Kitchen Notes Classic Week 1 Unless otherwise noted at the top of the recipe, every lunch meal is for a single serving. Ingredients in the shopping list reflect the servings for that particular meal. Meal 1: Depending on the size of your family, you can double this recipe, make it for dinner and have leftovers for lunch. Meal 2: Make these ahead of time. You can refrigerate and freeze extras. In the morning, remove from refrigerator and they will be room temperature by lunch, or you can microwave them for 30 seconds before packing in lunch box. Meal 3: This entire lunch can be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator. Family Sized 1: This is a delicious family sized meal that would also make excellent leftovers for lunches. Family Sized 2: Make this soup for dinner one night for the whole family and pack leftovers for a thermos lunch the next day. Inside the Lunchbox: Meal 1- Garden Vegetable Tart Meal 2- Italian Mini Quiches Meal 3- Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats Family Sized 1- Cavatini Family Sized 2- Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper White Bean Chili COPYRIGHT MOMables
Garden Vegetable Tart Yields 4-6 lunch servings (1 14x10 rectangular tart) 1 frozen puff pastry sheet 2 ears fresh sweet corn or 1 cup frozen corn 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup shredded carrots 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 Tablespoon olive oil Sliced black olives (optional) Crushed red pepper flakes and dried basil (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 425F. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll frozen puff pastry to a 14x10 rectangle; transfer to a 15x10x1 cookie sheet. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Bake 10 minutes, until center is set. Remove from oven; lightly press center with spatula. 3. Meanwhile, pour olive oil in a large bowl. Place all veggies inside bowl and stir around to coat evenly with olive oil. 4. Spread tomato sauce on puff pastry. Top with shredded cheese and vegetables. 5. Bake tart another 10 minutes until pastry is golden and cheese is melted. MOM Tip: Depending on the size of your family, you can double this recipe, make it for dinner and have leftovers for lunch. Optional: substitute puff pastry sheet with pizza dough. Follow baking directions on package or homemade recipe. Gluten Free Option: Use gluten-free pizza dough. MOMables
Italian Mini Quiches Yields 24 ½ cup chopped pepperoni or pastrami 6 eggs 3 Tablespoons milk 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 1 mini muffin pan (24). 2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, pepperoni and cheese. 3. Spoon into greased muffin cups. 4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops are lightly browned. Allow mini quiches to cool in the pan before carefully removing with a small knife or spatula. MOM Tip: Make these ahead of time. You can refrigerate and freeze extras. In the morning, remove from refrigerator and they will be room temperature by lunch, or you can microwave them for 30 seconds before packing in lunch box. Kid s love these for dinner with warm soup. Vegetarian Option: Omit pepperoni and use vegetarian bacon bit alternative. MOMables
Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats Serves 6-8 4 zucchini 1 Tablespoon olive oil 8oz ground turkey 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon basil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 2. Cut each zucchini in half horizontally, then carefully scoop out the center of the zucchini, reserving for another use, leaving about 1/2-inch of zucchini on the skin. 3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, to taste. 4. Cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; drain excess fat. 5. Stir in marinara sauce until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. 6. Add ground turkey mixture to each zucchini and sprinkle with mozzarella. 7. Place into oven and bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese has melted, about 10-12 minutes. MOM Tip: This entire lunch can be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator. Vegetarian Option: Omit ground turkey.
Cavatini Family-Sized 1lb lean ground beef (or turkey) 1 1/2 cups large macaroni 1 1/2 cups penne pasta 1 can tomato soup 1 small container cottage cheese 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes 1 small can of tomato sauce Pepperoni slices, as desired 1/4 cup brown sugar 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1. Brown and drain ground beef. While browning, add salt, pepper, green pepper, and onion to taste. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions. 3. Mix together the tomato soup, cottage cheese, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. 4. Cut pepperoni into small pieces and add as much as desired. Add brown sugar. 5. Mix all ingredients together and put into a 9x13 baking dish. 6. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. MOM Tip: This is a delicious family sized meal that would also make excellent leftovers for lunches. For a hot lunch, pack heat leftovers and pack inside a thermos. Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free pasta. Vegetarian Option: Omit pepperoni.
Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper White Bean Chili Serves 6-8 (Family-Sized) 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed 1/2 cup red or yellow bell pepper, small diced 1lb chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (about 2 chicken breasts) 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 12 ounces dry white beans (I use Great Northern dry beans), rinsed and picked through to remove any stones or bad beans 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 8 ounces light cream cheese, cut into cubes 1 cup frozen corn kernels 6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped 1. Add all the ingredients, except the cream cheese, corn and bacon to a 5-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-9 hours. 2. Remove the chicken and chop into pieces or shred into bite-sized pieces. Then return the chicken to the slow cooker. 3. Stir in the cubed cream cheese and the corn. Cover the slow cooker to let the cream cheese soften and the corn heat through, about 10-15 minutes. 4. Stir to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with the crumbled bacon. MOM Tip: Before adding the chicken back in and before stirring in the cream cheese and corn, you can blend a couple cups of the soup to a smooth consistency and stir it back into the pot for a thicker variation. If you are worried, that this soup will be spicy, I assure you it s not. Make this soup for dinner one night for the whole family and pack leftovers for a thermos lunch the next day. Vegetarian Option: Omit chicken breasts and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. MOMables
Weekly Menu Lunch item Ingredients Directions Garden Vegetable Tart Italian Mini Quiches Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats Cavatini 1 frozen puff pastry sheet 2 ears fresh sweet corn or 1 cup frozen corn 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup tomato sauce ¼ cup shredded carrots 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 Tablespoon olive oil Sliced black olives (optional) Crushed red pepper flakes and dried basil (optional) ½ cup chopped pepperoni or pastrami 6 eggs 3 Tablespoons milk 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar 4 zucchini 1 Tablespoon olive oil 8oz ground turkey 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon basil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce 2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1lb ground beef 1 1/2 cups large macaroni 1 1/2 cups penne pasta 1 can tomato soup 1 small container cottage cheese 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes 1 small can of tomato sauce Pepperoni slices, as desired 1/4 cup brown sugar 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1. Preheat oven to 425F. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll frozen puff pastry to a 14x10 rectangle; transfer to a 15x10x1 cookie sheet. Prick pastry all over with a fork. Bake 10 minutes, until center is set. Remove from oven; lightly press center with spatula. 3. Meanwhile, pour olive oil in a large bowl. Place all veggies inside bowl and stir around to coat evenly with olive oil. 4. Spread tomato sauce on puff pastry. Top with shredded cheese and vegetables. 5. Bake tart another 10 minutes until pastry is golden and cheese is melted. 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 1 mini muffin pan (24). 2. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, pepperoni and cheese. 3. Spoon into greased muffin cups. 4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops are lightly browned. Allow mini quiches to cool in the pan before carefully removing with a small knife or spatula. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. 2. Cut each zucchini in half horizontally, then carefully scoop out the center of the zucchini, reserving for another use, leaving about 1/2-inch of zucchini on the skin. 3. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, oregano, basil, salt and pepper, to taste. 4. Cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; drain excess fat. 5. Stir in marinara sauce until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. 6. Add ground turkey mixture to each zucchini and sprinkle with mozzarella. 7. Place into oven and bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese has melted, about 10-12 minutes. 1. Brown and drain ground beef. While browning, add salt, pepper, green pepper, and onion to taste. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions. 3. Mix together the tomato soup, cottage cheese, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. 4. Cut pepperoni into small pieces and add as much as desired. Add brown sugar. 5. Mix all ingredients together and put into a 9x13 baking dish. 6. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper White Bean Chili *See menu item for ingredients. *See menu item for directions. Printer Friendly Menu
Shopping List Lunch Items Only Lunch # Grocery Item Other Groceries Fresh Produce 1- Fresh fruit for the lunch box 1- Fresh lunchbox veggies 1, 3 1 medium zucchini + 4 1 1 pint cherry tomatoes 1 ¼ c. shredded carrots 1 c. yellow or white onion 1 jalapeno pepper 3 cloves garlic ½ c. red or yellow bell pepper Deli/Meats 2, ½ c. pepperoni or pastrami + more pepperoni (as desired) 3 8oz ground turkey 1lb ground beef 1lb chicken breasts 6-8 slices bacon Bakery Dairy & Refrigerated 1, 2, 3, 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese + 1 c. + 2/3 c. + 1-2 c. 2 6 eggs 2 3 T. milk 1 small container cottage cheese 8oz cream cheese Frozen 1 1 frozen puff pastry 1, 1 c. frozen corn + 1 c. Canned/Bottled/Packaged 1, ½ c. tomato sauce + 1 small can 1 Sliced black olives (optional) 3 1 ½ c. marinara sauce 1 ½ c. large macaroni 1 ½ c. penne pasta 1 can tomato soup 1 can Italian style diced tomatoes 1 14oz can diced tomatoes 4 c. chicken broth 12oz dry white beans Staples 1, 3 1 T. olive oil + 1 T. 1 Crushed red pepper flakes 1, 3 Dried basil + ½ t. 3, ½ t. oregano + 1 t. ¼ c. brown sugar 1 t. chili powder 1 t. ground cumin