Back to School Lunches.. no lunch lady required

    Well, my little hardcore foodies, it's that time of year again...whe the leaves start changing to full autumn regalia, the smell of new schoolbooks permiate the air and parents of all children over the age of 5, are grateful they made in through the summer without selling their offspring to thired world slavery!!!  SCHOOL'S BACK in session!!!  WOOT!

    You parents of single children may be asking what is the great ballyhoo about school starting???  Please remember June (of Doug and June fame) is the proud yet somewhat demented mother of 8, yes count them 8, children and wanna be mother to a bunch more.  I can remember days when my kitchen was complete chaos...and I loved every minute of it!! (If you are thinking about giving me crap about popping out babies and carbon footprint..I refer you to a section in the blog (mm yet to be written it seems...but look for it...about adopting children..lol..the mind is the first thing to go...after the boobs sag). Anyways, as a mom of 8 +, I counted the year differently from most...my new year??  First day of school!! WOOT again~  ok ok ok..not everyone would share my revelry.. If you have only one child, everything they do is an event. But .  when you have 8..not so much.  (Don't start with me...you know I am right...a million and one pictures of Laura..about a dozen of Chris).  And when you have 8, summer can feel like forever.....Mom, I'm bored!!! 

   Back to the purpose of this...school lunches....when they are good they are ok and when they are bad...well they are B.A.D.  -Bizarre, Amorophous, Deplorable!!

                                SAVE KIDS FROM THE LUNCH LAIDIES!!
                                         (evil queens in hair nets)

   As a good mama or daddy..I know you want to pack your little progeny's lunch.  And once we get past peanut butter and everything...what's left???

    That is what your fairy god parents are for..waves her wand...nothing happens..WTF..whacks it against a table... waves it again... never mind..we will make lunches old school style... and these lunches are so good.. grown ups will eat them too!!
(just think of all the money you will save!!  looks sideways, are they buying this?)

Preparing lunches for kids and adults can be a chore, but these clever ideas take the challenge out of mid-day meals! You'll find simple tricks to keep food hot or cold, easy ways to make a sandwich both kids and adults will love, and a few quick do-ahead ideas that will make the morning less hectic.

 

HINTS FOR PACKING LUNCHES

 





Save a few dollars by skipping brown bags and purchasing a reusable and washable lunch container instead. Mini-coolers, insulated lunch bags and plastic lunch boxes work well, but be sure to wash them out regularly.

 

Write each child's name on their lunch bag so they'll always know which one is theirs.

 

Peel and cut fruit in advance for little ones.

 

 

Buy plastic baggies and containers in various sizes, ensuring you'll have just the right package for any food item. Extra small containers work great for transporting dressings and condiments.

 

To make your morning go more smoothly, try to do as much as possible the night before. Chop up veggies and place them in a sealed baggie, mix up the ingredients for a tossed salad or chicken salad sandwich, and set up lunch containers so you can just drop items into them in the morning.

 

If you are making sandwiches the night before, put any veggies in a separate baggie with a note to add them to the sandwich right before eating. This will prevent the bread from getting soggy and the vegetables from wilting.

 

If you need to prepare lunches for kids and adults, keep it simple by making the same thing for everyone (if food preferences and allergies allow). To satisfy grown-up tastes, make a few small changes:

• Add interesting condiments, like Dijon mustard, cranberry relish or a chutney to give sandwiches adult-appeal.


• Use a variety of breads, such as pitas, whole wheat rolls, bagels, croissants or pumpernickel.


• Jazz up chicken or tuna salad by tossing in chopped nuts, apples, grapes or dried cranberries.

Make lunches a little more fun for anyone by packing a cheerful note or interesting newspaper clipping. Also, consider cutting a sandwich with a cookie cutter or using fun-shaped pasta in pasta salads and soups.

 

 

Hot and Cold Foods

• A wide-mouth thermos is great for storing hot soup, chili, stew and chowder. Make the cozy dish the night before, then just bring it to a boil the next morning before pouring it into your thermos. Pack a roll or a handful of crackers to round out the meal.


• Just as a thermos can keep food hot, it does just as well at keeping them cool. Fill a thermos with juice or milk, gelatin or pudding, coleslaw or potato salad—the possibilities are endless!


• Pick up a few small-sized freezer packs to help keep things cold and to avoid any food spoilage issues. If you're worried about condensation, drop the freezer packs into plastic bags or wrap them in aluminum foil. Pop the bags in the freezer before bed and they'll be ready to go by morning!


• If possible, plan lunches when you plan your dinner menu. Consider making extra servings at dinner so you have leftovers for lunch.

Snacks and Sides

Lunches only get better with a variety of easy-to-pack goodies. Our handy list of snacks will give you over 20 different options to help choose tomorrow's treat!

Snacks:
Trail mix	Graham crackers
Yogurt	Sliced veggies with hummus or dip
Cheese and crackers	Popcorn
Dry breakfast cereal	Small muffin
Piece of fruit	Celery with peanut butter
Raisins or dried cranberries	Cottage cheese
Fruit or applesauce cups	Pretzels
Gelatin or pudding	Rice cakes
String cheese	Granola bar
Pasta or potato salad	Dried fruit
Small handful of nuts	1 to 2 cookies
Small muffin
Turkey roll—smear mayo or mustard on lunch meat, roll it up, secure with toothpick.
Pizza Poppers—cut one slice of pizza into little bite-sized squares. Apple-Swiss Turkey Sandwiches Recipe Honey mustard adds a sweet tang to this hearty concoction. Apple slices, Swiss cheese, cucumber and turkey are layered between slices of nutritious multi-grain bread. These delicious sandwiches pack well to take to the office or on the trail. —Gloria Updyke, Front Royal, Virginia 3 tablespoons honey mustard 8 slices multi-grain bread, toasted 2 medium apples, thinly sliced 8 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber 8 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey breast Lightly spread mustard on each slice of toast; set aside. Place apples on a microwave-safe plate and microwave, uncovered, on high for 1 minute or until slightly softened. Arrange half of the apple slices and cheese on 4 slices of toast. Top with cucumber and turkey. Add remaining apple and cheese slices. Top with remaining toast, mustard side down. Yield: 4 servings. B Is For Book Sandwich Recipe

To fix this ham-and-cheese pleaser, just take a page from CT's kitchen staff! They left the bread crust on one side to form a book "binding" and cut out a letter on top.

12 slices bread

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon minced chives

1/8 teaspoon onion salt

6 slices fully cooked ham

6 slices American cheese

 

Cut each slice of bread into a 3-1/2-in. x 3-1/4-in. rectangle, leaving one side with the crust on. Using a 1-1/2-in.letter cookie cutter, cut letters in half of the bread slices.

In a small bowl, stir the butter, chives and onion salt until blended. Spread on one side of each slice of bread. Top whole bread slices with ham and cheese; top with cutout bread. Yield: 6 servings.

 Cereal Snack Mix Recipe

I grew up with this mix, and now my husband and kids eat it up until it's gone.” Easy to throw together and even easier to enjoy, this tasty snack will disappear fast. Becky Larson - Duluth, MN

9 cups Crispix

1 cup Cheerios

1 cup Bugles

1 cup pretzel sticks

1 cup salted peanuts

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons celery salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

 

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drizzle over cereal mixture; toss to coat.

Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 250° for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3-1/4 quarts.

Ham and Cheese Loaf Recipe

This golden loaf relies on the convenience of refrigerated dough that's stuffed with ham and cheese. I created the recipe by experimenting with a few simple ingredients my family loves. It makes a delicious hot sandwich in no time. —Glorida Lindell, Welcome, Minnesota

10 slices deli ham

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

4 slices provolone cheese

1 tablespoon butter, melted

 

Unroll dough onto a greased baking sheet; top with the ham, onions and cheeses. Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under. Brush with butter.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes; cut into 1-in. slices.

If desired, cool loaf on a wire rack; wrap in foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen loaf: Thaw at room temperature for 2 hours. Unwrap and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes; cut into 1-in. slices. Yield: 6 servings.

Peanut Butter Mini Muffins Recipe


These bite-size muffins are perfect to send in our kids' lunches for snacktime. I make regular-size muffins for church functions and watch them disappear.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, peanut butter, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Fill greased or paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 4 dozen.
  
  Editor's Note: Twelve regular-size muffin cups may be used; bake for 22-25 minutes.

Editor's Note: Reduced-fat peanut butter is not recommended for this recipe.

Crunchy Ham & Cheese Wrap


Flour tortilla
Lettuce
Tomato wedges
3 slices Thin cooked ham
1 Slice American cheese
Mayo
Potato chips

Preparation

Spread mayo onto flour tortilla. Layer lettuce, tomato wedges, ham, and cheese down the center of the tortilla. Top with baked potato chips. Roll and fold the filled tortilla.

Turkey, Veggie & Cheese Pitas


4 oz Turkey breast (slices or cubes)
1 cup Shredded iceberg lettuce
1 Large tomato (cut into wedges)
1 Large green pepper (cut into short strips)
1 cup Shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/3 cup Low-fat ranch dressing
4 Pita rounds cut in half

Preparation

Place turkey breast in pita pocket. Combine tomatoes, green pepper strips, shredded lettuce and toss with ranch dressing. Place vegetables on top of turkey and add cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

Pita Beef Fajitas

4 Medium pita breads
1 lb. Flank steak, cooked and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Wish-Bone Spring Onion Ranch Dressing
1 Medium red, green, or yellow bell pepper, sliced and sauteed
1 Medium onion, sliced and sauteed

Preparation

For each sandwich, cut one-third off pita. Fill each pita with steak, peppers, and onion. Then drizzle with dressing.

Italian Chicken Pockets


3/4 pound Boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cubed
2 tbsp Olive or vegetable oil
1 Medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup Sliced fresh mushrooms
1 package (3-1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni
1 cup Spaghetti sauce
3 Pita breads (6 inches), halved, and warmed
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Preparation

In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add the green pepper and mushrooms; cook until tender. Stir in pepperoni; heat through. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce; heat through. Spoon mixture into pita bread halves. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Sometimes add thinly sliced yellow onions. And sometimes  use mozzarella cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. For added convenience, use already cooked and chopped chicken breasts.

Beef and Broccoli Pita Folds


1/2 cup Uncooked instant white rice
1/2 cup Water
1 (1 lb. 5-oz.) pkg. Green Giant Create A Meal Frozen Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Starter
1/2 lb. Boneless lean beef sirloin steak
1 oz. (1/4 cup) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
4 Soft white pita fold breads

Preparation

1. Cook rice in water as directed on package, omitting margarine and salt.
2. Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare frozen broccoli stir fry meal starter as directed on package using steak but omitting oil.
3. Remove skillet from heat. Add cooked rice and cheese; mix well. Cover; let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is slightly melted.
4. To serve, spoon beef-vegetable mixture into pita fold breads.

Quesadillas


2 cups Shredded colby-and-Monterey-Jack cheese (8oz)
6 7-8 inch flour tortillas
3 tbsp Canned diced green chili
Peppers, drained
3 tbsp Chopped green onions (2)
3 slices Bacon, crisp cooked,
Drained and crumbled
Salsa (optional)

Preparation

Sprinkle 1/3 cup cheese over half of each tortilla. Top with chili peppers, green onions, and bacon or sausage. Fold tortillas in half pressing gently.
In a 10-inch skillet cook quesadillas, 2 at a time, over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or untill lightly browned, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet; place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300 degree oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. To serve, cut quesadillas into wedges. If desired, serve with salsa.

"Pizza" Sandwiches

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling

4 large garlic cloves, pressed

2 6-ounce cans tomato paste

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

4 ciabatta rolls or other Italian bread rolls, split horizontally

2 8-ounce balls mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, drained on several layers of paper towels

2 cups arugula or mixed greens (optional)

Place 4 tablespoons oil and garlic in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until garlic is golden, about 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat; stir in tomato paste. Stir in sugar, oregano, and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Return pan to heat; cook until tomato spread is bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Spread 1 teaspoon tomato spread on top and bottom halves of rolls. Divide cheese slices among bottom halves of rolls. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with arugula, if using. Cover with roll tops. Cut sandwiches in half; wrap. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.

 

remember you can always add your favorites to this...pepperoni, sausage, veggies and of course bacon!!

Hard-Boiled Eggs and Parmesan on Toasted Sourdough

1 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, minced

8 slices sourdough bread, toasted

4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled, sliced crosswise

2 cups (packed) coarsely chopped arugula (about 2 ounces)

8 wide Parmesan shavings (cut with vegetable peeler)

Mix first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper.

Place 4 toast slices on work surface. Top each with 1/4 of salsa, 1/4 of egg slices, 1/2 cup arugula, and 2 cheese shavings. Cover with remaining bread slices. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

 

 

 

 

Roast Beef, Basil, and Spicy Tomato Chutney Lavash Sandwiches

 

• a 16- to18-inch round, very thin, pliable lavash* such as Damascus mountain shepherd bread
• 1/2 cup Spicy Tomato Chutney or bottled tomato chutney
• 6 large thin slices rare roast beef (about 1/4 pound total)
• 16 fresh basil leaves
• 8 arugula leaves
• Garnish: arugula and fresh basil leaves
• Accompaniment: spicy tomato chutney or bottled tomato chutney
• *available at Middle Eastern markets, specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets

 

Quarter lavash and spread 1 side of each quarter evenly with 1 tablespoon chutney, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. On each quarter arrange about 1‚ slices roast beef in one layer over chutney and season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon chutney evenly over roast beef and top with basil, arugula, and salt and pepper to taste. Tightly roll up each lavash around filling into a cone and wrap individually in wax paper and plastic wrap. Sandwiches may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap.

Garnish sandwiches with arugula and basil and serve with chutney.

 

 

 

 

 

2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup orange marmalade

16 slices white bread

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and marmalade until blended. Using a 2-in. angel-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 16 angels from bread. Spread half with cream cheese mixture; top with remaining bread. Yield: 8 sandwiches.