Hot School Lunches

I bought this thermos from Amazon for Saryn last year so she could have warm lunches at school.  She doesn't like buying food from the cafeteria but likes hot food sometimes.  I would say she uses this at least 2 times a week.  I highly recommend it to anyone with kids in school.

All you need to do is pour boiling water in the thermos, put the lid on and wait 5 minutes.  Pour the water out and put in the warmed up food of choice into the thermos.  Still warm hours later!

Here are a few recipes that Saryn loves to take to school with her.  

Granny Pat's Spaghetti

Chili

Spinach Tomato Tortellini 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow Cooker Coconut Thai Curry Chicken Breasts

YUM.  EASY.

That's all you need to know about this recipe!  Now go get the ingredients and make it asap!

I found this recipe at Slender Kitchen and we loved it.  I made it with 2-3 oz of curry paste and no jalapeños because our children were eating this too.  My oldest liked it okay - the 4 year old didn't care for it at all.  Next time I would make this spicier for us and just give the kids something else to eat.  It has great flavor and is so easy!!

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken breasts
1 14 oz can coconut milk
up to 4 oz green curry paste or to taste (I would say we like about 3 oz)
3 T brown sugar
1 12 oz bag Asian vegetables
Optional: up to 2 whole jalapeños
Serve over rice or noodles

Directions:

Add chicken to slow cooker.  In a bowl, whisk together coconut milk, curry paste and brown sugar.  Taste and add more curry paste if needed.  Add sauce to crockpot.  Stir to combine.  If using jalapeños for extra heat add them whole to the crockpot.

Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add vegetables and cook for 30 minutes more.   Now is a good time to start cooking the rice or noodles you are serving this on top of.  (I did salt and butter the rice)  I served over rice to keep this gluten free.  Enjoy!

Pulled Pork Soup

When your husband participates in pork cooking competitions you almost always have leftover pulled pork that you aren't sure what to do with.  Sometimes we make pork nachos, pork burritos and I have just recently found a recipe for pulled pork soup.  Yay!!

We all thought this soup was super yummy.  I thought it was missing something, maybe collards or kale?  The next time I make this I will throw in a handful or two of kale in the last few minutes of cooking.

Ingredients:
1 cup each diced onions, carrots, celery & bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
1 quart chicken stock
1 large can or leftover baked beans
1- 12oz beer (I used gluten free to keep this a gluten free meal)
4 generous handful's of leftover pulled pork

Serve with cornbread.  Again, I used a gluten free brand but you don't have to.

Directions:
Lightly salt and add ground pepper to vegetables.  Lightly saute for a few minutes, then add chickens stock.  Add baked beans & beer along with the pork.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce, cover and simmer for 2 hours.  (10 minutes before serving I would toss in 2 handfuls of chopped kale, taste season if necessary)  
Serve with cornbread and side salad.  Enjoy!

 

Gluten Free Peach Crisp

We did it.  We finally made a gluten free dessert.  And honestly, it was delicious.  

It helps if you have a great recipe to follow, which we did, thanks to Rise Above Gluten.  Just because you aren't eating gluten, doesn't mean you can eat yummy food!  

Move over Betty Crocker!  The Duggan girls are on a mission!

Ingredients:
Crumb Topping

1 cup almond flour
1 cup gluten free flour mix
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (I omitted this b/c my husband doesn't like nuts)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of butter, cut in cubes
1 egg yolk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Fruit Filling

5-6 cups of peaches, sliced
3 T sugar
3 T gluten free flour
1 tsp cinnamon
(mix the dry ingredients and toss with the peaches)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Combine the dry ingredients in a large food processor. Pulse to mix.

Add the butter, egg yolk and vanilla. Pulse until crumbly (not smooth).  Press about 3/4 of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a buttered 9 1/2-inch springform or pie pan to form a crust. 
Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the fruit slices.  Bake the tart for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned and the fruit juices are bubbling. (Check it after about 30 minutes, as ovens and thickness of fruit vary)

Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.  It's best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!