School Lunches

My son is in first grade this year and its our first time having to pack a lunch.  I have been searching for ideas.  Here is what I have come up with:

I freeze everything from cookies, brownies, burritos, corn dogs, pigs in a blanket, etc.  That way I can just grab each food item I want and threw them in the Iron Man Lunch Box.

Corn Dog Recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/corn-dogs/

Cookie recipes I have fallen for:  

This is a chocolate hazelnut chip cookie!  Seriously it uses Nutella!  http://www.jif.com/Recipes/Details/6645

I make my own Hot Pockets by rolling ham and cheese in either Monkey Bread dough or Pizza dough.  I also fill them with broccoli and cheese or pizza fillings with pizza sauce of course.  Freeze great.  My kids and husband Love LOVE LOVE!

Lastly burritos.

First I have to share the filling recipe because its great and I use it in a multitude of ways:

Lentil Tacos

3/4 cup onions, finely chopped (can use dehydrated)

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. canola oil

1/2 lb. dry lentils (How much is that?  Look at the bag or guess!)

1 Tbsp. chili powder (feel free to add more)

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup salsa, give or take

   If uses raw onions saute in oil with garlic powder in until tender.  Then add the lentils and the rest of the spices.  Cook, stirring for one minute or two.  

Then throw everything in a crock pot with the rest of the ingredients (broth and salsa).  If using dehydrated onions just saute the lentils and then put it all together in a crock pot.  cook for 3 hours if you like crunchy lentils and 6ish for soft.  I put mine on low in the early afternoon and they were perfect at dinner

Use as tacos, toppings for nachos, or filling for burritos.

If you are making burritos I add cheese, and Spanish Rice.  I bake them at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Let cool completely and freeze.  Hot sauce on the side is recommended.

For the Spanish Rice I really like this recipe:

Spanish Rice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 Tbsp. minced garlic (or 2 tsp. garlic powder if you are desperate)

2 cups favorite rice (I don't think brown would work in this though)

3 cups stock of choice (vegetable or chicken)

2 Tbsp. tomato paste or one cup diced tomatoes strained (or use fresh)

pinch of oregano

1 tsp. salt

Use appropriate amounts of stock to rice according to your rice's packaging instructions.  Usually its 2:1.  

Brown the rice in a large skillet with the oil.  Add the onion and garlic, cooking until onions are softened.

Then throw everything in whatever you use to cook rice.  I have a great microwave rice cooker but you can use whatever.  Cook for 15-25 minutes depending on rice and your cooker.  Let stand for five minutes.  

I use this Spanish rice with so many things: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc.  I stick it inside a lot as well as along side.  My kids love it.  What other endorsement do you need?

Chimichangas

I got this recipe from here

I changed it a bit because I wanted it to be more kid friendly.

Chimichangas

2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
salt
1 small tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp. cilantro
2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1 15-ounce can refried beans
4 10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby.)
shredded lettuce

Mexi-sauce
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
chili powder
cumin
sugar salt
1/2 of a green pepper, diced
1 cup chicken broth
cilantro to taste

Prepare the mexi-sauce.  Saute the onion, garlic cloves, and pepper in vegetable oil until tender.  Add a pinch of chili powder, cumin, sugar, and salt.  Cook for two minutes.  Then add the chicken broth.  Simmer until thickened.  Puree in a blender or food processor.  Add in the cilantro at the end.

Preheat oven to 450.  Melt the butter and 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a skillet and then put in a bowl.  Heat the remaining oil in the pan and cook the onion, garlic, and pepper.  Cook until soft.  Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 tsp. salt.  Cook for another 30 seconds.  Add the tomato and cilantro.  Cook until dries a bit (about 2 minutes).  Sit in the chick and sour cream.  Heat through.  Remove from heat. 

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with the butter-oil mixture.  Spread two tbsp. refried beans down the center and top with the chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.  Fold in the ends and roll up.

Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet.  Brush with the butter-oil mixture.  Bake 6-8 minutes on each side, brushing each side when you flip if you desire. 

Bake until golden and crispy.  Garnish with lettuce, tomato, and sour cream.  Add some mexi-sauce.

I personally thought it needed an extra sauce like ranch, or a sour cream/lime juice, lime rind mixture.

Chocolate and Vanilla Pudding

My mom used to make us our own personal pudding when I was little and I loved it.  I think I loved anything that was just mine as you can see from the chicken pot pie post below.

I found this recipe and decided to try it.

Okay, so I'm not going to copy the recipe out for you again because I followed it almost exactly with great results, but I did have a genius moment with the vanilla pudding and I have to share it. 
   So in the recipe it tells you to heat the milk and then whisk it into the cornstarch, egg, sugar mixture as fast as you can whisk right?  Well, I got to thinking about how hard that would be to pour milk slowly while whisking and I thought why not just use my mixer?  So I mixed everything up in there and put it on a medium speed and slowly poured the milk in.  There were no lumps and it was heavenly and WAY easy. 

   I also added some left-over blackberry syrup from a cheesecake on top of the vanilla pudding.  So good.  Try it.

Chicken Pot Pie

I tried THIS recipe from Alton Brown the other night but I used a pie crust for the tops and bottoms instead of puff pastry like he uses.  I put them in my ramekins so everyone could have their own pie.  My mom used to do this and I loved it when I was little.

Monkey Bread Hot Pockets Revised

I read this recipe on The Best Bites where they make something like my Monkey Bread Hot Pockets but they roll them differently and use different dough.  I decided to try how they put them together.  I am going to try their different dough sometime too.

I made four bags to freeze.  They are a hit!

Finger Paint

We had a snow day today and needed an activity.  I've tried a few different finger paint recipes in the past and this is my favorite one. 

You'll need:

1/2 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cold water
food coloring

In a medium saucepan stir together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt.  Then whisk in the cold water over medium to medium-low heat.  Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly.  You are just waiting for it to thicken and become shiny.  I think I cooked it a little too long.  You don't want it too thick! 

Prepare some storage containers. 

Let it cool and add food coloring.

Then let your kids at it!

\My kids were having hard time not wiping their hands off every few seconds!  Store containers in air tight containers.  I store mine in the fridge.  I've had it go moldy in the past.  Yuck.

Best French Toast

Alton Brown has again done something marvelous with a hum drum food. His French Toast is the best I've ever had. Try it.