Days 201 & 202 - One Ingredient, Two Lunches - Trader Joe's Style!

Salad and Stir Fry, both made with mixed Asian Vegetables from Trader Joe's.

I went a little crazy at Trader Joe's this weekend.  I do that, from time to time.  It's far enough away from me that I don't get weekly groceries there, so I tend to just buy large quantities of wine and frozen food at once. 

For the next two lunches, I took advantage of the produce section!  They apparently sell a pound of mix, pre-cut Asian Vegetables in the produce section - red and green bell pepper, red onion, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, watercress, and pickled corn.  So, what did I do?  Bought it, and used it for lots of meals this week, inlcuding two lunches! 

The first lunch is a tasty, French inspired salad with mixed greens, bell pepper, mushrooms, corn, broccoli, and carrots with a tangy honey mustard dressing that I made at home, along with a leftover dinner roll.

The second lunch is Trader Joe's Mandarin Chicken, amped up with all of the delicious veggies, over jasmine rice with orange sections and broccoli from the veggie mix.

And I still have some vegetables leftover - I'm going to use the peppers and onions in a pasta later this week (unlikely to show up for lunch), and then just snack on the carrots for the rest of the week! Pin It Now!

Day 160 - Chicken Pies with Homemade Stock

Chicken Pie, Strawberries, Edamame

Our last rotisserie chicken recipe today is a repeat - but not really.  For dinner last night I made Moravian Chicken Pies, which I've made before.  The only thing that I did differently was actually cut out the pie dough into rounds, which I think makes a much prettier pie.  I threw in some edamame and strawberries for lunch today, and it was a great little meal!

Now, you can go back and look at my recipe for these pies anytime.  What I want to share with you today, however, is how to make homemade chicken stock from a rotisserie chicken.  The chicken pie recipe calls for both chopped chicken as well as chicken broth or stock, both of which I got from this week's chicken.  Making your own stock is extremely easy, and it freezes beautifully!  Speaking of freezing, I'll sometimes freeze the chicken bones and make stock out of them later, if I'm pressed for time.  Trust me, making your own stock will make all the difference in the world!

Chicken Stock from Rotisserie Chicken

1 four pound (or smaller) rotisserie chicken, meat and skin removed (some meat and bones remaining)
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 t black pepper
1 t kosher salt
3 quarts water

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot.  Feel free to throw the carrots and celery in whole, leaves and all included.  You may chop vegetables to better  fit your pot.  Bring pot to a boil and then reduce to a quick simmer; simmer for at least one hour.  If liquid looks like it's getting too low, then just add more water.  When stock is a rich golden color, remove from heat.  Strain liquid, removing all solids.  Let cool and keep either in refrigerator or freezer.  Use for soups or any other recipe that needs chicken broth!

Tip:  if you're freezing stock, try freezing it in your ice tray.  When frozen, pop all the cubes into a large bag - each cube is about 2 Tablespoons of liquid, so you can just throw as little or as much as you need into your recipes for the next few months!

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Day 159 - Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas, Strawberries, Blueberries, Carrots, Celery.

 I made chicken enchiladas last night!  This is one of my favorite recipes that I learned in college, and it's turned out to be a great, quick meal for busy nights.  I often bring it, or something like it, to my friends after they've had babies or non-stomach-sensitizing surgery.  Last night, however, I made it all for me!  I packed the leftovers today with strawberries, blueberries, carrots, and celery.  Pictured is actually one enchilada cut in half.  The recipe only makes six enchiladas, but I promise that just one is enough to fill up most people.

This is, without a doubt, one of my favorite ways to make use of a rotisserie chicken!

Enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

6 burrito sized flour tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups cheese (I use queso quesadilla or a mexican blend), divided
8 oz can green chilies
10 oz red (or green) enchilada sauce

In a large bowl, mix together chicken, chilies, and 1 3/4 cup cheese.  Put just under a cup of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla, rolling up and making sure that the filling is tucked well into the ends.  Place each enchilada into the bottom of a well greased 9x13 baking pan.  Cover with enchilada sauce and remaining cheese.  Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, rice, and a good salad!

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Day 158 - Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks, dried apricots, cashews, rice cakes, strawberries & blueberries.

When you buy a rotisserie chicken, do you have a hard time not just tugging off the legs and eating them right there at the kitchen counter?

No?

Ok, me either....

Ahem, but I do love those little drumsticks.  So, I made a lunch for today with chicken drumsticks, cashews, dried apricots, mini rice cakes, strawberries, and blueberries.  So good, fun to snack on during the day, and super fast to throw together in the morning!

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Day 157 - Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini, broccoli, strawberries

The first recipe I made from my rotisserie chicken this week was Chicken Tetrazzini.  This is one of those old-school recipes that I remember my grandmother making...or something like it.  My recipe is taken from a Southern Living version, but I cut mine in half and add some ingredients.

This is a really rich dish, so even an 8x8 casserole will feed several people.  Serve it with a giant green salad to balance things out.  For lunch, I had it with broccoli and strawberries.

Chicken Tetrazzini

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
2 c. milk
1 c. white wine
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 oz jar pimento
6 oz can mushrooms, drained
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 T chicken bouillon
1 t black pepper
8 oz spaghetti, cooked
1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped chicken

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until smooth, and then gently whisk in milk and wine.  When mixture begins to thicken, add in 1/2 cup of cheese cheese, all pimento, mushrooms, almonds, bouillon, and black pepper.  Cook until heated through.  Fold in cooked pasta and chicken.   Pour into a well greased 8x8 casserole dish.  Sprinkle cheese on top, and bake at 350F for 30 minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

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One Rotisserie Chicken, Four Lunches

You know those rotisserie chickens that most big box grocery stores sell?  The ones that can be a killer bargain, and most households buy multiple times a week?  Well, I bought one on Sunday, and made four lunches and three dinners out of it.  So, that's what I'll be showing you this week.  One chicken, four lunches...three of those lunches from dinner leftovers!.

Now, the details.  I bought a four pound bird, took the skin off, and removed all of the meat and chopped it into bite sized pieces.  I ended up with about 5 cups of chicken, which I kept in a large container in the refrigerator all week.  All the chicken required in the recipes this week comes from those five cups.  I also saved the chicken bones to make stock...more on that on Friday.

If you're a thrifty shopper, keep in mind that most grocery stores discount their rotisserie chickens by a least $2 after a certain point in the evening.  In my Kroger, they knock off $2 at 7pm, and another $2 at 9pm; in short, two birds after 9pm is cheaper than one before 7pm.

I bought mine later at night.  For less than $7, I had chicken for all week.  I made three dinners, after which I brought leftovers to lunch, and made one lunch just from the drumsticks.  Thrifty menu planning and its best!  Stay tuned... Pin It Now!

Day 156 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Green Salad

Cucumber, Grape Tomatoes, Green Salad, Grapes, Mini Wheat Pita

Delicious lunch today!  Cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes, mini pitas, and a green salad with julienned vegetables.  I whipped up that bagged salad for dinner last night, so I just popped the already dressed salad in with my other delicious healthy treats.  I wish I had included a little more protein, but I certainly got an energizing burst of vitamins with this lunch!

Next week I'll be using one rotisserie chicken for all of my lunches; in the meantime, you can check out my Pinterest Board of Lunch Ideas for inspiration.  Happy Weekend! Pin It Now!

Day 155 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Goat Cheese

Whole wheat pita, cucumber, grape tomatoes, edamame, marinated goat cheese, green grapes.

Today's special treat is some goat chevre drizzled with a little olive oil and honey, which I let soften before lunch and spread all over some whole wheat pita.  Yum.  Packed it with some grapes (yum!), tomatoes (ok, I'm getting a little tired of these), cucumbers, and edamame.  Since goat chevre is a pretty low fat cheese, as cheeses go, I felt really good about the health factor in this meal. 

In other news, if you're looking for good lunch box ideas that also use the Easy Lunchbox system, try checking out Kelly Lester's Easy Lunchbox Facebook page.  She's the creator of these ingenious little devices, and features lots of great bloggers on her page! Pin It Now!

Day 154 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Ravioli Salad

Grape Tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges, Ravioli Salad, Green Grapes, Cucumber Slices

Alright, friends, same drill as yesterday, except today we have Ravioli Salad!  It's just one package of cheese ravioli tossed with 4 oz of pimentos, julienned veggies stolen from my bagged salad, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and a little salt.  Not even worth writing out a recipe, but so delicious!  I added in grapes and mandarin oranges for sweetness, as well as more tomatoes and cucumber.  Yum! Pin It Now!

Day 153 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Palmetto Cheese

Whole Wheat Pita, Cucumber Slices, Mandarin Orange Sections, Green Grapes, Grape Tomatoes, Pimento Cheese

Here's the thing.  I feel the need to get a lot of fruits and veggies in my system this week, but that doesn't mean that I can't have a little something indulgent, right?  Gotta get protein somewhere, and as far as I'm concerned, that might as well come from cheese!

Seriously, I have no problem with a box full of healthy and a little something fatty and proteiny (yeah, I just made that word up) on the side.  And for whatever reason, sometimes I just wanna go vegetarian, so lean meats are out.

Anyway, today my indulgence is pimento cheese...more specifically, Palmetto Cheese!  Palmetto Cheese is one of those things I discovered while living in South Carolina, which I was so glad to find in stores in Atlanta!  It's essentially a pre-packaged pimento cheese (some varieties with jalepenos!  and bacon!) that tastes just about as good as homemade.  A pricey and caloric treat, for sure, but delicious anyway.

Ok, pimento cheese aside, I also included mini whole wheat pitas, cucumber slices, mandarin orange sections, grape tomatoes, and green grapes.  Not going to lie, I'm pretty sure everyone at the table was jealous of my colorful, healthy meal.  It's true! Pin It Now!

One List, Four Healthy Lunches

I have two things going on this week:  I am super busy, and I've been eating badly over the last week.  So, I wanted some lunches this week that were healthy but quick, with lots of fruits and veggies.  So, I made up one list and used the ingredients over and over again this week.  I'll be showing you each lunch on each day, but here you can see how they all relate.

 My ingredients are all pictured above, with one exception.  On my shopping list for lunches this week was:

Mini Whole Wheat Pitas
Green Grapes
Mandarin Oranges
Bagged Lettuce with Julienned Vegetables
Grape Tomatoes
A Cucumber
Goat Chevre
Pimento Cheese
Four Cheese Ravioli

Not pictured is a bag of frozen edamame, as well as kitchen staples like oil and vinegar.  

For lunch this week, I'll be having:

Fruits and Veggies with Pimento Cheese
Fruits and Veggies with a Green Salad
Fruits and Veggies with Goat Cheese
Fruits and Veggies with Ravioli Salad


Keep checking in, and enjoy! Pin It Now!

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!

Days 102 & 103 - Skirt Steak Fajitas and Burritos

Two lunches made from fajita leftovers!

Alright, friends, another day of two lunches from one set of ingredients!  Last night I made skirt steak fajitas for dinner, so I had the leftovers for lunch today and then made burritos for lunch tomorrow.  Obviously, I'm craving a little spice in my culinary life this week.  Both of these lunches can be made from one list:  marinated skirt steak, frozen fajita veggies, black beans, tortillas, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and Uncle Ben's Spanish rice.

Skirt steak fajitas, tortillas, rice, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.

The first lunch, Day 102, includes skirt steak and pepper fajitas, tortillas (wrapped in foil), lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and  Spanish Rice.  I intended to microwave this but ran out of time, so I ate it cold and it was still really great.

Two mini steak and black bean burritos, sauteed peppers and onions, sour cream.

The second day I had just a little bit of leftover beef and rice, so I chopped up the beef and mixed it with the rice, cheese, and some canned black beans.  I wrapped it up two fajita sized tortillas and had leftover pepper and onions on the side, and some sour cream.  Because sour cream makes everything better.  I microwaved this one so that the cheese got all melty and delicious.  Which reminds me of chimichangas...mmmmmm...Anyway, these burritos would be great with leftovers from restaurant fajitas, as well.

These both require a recipe for Skirt Steak Fajitas, which is below.  It is important that when you cook the skirt steak, you cut it against the grain.  What in the heck does that mean, you ask?  Check out the pic below.

Skirt Steak, in the skillet

Obviously, the first thing you notice is the cut  in the middle of the steak that I made with my knife.  If you look closer, though, you'll see natural stripes and grooves in the meat that goes against the line of the knife cut.  Those lines are the grain of the meat, and my cut is going against it.  In other words, cut it like that, in thin strips.  This will give you a more tender taste from a pretty tough meat.

Skirt Steak Fajitas

24 oz package of pre-marinated skirt steak (found in refrigerated meat section of the grocery - or, come up with your own marinade!)
2 cups frozen fajita vegetables (bell pepper and onions)
1 T olive oil

In a cast iron  skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Take beef out of packaging; mine was rolled up, so I basically had to unroll it like wrapping paper and cut it into smaller strips to all fit flat in the skillet.  Once you've done that, if necessary, place steak in skillet; you should immediately hear it sizzle.  Cook on both sides for about 3-5 minutes each to get a medium rare steak.  Remove steak and place on a cutting board.  Add vegetables in the skillet and stir to coat with remaining oil.  Reduce heat to low and allow  to saute until tender, stirring occasionally.  While veggies cook, thinly slice steak against the grain.  Add back into skillet, mix with vegetables, and serve immediately in heated tortillas.  And ejoy! Pin It Now!

Days 89 & 90 - Two Ingredients, Two Ways

Bagged Salad and Frozen Chicken Tenders, two ways.

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the kitchen

Not a lunch meal was left!  Not even a smidgeon!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with charm,

Which had cost our dear blogger a leg and an arm.

"One week 'til Christmas!" she cried and lamented.

"What's in my fridge that isn't fermented?

I must make a list for groceries and buy it

But be sure that I don't decimate my own diet!"

When what would her wondering eyes drop on

But some frozen chicken and a salad coupon!

Ok, enough of that.  In short, I've got to make myself some lunches this week, but my budget is busted and I want to clear out my fridge before leaving town anyway.  So, what do I do?  Go spelunking in the freezer and get creative!

I had some frozen chicken fingers in the back of the freezer, and a coupon for a bagged salad.  I picked up a "Fiesta" themed salad, with "zesty ranch" (read: re-branded thousand island), tortilla strips, cheese, and romaine. I divided the salad between the containers and cooked up four chicken tenders.  I let the chicken cool completely so the skins stayed crispy.  I put two whole chicken tenders next to one salad, and cut up the remaining two and topped the other salad. 

Now, are these two lunches all that different?  No, they're basically the same.  But they're different enough to make me think I'm getting variety, and the total cost out of pocket this week was $1 per lunch.  That's my kinda price.

For the record, we had oranges in the office and I grabbed a couple of slices of tomato from the salad bar at work to round out the healthy factor.  Pin It Now!