BAKED TILAPIA IOWA CAJUN STYLE

Steps:

• Rinse and drain the fish; arrange skin side down and overlapping slightly in 9X12 or larger casserole if using more; heat oven to 400F; if using glass or nonstick, I don't bother to grease the pan.
• Melt the butter and margarine in small saucepan and pour over fish; the margarine dilutes the butter which causes burning easily but the butter imparts flavor.
• Rub the butter mixture over the top of the fish with your hands or spatula; with frozen filets (which must be fairly thin to cook right) the mixture will solidify; don't worry about it.
• The spices and herbs will not adhere well without moisture or the butter mixture but too much isn't good for you now so I try to drain it off when I serve.
• Most spices have plastic sprinkling inserts with holes so I don't measure but sprinkle to taste trying to get the right balance; watch the parsley as sometimes it's easy to get too much; same goes for other spices you're not familiar with amounts, better too little than too much if you're not used to cooking with them.
• Sprinkle on the seasoned salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper blend, fines herbes, thyme and parsley last.
• Put in oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• With a turkey baster or spoon, scoop up the butter and juices and drizzle back over the fish.
• Continue baking for 10 more minutes; it may be done or thicker pieces of fish take about another 5 or 10 minutes.
• You can tell it's done when you pierce with a fork or sharp knife; it will be tender and flaky with clear juices (not always apparent).
• Remove from oven and baste one more time, may have to tilt the dish so it will all pool at an end.
• Serve while hot with a spatula, draining off the excess melted butter mixture; it's not good for us; you can substitute an oil and less of it and it should be essentially the same.
• Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the fish at the table if desired (a must in the past for all fish but well everything is getting more expensive).