Food Writer When in need, Savannah resident Melanie Fitch is a friend indeed. “I am the last-minute go-to person when someone is short-handed,” she said. Such last-minute “emergencies” easily challenge daily meal plans. “I like my recipes to be fast and simple because time is a big thing and […]
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Food Writer
When in need, Savannah resident Melanie Fitch is a friend indeed.
“I am the last-minute go-to person when someone is short-handed,” she said.
Such last-minute “emergencies” easily challenge daily meal plans. “I like my recipes to be fast and simple because time is a big thing and I want to spend time with family and friends,” she said. No surprise, then, that many of her favorites are “go-to’s” that fit her lifestyle perfectly.
Breakaway bars are a healthy, homemade option for snacking
Take snacking, with breakaway bars as a healthy, homemade option. This recipe has been in Fitch’s files for years, ever since her 4-H days when she worked on a project called Fast Break for Breakfast.
“I like to say this is like rice Krispy bars except you are using granola cereal … I just take whatever granola cereal I want so I can have a variety,” she said. Peanut butter and raisins expand the nutritive value while melted marshmallows and a little butter guarantee sweet snack gratification.
To speed up the prep, Fitch turns to her microwave rather than the stovetop. “This bar is nice if you want to add other things like M & M’s, dried cranberries or chocolate chips,” she noted.
Melanie’s go-to Mexican casserole with chicken
Fitch has found Mexican chicken casserole to be so handy for quick meals that she has dubbed it Melanie’s go-to Mexican casserole with chicken. Friend Dawnita shared the original recipe with Fitch, who then incorporated a few tweaks of her own. “I added a few things to it that I like such as the vegetables. Also, I don’t like things hot. I am not a hot spicy person,” she said.
Thus, she grabs mild versus hot salsa and goes easy on the chili powder. “There were green chilies in it but I used the Rotel tomatoes and chilies so it gives more flavor.” A major time saver is her choice of deli chicken. “I use rotisserie chicken because it is already flavored and it is easy to pull off the bone.”
There isn’t much point in fixing a quick main course if the side dish and dessert take extra time and effort. That’s where grandma’s Texas caviar and Oreo cookie dessert come in.
Grandma's Texas caviar is a family recipe from Fitch's best friend
The caviar is a family recipe from Fitch’s best friend Sarah. Fitch describes this as being easy to throw together, and she isn’t kidding. “I just open the cans and drain them and throw them in the bowl,” she said. In addition to those throw-ins, there are onions and green and red bell peppers along with a jalapeno and cherry tomatoes to make a colorful presentation.
The dressing called for here is a zesty Italian, straight from the grocer’s shelf though Fitch likes to take just a very few minutes to mix up a simple vinegar and oil option. “This is a dressing that is lighter than the Italian,” she said.
Oreo cookie dessert is Fitch's go-to dessert
Aside from being a perfect choice for at-home, Oreo cookie dessert “…is my go-to dessert if I need one for a party,” Fitch said. Friend Alicia was the source for this, which has become a favorite “niece-and-nephew project” when the youngsters Fitch.
A couple of hints. One is to be sure the cream cheese is room temperature “… or it will be lumpy.” The other is to hold cookie crushing to lump and not crumb stage. “This is one thing I learned working with kids,” she joked.
Working with kids is a priority for Fitch as adviser (along with her parents Arden and Pat Fitch) for the Savannah Hard Workers. “I always tell the 4-Hers one thing that you are going to learn is to talk in front of people,” she said basing her message on her own schoolyears spent in that same club. Other go-to activities on her schedule coincide with memberships in the Ashland Young Professionals, the Olivesburg Grange, Esbenshade Concessions and, of course, her job as office assistant for the Ashland County Cancer Association.
“And I house sit as a side job,” she said.
BREAK AWAY BARS
From the kitchen of Melanie Fitch
2 cups miniature marshmallows
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine or butter
2 cups granola cereal
¾ cup raisins
Melt marshmallows, peanut butter and margarine/butter in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring often. Remove from heat, add cereal and raisins. Mix well, firmly press into a greased 8-inch square pan. Chill, cut into bars.
MELANIE’S GO-TO MEXICAN CASSEROLE WITH CHICKEN
From the kitchen of Melanie Fitch
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 ¾ cups salsa
1 (4-ounce) can original Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
½ cup corn kernels, frozen, roasted or canned and drained
½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
½ teaspoon ground Cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (e.g., Monterey jack, mozzarella and cheddar), divided
Sour cream, optional
Diced avocado, chopped tomato and/or chopped fresh cilantro to garnish, optional
Combine rice, chicken, salsa, Rotel, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, salt, pepper and ½ cup shredded cheese in a large bowl. Spread into an 8 x 8-inch or 2 ½ quart baking dish that has been coated with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheese and bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees until bubbly and cheese melts, about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately with sour cream and desired garnish(es). Makes 6 to 8 servings.
GRANDMA’S TEXAS CAVIAR
From the kitchen of Melanie Fitch
½ cup onion, finely chopped
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pint cherry or roma tomatoes, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black or other desired beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8-ounce) bottle zesty Italian salad dressing
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Combine onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, black-eyed peas, beans and corn in a large bowl. Mix with enough salad dressing to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Add more salad dressing if needed and garnish with cilantro. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
NOTE: If desired, substitute a homemade dressing of ¾ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil and 1 cup granulated sugar, whisked together, for the Italian dressing.
OREO COOKIE DESSERT
From the kitchen of Melanie Fitch
1 (1-pound) package vanilla cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 (4-serving) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed
Crush cookies into chunks, not crumbs, and set aside.
Combine cream cheese, butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl. Add milk, vanilla and pudding mix, beat until smooth and lumps are gone. Fold in whipped topping.
Layer half the cookie chunks in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch glass dish. Cover with entire pudding mixture, then sprinkle remaining cookie crumbs over top. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
— Would you like to nominate someone for our “Cook’s Corner”? Please email their name and phone number to camboh49@gmail.com or call 419-289-0972 and let Cami know!
