You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces –
just good food from fresh ingredients.
                                                                                                Julia Child

Subscribers to the Creemore Echo local newspaper are avid readers of the Creemore Dish – Elaine’s biweekly column.  When visiting Creemore and the Purple Hills area, be sure to pick up a copy and have a look at Elaine’s most recent recipe.

Elaine’s Breakfast Enchiladas

½ pound ground turkey
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped,
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup each chopped green and red peppers
8 - 8 inch flour tortillas (you can also use whole wheat)
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
4 large eggs
2 cups low-fat milk
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
½ cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese for garnish

Grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with cooking spray; add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink. Remove turkey to a bowl; add 1 teaspoon canola oil to fry pan and sauté onion, garlic and peppers for about 5 minutes or until soft but not browned.  Remove frying pan from heat and stir turkey back into onion mixture. 

Take first tortilla and lay flat on countertop. Place 3 tablespoons of turkey mixture down one side of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 3 tablespoons cheese. Roll tortilla up tightly and place seam side down in greased baking dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.

In bowl, beat eggs and blend in milk, flour and hot pepper sauce. Pour egg mixture over tortillas.  Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator the next morning and let sit on countertop for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spoon some of egg mixture over tortillas and bake uncovered in oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until egg mixture is set and knife inserted in centre comes out clean. Set tortilla dish on stovetop and sprinkle with ½ cup cheese for garnish. Let stand for 5 minutes to melt cheese before serving. Makes 8 servings or 4 hungry servings.

Blue Suede Muffins – A Favourite of Elvis!

2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line muffin baking pan with 12 paper muffin liners. In large bowl, mix flour and next 3 ingredients.  In small bowl, with fork, beat egg slightly; stir in milk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir with spoon just until flour is moistened. Add 1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries and stir softly to distribute through batter. 

Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until golden and toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Immediately remove muffins from pan and serve warm. Makes one dozen muffins.

Garlic Pasta with Herbs and Julienned Vegetables
If you love garlic, this recipe is for you!

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons (depending on how brave you are)
fresh minced garlic
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/3 to 1/3 cup fresh herbs, chopped - basil, chives, oregano are favourites
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup 35% cream
1 pound dry pasta - penne and small shells are favourites
but you can use any type
½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Clean and prep red pepper, green pepper, carrots and celery. Cut all vegetables into very think strips – julienne style.  In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta al dente (tender but firm). Drain well reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water, and return to pot to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat; add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in julienned vegetables and cook for 3 to 5 minutes (only until veggies have started to soften). Reduce heat to medium-low, add Italian parsley, fresh herb mixture, salt, pepper and 35% cream; stir into garlic veggie mix. Simmer for a few minutes until cream starts to thicken and then remove skillet from heat.

Add reserved water to your pasta pot and stir into pasta (this will loosen up the pasta and prevent it from sticking together).  Then place pasta in large pasta bowl. Carefully pour veggie mixture over top of pasta, sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4 as a main course, 6 to 8 as a side dish.