WITH SABRINA LEE
PHOTOS BY MELISSA SPELTS

With school back in session and fall in full swing, who couldn’t use a little help getting a quick and yummy meal on the table? Our writer Sabrina shares three of her favorite go-to meals to feed her family of six on those busy weeknights when everything seems to happen at once.

Mexican Chicken
One-Pot or Skillet Meal

1 plain, already cooked rotisserie chicken
1 package taco seasoning
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes
1 can low sodium black beans, rinsed
1 can low sodium pinto beans, rinsed
1 package of frozen sweet corn
(Mexican Chicken Continued)

1 block of cream cheese (room temperature)
1-2 cups grated sharp cheddar
Optional: White Rice

Begin by shredding the chicken from the bones into bite size pieces.
Mix the taco seasoning with chicken and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the pinto beans, black beans, and corn.
Add the Rotel and chicken, heating thoroughly, then
add a room temperature block of cream cheese.
Stir continuously until the cream cheese is melted, then
begin to add grated cheddar. Once all the cheese is melted,
serve the dish in a bowl or over steamed white rice.

Quick Shrimp Tacos

Street Taco corn tortillas
2 bags of frozen salad-size shrimp—defrosted
Lettuce, 5 firm Roma tomatoes, 1 onion, 1 bunch of cilantro, 2 limes
Shredded cheese
1⁄2 cup sour cream
Taco seasoning

Defrost shrimp—can be overnight in the
refrigerator or with cold water.
Place shrimp in a non-stick pan on medium heat.
Chop lettuce, 2 tomatoes, and 1⁄2 an onion; slice
1 lime, place items in separate bowls.
Finely chop cilantro as well as the remaining onion and tomatoes;
place together in a bowl and combine with juice from 1⁄2 a lime.
Once the shrimp are thoroughly heated, drain excess water,
place back on the stove on low heat, and season with taco
seasoning to taste. Heat for another 2 to 3 minutes.
While the shrimp are simmering, take 1⁄2 a cup of sour
cream and mix in taco seasoning and the juice from
the remaining 1⁄2 lime to taste. Mix thoroughly.
Place corn shells on a damp paper towel and in microwave
for 15 to 30 seconds to steam. Build tacos and enjoy!

Ranch Salad
1 box rotini noodles
1 to 1 1⁄2 cup of mayonnaise
1 package Ranch Dressing Powder mix
2-3 firm Roma tomatoes (optional)
1 small can of sliced olives (optional)

Boil a pot of water with a splash of olive oil and salt—
once water is boiling add entire box of rotini noodles.
Boil noodles until soft, about 20 minutes.
Chop tomatoes. Open and drain the can of olives.
Drain and rinse noodles with cold water. Stir/mix noodles
until most of the excess water is drained, transfer to bowl.
Add 1 to 1 1⁄2 cup of your choice of mayonnaise, mixing thoroughly.
Add Ranch packet, mixing thoroughly.
Add the tomatoes and olives and mix.
Place in refrigerator to cool noodles faster or serve immediately.