Meals for Week of September 19, 2011

School may have only just started within the last few weeks, but with packing lunch every day it seems like it becomes boring or a challenge within a couple days. I wanted to pass along some recipes that might help spark new ideas.  

Turkey Caesar Sandwich- The recipe calls for creating a mayo spread that is like Caesar dressing. Easy, but you could also mix a little bottled dressing with mayo.  

Taco Turkey Wraps- Sour cream mixed with taco seasonings serve as a spread with deli turkey, add some tomato, avocado and lettuce to add some additional good protein and vitamins.  

Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts- You can make this on a Sunday and have several servings packed in your lunch throughout the week.

Here's a few links to blogs and photos with more lunch box inspiration for you.  

Happy Little Bento- Full of cute bento-style lunches that are healthy and fun for kids. There are recipes too for some of the things she makes.  
Easy Lunch Boxes-- I use these and I love them. I've shared the link many times. Here is their photo gallery with over 100 photos of lunches.  

Meals for the Week of September 19, 2011  

Broccoli and Pork Stir Fry- I tend to always go to chicken, beef or shrimp for a stir fry, but pork is tasty and this recipe is easy. Plus it's perfect to make more so you have leftovers to pack in lunches.  

Polenta Pizza- I really love polenta, it's very easy to make and it's a nice change to pour your spaghetti sauce over instead of pasta. It's also something you can make extra of one night to have with your favorite pasta sauce, then save to use for this recipe.  

Coconut Peanut Sauce Beef- Love this recipe, the sauce is so good! Substitute chicken if you prefer.  

Pineapple Chicken Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette- Easy to prep the night before or morning of and a good way to use leftover or pre-cooked chicken.  

Easy One Pot Mac and Cheese- Delicious creamy pasta, kid-approved, filling for a main dish along with salad or a vegetable side dish.  

Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Pepper- You can easily substitute chicken instead of the flank steak.  

Pork Chops with Mustard Crust- Seems upscale, but it’s rather simple with just 5 ingredients. Read the comments on this recipe for a lot of great suggestions for substitutions/variations.  

Tomato Pie- another very simple recipe for tomato pie. She calls it “pizza meets cheesy bread in a pie crust.” I've made this twice in the last month and it's such a great way to use up your garden tomatoes. Its important to be sure and drain the tomatoes so the pie crust doesn’t get soggy.  

Roquefort Pear Salad- Add pears to any salad with a vinaigrette and a cheese like feta, Parmesan or any kind of blue cheese. The combination is so good! For this recipe you can make short cuts by using a bottled red wine vinaigrette dressing and candied pecans.