Four Fast Meals Using Salsa

Here are four really fast meals for lunch or dinner. All of them use ready-made tomato salsa. Use any kind of bottled salsa, but I like the thick and chunky kind best of all. You can use spicy or mild, according to your own taste.

SALSA SALMON

You will need:

4 salmon steaks (thawed if frozen, but fresh are best)

8 oz of tomato salsa

2 oz black olives

5 oz mozzarella cheese (it's better to use a ball of mozzarella cut into chunks)

Chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and arrange in an oven proof dish. Spoon over the salsa and scatter the olives. Top with the cheese. Cook for 20 minutes in the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with a potatoes and a green salad.

CHICKEN WITH SALSA

You will need:

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 chicken breast fillets

1 12 oz can of corn

4 oz of tomato salsa (at room temperature)

1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the mustard and Worcestershire sauce together and brush over the chicken. Mix the corn with 1 tbsp olive oil and add to the roasting pan when the chicken has cooked about 15 minutes. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the chicken is completely done (approximately 25 minutes total). Add the salsa to the chicken and serve with a green salad and potatoes.

PASTA SALAD

You will need:

7 oz of pasta (small shapes are best)

4 oz of broccoli

2 oz of Edam cheese

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and chopped

4 oz of tomato salsa

Basil leaves for garnish

In a saucepan of salted water, cook the pasta for 10 minutes, adding the broccoli half the way through the cooking. When done, place in a colander and cool under running water. Drain and then mix with the cheese, pepper and salsa. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a basil leaves on top and drizzle of olive oil. You can serve this alone or with something else, like a tuna sandwich.

SALSA CHEESE MUFFINS

You will need:

4 English muffins, split

1 clove of garlic, halved

4 oz tomato salsa

4 oz grated Cheddar cheese

8 ham slices

Toast the English muffins. Rub the cut side of the garlic clove over the top of each side. Spread on the salsa, spring over the cheese and arrange the ham on top. Grill in the broiler until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately. These are a fast lunch or after school snack.