And we're back! Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta!

Heirloom, Tomato Bruschetta, Blueberries, Hard Boiled Egg

.....aaaaaaand we're back after a much longer hiatus than I had anticipated.  I'm going to be honest, I was a little glad to take a break from having picture perfect lunches every single day...there may have even been a few days when I just threw a Lean Cuisine in my purse and pretended like I wasn't a slacker.

Anyway, I've decided to try to make it to at least 365 lunches - also known as a year's worth!  After that, we'll see.  I definitely won't be updating every day, but I'll try to update at least once a week.  I may also lean more on showing you recipes that would provide great leftover lunches rather than just showing you lunchboxes.  In other words, lots of ideas!

Now, this lunch I'm showing you is from over a month ago.  At the height of tomato season, I visited my mom and we got some heirloom tomatoes from Reyer Farms in Lena, Mississippi (thanks, mom!).  If you're anywhere near the area, you should go visit the Reyers (they also frequent the Jackson and Livingston Farmers' Markets).  We went to their farm and picked out a whole bunch of tomatoes.

Aren't they beautiful?!

When I mentioned that I liked to cook, and particularly loved caprese salad and bruschetta, they cut some fresh basil for me and let me take it home for free.  (Really, you should go visit them.  They are super nice.  And no, they're not paying me for this review.  In fact, I don't think they even know I have a blog to review them in!  They're just nice, and sell tasty vegetables).  Anyway, mom and I divided up the tomatoes.  I brought a bag full home and made caprese salad, spaghetti sauce, and some bruschetta for lunch.  It. Was. Delicious.

I packed the bruschetta for lunch with some fresh local blueberries, and a hard boiled egg for protein.  If you pack this for lunch, you've really got two options.  I like it when the tomatoey goodness soaks through my bread and I have to eat it with a fork, so I packed it as pictured above.  If you like your crostini to be actually, you know, crisp (like it's supposed to be outside of my crazy world), then I recommend packing the bread and tomato mixture separately and assembling at lunch. 

Now, go buy some fresh tomatoes before they're all out for the summer!

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

1/2  cup chopped heirloom tomato (about 1/2 large tomato, or 1 roma tomato)
2-3 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 T chopped red onion
1 T crumbled feta cheese
1 T red wine vinegar
1-2 t olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of salt and pepper
dash of red pepper flakes, optional
2 slices Italian style bread (I used day old homemade rosemary focaccia - use whatever you have on hand)

Toast your bread until just golden on the edges, and let cool completely.  You may sprinkle on a little olive oil or butter if you like, but I find it unnecessary.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir well.  Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.  You may store this in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days, realizing that the tomatoes will get softer and the flavors stronger the longer you store them (not necessarily a bad thing, just a matter of taste).  When ready to eat, spoon tomato mixture onto toast and eat like an open faced sandwich with your fingers.  Enjoy as a snack, appetizer, or light meal. Pin It Now!

Day 188 - Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Scallops, Red Cherries, Broccoli.

Some days, you need to make fancy comfort food.  That's what I needed last night.  It's just been a rough week (ok, rough month), and it was time for some cream sauce to make it temporarily better.  And so, fettucine alfredo from scratch, with shrimp and scallops.

Yuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!

This is not healthy.  Do NOT make this if you are watching your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, or anything else.  This is the epitome of indulgence, and it's delicious.

I added some cherries and broccoli at lunch to make it at least somewhat nutritious.  I added in shrimp and scallops, but this would be delicious with just about any seafood or chicken.  I'll give you the recipe for the sauce, which matches about a pound of pasta, cooked.  You will love it!

Alfredo Sauce

1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
salt, to taste
1 pound dried pasta, cooked al dente 

In a medium sized non-stick pot, melt butter.  Stir in garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Pour in cream and wine; heat over medium-low heat until just barely bubbling on the sides.  Stir in cornstarch and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low immediately and whisk together until thickened.  Add in parmesan and salt, if necessary, whisking until smooth.  Toss with hot, cooked pasta and any other toppings desired (seafood, chicken, broccoli, asparagus, etc.).  Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Day 174 - Spicy Garden Pasta with Shrimp

Spicy Garden Pasta with Shrimp, Carrots, Grapes

Y'all, I made this up last night and it was so good. Spicy, full of vegetables, shrimpy.  Yummmmmm.  It's not overly pretty, but I promise it looks better in person, was super easy to make, and pretty healthy.  I'd definitely make this for company...but enjoyed not sharing it last night.  A lot.

Added some grapes and carrots with the pasta, which added a nice, bright, crunchy feel for lunch.  Delicious!

Spicy Garden Pasta with Shrimp

12 oz. whole wheat pasta shells
24 oz. vodka sauce
2 cups frozen shrimp, thawed and peeled
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly
2 T olive oil
2 t red pepper flakes
1 t minced garlic

In a  large, non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add in onion, bell pepper, and garlic, sauteing for about 5 minutes.  Add in tomatoes and zucchini, sauteing about another five minutes.  Pour in vodka sauce and pepper flakes, stirring well and simmering over medium heat for about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions.  When pasta is done, add in shrimp to hot water and pasta and drain immediately.  Add in sauce as desired, and let sit for about 2 minutes while shrimp steams in the pasta.  As soon as shrimp is pink, serve immediately.  

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Days 121 & 122 - Two Meals, One List - Italian Style!

Two delicious Italian and Mediterranean Style lunches!

 
I never planned on this being a thing, but I guess it is now!  Here's another two days of lunches from one main set of ingredients.  Common ingredients for these two days include:  salami, tallegio cheese, bean sprouts, mini bell peppers, and a baguette.  I already had the baguette, peppers, and cheese at home, so I brainstormed and picked up the salami and bean sprouts to round it out.  

The first lunch was a salami and tallegio sandwich on a baguette with sprouts, peppers on the side, rice crackers, and mixed berries.

The second lunch was a bed of sprouts with a wedge of tallegio, a few parmesan cubes, salami  slices, olive skewers, bell peppers, and baguette slices.

These were great to make ahead of time because they kept cold so well.  And all of the ingredients could be served at room temperature, so I could refrigerate it overnight and then just leave it on my desk for work.  If you're packing lunch for kids, this would be great for any adventurous eaters.  Pin It Now!

Day 119 - Not-Really-Homemade Spaghetti

Spaghetti, roasted chicken, sugar snap peas.

I love homemade spaghetti sauce from scratch.  Love it.  I love all the chopping, the simmering all day, the rewarding slurping at the end of the night.  Buuuuut, some days you get home late from work, have bills to pay, emails to answer, clothes to launder, groceries to buy...and all you really want to do is catch up on TV.  That, my friends, is time for spaghetti sauce from a jar.

Jarred sauce is always on sale, there's always a coupon, and you can heat it up faster than pasta.  You can jazz it up, too...I usually add a can of diced tomatoes, a little minced garlic, and some chopped onion or mushrooms if I've got them.  And the good news is, if there are leftovers, I just pour them back in the jar and use them over the next couple of weeks.  Opened, a jar of sauce usually stays good for a week or two.

So, leftover pasta with jarred sauce starred at lunch today, with some leftover roasted chicken and sugar snap peas.  I added just a teaspoon or so of water to the peas so that they steamed when I microwaved this for lunch.  Very tasty! Pin It Now!

Day 99 - Mediterranean Pasta Toss for One!

Mediterranean Pasta, Grilled Chicken, Apple Slices

If you cook for yourself a lot, as I do, you find that you have lots of leftovers and a LOT of desire to revamp those leftovers for variety's sake.

Or, maybe you're always cooking for yourself and you dream of being able to cook that one, perfect meal by yourself.

But, of course, there are no recipes for one.  Ok, there are plenty, but not as many out there in the universe as I'd like, so I'm adding one more!  I had tilapia and a side of pasta and asparagus last night.  I had lots of leftover pasta, asparagus, and feta cheese, and so I made a couple of dishes for the remaining week.  For today, I made a single serving of a Mediterranean Pasta Toss, made of my leftovers and some random items I found in my fridge.  I put some leftover chicken from a few days ago on the side (which I mixed into the pasta while eating) as well as some apple slices.  It was good, fresh, and filling.

Tune in tomorrow for what I did with the rest of my leftovers. :)

Mediterranean Pasta Toss for One

1 cup cooked pasta (I used a combination of spaghetti and vermicelli)
1/2 cup fresh tomato, chopped (go ahead and use canned if that's all you've got)
1/2 cup fresh (or recently cooked) asparagus, chopped into one inch pieces
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 T olive oil
1 T dry white wine (or broth)
2 t capers
1 t minced garlic (I use the bottled kind)

In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add wine, garlic, tomato, and capers.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the garlic just begins to brown.  Stir in asparagus - if it is raw, cook for 3-5 minutes until tender; if it has already been cooked, then immediately proceed to the next step.  Stir in your pasta.  If pasta is still hot, then just toss to coat and serve; if your pasta has been in the refrigerator, then reduce heat to low and stir constantly until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle in feta cheese and serve immediately.

Reheats well in the microwave.

I highly recommend a green salad and a good, crusty bread on the side! Pin It Now!

Day 71 - Apple and Goat Cheese Pizza

Apple and Goat Cheese Pizza

 Oh dear...I stumbled onto something overly delicious.

I found this recipe on Pinterest, and decided to make it my own.  Apple and goat cheese pizza with bacon and sage.  Seriously.

I used store bought, uncooked dough and made two pizzas - one that I shaped specifically to a Tupperware container for lunch transport, and then a large one for dinner that night.  My only complaint is that it fell apart rather easily - most pizza is kind of "sticky" because of stringy cheese, and goat cheese just doesn't bind things as well.  I'd recommend making these either bite-sized or in calzone form.

The recipe below is for one whole pizza.  Feel free to divide it into as many smaller pizzas as you like.

Apple and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 batch pizza dough (pre-made or homemade), uncooked
1 lb apples (about two large - I used Braeburn)
3-4 slices bacon, cooked crisp
10 oz goat chevre
2 T fresh sage, julienned

Prepare pizza dough according to directions, tossing to size.  Crumble goat cheese over pizza crust, leaving about a 1-inch margin around the edges.  Thinly slice apples and arrange them on top in whatever pattern you like.  Chop bacon roughly and sprinkle, with sage, over the pizza.  Bake at 400F for about 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden.  Eat hot, and enjoy!



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Day 57 - Gnocchi au Gratin

Gnocchi au Gratin

 
Alright, alright, I didn't take this to lunch.  I cooked it at home and it was good.  Decadently so.  And trust me, you want to know about this recipe.  Whether you take it to lunch or not, you'll love it.

Inspired by a number of dishes I've been served recently, I chose to make Gnocchi au Gratin.  If you're not familiar with gnocchi, it's a type of pasta most usually referred to as potato dumplings...potato flour in little grape sized nuggets.  You can buy them frozen or in the regular pasta section of your store, and they cook up very quickly.  They're great with just a little olive oil or a red sauce....or, in a gratin.  Cooking something "au Gratin" means, of course, that you cook it in a gratin dish and it has some sort of breadcrumb type topping that gets brown and good.  And, usually, cheese is involved.  It certainly was this time.

Pictured above is one entree serving, about 1.5 cups.  The recipe below is for twice that...so, either two entree servings or 4 side servings.  I had trouble eating an entire entree size, so be warned...this is very rich.  And good. 

Serve with a big green salad and you are good to go!

Gnocchi Au Gratin

1 lb gnocchi
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup emmental or gruyere cheese
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 T butter, divided
1 T flour
dash or two of nutmeg, salt, and pepper

Cook gnocchi according to package directions; set aside.
In a non-stick  pot or double boiler, melt 1 T butter.  Whisk in flour until just blended; do not let this mixture burn or brown.  Slowly pour in milk and heat over low heat until thickened.  Now, slowly stir in the cheddar cheese until cheese is melted and well incorporated into the sauce.  Add dashes of salt, pepper, and nutmeg as desired.  Remove from heat and stir in gnocchi.  Transfer into a buttered 3 cup dish or two 1.5 cup dishes.  In a separate pot or pan, melt remaining butter and stir in breadcrumbs.  Stir, over medium heat, until crumbly and lightly toasted.  Sprinkle over gnocchi mixture.  Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden and crispy.

Enjoy!  Nap.  Work out. Pin It Now!

Day 41 - Tortellini Salad

Tortellini Salad, apples, strawberries.

Today!  Today was delicious...cold tortellini salad with fruit on the side.  Not much to say about this one except you need to make it!  It's great hot or cold, and not too unhealthy.



Tortellini Salad

9 oz refrigerated tortellini (any kind - I used Butoni chicken tortelloni)
2 cups fresh spinach, firmly packed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 T olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T capers
1 T whole grain or dijon mustard
1 t onion salt

Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Set aside.  In a warm skillet, sautee  spinach until just wilted - you may wish to add cooking spray to aid this process.  Once wilted, stir spinach and bell pepper into tortellini.  Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over tortellini mixture.  Serve hot or cold.

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Day 33 - Classic Lasagna

Lasagna, red grapes, sugar snap peas.

Mmmmmm, lasagna!  Last night was a definite Sunday-night-lasagna kind of dinner, so today was a leftover-lasagna kind of lunch!

It's sort of funny looking, you might say.  Well, that's because those are super thin slices turned on their sides.  Not only was the actual lasagna too tall to fit upright in my container, but the thinness makes it microwave easier.  So, that's why it's funny looking. :)

I have the benefit of having a great farmer's market with fresh pasta, sauce better than I can make myself, and lots of meat options.  You may not be so lucky, but the recipe below allows for a lot of exceptions.  I would make sure to do at least half and half beef/pork, if you can - beef is the more traditional flavor, but the pork sausage gives it great flavor and texture.

It looks complicated, but I promise once you get used to this recipe you'll breeze through it!


Classic Lasagna

1/3 lb ground beef
1/3 lb ground pork
1/3 lb ground spicy pork sausage
1 onion,  chopped
8 oz  fresh  mushrooms, chopped
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
32 oz marinara or spaghetti sauce (store bought or homemade)
1pkg lasagna noodles, cooked or fresh
16 oz ricotta cheese (go for the expensive stuff - makes all the difference)
16 oz fresh mozzarella

Brown meats in a large skillet; drain when browned.  Stir in onion and mushrooms, cooking on medium heat until tender.  Pour in tomatoes and tomato sauce, stirring occasionally, and heat until bubbling gently.

In a 9x13 greased casserole dish, spread about 1 cup of the sauce (this helps keep the bottom layer of pasta from sticking).  Make one layer of pasta.  Spread half of the riccotta on top.  Then add about 1/3 of the remaining sauce.  Repeat pasta-ricotta-sauce layer.  Add one more layer of pasta and pour remaining sauce over.

Slice mozzarella into thin pieces and layer over the top of the casserole.

They even sell fresh mozzarella in logs for easy slicing.  Some people think of everything!

Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray on one side.  Place greased side down on casserole dish to cover.  Bake at 375F for 45 minutes.  Let cool about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

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Day 15 - Bagel Pizza

Bagel Pizza, Cherries, Mixed Green Salad

If you consider yourself a foodie, then do NOT read this blog post!  It will make you so sad, and who wants to be sad?!

I made a bagel pizza today.  But I didn't shop for the ingredients...I scrounged around in my kitchen and said "Hey, I think these random items will make a pizza!"  Not going to lie...it was the kind of thing I'd make for a 3rd grader.

And. It. Was. Delicious.

So I have all these bagels, right?  I pulled out an asiago bagel and cut it in  half.  Then I had some tomato puree in the pantry for spaghetti later this week.  So I busted that open a little early and mixed it with herbs to make pizza sauce.  Then...remember the salami from yesterday?  Cut that up.  And then, the ultimate foodie heresy....I used string cheese instead of actual fancy mozzarella.  I know.  But I promise, it was goooood.

Doesn't it look delightful?

Then I added some mixed greens with raspberry vinaigrette (bottled - more foodie failures, I know!) and cherries.  I did microwave the pizza at work because I just couldn't eat it cold...I think that was the right choice.

I'll tell you how I made it, but give you lots of options for whatever you may have lurking in your kitchen!

Back of the Pantry Bagel Pizza

1 half asiago bagel (or whatever flavor you like, or a mini pita!)
1 T tomato puree + 1/4 t Italian Seasoning (or 1 T pizza sauce, chopped tomatoes, or even spaghetti sauce - foodies, quit rolling your eyes!  I told you to stop reading already!)
1 slice genoa salami (or any other deli meat, or about 1 T chopped chicken, steak, pepperoni, sausage, veggies, whatever)
1 mozzarella cheese stick (or 1-2T shredded or sliced cheese)

Stir together the tomato puree and seasoning.  Spoon and spread sauce on top of the bagel half.  Tear salami into pieces and layer about half of it over the sauce.  Roughly chop the cheese and layer on top of salami.  Top off with remaining salami and maybe a dash of parsley.  Bake on a foil lined pan at 350F for about 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.  Eat or refrigerate immediately. Pin It Now!

Day 14 - Bagel Sandwich

Asiago Bagel and Salami Sandwich, String Cheese, Green Apples, Crackers

Today's lunch is nothing terribly creative.  Green apples, salted crackers, and a low fat mozzarella cheese stick accompany a bagel sandwich.  The sandwich is made of one asiago cheese bagel, mixed greens, genoa salami, and spicy brown mustard.

It was really tasty, but not so complicated that I really need to explain anything.  Just enjoy, as is.  And have a wonderful day! :) Pin It Now!

Day 5 - Simple Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala, Egg Noodles, Green Peas, Fresh Apricot

Aaaaaand, we're back!  From a very long (and super fun!) weekend.  Hope all of your weekends were just as lovely. :)

Second week of lunches started off with leftovers from one of my favorite dishes - Simple and Easy Chicken Marsala.  Lunch also included egg noodles, green peas, and a fresh apricot.  I put the apricot in a silicone baking cup so that when I take it out to microwave the rest of the meal, the apricot will have something to sit on.

I'll likely be eating a lot of leftovers on Mondays because I am a big believer in the "Sunday Night Dinner."  I don't particularly care if Sunday Night Dinner actually happens on a Sunday, to be fair.  What matters to me is that I take one night in a weekend to cook a good, slightly more indulgent, hot meal.  No sandwiches, leftovers, or take out.  Something intentional and good for your soul.  I often have people over to share the meal with me, too!

This Chicken Marsala is a great dinner recipe if I'm shorter on time.  I have most of the ingredients on hand in my kitchen, it's not as unhealthy as some, and I've never met anyone who didn't like it.  My recipe isn't complicated or gourmet, it's just the basics.  Last night I served it with egg noodles and canned green peas, although the more classic choice would be angel hair pasta.  Rice, quinoa, and mashed potatoes would all be delightful with this dish, as well as any number of green vegetables.  

Simple Chicken Marsala

1.5 lbs thin sliced boneless chicken breasts (about 6 cutlets - if your store doesn't carry "thin sliced," then buy regular sized breasts and slice or pound them thin)
2 Tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup flour
1 red onion, chopped
8 oz sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 cup marsala wine
1 Tablespoon dried marjoram
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 T oil in a large skillet.  Dredge chicken in flour and cook over medium low heat, about 2-3 minutes per side.  When cooked, set aside wrapped in foil.  Melt remaining butter in the pan and add onion, stirring for about 5 minutes or until desired tenderness.  Add mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes or so. Pour in marsala and remaining ingredients.

Mushrooms and onions, before wine

Mushrooms and onions, after wine and seasonings

Switch burner to medium high and reduce sauce, stirring frequently, about 10-15 minutes.  Your sauce can be any viscosity you like, but I like mine around the consistency of syrup.  When sauce has reached the desired state, gently place cooked chicken back in the pan and cook until heated through.  Serve immediately, preferably with a nice loaf of Italian bread to soak up all the delicious sauce!

Yum!

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