• 6 tilapia fillets. 1 cup fish-fry mix. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. 1 large lemon. 1 cup milk. 2 tablespoons light olive oil.

1. Prep the tilapia - Defrost in package, if necessary, rinse and place in glass or plastic bowl.
2. Cover with milk and set aside for 30 minute to soak out as much of the strong flavor as possible - the milk will turn pink.
3. Using a microplane, zest the lemon, removing as much as possible without getting any of the pith.
4. Juice the lemon and set both the juice and zest aside.
5. Preheat an electric skillet to 375 degrees.
6. Remove the tilapia from the milk and discard the milk.
7. Lightly bread the fish with the fish fry.
8. Add a small amount of olive oil to the skillet and distribute evenly.
9. Place the fillets in the oil and fry until the fish is just flaky and the breading is a medium brown.
10. While the fish is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
11. Add the lemon zest and stir until combined.
12. Whisk in the lemon juice until fully incorporated. You can add more fresh not from concentrate lemon juice to taste.
13. Remove the cooked fillets from the skillet, drain on a paper towel.
14. Plate the fish and drizzle the sauce over to taste.
15. Serve with risotto or pilaf and a green vegetable such as asparagus or broccoli.

My Grandmother, Mary Eaton, was born and raised in Waterloo, Iowa. Shortly after World War II, she met my grandfather, Paul McClain. After graduating from college, Mary and Paul married and moved to Dayton, Ohio where they settled and began to raise a family. Within three years of moving to Dayton, the McClains had three new members of the family, my mother Martha, as well as Sara and Matthew. The McClains needed to live a very modest lifestyle. The family's diet became an interesting aspect of their lives.

Once a week the McClains would go to the grocery store. There, they followed a strict budget. If Paul and Mary went over the budget, they would find what was necessary and discard it. Even living in a modest situation, the McClains ate well. The food was of high quality and was rather enjoyable; it was food that would not be as readily available for such a fair price today. Mary shopped at a grocery store that was much like a Wholefoods store is today.

Meat and potatoes was commonly seen on the dinner table, other common items were lamb patties or City-Chicken, which is veal and chicken on a stick. Mary was also adamant that every meal contain some sort of green vegetable.

Religious practices were also observed in the McClain household--more specifically, refraining from meat on Fridays. Tuna Casserole was commonly used to fulfill the no-meat requirement. Tuna Casserole was a can of tuna fish and a can of mushroom soup with potato chips on top. Mary described it as "God-Awful," yet they still ate it on a regular basis. Occasionally the McClains would eat freshwater fish from the lakes and streams of Iowa. However, the Tuna Casserole was most often used.

Dessert, or the kids' favorite part of the meal, was a weekly occurrence on the dinner table. Cake mixes had recently been invented and were often used to make quick and easy desserts that everyone enjoyed.

Occasionally, Paul would be required to travel on business. When that happened the kids would get a special treat of eating out. Often times the family would go to Maid-Rite, the equivalent of a fast food store. Maid-Rite served loose meat hamburgers and was also known for having milkshakes and a fun atmosphere.

The McClains lived in a time period that required them to live modestly and make some sacrifices, yet the 1950s were a time of American consumerism, and the McClain's took full advantage of what was within their means.