Tag: lunch box

Posted in Dinner, Food, lunch box, Main Dish, Soup

Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup with Rice

Posted on by lmc

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During the fall and winter months, I am always looking for creative ways to fill lunch boxes with nutritious, mid-day meals. On Sunday evenings, I try to prepare lots of options for the kids to enjoy during the school week. M loves to bring a thermos full of soup to school as she often feels that her classrooms are cold and drafty. She usually requests some kind of vegetable soup to carry in her lunchbox. Currently, her favorite selection is my Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe. Adding rice or noodles makes it a bit more hearty and filling. After making the soup on Sunday, I divide it up into small plastic containers and pop it in the fridge. Every morning, before the kids head to school, I heat up individual servings then pour the piping hot soup in the thermos. (Below, I’ve included my secret to keeping rice balls for a week’s worth of soup.) There’s nothing like a bowl of good old fashioned comfort food to fill the tummy at lunchtime.

Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup with Rice

1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli
3/4 cup water
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion or 2 tsp. onion flakes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
2 cups Velveeta Shredded Cheese (melts really well)

In a medium sauce pan, mix water and broccoli; bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, for several minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in flour. Continue to cook on medium heat until bubbly. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add broccoli (with water) Heat through. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted.

To make rice balls:

This is the kind of rice we buy. It’s called sushi rice.

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Cook rice according to package directions. After rice has cooled a bit, use a small ice cream scoop to make 2 inch balls of rice. Wrap each ball individually in small pieces of plastic wrap.

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Place wrapped rice balls in a freezer safe bag and store in freezer until ready to use.

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Unwrap rice balls and heat in the microwave before placing them in soup dish.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Bread, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box

Creamy Corn Bread

Posted on by lmc

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Lately, M has been taking a thermos of soup in her lunchbox. Every Sunday evening, we make a big pot of soup that will last through the long school week. Recent recipe choices have included cream of broccoli, minestrone, vegetable beef, and other favorites. I’ve also been baking cornbread muffins to accompany the meal. I bake them in silicone muffin liners for easy cleanup.
This Creamy Corn Bread recipe gets its sweetness and creaminess from the corn and yogurt in the mix. No need to add sugar, this bread is sweet, moist, and satisfying!

Creamy Corn Bread

1 egg
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix
1 (8-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Pour into a 9×5″ loaf pan coated with cooking spray or spoon into lined muffin pans. Bake at 350° for 40- 45 minutes for loaf pan or 17-20 minutes for muffins.

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Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

The Perfect Poppy Seed Bread

Posted on by lmc

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This is a family favorite! I have been making this quick bread recipe for years. Once the loaf is pulled out of the oven, the whole thing seems to disappear shortly thereafter. It’s an easy enough recipe…everything gets dumped into a bowl and popped into the oven rather quickly. I always keep an ample supply of poppy seeds in the pantry for when my kids are craving the scrumptious flavor of this delicious loaf.

The Perfect Poppy Seed Loaf

3 cups flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons butter extract

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil, and extracts; mix well. Pour into two greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely before serving.

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Posted in appetizers/snacks, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box, No-Bake

Easy No-Bake Granola Bites

Posted on by lmc

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Making your own granola bars at home can certainly be more nutritious for your family and is definitely a money saving idea. A box of granola bars can range in price from a moderate $2 up to as much as $7, which is really quite expensive. Often, one can only guess at the ingredients that are included in the nutrition facts label. Ingredient names that I can’t recognize or pronounce are always a red flag for me.
While this recipe isn’t the most nutritious of the bunch in my recipe box, it certainly is easy to make and I like the fact that it’s a no-bake recipe that can be made during the late summer months when the air conditioner shouldn’t have to compete with a hot oven. I often add nuts, seeds and dried berries for added texture, nutrition, and flavor. I wrap the cooled and cut bars in plastic wrap so that they stay fresh and are easily packed for travel. This is a great “kids in the kitchen” recipe.

Easy No- Bake Granola Bites

2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light (reduced sugar) corn syrup or honey
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Spray a 13×9″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside. Bring the brown sugar and syrup (or honey) to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until blended. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated; let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in the chocolate chips. Press mixture into prepared pan; cool completely. Cut into bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap to preserve freshness.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Apple and Spice Muffins

Posted on by lmc

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It’s Sunday and time to bake for the coming school week. Muffins seem to pack perfectly into lunch boxes along with fresh fruit, carrots, yogurt, a sandwich and some trail mix. It really saves time in the morning when things are prepared ahead and packable lunch items are set out on the counter so the kids can choose their favorites. The swim season will begin next week and more food will be needed to fuel their young bodies through a day of school and endless yards of swimming.
This muffin recipe is a new one. I looked through a few of the local community cookbooks yesterday and this recipe looked easy enough to combine and pop in the oven. I added some apples to add depth and flavor. I will slather icing on a few of the muffins for an after dinner dessert and pile the remaining (un-iced) muffins into a Tupperware container for lunches.
An afternoon of baking has produced, 18 muffins, a tray of chewy granola bars, and 24 vanilla cupcakes. I have one more tray of cupcakes in the oven as M’s friend is celebrating a birthday tomorrow and she wanted to bring a birthday treat to school to share with friends at the lunch table. I have made a batch of cream cheese frosting and will finish icing the birthday cupcakes after dinner. A will sprinkle some colorful rainbow nonpareils over the frosting to make them look festive.
On the dinner menu…Teriyaki Chicken and Sweet Potato Fries…Another productive Sunday!

Apple and Spice Muffins

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 apples – peeled, cored and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, spices, and salt. Set aside. Cream together margarine and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Stir together soda and 1 tablespoon warm water, and mix into the sugar mixture. Stir into flour mixture. Add apples and mix until well blended. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 17-25 minutes. Cool completely before frosting or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
( I use cream cheese frosting, homemade or store bought, depending on time)

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

Posted on by lmc

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Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

Well, I have the last of this week’s school lunches packed and heading out the door with my children. It’s Friday and as we head into the weekend, I will have to plan my selection of items that I will bake for next week’s menu.
This is one of my favorite lunchbox recipes to send to school. These little gems are filled with whole grains,apples, nuts, pineapple and raisins. Plenty of goodies to keep a hungry tummy satisfied. I bake a large batch and store them in an air-tight container in the fridge for a week’s worth of lunches.

Rise and Shine Morning Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all- purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped apple
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line muffin pan cups with paper liners. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In another mixing bowl, stir together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in carrot, apple, coconut, pecans, pineapple and raisins. Add flour mixture and stir just until blended.
Spoon batter into prepared cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to cooling racks to cool completely. Store muffins in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Easy Banana Crumb Cake

Posted on by lmc

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Well, it’s back to school for my high school kids this week and I am baking
packable lunch items for the start of the school year. I spied a few overly ripe bananas on the kitchen counter last night so I searched my old recipe folder for a banana recipe that would be suitable for lunch box storage. I used to make this cake all the time but it seems other recipes have become favorites and this one was moved to the back of the folder. I seriously can’t figure out why…this is a great moist, sweet, crumbly cake that is really easy to assemble quickly. Once again, I am using a cake mix to reduce time while adding flavor.

Easy Banana Crumb Cake

1 package white cake mix
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 medium ripe bananas
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed and cold
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray with cooking spray a 13×9″ baking pan. Place first seven ingredients in a large bowl. Beat well. Pour into prepared pan. In a medium bowl, combine topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

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Posted in appetizers/snacks, Baked goods, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Chocolatey Oat and Peanut Butter Cookies

Posted on by lmc

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So, tomorrow my oldest will be leaving for college…I am surely going to miss her smiling face on a daily basis. It will be hard for me to let her go….
I have spent a good part of the morning baking goodies to pack in containers and load into boxes. Cooling on the counter top, there is a loaf of Irish soda bread, a tray of granola bars, and some Chocolatey Oat and Peanut Butter Cookies (recipe below).
I will wait for them to cool completely and then arrange them in containers for the long drive down to Purdue University. My hope is to continue to send her “care packages” on a weekly basis so that she knows that we miss her and that she is in our thoughts…sending a little “home-baked love” her way as she begins her journey through college life on campus. We love you, K!

Chocolatey Oat and Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups peanut butter
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Extra oats for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, stir peanut butter, oats, and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Mix in the baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1 inch balls (or scoop out dough with a small ice cream scoop) and place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Press down with slightly damp fingers. Lightly sprinkle with extra oats.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Posted in breakfast, Brunch, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box, slow cooking

Slow Cooker Breakfast Granola

Posted on by lmc

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My kids seem to be addicted to granola. If I had to buy it pre-packaged every week, I’d be bankrupt. Thankfully, I have several recipes for this crunchy, delicious and versatile treat. We use it to top yogurt or ice cream, add milk (cold or hot) to eat it as a breakfast cereal, and mix it with sweet and salty treats to make a trail mix. What I like about this recipe is that you can set it in the crockpot and let it cook for a few hours without heating up the house with the conventional oven during the summer months. The key is to slightly prop the crockpot open with a wooden skewer. This tiny opening lets the moisture out but keeps the heat inside the liner. Stirring the mixture every 30-35 minutes is also the key to success.

Slow Cooker Breakfast Granola

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Spray the liner of the slow cooker with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, mix oats, vanilla, honey, syrup, and canola oil. Pour into prepared slow cooker.
Cook the granola on low for 2 1/2-3 hours, venting the lid slightly. ( I use a wooden skewer.) Stir mixture well every 30-35 minutes. Cook until golden brown and quite dry.
Pour the finished granola onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool completely. Add pecans, cranberries, or raisins if desired. Store in an airtight container.

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Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box

Easy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

Posted on by lmc

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Growing up, I remember a boxed mix that my mom used to buy to make something called a snack cake. The favorite in our household was the spice mix flavor. Mom used to quickly bake it in a square pan and slice it into 9 squares. Once our family had grown to a count of 10 people, she was out of luck and needed to find a larger cake mix recipe…the traditional, full-sized cake mix that could be baked in a 9×13 pan.
What I like best about the snack cake is the ease of it all…only a few ingredients and no frosting needed.
This recipe is certainly a favorite. I pack quite a few lunches on a daily basis and this cake is really quite easy to slice, wrap and pack. As my oldest child will be heading to college in August, this will be a great cake to bake and send in a care package as I am sure she will be missing our traditional home-baked goodies. (And we will be missing her!)

Easy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips; mix until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish; bake 35-40 minutes.