Super fast fish tacos

If you are looking for a really easy dinner, make fish tacos using frozen fish sticks! My husband and I loved these. There is a delicious sauce that you can adapt to suit your tastes. The version below is very mild but very flavorful. And, of course, you can use whatever toppings you have on hand. The fish sticks take about 20 minutes to bake, but other than that, there's very little time commitment. The sauce tastes better the longer it refrigerates, so make it first. Don't we all love achieving great results with very little effort?

THE RECIPE:

20 frozen fish sticks, baked according to package directions
10 6-inch tortillas (I used flour)

Optional toppings:

Corn
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded cheese
Lettuce, spinach or cabbage
Green onions
Cilantro

Sauce:

1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. lime juice
1/8 tsp. each chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and dried basil

Mix sauce ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. Assemble tacos as desired, using two fish sticks per tortilla. Top with sauce.

Indian bean curry

I love it when new cuisine finds a welcome place at our table. This Indian bean curry is deliciously aromatic and flavorful. It makes a great meatless main dish.

You may need an introduction, however, to one of the star ingredients. It is an Indian blend of spices called garam masala. I know it's a hassle to buy ingredients you aren't accustomed to cooking with, but I believe this is a worthwhile purchase -- even for this dish alone. I found McCormick's version in the spice aisle at Walmart. The blend includes spices such as coriander, which has lovely fruity undertones. Other players are black pepper, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon. You could definitely make your own if you're feeling experimental or if you already have these spices at home and prefer to be frugal.

THE RECIPE:

1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger*
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp. yellow curry powder
2 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. salt
2 c. chicken broth
2 15-ounce cans black beans OR black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. milk
1/3 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
1/3 c. lightly packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped

In large skillet, saute onion in oil for several minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger, then add tomatoes. Stir in seasonings until well combined, then add broth and beans. Bring to boil, then reduce heat a little and simmer.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with milk until smooth, then add to bean mixture as a thickener. Stir in sour cream and cook, stirring as needed, until desired consistency is achieved. Stir in cilantro. Serve with naan (Indian flatbread) or over rice.



*There are bottles of freshly grated ginger in the produce section of your store. They last awhile in the fridge, and you can just squeeze out the exact amount you need -- hassle-free.

Fresh from the garden

My mother-in-law introduced me to this delicious angel hair pasta for using tomatoes and basil from my garden. It is very easy to pull together, and it tastes light and fresh. I could eat it every week. For variation, try adding artichoke hearts or pine nuts.

THE RECIPE:

3/8 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. finely chopped green onion
2 c. diced garden-fresh tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil

8 oz. angel hair pasta

Grated Parmesan cheese

In skillet or saucepan, heat oil. Add garlic and onions, and saute for about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, cook angel hair according to package directions. Drain, then toss thoroughly with tomato mixture and basil. Let stand about 5 minutes to absorb liquid, then toss again. Top individual servings with grated cheese.

Southwest flair

These south-of-the-border turkey melts, from the Lion House recipes, are delicious, fun and easy. They would be great for dinner, appetizers, parties, whatever. We highly recommend them!

THE RECIPE:

French bread, cut into 3/4-inch slices
1/2 c. chopped olives
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. mayo or Miracle Whip
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. chopped green onions
Sliced deli turkey
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese, any kind or combo (cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey jack)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine olives, chili powder, cumin and salt; set aside 2 tablespoons of this mixture. To the remaining mixture, add mayo, sour cream and green onions.

Spread a generous amount of mayo mixture on each slice of bread. Top with turkey, tomatoes, avocados and cheese. Sprinkle reserved olives on top for looks. Bake on cookie sheet for about 15 minutes.

Perfect panzanella

Let me introduce you to panzanella. It is a rustic Italian tomato-bread salad, and it's a delicious way to use garden fresh tomatoes. Panzanella originated in the Tuscan countryside, where peasants needed a way to use stale bread. Today, you can make the recipe your own with all kinds of yummy add-ins. Here's what I did.

THE RECIPE:

6 c. rustic Italian bread OR 1 whole French baguette, cut into chunks*
1/2 c. olive oil, divided
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
3 large, juicy vine-ripened tomatoes (3 to 4 inches in diameter)
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 Tbsp. drained capers (optional)
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss bread chunks with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet and bake on middle oven rack for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Bread will be hardened and crisp and golden when done.

Meanwhile, cut tomatoes into chunks and put in a colander over a large measuring cup or dish to drain and catch juices. Toss tomatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir periodically, letting drain for at least 15 minutes. Try to reserve 1/2 cup juices.

Whisk remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, sugar and pepper into reserved tomato juices to create a vinaigrette. Toss thoroughly with toasted bread pieces and let stand 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, feta, capers, basil, or whatever your heart desires. Serve immediately.

*Choose a bread that is dense and crusty, not fluffy like French bread.

Award winner

I won third place at our church's chili cook-off with this cilantro-lime chili. Person after person told me how much they loved it, which made me feel so good! I also love that it is a vegetarian dish, but no one notices. It tastes best after it has been refrigerated and then reheated. I used bell peppers and tomatoes from my garden, which you may not have, so feel free to tweak the recipe to your liking.

THE RECIPE:

Splash of olive oil
1 large bell pepper, cleaned out and chopped
5 c. chopped fresh tomato*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
2 packages taco seasoning
1 package dry Italian dressing
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 c. beef broth
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 bunch cilantro (stems removed), finely chopped
Avocado, if desired
Chips, if desired

Over medium-high heat, cook peppers in olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper, beans, corn, seasonings, vinegar, broth and brown sugar. Mix well, then bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Cook 10 minutes more. Cool and refrigerate for a few hours. Reheat and serve with sliced avocado and crushed tortilla chips.

*Note: I have made this twice. The first time, I added an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce. The second time I did not, because my tomatoes were very ripe and meaty and juicy. So, basically, do whatever you want.

Fajita fiesta

We made some really yummy chicken fajitas the other night. One of the best parts was a big old helping of fresh fried bell peppers from our garden. They added a light crunch and a nice punch of flavor. The other tasty part was the creamy sauce for the chicken. We just mixed salsa with cream cheese, and it tasted great.

THE RECIPE:

Sliced bell peppers
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
2 chicken breasts, sliced into inch-wide strips
1/4 c. cream cheese, softened*
1 c. salsa*
Tortillas
Desired toppings (chopped tomato, avocado)

In frying pan, toss peppers with olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Fry over medium heat until crisp-tender. It takes about ten minutes. Meanwhile, in a different pan, cook chicken, then toss with cream cheese and salsa until well coated. Layer chicken and sauce, then peppers and additional toppings on a tortilla. Wrap it up, and enjoy!

*Note: I'm not sure about the amounts I used for my sauce, so this is just a guess. The consistency of your salsa will make a difference. It should be pink when it's ready.

A spoonful of pesto

Ah, pesto. It's beautiful, isn't it? We make it fresh, using basil from our garden. Its smell is beyond wonderful, and its taste is even better. We can't get enough of it.

THE RECIPE:

2 1/2 c. packed basil leaves

1/2 c. olive oil

1/4 c. pine nuts (or a couple of tablespoons)

3/4 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 1/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients in food processor. Store in air-tight container in refrigerator or put in freezer bags and freeze.

To make bruschetta, spread pesto on a slice of French bread, top with tomato slices and cheese, then toast under the broiler. It's divine!

We used a bunch of our freshly made pesto to make creamy pesto pasta. It was so delicious, I wanted to eat it until I exploded.

THE RECIPE:

8 oz. pasta, cooked and drained*
2 chicken breasts, seasoned with lemon pepper, cooked and chopped
1 c. prepared pesto
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1/3 c. pine nuts, toasted under broiler (watch them closely)

Toss ingredients in a large bowl while chicken and noodles are still hot. Enjoy!

*I used elbow pasta, but I think something like bowtie would look nicer -- not that it matters for taste.

PESTO ROCKS!

Any favorite crust recipes out there?

Isn't pizza wonderful? I can't think of anyone who doesn't like it. We decided to make our own pizzas the other night, but we didn't have time to wait for dough to rise. Therefore, I went to the Web for a quick and easy recipe for no-yeast crust. It was completely easy to make, and it tasted fine, but I didn't like it well enough to make it again. Our main enjoyment was in making the pizzas and adding all the toppings. Do any of you have a favorite pizza crust recipe you can share?

THE RECIPE:

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. milk
1/4 c. cooking oil
2 Tbsp. cooking oil

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine ingredients (except 2 Tbsp. oil) in bowl and mix well. Knead dough in bowl ten times, then split into two balls. On lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 13-inch circle. Place on pan and turn up edges about a half-inch and pinch. Brush with remaining oil. Add desired toppings. Ours took 25 minutes to bake.

Got extra tomatoes?

We love to use up our garden bounty by making tomato melts. Make them however your family will eat them. Feel free to experiment with toppings and seasonings. Make it for lunch, as a side dish, or even for your main dish if you're strapped for time.

THE RECIPE:

French bread, sliced however you want
Fresh tomatoes, sliced
Shredded cheese (mozzarella, Parmesan or both)
Garlic powder or salt
Dried basil
Pepper

Set oven to broil. Arrange tomato slices on bread. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Season as desired. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden and edges of bread are crisp.

From garden to gourmet

This recipe for homemade tomato-almond soup is unique and wonderful. It tastes so fresh, because we use tomatoes from our garden. It has an unusual, gourmet taste to it. The almonds provide a bread-crumb effect. It seems like something that would be served at an expensive, authentic Italian restaurant. You need to like tomatoes in order to like this. We like it well enough to make multiple batches and freeze them. It tastes the very best with french bread dipped in it.

THE RECIPE:

3 Tbsp. butter
4 c. chopped vine-ripened tomatoes*
2 c. vegetable or chicken broth (more or less if desired)
2/3 c. light cream
1/4 c. ground almonds
1 tsp. sugar
Dried basil to taste (shred fresh basil if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
French bread for dipping

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, until the skins start to wrinkle. Season with salt and pepper. Add broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, under a preheated broiler, toast ground almonds until they are golden brown. This will take only 1 or 2 minutes, so watch them closely.

Remove the soup from heat, place in a food processor or blender, and blend the mixture to form a smooth consistency. Alternatively, mash the soup with a potato masher. Pass the soup through a strainer to remove any skin and seeds. Place soup in saucepan and return to heat. Stir in cream, almonds, sugar and basil. Serves 4.

*This recipe is best made with garden fresh tomatoes. Store-bought tomatoes will give you a watered-down flavor. I chop, bag and freeze many of the tomatoes from my garden just so I can make this soup during the off-season. If you must use store-bought tomatoes, you could probably add an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce to increase the tomato flavor.

Muy bien

This is a great take on taco salad. It uses Fritos, of course, as many great taco salads do. The new ingredient for us was Catalina dressing. It's like a Mexican hat dance in your mouth. And truly, you can't get much easier than this.

THE RECIPE:

1 lb. ground beef
1 can diced green chiles
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag lettuce or 1 head lettuce, chopped
1 10-ounce bag regular Fritos
Chopped fresh tomato
Catalina dressing

Brown ground beef with chiles and onion. Toss together with remaining ingredients and top with dressing. Feel free to adjust ingredients to suit your family's taste buds. Serves 6.

*Note: If you anticipate having leftovers, you may consider letting individuals mix their own ingredients so you can store them separately afterward. The Fritos will become soggy in the fridge.

Brushing up on bruschetta

This bruschetta chicken bake is a unique dish that's easy to throw together, because one of its main ingredients is boxed stuffing. Even at that, it doesn't taste like dinner from a box.

THE RECIPE:

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Fresh chopped tomato, as much as desired
1 pkg. Stove Top stuffing for chicken
2 chicken breasts, cut up
1 Tbsp. dried basil leaves
Handful toasted pinenuts
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place canned tomatoes with liquid in medium bowl. Add garlic, stuffing mix and 1/2 c. water. Stir and set aside. Place chicken in 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with basil, cheese and pinenuts. Top with stuffing mixture. Sprinkle with fresh tomatoes. If desired, sprinkle grated Parmesan for looks. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Note: You may want more cheese. I always do.

One-dish fiesta

Tamale pie casserole is a twist on the Mexican food we're used to making. It's tasty and easy to make.

THE RECIPE:

3/4 c. cornmeal
1 egg
1 1/2 c. milk
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. mild taco seasoning (more or less)
1/2 c. chopped onion (optional)
1 small can enchilada sauce
1 c. chunky mild salsa
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 can corn, drained
1 can sliced olives, drained
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
Chopped green onions (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cornmeal, egg and milk, then set aside. Brown ground beef sprinkled with taco seasoning in large skillet, then drain fat. Add onion, enchilada sauce, salsa, tomatoes, corn and olives. Simmer over medium heat for five minutes. Pour into 9 x 13 pan, then mix in cornmeal batter. Bake about 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and green onions, and bake until cheese is melted.