Her Next Chapter and Blackened Halibut over Spanish Rice

I won’t say just how old I am, but I am a grandmother. I have been doing things I never thought I would do; i.e., I have a TikTok account (OMG) and am a guest on podcasts. Why? To promote my latest book, Grocery Shopping Secrets, and my upcoming memoir Busted But Not Broken—my next chapter.

I remember when my cookbook came out, and I had to do cooking segments on television. I was terrified. My son, Brian, gave me skydiving for my 58th birthday, thinking that would overcome my fear. I still get anxious when I do new things, but jumping out of a plane again is not in the cards. Once was enough.

I was recently on the podcast, Her Health Code, a part of Her Next Chapter Podcast, hosted by Jessica and Michele. I shared my journey with the closure of Steele’s with them. Jess and Michele understood intuitively that at the time Steele’s was struggling, I was also struggling with menopause. I had never put the two together. Amazing. Now, I am not proud of how I accepted the closure of Steele’s, but knowing that my emotions and hormones were on a roller coaster ride helps me forgive myself. They asked me to share their podcast with you, so the links are included below.

Listen on your favorite app!

Her Health Code:

https://share.transistor.fm/s/e532986c

Apple Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-health-code/id1848193044

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1jPVYjkBm59CmWLuTIHZEM

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@HerHealthCodeJessandMichele/featured

And because Jessica and Michele think this old lady is still productive, I am sharing my newest recipe, a re-creation of a meal I had at Ocean Prime in Denver before seeing “The Phantom of the Opera.” It was delicious!

What’s your next chapter?

Blackened Halibut over Spanish Rice

Serves 2

For the Spanish rice:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ white onion, diced

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ cup canned tomato sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, minced

2 tablespoons adobo sauce

½ cup red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

½ cup yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

½ jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced

¼ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups vegetable broth

In a large saucepan, place olive oil over a medium high heat. Add onion and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until translucent. Add basmati rice and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant and toasted.

Add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and garlic and stir to combine. Add red and yellow bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, oregano, salt, and broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat. Cover and let sit for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.

For the blackened halibut:

2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¾ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon large grind black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

2 halibut fillets, skinless

3 tablespoons extra butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, and oregano. Dip both sides of fish in spice mixture and rub over halibut fillets to lightly cover. (You won’t need all the blackening.) Or use your favorite store-bought blackening.

Heat a skillet over a high heat until extremely hot. Dip spice-covered fish in butter and place in the hot skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then turn. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the second side.

To serve: Serve halibut over Spanish rice.

Tips on selecting fish fillets and steaks: Fillets and steaks should have firm, elastic flesh and a moist, fresh appearance. Avoid fish with browning around the edges. Fillets and steaks should not have separated from the bones. If kept too long in the case, fillets will separate. When pressed, the flesh of fresh fish should spring back. It should be almost translucent with no evidence of bruising or reddening. Avoid buying fish packaged in liquid. They deteriorate more quickly

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved Carol Ann Kates