Recently I spent some time at the Mason County Extension Office with Debra Cotterill, Angie Mitchell and ladies from several homemaker clubs. The focus was on how to prepare quick and easy meals which are nutritious.
Research shows that 56 percent of Americans eat at least three dinners per week that are not prepared at home. Usually these dinners are loaded with carbs and fat.

It is known that what you eat can affect your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Vegetables, fruits and whole grain products are a must for a healthy diet for Americans. Lean pieces of meat, broiled or baked are good healthy sources of protein. Americans tend to eat large portions of food and if they would cut the portions in half, the calorie intake would be much lower and weight loss would occur. It really helps to have meals planned ahead and shopping done before the week begins. If you don't plan your healthy meals you end up just pulling anything out of the freezer or off of the shelf to cook or you end up going out to a fast food restaurant for carry out.

One dish casseroles or one skillet recipes served with a salad and are popular and nutritious, as are soups, stews and stir-fry dishes. Try broiling or grilling your meats and eliminate frying. We find that we prefer many vegetables grilled as well as meat. The food has more flavor and is much healthier.

Eating healthy is important to our bodies but research shows that the social aspect of dining is also important. When adults and children eat together, children do better in school, have fewer behavior problems, are less apt to use drugs and alcohol, communicate better with parents, and understand values and traditions.

There are some guidelines to follow to keep us healthy. We should make the right choices and get adequate nutrients from what we eat, maintain a healthy body weight, do some type of physical exercise, eat more grain foods, drink and cook with low fat milk, eat less calories from saturated fats, have a lower intake of fat calories, eat more fiber, eat more foods rich in potassium, and use good practices to reduce risk of foodborne illnesses.

The recipes today are all about quick and easy to prepare and nutritious to eat.

Garden Platter

1 3/4 cups of broccoli florets

3/4 cup of cauliflower florets

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

12 cherry tomatoes

8 ounces of sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup of butter

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into pieces about 2 1/4 inches long. Arrange the broccoli around the edges of a 12 inch microwave safe serving plate with the stems pointing toward the center. Place the cauliflower between the broccoli. Place the zucchini and yellow squash in the center of the plate. Microwave on High for 5-8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Drain if needed. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the vegetables. Place the butter and garlic salt in a 2 cup glass measure. Microwave on High until melted. Drizzle over the vegetables and sprinkle with the cheese. Microwave, uncovered, on High for 1 -2 minutes or until the tomatoes and mushrooms are heated through. Other vegetables may be substituted.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 yams or sweet potatoes

1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

1/4 cup of margarine

Nutmeg to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the yams and cut into chunks. Cook in boiling water in a saucepan until tender; and drain. Place in a shallow dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and dot with the margarine. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Brown sugar substitute may be substituted for regular brown sugar.

Fresh Peach Crumble With Blueberries

2 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen peaches

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

3 teaspoons of margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Layer the peaches in a 8 inch baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and margarine in a bowl. Sprinkle over the peaches. Top with a handful of fresh blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes. Serves three.

Oriental Ground Beef Skillet Supper

1 lb. of ground beef

6 oz. of Ramen noodles, and packets of oriental flavor

2 cups of water

2 cups of frozen broccoli florets, thawed

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, stirring until crumbly, drain. Add the Ramen noodles, content of one of the seasoning packets and the water to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook for three minutes or until tender. Add the thawed broccoli flowerets and simmer another five minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Serve hot.

Pasta Shell Salad with Cucumbers and Red Onions

16 oz. of medium shell pasta, cooked in salted water, drained

16 oz. of frozen peas, thawed

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced and cut in half

2 tablespoons of red onion

Toss with Ranch Dressing

Mix all of the above and chill before serving.

Almond Bibb Salad

1 head of Bibb lettuce, torn into pieces

1/4 head of Iceberg lettuce, torn into pieces

1/2 cup of thinly sliced celery

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

4 tablespoons of Splenda

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper sauce

11 oz. can of drained mandarin oranges

1/2 cup of sliced almonds, toasted

1 small purple onion, thinly sliced

Prepare lettuce, green onions, parsley, oranges, celery and red onion. Place in a big bowl. Roast almonds and cool.

Mix vegetable oil, Splenda, salt, red pepper sauce. Add almonds to the greens. Shake well and let it set a few minutes and shake again. Keep at room temperature. Add dressing to the salad right before serving and toss. Tip: I increased the oil, Splenda, salt, red pepper sauce in this recipe to make more dressing for such a large bowl of salad.

Kielbasa Skillet Supper

1 pkg of Polska kielbasa, sliced

4 tablespoons of butter

28 oz. bag of frozen small or quartered potatoes

16 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1 teaspoon of seasoned salt

1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Combine potatoes and mixed veggies. Cover and cook 8 minutes. Add sliced sausage, cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Make sure the potatoes are completely tender. Mix the salt and cheese and pour over the kielbasa and vegetables before serving.

Stuffed Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes

4 stalks of broccoli

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1 tablespoon of melted margarine or butter

2 tablespoons of whole milk

4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese

Scrub the potatoes and make shallow cuts long ways around their middle to make it easier to cut them in half after baking. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees in a preheated oven for one hour, test for doneness.

Cut off the ends of the stalks of broccoli and peel the outer skin of the remaining stalk. Steam the broccoli until tender. Drain and chop fine.

Cut potatoes in half when done and scoop out the insides into a bowl. Save the shells. Add the salt, pepper, margarine, and milk to the cooked potato and then mash them and add the Parmesan cheese and the chopped broccoli and put all of this back in the shells. Serve hot. Serves four people.

Summer Yellow Squash

2 lbs. of yellow summer squash

1/2 cup of chopped sweet onion

1/4 cup of margarine, melted

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup of whole milk

3/4 cup of grated Parmesan or your choice of grated cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

Do not peel the squash, just wash and slice 1/4 inch thick. Precook for 5 minutes the squash and onion. Drain good. Grease a casserole dish and add squash and sprinkle with chopped onion. Mix in a mixing bowl the melted margarine, beaten eggs, milk, Parmesan, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup of mayonnaise. Pour this over the squash and onion mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

5 boneless chicken breasts

4 cups of enchilada sauce

1/2 lb. of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

8 oz. of cream cheese

1 heaping cup of chopped onion, cooked in microwave until tender

1 small can of refried beans

1 small can of green chopped (mild) chilis

10 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Boil chicken until tender in salted water. Drain and chop. Place in a saucepan with enchilada sauce, cream cheese, 1/2 of the Monterey Jack cheese, cooked onions and the green chilis. Stir until warm and bubbly.

Place a thin layer of refried beans on each tortilla and then a few spoonfuls of the cooked mixture in the center of each flour tortilla and roll them up. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Place enchiladas in the dish seam side down. Pour two cups of enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Bake at 380 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve with sour cream.

Fruit Pizza

1 package of crescent rolls

.8 oz. package of instant vanilla pudding

1 cup of milk

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup of whipped topping

3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

2 cups strawberries, sliced

2 cups blueberries, washed

1 whole pineapple, cut into chunks and drained

4 Kiwis, peeled and sliced

Unroll crescent dough. Using fingers press and seal the perforated seams. Lay your pizza pan on top of the dough and cut around it. Lightly grease the pizza pan and place the cut circle of dough on it. Bake until lightly browned. Cool completely. Mix the instant pudding mix with one cup of cold milk. Beat in cream cheese and sugar. Lastly fold in whipped topping. Set aside.

While the dough is baking cut up sliced strawberries, slice kiwi fruit, cut up in small chunks one pineapple and drain it good on a paper towel, wash and drain fresh blueberries.

Spread the pudding mixture on the dough. Arrange fruit over the dough. Tip: you can bake your dough, make the pudding mixture and cut up the fruit the day ahead. Don't put it together until one hour before serving and keep refrigerated. If done too far ahead the crust will bet soggy.

Roast Beef Hoagie

10 thin slices of deli roast beef

5 hoagie buns

Sliced canned jalapeno peppers

10 slices of Monterey Jack Cheese

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon of horseradish

Open hoagie buns and spread with margarine and grill them in a skillet or on a griddle.

Place two slices of roast beef and two sliced of cheese on each bottom bun. Sprinkle with jalapeno peppers and spread the top of the bun with mayonnaise mixed with the horseradish. Leave buns open and put the bottom part of the bun on a cookie sheet under the broil and broil until the cheese melts and the beef is warmed.

Remove from oven and place hoagie lids on each and serve. Serve with fresh fruit salad.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6 slices of Swiss Cheese

1/4 cup of Parmesan Cheese

1 teaspoon of pepper

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 chicken bouillon cube

6 slices of ham

1/4 cup of flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of oil

1/2 cup of water

Flatten chicken to 1/8 inch thick. Place ham and cheese on each breast. Roll up chicken and secure with a toothpick. Combine flour and seasonings. Use this mixture to coat chicken.

In skillet, brown chicken in oil. Place chicken in a slow cooker. Combine rest of ingredients and pour over the chicken. cover and cook for 4-5 hours.

London Broil with Fresh Mushroom Salsa

1 1/2 lb. flank, round or shoulder steak

2 tablespoons of olive oil

8 oz. of fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

3/4 cup of fresh diced onion

1 cup of mild salsa

Preheat broiler. Season steak with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a broiler rack; broil about 4 inches from the heat until desired doneness. Takes about 5 minutes on each side for medium rare.

In a large non stick skillet, heat oil, add mushrooms and onion; saute until lightly browned and liquid evaporates, about six minutes. Stir in salsa, cook until salsa is hot. Carve steak diagonally across the grain in thin slices and serve with the mushroom sauce.

Layered Dessert

1 angel food cake, torn into big bite sized pieces, divide into half

2 pints of ripe strawberries, sliced and divided into thirds

1 1/2 cups of blueberries, washed and drained good

4 cups of instant vanilla pudding, mix by directions

3 cups of whipped cream

Tear cake into pieces. In a deep dish bottom layer 1/2 of the pieces of cake, layer of 1/3 of the sliced strawberries, layer of pudding, layer of whipped cream, layer of cake, layer all of blueberries, layer of 1/2 of the pudding, layer 1/3 of the whipped cream, layer 1/3 of the strawberries and layer rest of the whipped cream. Place three whole strawberries with leaves in the center on top for decor. Refrigerate 6 hours before serving. Serve chilled.

Five Minute Cherry Dessert

1 large can of cherry pie filling, have this cold

1 can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Milk

8 oz. of Cool Whip, thawed

20 oz. can of crushed pineapple, have this cold

1/2 cup of crushed pecans

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Mix and refrigerate. Can serve immediately and it will be fluffy or this can be frozen and thawed 10 minutes before serving. If serving frozen I cut it in squares and place it on a lettuce leaf.