Blackened Tilapia with Dirty Rice

OK I am sure one can look at a meal like this and assume it took me forever to make. That would be wrong, and the price per person was pretty budget minded (hence the name of the blog). Tilapia is a relatively cheap fish that absorbs flavors very well. I am sure it will make many appearances throughout my blogging career. The sauce is a quick à la minute Meuniére sauce that was fortified with the blackened bits from the blackening seasoning. With the addition of stock, butter and little lemon juice and some parsley and you have a quick pan sauce to go along the dish. And the dirty rice you could always start chopping all of your vegetables (trinity) with garlic and well you know the rest. Or you can cheat and buy a box of dirty rice mix and add some sauté livers and gizzards with a little sausage. The fennel and sage in the sausage is an excellent combo with rice. And there you have it from start to finish it took me about 30 minutes from pan to plate. Budget cooking doesn't have to come out of microwave, with careful planning you can make a meal sing with flavor. Oh I forgot $11.48 divided by 4, that's $2.87 per plate. A person could get use to this kind budget cooking.