Category Archives: Lunch Box

May 26, 2014 · 8:09 am

Orzo with Sugar Snap Peas

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This beautiful spring salad was vibrant on the Easter table. Because it is meatless, it would also work well for Lenten Fridays. Even Elizabeth, who claims she doesn’t like peas, cleaned her plate! If you are invited to a salad luncheon, consider bringing this orzo salad to give the buffet some variety.
by Pat Savoie

Ingredients 

8 oz    orzo pasta
2 tsp    lemon zest
1/2 cup    lemon juice (may add more before serving to brighten the flavor)
2    Tbsp    olive oil
1/2 tsp    salt
1/2  tsp     pepper
1 Tbsp    Dijon or Creole mustard
1/4 cup    shallots or onion, diced
1 cup    frozen peas
8 oz   sugar snap peas, chopped
2 Tbsp     parsley or mint, chopped
1/2 cup     almonds, toasted, chopped or sliced

Method

Cook orzo according to package directions in salted water.

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, mustard and shallots.

Toss together pasta and lemon mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Toss together lemon zest, peas, sugar snap peas, parsley and almonds with chilled pasta.

Add additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. We also added freshly grated parmesan cheese before serving.

 

 

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Filed under Holidays, Lunch Box, Salads, Showers or Teas, Side Dish, Vegetarian

April 10, 2012 · 11:36 am

Easter Resurrection Rolls

This Easter the Savoie family celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord by making these empty tomb cinnamon crescent rolls.

Each roll is stuffed with a marshmallow that disappears when the roll is baked leaving an empty space. This reminds us of the empty tomb of Christ on Easter Sunday. The recipe is easy enough for kids to follow.  As you put the rolls together, talk about the symbolism of the ingredients:

Large Marshmallow – body of Jesus

Melted Butter – oils of embalming

Cinnamon and Sugar – spices used to annoint the body.

Crescent Roll – the wrapping of Jesus’ body or the tomb.

Cavity in bun – the empty tomb

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Ingredients

2 cans jumbo crescent rolls
16 Large marshmallows
1/4 cup melted butter for dipping
cinnamon and sugar mixture in a bowl for rolling marshmallows and rolls
cooking spray

*Recipe may be halved.

All hands on deck.

Method

Unroll each crescent roll from the can. Dip each marshmallow in butter and then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat. Roll up this marshmallow with the crescent dough sealing all sides so that the marshmallow will not escape in the oven. Dip the roll in butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place in greased muffin tins or jelly roll pan. The pan should have sides to capture the sauce.

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

The rolls out of the oven.

Miette and Becca perform the taste test. Mmmmm.

It worked!

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Filed under Bread, Dessert, Holidays, Lunch Box

March 26, 2012 · 9:12 am

Bento Box Lunch Basics

My girls love their “cute lunches” and insist that I make them most every day. It’s a way I can send an I love you message to them at school. While the traditional bento box usually includes rice, meat, fruit and vegetables, my version usually has a sandwich, protein, fruit and vegetables. I do send molded sushi rice on occasion, but sandwiches are just easier.  I have found the best selection of bento supplies at Fit, a Japanese dollar store in Bellaire, Texas near Beltway 8. However bento supplies can easily be found in grocery and craft stores if you know what to look for. My girls have learned to save cupcake toppers from birthday parties so I can reuse them in their lunch boxes!  Adding a little cuteness to your child’s lunch does not take long and is very appreciated.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Stackable bento box with elastic band.

We decorated the inside divider of the bento box with cupcake stickers that are the clear vinyl type from Hobby Lobby.

Collection of food picks, small forks, and nori punches are stored in a jewelry organizer.

Here is an example of how to pack a bento box: line bottom with lettuce or spinach leaves, punch face out of nori (seaweed paper used in sushi rolls) and place on boiled egg half, roll slices of meat and thread onto long food pick, tuck in cherry tomatoes and cheddar slices cut into shapes.

In the second half, which is a smaller container, I've placed peanut butter and jelly Ritz cracker sandwiches.

Square sandwich boxes are also great to pack cute lunches. Cut sandwiches into shapes and decorate the top with cheese, cold cuts, dried fruit or veggies. Here I've cut out the bunny's eyes with a straw and attached carrots and veggie bologna with mayo. Peanut butter can also be used as a glue.

Find extra large carrots in Asian grocery stores. Slice without peeling and cut into shapes with small metal cookie cutters. Serve with ranch dip if desired. Here we cut flowers and added celery sticks for stems or grass.

Here is a sampling of sandwich cutters available.

Place warm boiled eggs in these molds and dunk in cold water for 10 minutes. The smaller mold is for quail eggs. Place molded eggs in water with a few drops of food coloring or dye with pickled beet juice. Recipes for quail eggs and pickled beets are on Savoie Secrets.

Keep your eyes open for small containers to divide items in the bento box or to pack them separately. The green bear is great for granola to sprinkle on yogurt cups. The red and yellow containers are perfect for dips. Decorate with vinyl stickers to add some fun.

Molded sushi rice with nori punch faces. I colored the rice pink with pickled beet juice. They look like Pac-Man ghosts to me!

For more lunch ideas click the Lunch Box category on the right side of the screen.

You may also enjoy browsing these recipes: Quail Eggs, Pickled Beets, Halloween Lunches, Jello Shapes, I had a Little Chicken Deviled Eggs, and Miniature Pies.

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Filed under How To, Lunch Box, Sandwiches, Vegetarian

March 22, 2012 · 10:58 am

Teriyaki Salmon or Tilapia

My friend Emma Welsch shared this recipe with me several years ago as an idea for Friday Lenten suppers. She claimed it was very easy and delicious. I have to agree. While the original recipe calls for marinading the fish and then grilling it over coals, Emma’s version of baking it in the marinade and then serving the fish over a bed of rice with the sauce is simple and quite tasty.

By Emma, Elizabeth’s friend

Ingredients

Fish fillets or steaks to fit in a 9×13 dish
Vegetables such as matchstick carrots or sliced red or yellow bell peppers
Sliced green onions

Marinade
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp fresh grated

Method

1.Arrange defrosted fish in a 9×13 dish.

2. Combine marinade in a glass measuring cup and heat slightly in the microwave to help the brown sugar dissolve.

3. Pour marinade over fish and let sit for 15 minutes. If you are pressed for time, omit this and bake immediately.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Place vegetable in dish, reserving the green onions for later.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve over rice and top with sliced green onions and a spoon of marinade/sauce.

*Leftovers are perfect for a school lunch. Pack hot meal in a thermos.

**If you prefer, marinade the fish for 15 minutes and then place the fillet or steak on the grill for 3 minutes, brushing with marinade, and then flip for another 4-5 minutes.

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Filed under Grill/BBQ, Lunch Box, Main Dish, Seafood

March 9, 2012 · 1:25 pm

Cucumber Sandwiches

These cool cucumber sandwiches give the lunchbox some variety. Cut them into shapes and remove the crusts for a ladies luncheon or shower. The spread is also great on sesame crackers.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Makes approximately 20 round sandwiches or 80 quarters

Ingredients

1 medium cucumber, peeled, grated, and squeezed

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened

¼ tsp of garlic salt (Use 2 parts salt, 1 part garlic powder as a substitute.)

sprinkle of dried dill (I like “It’s a Dilly” or ½ tsp chopped fresh dillweed)

Method

Combine ingredients and spread over bread slices with crusts removed.

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Filed under Lunch Box, Sandwiches, Showers or Teas, Vegetarian

February 13, 2012 · 1:24 pm

Orange Poppy Seed Bread

This mildly flavored bread is similar to pound cake.  Eat it for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack with an afternoon cup of coffee. It becomes denser on the second day and suitable for cutting into squares or shapes for children’s lunch boxes.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Bread Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
2 teaspoons orange zest (finely chopped or microplaned)
1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Glaze Ingredients

1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp orange zest

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan (approximately 9 x 5 x 2) with nonstick spray.

2. In a mixer, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and beat well.

3. On medium speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each. Add orange zest, poppy seeds, salt and baking powder. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides once or twice.

4. Add 1/2 cup of flour, mix on low speed until combined. Add half of the sour cream, mix until combined. Repeat with flour and second half of sour cream, mix until combined. Add last 1/2 cup of flour and mix. Pour batter into pan.

5. Bake 1 hour or more until cake tester comes out clean. Top will be golden.

6. For glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, orange zest, and juice.

7. Immediately remove bread from pan and place on a cooling rack positioned on a tray. Brush some of the glaze over the top and sides of the loaf. Repeat several times. You may not wish to use all of the glaze. Cool completely and slice to serve.

8. To store, wrap loaf in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. Yield 12 servings.

If you like quick breads, also try our Banana Nut Bread, Pumpkin Bread, and Zucchini Bread.

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Filed under Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Lunch Box

January 25, 2012 · 11:36 am

Cranberry Orange Applesauce

I have never liked the texture of applesauce. It gives me the chills, so I refuse to eat it.  However, I found the Cranberry Orange Applesauce recipe in Everyday Food magazine intriguing. I had more oranges than I knew what to do with and leftover cranberries from another recipe, so I thought I’d give this version a try.  I can’t believe how good it tastes!  Because you control the texture of the sauce, you can make it to your liking–chunky for me. When I took a bite there were no fissons (chills) as I used to say, but only delight.

My girls adore the pink color of this applesauce and asked for it in their lunchbox.  We also packed it for a picnic. The recipe filled two of the jars pictured, about 4 cups.

contributed by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Ingredients

4 pounds apples, such as McIntosh, Gala, and Braeburn
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

Method

  1. Peel, core, and slice apples.
  2. In a large pot, bring apples, cranberries, orange juice, and 1/2 cup water to a boil over high. Reduce heat and simmer until apples are very soft and falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
  3. Mash with a potato masher (my choice) or pulse in a food processor until smooth with small chunks remaining. Add sugar.
  4. Let cool, then transfer applesauce to airtight containers.

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Filed under Canning, Dessert, Lunch Box, Side Dish

December 12, 2011 · 10:31 am

Crock Pot Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Snowmen

At our Gingerbread House Party we served a crowd of people hot cocoa with this simple recipe made in a crock pot.  I prepared it the day before, stored it in the fridge, and reheated it the day of the party. We provided an array of treats to accompany the cocoa including some adorable marshmallow snowmen. The kids kept coming back for more!

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Crock Pot Cocoa Ingredients

6 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Method

Combine ingredients in the crock pot and turn on high.  Stir occasionally until warm.  Reduce heat to low or warm depending on how hot you’d like it served.  If you like, you can whisk the mixture until it becomes frothy. This recipe makes about 8 cups.

For our party, we made 1.5 recipes to serve around 20 people. I made the extra ahead of time on the stove and added it to the crock pot later. During the party, I warmed it in the microwave to give it a head start.

Marshmallow Snowmen Ingredients

3 regular marshmallows per snowman
1 Hershey Kiss for each hat
2 pretzel sticks for arms
Food Writer marker for face and buttons
Optional fruit ring or fruit by the foot for a scarf
Royal Icing or melted almond bark

Bamboo skewers (We had to cut ours in half.)
Floral styrofoam block for display
Colored tissue paper to cover block
Variety of marshmallows to fill in around the block on the platter

Method

Thread 3 marshmallows on the end of a skewer.  Attach Hershey Kiss hat with icing or almond bark. Let set.  Use a food writer marker to draw on buttons and face.  Place skewer into a tissue paper wrapped floral styrofoam block for easy display. Arrange the block on a platter and sprinkle marshmallows around. These extra marshmallows can be easily grabbed by kids to put in their hot chocolate.

I have also sent these snowmen in school lunches.  Just place them in a baggie.

Tip: Food writer markers can be found near the icing and sugars in the grocery store.  However, I recommend buying them from Hobby Lobby or Michael’s because you can use a 40%-50% off coupon.

Hot Cocoa Buffet Items

  • crushed peppermints
  • mint chocolate chips
  • a variety of marshmallows
  • cinnamon
  • candy canes
  • Redi-Whip

For an adult party, you could also include:

  • peppermint schnapps to make a Peppermint Patty
  • ginger and orange liqueur to make a Candied Orange
  • Bourbon
  • brandy
  • Kahlua
  • unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting

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Filed under Candy, Drink, Entertaining, Holidays, Lunch Box

October 20, 2011 · 9:03 am

Spooky Sandwiches

Growing up the Savoie children loved attending the annual Our Lady’s School spook house.  Our grandmother, Grace Savoie, started the first haunted house fundraiser for Our Lady’s School around 1964. Students always looked forward to being scared out of their wits. When Our Lady’s decided to no longer host a halloween night, the Savoie’s had their own.  We borrowed many of the school’s props, which made for a very spooky trip through our haunted forest.  Dad set up some special effects in our yard  including a ghost on a pulley system enabling it to walk along with the children. There was a large spinning table saw with a dummy sporting a bloody leg. We had fun writing clever epitaphs on the grave markers in the graveyard. Dad had a trailer load of hay delivered to the patio for the children to sit on and left some on the trailer for hay rides. There was a witch serving bubbling punch out of a black kettle. The pool room was set up as a science lab with jars of fake eyeballs and brains. We worked so hard and had so much fun. What great memories.

These Halloween inspired lunch box goodies are simple to put together and are sure to make your kids think, “Don’t I have the greatest mom?”  Sandwiches pictured are by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet.

Eyes on sandwiches: raisins or other dried fruits, marshmallows cut with scissors,  fruit snacks (Walmart brand is round) cut with scissors and center removed with a straw.  Attach with peanut butter or mayonaise.

Boiled Eggs: For boiled egg eyes, cut eggs in half and place yolk-side down.  Use food writer markers to draw eyeballs.

You can also draw a ghost face on pudding or yogurt packs (Boo-berry for blueberry flavored) or string cheese.

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Filed under Lunch Box, Sandwiches

October 3, 2011 · 5:18 pm

Funny Bones

Want to give your kids a few laughs at lunch?  Pack some funny bones!  They are also adorable for Halloween parties.  If you are lucky enough to have a few ghost and goblins who have invaded your kitchen, put them to work assembling and dipping these terrifying treats.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

Ingredients

8 oz white meltable candy
36 pretzel sticks broken in a variety of lengths
about 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Method

Melt candy according to package instructions.  For each funny bone, press a marshmallow into then ends of each pretzel rod.  Press firmly as they may fall off during dipping.  With a fork, gently dip and cover each funny bone with the melted candy. Tap fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess candy.  Place on waxed paper or silicone mat to dry.

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Filed under Candy, Holidays, Lunch Box