Crappie Tonight!!

Dinner Tonight: Fried Crappie w/ Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, Green Beans, and Whole Grain Bread.

As Spring inches ever closer I always get my yearly Crappie fillets. My Cousins come home from their 3 month Winter retreat at Lake Okeechobee. Which also means I get a mess of fresh Crappies  or Specks as they call them down in Florida. I could eat these every day and not get tired of them. I could not wait to open that first bag up and start frying! I seasoned them with Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper. I then rolled each fillet in a Whole Wheat Flour and Italian Bread Crumb Mix. I lightly fried them in Canola Oil about 3 minutes per side. As the picture shows they came out golden brown and the taste unbelievable!



For side dishes to accompany the Crappie I prepared a Loaded Baked Potato Casserole, Green Beans, and Whole Grain Bread. I used Idahoan Loaded Baked Potato Casserole. The easy and delicious way to have Potato dishes. It's 150 calories and 22 carbs per serving. The Green Beans were Del Monte Cut Green Beans, just heat in a sauce pan and serve. The Bread, Aunt Millie's Whole Grain Light Bread. For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate pudding.

Lake Okeechobee Crappie


Lake Okeechobee

Well if I’m posting about Lake Okeechobee you know it has to do with one of my favorite fish, the Crappie! My cousins dropped off my yearly supply of Lake Okeechobee Crappie!  Here’s a little info on Lake Okeechobee.

Lake Okeechobee locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States  and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states. Okeechobee covers 730 square miles (1,900 km2), approximately half the size of the state of Rhode Island, and is exceptionally shallow for a lake of its size, with an average depth of only 9 feet (3 m). The lake is divided between Glades, Okeechobee, Martin, Palm Beach, and Hendry counties. Maps of Florida[3] show that all five of these counties meet at one point near the center of the lake.

The most common fish in this lake are largemouth bass, crappie and bluegill. Pickerel have been less commonly caught.

Lake Okeechobee Crappie Fishing

The Florida Crappie fishing, speckled perch or speck’ as they are called throughout the State of Florida is the most sort after pan fish on Lake Okeechobee. Although the Florida crappie can be caught during the summer months, they really are at their best from late fall to early spring.

Go Lake Okeechobee freshwater fishing with your family and friends together for an affordable day of Florida crappie fishing on Lake Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee comprises a 730-square-mile area and is the second-largest natural lake in the U.S., holding more than a trillion gallons of water.

Most fishing takes place along the southeastern, west and north portions of the lake within a mile of the shoreline. Look for hyacinths, hydrilla and other water plants where big bass ambush shiners, bluegills and other scaled groceries. They also pounce on frogs, crickets, worms, grasshoppers and pretty much any fish smaller than itself. Plastic imitations of those baits work well.

You know the deal black crappies speckled perch to most Floridians are about as smart as a dead bird, but fortunately they are a lot more abundant. Stick a minnow in their face, set the hook and start heating up the frying-pan as we say here on Okeechobee.

http://www.lakeokeechobeebassfishing.com/crappie-fishing/




Idahoan LOADED BAKED® HOMESTYLE CASSEROLE

There’s no better way to start a savory Loaded Baked® homestyle casserole than with world-famous Idaho® potatoes, which is why you’ll taste only 100% grown-in-Idaho potatoes in this rich, cheesy, bacony side. For family meals or for special occasions, this cheesy, delicious dish is sure to please.

Oven Directions
Best for Golden Browning

PREHEAT oven to 450°F. COMBINE potatoes and sauce mix in 1 1/2 quart baking dish.
STIR in 1 1/2 cups boiling water, 3/4 cup milk, and 1 1/2 Tbsp. margarine or butter with whisk.
BAKE uncovered for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender (sauce will thicken slightly when cooling).
Remove from oven and let stand a few minutes before serving.
BAKING NOTES: To prepare 2 casseroles at once, double all ingredients, increase baking dish size accordingly, and bake about 30 min. To bake potatoes and roast meat at the same time, bake at 375°F for about 45 min; 350°F for about 50 min; or 325°F for about 60 min.


Nutrition Facts
        Amount Per Serving
Calories 100
Calories from fat 10
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g* 2%
Saturated Fat 0g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 640mg 27%
Total Carbohydrates 22g


http://www.idahoan.com/products/loaded-baked-homestyle-casserole/