A bottle of wine begs to be shared; I have never met a miserly wine lover. ~ Clifton Paul Fadiman
Many of you know I have been a Grade 7 & 8 teacher with our school board here for some time now. I started out as a Music specialist and while I have taught just about everything else over time, 12 years ago I started teaching Art and Music together. Two of the things I love. Art and Music are woven through just about everything I do.
Sarah Wenn was one of my Grade 8 students in the first year I taught Art and Music together. She was a conscientious student who especially loved Art because her father was a painter.
I remember visiting Sarah’s family home. It was a lovely modest home on the exterior, but when you stepped through the front door you were taken to a different time and place. On the dining room walls he had painted trompe l’oeil Greek pillars with vines. Over on one of the window-less walls in the livingroom, he painted just that – a framed window with a view of their favourite spot in the Muskokas. While most homes cover their walls in “neutral” tones, Sarah’s dad saw each space as an opportunity to share something beautiful with his family.
Recently I reconnected with Sarah and got caught up on her life and family news. Both she and her younger sister Andrea, another great former student of mine, have moved out and moved on. Both the girls are doing very well despite the fact that their mom recently passed away. When you lose your mom early, you have to become a “mom” to yourself. Dad still lives in the family home surrounded by his beautiful work. Mom was the backbone to all of their lives and while she left this earth too early, she sure did a wonderful job preparing her daughters for adulthood.
Sarah was been savvy enough to buy her first home in her early twenties and she rents out the extra rooms to help cover expenses. She is one of those very responsible young adults who thinks ahead and thinks things through.
When Sarah goes out partying with her friends she likes to have everyone back to her place for Bacalhau afterwards. It’s a delicious & healthy Portuguese/Spanish fish casserole. While the rest of the young people her age are heading to late-night fast food drive thru, she’s heading home to bake tilapia for everyone. That’s my Sarah!
“Girls’ Night Out” Bacalhau
4 Tilapia fillets
4-6 potatoes cut into bit sized pieces
1/2 onion sliced or diced
10 bay leaves
1 clove crushed garlic
salt & pepper
1 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio or Riesling works best)
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In an 8×12 baking dish, place potatoes and onion.
3. Add bay leaves, garlic, salt, pepper, white wine, water and olive oil.
4. Toss potatoes in mixture to coat.
5. Place tilapia fillets on top of potatoes, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45minutes-1hr (until potatoes are to desired tenderness). Uncover and cook for an addition 10-15 minutes to brown potatoes a little bit.
Enjoy!
Sarah’s note: This is very inexpensive to make. I buy the frozen tilapia fillets which are usually $8.99. MUCH cheaper than buying fresh. 
Can feed 4 people for under $20.
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