Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Lunches: 9.30.14

How did it get to be the end of September already?

I cooked up some mini beef tacos from Trader Joe's for lunches for the kids.  They love them, and anything mini is good in my book.

They have the same lunch for this Tuesday.

Lunch for The Boy -  Tacos: 20g, Banana Apple Sauce: 14g, apple slices: 4g, bean crisps: 6g
Lunch for The Girl
They have some beef mini tacos, banana apple sauce, apple slices, and some green bean crisps.  They both have a granola bar for snack (not pictured - 22g)

Disclaimer: Though I used Trader Joe's products, this blog is not sponsored by Trader Joe's. All opinions are my own (or the kids')


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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Lunches: 9.29.14

Happy Monday!

The Hubby and I have leftover pizza for our lunches (not pictured), and the children have leftovers, too.
Apple slices: 4g, watermelon: 5g, gnocchi; 12g, bean crisps: 3g, chicken: 3g, yogurt star cookies: 8g
The Boy has leftover gnocchi and chicken, along with some watermelon, apple slices, green bean crisps, and yogurt star cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


The Girl also has leftover gnocchi and chicken, with a peach, apple slices, green bean crisps, and yogurt star cookies.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Friday, September 26, 2014

Lunches: 9.26.14

Happy Friday!
Dinner!
We had some Trader Joe's Gnocchi alla Sorrentini for dinner on Thursday, and I made some chicken to go with it.  The kids loved it, so they asked for leftovers for lunch.

Gnocchi: 15g, chicken: 3g, bean crisps: 5g, watermelon: 5g, apple slices: 4g
The Boy has leftover gnocchi, some chicken, green bean crisps, watermelon, and apple slices.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


The Girl has leftover gnocchi, chicken, green bean crisps, half a peach, and some apple slices.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).

Disclaimer: Though I used Trader Joe's products, this blog is not sponsored by Trader Joe's. All opinions are my own (or the kids')


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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Lunches: 9.25.14 - Shel Silverstein Blog Hop

We love Shel Silverstein in our house.


My father loved reading it to us as kids, and in turn, to our children.  He is funny and inspiring at the same time, poignant and silly.  His poems touch me and make me smile, and they are also really fun to read aloud.  Dad's favorite was "Boa Constrictor" - he loved making different voices and the swallowing sound at the end.

The kids are huge fans.  The Girl was picked to recite some poems for Memorial Day last year in school, and she chose a couple Shel Silverstein poems, in honor of my father, who was a Veteran.


When I found out that it was Shel Silverstein's birthday, I knew that I wanted to honor that with special lunches.  My Bento Bloggers & Friends agreed, and thus was born the Shel Silverstein Blog Hop.

Picture from Falling Up
This could have made  fun lunch...


Picture from Falling Up
The Girl liked this one, but I thought it was too simple
Picture from Falling Up
... I could have packed a snake in their lunches.  That would have been funny.
It was tough to pick a couple of poems to honor in lunch form...

Picture from Falling Up
I settled on "Advice" from Falling Up for The Boy.

Quesadilla: 10g, watermelon: 5g, ABC cookies: 10g, bean crisps: 3g, apple slices: 4g, carrots and ranch: 2g

His lunch is a cheese quesadilla on top of a container of watermelon, along with ABC cookies, bean crisps, carrots with ranch, and apple slices.  The poem in the background is also from Falling Up (we have other books, but this was the first one I grabbed for inspiration).  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured: 22g).

Picture from Falling Up
For the Girl, I made her a lunch based on "Carrots," from Falling Up.


Her lunch is a cheese sandwich with the image on it, on top of a turkey bologna sandwich, some bean crisps, ABC cookies, carrots with ranch (I hope that she eats them the right way!), and some apple slices.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).

The poem on her background, Invitation, is one of the ones she recited at the Memorial Day assembly last year.  It is one of my favorites.  It is from Where the Sidewalk Ends.

Though you can't see them, I also wrote a couple of my favorite poems on the Lunchbox Love notes.

Want to see what my Bento Bloggers and Friends have come up with?  Hop on over to Bent On Better Lunches to start the journey.


As a note, I have to post earlier than the others, due to the fact that The Boy's school nurse needs the carb counts for his lunch first thing in the morning. When you click on the button to go on to Bent On Better Lunches, there will be a place holder until the other blogs go live, at 10 AM (EST).




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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Lunch for The Boy: 9.24.14

Would you believe that The Girl was sick on Tuesday, so she didn't eat her salad again?  Luckily, it still looks good, so she's going to have that for lunch.

As for The Boy, we decided to pack a little breakfast-for-lunch.
Pancake Puffs: 30g, banana applesauce: 14g, watermelon: 5g, bologna: 1g
He has some Danish pancake puffs (from Trader Joe's), stuffed with a little marmalade (The Boy loves his marmalade), along with a banana applesauce, watermelon, and some bologna.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g)


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Lunch for The Boy: 9.23.14

The Girl forgot her lunch in the fridge on Monday, so she is having it for lunch today.  Therefore, I only packed for The Boy for this Tuesday.

Salad (with croutons): 8g, Banana apple sauce: 14g, Alphabet cookies: 10g
He has a Caesar salad for lunch, with croutons in the Lego container (he said that a crouton migrated into his apples somehow yesterday, and asked for a closed container for them), and dressing in the little blue container.  He also has a banana applesauce and some letter cookies.


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Monday, September 22, 2014

Recipe: Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce - (Pumpkinfredo)

I was playing with some ingredients, and came up with this recipe for Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce - Pumpkinfredo.  I've served it for several people now, and so far, everyone really loves it.  I thought I would share!

Bring your pumpkin into the savory direction!


I used jarred alfredo and jarred pumpkin butter, because I was going for quick and easy, but you could make your own of both, or either, by all means!

Pumpkinfredo Sauce

1 jar alfredo sauce
1/2 c pumpkin butter
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or pepper flakes, to taste


Heat the alfredo sauce and pumpkin butter in a sauce pan.  Stir in the spices, and simmer to let flavors combine briefly.  Serve on your favorite pasta (I used a lemon-pepper pasta), and top with pumpkin seeds if desired.


Disclaimer: Though I used Trader Joe's products, this blog is not sponsored by Trader Joe's. All opinions are my own (or the kids')


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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Lunches: 9.22.14

Time for Monday again!

I got some more romaine lettuce, so it's Caesar salads again.. without pre-dressing this time!  The Boy said that when he had the salad leftover from the restaurant, it was really soggy by lunchtime, which I actually suspected might happen... so this time, dressing is separate!

Salad: 10g, apple slices: 4g, apple cinnamon snack sticks: 8g
The Boy has a Caesar salad with croutons, salad dressing in a little container, along with apple slices, and apple cinnamon snack sticks.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g)


The Girl also has a Caesar salad with croutons, salad dressing in a little container, along with apple slices, and apple cinnamon snack stick.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Talk Like a Pirate Day Lunches: 9.19.14

It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day again, and time for lunches t' be made in honor o' t' occasion.

Sandwich: 30g, cheese: 1g, watermelon: 5g, cookies: 8g
Th' ship be drawn with food markers
T' lad Pirate has a pirate ship sandwich with turkey bologna, hummus, and pea shoots, along with a cheese stick,

letter cookies with t' pirate's favorite letter (R!!!) on top, and some watermelon with palm trees for t' tropical islands t' pirates hide their treaaye on. His snack be a cereal bar (not pictured, 27g)




T' lass Pirate has a treaaye map sandwich with turkey bologna, hummus, and pea shoots, with a cheese stick,

letter cookies (R, matey!), and some watermelon with palm trees. Her snack be a cereal bar (not pictured).

Though we do not have a blog hop this year for Talk Like a Pirate Day, thar will be a great link party over on the Bento Blogger & Friends Bento Bloggers & Friends blog.


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Lunches: 9.18.14

I have the day off, and The Hubby doesn't need a lunch, so it's just the kids for this Thursday.

Cornbread: 30g, apple snack stick: 4g, apple slices: 4g, meat stick: 2g, watermelon: 5g. goldfish: 12g
The Boy has some leftover pumpkin cornbread, apple snack sticks, a VT Smoke & Cure meat stick, apple slices, watermelon, and some Goldfish crackers.  He has a cereal bar for snack (not pictured, 27g)

The Girl has leftover pumpkin cornbread, apple snack sticks, a VT Smoke & Cure meat stick, apple slices, watermelon, and jackfruit crisps.  She also has a cereal bar for snack (not pictured).


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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Lunches: 9.17.14

I picked up some pumpkin corn bread mix from Trader Joe's, and it wasn't my favorite plain.. so I doctored it up some and it is pretty yummy the way I made it.

Doctored up pumpkin corn bread for dinner, with cowboy quinoa veggie burger and pineapple salsa

 I added pumpkin butter for half of the oil, and stirred in a cup of roasted corn and half a cup of roasted pumpkin seeds.  The kids loved it, so I packed some in their lunches.

Snack sticks: 8g, watermelon: 5g, cornbread: 30g, pepperoni & cheese: 2g, apple slices: 4g
The Boy has some pumpkin corn bread, turkey pepperoni from Vermont Smoke & Cure (review and giveaway coming soon!), a cheese stick, apple slices, watermelon, and apple cinnamon snack sticks.  His snack is a cereal bar (not pictured, 27g).


The Girl also has some pumpkin corn bread, cracked pepper beef and pork stick from Vermont Smoke & Cure, a cheese stick, apple slices, watermelon, apple slices. and apple cinnamon snack sticks.    Her snack is also a granola bar (not pictured).

Disclaimer: Though I used Trader Joe's products, this blog is not sponsored by Trader Joe's. All opinions are my own (or the kids')


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Monday, September 15, 2014

Family Lunches: 9.16.14

The kids are still both fighting sniffles and such, but not enough to keep them home from school.  For Tuesday, we have simple lunches.
Sandwich: 22g, cheese stick: 1g, apple cinnamon sticks: 6g, watermelon: 5g, blueberries: 5g
The Boy has a sandwich with hummus, ham, and pea shoots, along with a cheese stick, apple cinnamon snack sticks, blueberries, and watermelon.  He has a granola bar for snack (not pictured, 23g)


The Girl has the same lunch - hummus, ham, and pea shoot sandwich, with a cheese stick, apple cinnamon snack sticks, blueberries, and watermelon.  She also has a granola bar for snack (not pictured).

I have a bigger sandwich than the kids, but also with hummus, ham, and pea shoots, along with blueberries and watermelon.




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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Lunches: 9.15.14

The Boy isn't feeling that well this Sunday evening, but I packed lunch for him for tomorrow, in hopes that a good night's sleep will revive his spirits.  We went out to dinner, and he didn't finish his Caesar salad... so we knew he was under the weather.
Salad: 12g, apple slices: 8g
I packed his leftover Caesar in his lunch, with the caveat that I will take a look at it in the morning to see how it looks before sending it to school with him.  Pre-dressed salad doesn't always fare that well the day after... so this post may be edited in the morning with a quickly made redo lunch!  He has his salad, and a whole apple, sliced up, for lunch.  Its a pretty low carb lunch, so hopefully it will tide him (and his blood sugar!) over.  His snack will be a granola bar (not pictured, 23g).


The Girl also has restaurant leftovers for lunch - chicken alfredo.  I packed her a peach and some jackfruit crisps to go with it.  Her snack is also a granola bar (not pictured).

Happy Monday, one and all!


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Recipe Round-up: Food for a 30th Anniversary Party!

A friend asked me if I would make cocktail hour food for her parents' surprise 30th anniversary party.  I made food for the cocktail hour of her wedding last year, and she said her mom had been raving about it all year... I was only too happy to do it!  Making food for people who let me cook what I have been wanting to cook for a while, and give me pretty much free reign over what I make?  Sounds like heaven to me.

So, I delved through the wonderful world of Pinterest.  I asked friends for suggestions.  I spoke with my friend who hired me (of course).  I checked what was available at the store and fresh.



It went over swimmingly, although I probably made twice as much food as I really needed to... better too much than too little, though, right?

I wanted to share with you the dishes I made.

Here's the menu:



Sundried tomato spread - This is originally a recipe from a friend of my sister's, and it has become one of my staples.  It was specifically requested by my friend.


Caramelized peach and brie quesadillas with gingered honey - I modified this recipe a bit, mostly in the use of gingered honey, something that a coworker told me about. If you put some peeled fresh ginger in honey and let it sit, the honey will absorb water from the ginger and turn it into a less viscous liquid, and also infuse it with flavor. I knew that the ginger would be a delicious addition to the peaches, thyme, red onion, and brie in this recipe.... and now I have a nice jar of gingered honey, which will be amazing in tea, or used to soothe a sore throat!



Potatoes with sour cream, bacon, and chives - For this recipe, I omitted the cheese and added in delicious bacon.  I also used a medley of red, blue, and yellow potatoes.  The blue potatoes were such a bright blue after boiling, they added a festive air to the platter!



Dates with chevre and pecans - Instead of spicing up my own pecans, I used some spicy & sweet pecans from Trader Joe's.  I admit, I'm a little obsessed with these.




Pears with truffled gouda, arugula, and prosciutto - Instead of blue cheese in the recipe, I used a gouda with truffles.  Wonderful!


Stuffed brussells sprouts - AMAZING!!!  I can't stop talking about these... such a fun way to serve a highly under-appreciated vegetable.



Caprese pops - So simple and so beautiful - simply skewer a cherry tomato, a leaf of basil, and marinated mini mozzerella balls, and drizzle with a balsamic glaze.

Mini burger skewers - I spread little squares of sandwich thins with bruschetta topping, then skewered with half a small meatball, a small slice of cheddar cheese, and then the other half of the "bun."  They are inspired by this picture..


Garlic stuffed olives with sharp cheddar cheese - This is a very simple appetizer.  I got some garlic stuffed green olives, and then skewered them onto little cubes of cheese.


Gorgonzola and walnut spread - I'm not sure if I would make this again, as it was not a huge hit at the party, and I bet it would have been nicer hot - gorgonzola cheese mixed with a little cream cheese and chopped walnuts.

And last but not least -


Rainbow Carrot Leek Tart with Almond Parmesan Crust- this one deserves a post all of it's own.  (I'll link here when I get the recipe written up)


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