Sandra Lee’s Fast & Fun Family Food

Putting a fresh, home-cooked meal on the table that the kids will eat sounds like a daunting task for many busy moms. However, Food Network host, cookbook author and all around culinary superstar Sandra Lee has a 70/30 approach to feeding the family that focuses on saving time without entirely compromising authenticity. Lee shares her secrets with TLK noting that, “If at least 30 percent of a meal comes from fresh ingredients, I feel good about serving it, because ‘semi-homemade’ is better than none.”

The Mexican makeover

As the host of the Food Network’s “Semi-Homemade Cooking,” Lee is an expert in “out of the box” cooking, and her recent partnership with Ortega to “Mexover” mealtime was a natural fit. She came up with ways to combine their ready-made products with simple ingredients that one might find in the fridge or pantry, and turn it into a delicious and easy-to-prepare Mexican-inspired meal.

“You can use foods you cook with all of the time to make delicious Mexican meals, but you can also use leftovers stashed in your fridge,” Lee explains. Already have chopped vegetables? "Try turning it into a taco salad with crushed taco shells.”  How about leftover chicken?  “Whip up some chicken fajitas with Ortega salsa. Literally anything you have in the fridge can be turned into a delicious family meal everyone will enjoy,” says Lee.

Quick and easy kid-friendly lunch ideas

Sanrda Lee and Ortega developed recipes for fast and easy meals that would readily add healthy ingredients into children's diets. Here, Lee has shared those recipes with TLK. Chicken Mini Empanadas are warm little sandwiches that kids will love and only take 15 minutes to bake. Mexican Pizza is another crowd favorite, and will be on the table in less than an hour. 

After school snack attack

Here is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies: try a crudités of cucumber, pepper and carrot sticks with cheddar cheese dip and salsa served in fun side bowls. Today’s salsas come in a variety of flavors from mango to black bean to corn, and if you feel like whipping up your own varieties, many of TLK's recipes take minimal time to prepare. Try our Tomatillo Salsa, Lime Cilantro Corn Salsa, or a creamy guacamole like this Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole from Chef Roberto Santibanez.

Fast and nutritious weeknight meals

Sandra Lee and Ortega’s recipe for Tamale Pie is filed with cheesy Mexican rice, chili with beans, lettuce and green onions. Top it with salsa verde for a hearty and flavorful meal. If you are craving a hot dish straight from the oven, try their Salsa Chicken Bake. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this dish combines the flavors of olives and chili peppers and uses Ortega Whole Grain Taco Shells to quicken the process of getting it all ready to serve.

Simple tips and tricks to freezing food

Another solution to getting fresh food on the table quickly is to freeze foods ahead of time and use them when you're feeling time-crunched. However, not all freezing is created equal. The first step to smart freezing is to make sure foods are cold first. This speeds up the freezing process and reduces condensation. The faster food freezes, the fresher it tastes when thawed. Here are some tips to insure your food is properly frozen:

• Cool on the counter, then the refrigerator, and last, transfer to the freezer properly wrapped.
• Always squeeze excess air out of bags to prevent freezer burn, and leave a little room at the top to avoid explosions as liquids expand when frozen.
• Separate foods such as meatballs, cookies or appetizers on a baking sheet, freeze solid, and then transfer to a container layering with parchment paper to prevent clumping.