Easy foods...fast

So...this post is a reminder of how we can make healthy food FAST!! In general I think we forget that healthy doesn't mean elaborate or time consuming. The ideas are made using Demarle products and highlight how to make high quality food, tailor it to your taste and still not spend more than 20 minutes. These are ideas that we use on our monthly menu at least 2-3 times month. They are easy, inexpensive, and good. Enjoy!

Nachos
Tortilla chips
Ground beef, turkey, or chicken(cooked and chopped up, seasoned with Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste)
Grated Tillamook Cheddar Cheese
Black olives, chopped
Tomato, chopped
Salsa
Sour cream
Lettuce or cabbage, chopped
The picture is of some I made for one of my kids and as you can see it just has chips, meat, and cheese. It is made on the Octagonal Silpat and is one serving. I did these in the microwave, 30 seconds on high. You can do a Medium or Large size Silpat in the oven on 325 degrees until the cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Every oven varies so watch it pretty close the first time you do it. You may need to adjust the oven tempature or time. This can be meal for the whole family in just a few minutes. We leave off the veggies, sour cream, salsa, and lettuce till after it is cooked and then everyone can add their own. It is versatile, you could even do pizza nachos with pizza sauce, your favorite topping, and mozzarella cheese!









Toasted Cheese Sandwich
Bread
Grated Tillamook Cheddar Cheese

Place one slice of bread on the Silpat, put grated cheese on top and put second slice of bread on top of cheese. Put in the oven on 250 degrees for 2-3 minutes till cheese is melted, again you will have to watch it and make adjustments accordingly. You do not need to use butter on the outside OR flip the sandwich, it will toast on both sides due to your perforated baking sheets. You can fit at least 6 whole sandwiches on the Medium Silpat, warm up some soup and eat! You can have dinner ready in less than 20 minutes. Pacific makes a good line of soups, some of them Organic. Roasted Red pepper is one of my favorites.

Inspiration in the kitchen...

Here are two recipes I enjoy making! They always are a hit and are VERY easy to make. My kids, almost 5 and 6 years old can help me make these. The soup is cooked on the stove, so be careful with that, but they can help with the "chopping" (using the food processor), a great way to involve them, but doesn't make too much of a mess. If you prep this in advance (soup) it is even easier. Have fun and enjoy!!



Kelly’s 30 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 carrots
3 stalks celery
½ medium size onion
2-3 cloves garlic
I put the above ingredients in my food processor (or blender) and process until very small pieces (my family is picky and won’t eat any of the above, but if they can’t see it they will eat it, hence why I use the food processor).
2 TBLS canola or corn oil
Saute veggies and seasoning, listed below, in oil in Demarle small or medium stock pot, till the veggies are tender.
1 TBLS chili powder
½ TBLS cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 cups stewed tomato (or use 1 16 oz. can chopped tomatoes S&W Mexican ones work good)
2-4 cups water
1 1/2 TBLS Better Than Bouilon OR
1 container Pacific Organic Chicken Stock (if using this reduce water as necessary)
If using Better Than Bouilon (found at Costco) put it in a jar with a tight fitting lid and ¼ cup water or stock, shake till combined, then add to stock pot. It works best this way. Add tomato, water or chicken stock to veggies and stir.
At this point taste the “broth” and make sure it is seasoned to your taste. The taste will change as it cooks and the flavors combine, but not too much.
1-2 frozen chicken breast (approx. 6 oz. each)
Just add the chicken breast frozen solid, straight from the freezer (I know it sounds weird, but bear with me I will explain) cook on medium high heat, so the soup just bubbles but is not boiling, for 20 minutes. Using a fork take out the chicken breast place on a cutting board and chop into appropriate size pieces. It will be HOT! Use a fork to hold the chicken while you cut it up. You can also cut it in half and use the food processor to chop it up. After it is chopped, add it back to the soup.
10 each corn tortillas OR
1 cup Masa flour
1 cup milk, optional
If using tortillas chop them up before adding to the soup. The smaller you chop them, the faster they will disintegrate ie the sooner the soup will be ready to eat. If using the Masa flour, put it in a Mason jar with tight fitting lid add the milk or some of the soup to the jar and shake till combined and no lumps. You may need to do this ½ cup flour at a time, depending on the consistency you want your soup. The Masa flour thickens the soup more than the tortillas. I don’t add the milk, but it will make the soup richer and creamy.
Our family likes cheese and tortilla strips, that I toast in the oven on my Silpat, to top off the soup! This is a great 30 minute meal that it full and robust!! Enjoy!

This can be done in a crockpot also! Chop everything, including chicken (leaving it raw). Put all seasoning, veggies, and meat in a gallon Ziplock bag. You can put it in the freezer and keep for up to a month. Set your crock pot on low add everything from Ziplock, water, tomato and water or chicken stock, cook for 6-8 hours. Add tortillas in last hour, or they can be added right before serving, but make sure it is long enough so they soften.



Sweet Corn Tomalitos

This is an amazing size dish!! Thanks to my friend Sara for inspiring me to find this recipe and suffering through a couple trials before we got it right!! THANKS SARA, you’re the best!!!

5 TBLS margarine, softened (I use I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter)
¼ cup masa flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup water
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 TBLS milk (I use water)

In the Demarle mixing bowl, mix the margarine, masa, and sugar with a mixer till light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Blend the corn with the water in the food processor (blender) until mostly chopped up. Combine with the margarine mixture, mix well. Add cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and milk (water). Put in the flower mold, bundt mold, or muffin tray(if using the muffin tray only fill ½ way or there won’t be room for it to rise), cover with a Silpat. Bake in 250 degree oven for approximately 1 hour. Watch very closely because you do not want to overcook it, because it will dry out. It is a cross between a side dish and a dessert. Yum!! Very easy and VERY yummy!! Sure to please!! Great with enchiladas too!

Cooking 2gether-March 2010 Recipes



Favorite Granola
4 c. rolled oats
½ c. wheat germ/flax seed meal
¾ c. ground almonds or whole sunflower seeds
½ c. cashew pieces
¼ c. sesame seeds
½ c. unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. raisins
2/3 c. maple syrup
½ c. canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon

-Mix all dry ingredients except raisins
-Mix wet ingredients.
-Pour wet into dry & mix well.
-Bake at 200° until crispy, approx 1 ½ hrs.
-Add raisins just after removing from oven.






Gary’s Blueberry Muffins
Streusel Topping
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 TBLS firm butter

Muffins
¾ cup milk
¼ cup oil
1 egg
Mix together with wire wisk.

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt
Mix all dry ingredients together in separate bowl from wet ingredients.
When well mixed add to wet ingredients and mix just till flour is moistened (batter should be lumpy).
Fold in 1 cup fresh, canned (drained), or frozen blueberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and sprinkle with approx. 1 TBLS. of the streusel topping. Yummy!!
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.





“Layered Sandwich” Casserole

Bread
Canadian Bacon or ham
Pineapple
Olives
Tomato
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Any other topping that you like

Using a Demarle mold (if you use a Pryex or anything other than Demarle, be sure to grease the dish). Line the bottom of the mold with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, then place bread on top (if you need to, cut to fit the shape of the mold). Top the bread with a layer of the above ingredients, top with cheese. Repeat the bread and the layering. Cover the top layer with cheese and thick slices of Velveeta (I don’t usually have this on hand, so I use shredded cheese).
Turn the oven to 350 degrees. While it warms, crack four eggs into a bowl and beat, add 1 cup milk (whatever you have on hand). You can add a couple of shakes of Tabasco (I think it taste better with it, but my husband doesn’t know I do this, because he doesn’t like “spicy”). Mix till blended, pour over the bread layers. Cook in oven for 30 minutes, or until when you shake the pan, it looks firm.
We like fruit salad or yogurt and fruit with this!! It is even good for breakfast. It is a very versatile dish, you can make it Mexican, pizza, or whatever you want!

Cooking2gether Cooking Class

Hi,
You are invited to my Monthly Cooking 2gether cooking Class! It is an interactive cooking class that highlights Demarle products. There is no obligation to buy anything, just come and see how you can make cooking and baking easier, healthier, and more fun!

The class is on Sunday, March 7, at 1:30pm. Bring a friend and you will get free shipping on whatever you order that day OR book a party and receive a special gift!

Please RSVP by Friday, March 5 to 503-874-6169. SEE YOU HERE!!!!

If you have questions or would like more info please give me a call! Also please be sure to visit my blog at www.cooking2gether.blogspot.com. Happy Cooking!

The party will be held at my house:
Kelly Grassman
310 Palmer St.
Mt. Angel, OR 97362