barley

Today was a hectic day. I was super hungry, in a rush for work things tomorrow and I whipped up something quick, delicious, and homey. This meal was not only hearty but it made me feel warm and fuzzy after a long day.

Ingredients Needed:

For the Fish:
4 Pieces of Tilapia
Breadcrumbs
Italian Seasoning or freshly chopped up herbs
Cheese- Parmesan or Romano work really well
1 egg
1 lemon
One tablespoon of mayo

For the Barley:
Quick Cook Barley
Vegetable Stock or Water with Flavor Boosts
Your Favorite Seasonings

Directions:
1. Assemble all of your ingredients in one area. It makes life easier, trust me! Spray a cookie sheet with some PAM.
2. Take a shallow bowl and mix the egg, juice the lemon into the bowl and shlop the mayo in there, too.
3. Mix all of these together as much as possible. It will not look pretty.
4. Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese and Italian seasoning on a plate. Add a lot of cheese :]
5. Dunk the fish into the wet mixture well. It took me a minute until I felt like the fish was covered everywhere.
6. Dunk the fish into the dry mixture, making sure to get all the crevices. I rolled the fish around a lot to make sure that it will be extra crispy.
7. Place fish onto the cookie sheet that you sprayed with PAM. Repeat with all the pieces.
8. Place the fish into an oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.
9. If you had really big pieces, you may need more time. If it doesn't look crunchy enough, stick those bad boys under the broiler.

Now, as the fish is cooking, work on the Barley!
*Follow instructions on the container of Barley. Use mine as reference.*
1. You can either boil cooking stock or if you are like me and forget where everything is in the house, boil water. With the barley in it.
2. When it comes to a boil, add your seasoning & Flavor Boosts.
3. Turn down the heat, let simmer for ten-fifteen minutes.
4. Take the pot off the heat and let it thicken up.

Enjoy!