Category: Menus

My husband made some crockpot spare ribs the other day. I begged him for just one leftover rib so that I could bring it to lunch this past Tuesday.

Fortunately, I had a couple of additional items in the freezer: Frozen collard greens and frozen corn on the cob. I put a dab of butter on the corn and wrapped it in foil. Then, I added a 1/4 teaspoon onion powder and a 1/2 teaspoon Liquid Smoke to the collards. * I lidded the containers, closed the bag, plugged it in, and let it work its magic for two hours. I had a half hour drive to my senior’s lunch group/German class at Cal State Fullerton. The hot plate in the Hot Logic continued to keep my food warm during the trip. Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious! **

If you are interested in finding out more about the Hot Logic Mini thermal bag, check out “Equipment and Gadgets” under the “Menu” section of this blog. Otherwise, check out https://www.myhotlogic.com.

* I would recommend adding a couple of tablespoons water to the collards if you need to leave the bag plugged in longer than two hours. The additional moisture will keep the vegetables from drying out from the heat.

**Cooking spare ribs in a crock pot is quite simple, and it can easily be done during the weekend. Go the packaged foods section of the store where they stock gravies and sauces. Look for either Shillings or McCormick BBQ Slow Cookers Pulled Pork Sauce, and just follow the directions using spare ribs. My husband recommends the following: It will take about eight hours to cook the meat. After six hours, use a basting syringe to suck out the fat that has accumulated in the crock pot. Then cover and continue to cook.

I would like to add that the corn and collards would be excellent with warmed up fried or baked chicken.

My goodness…the heat in Southern California just won’t let up! Today alone will be in the 90’s. Surely not a good day to cook.

When the heat is on, I crave a sushi-based menu: Chilled carbs, with a little salt and protein added. Above is a photo of food I packed myself: Vege sushi, fried chicken I bought at the grocery store, and salad from the produce section. I’ve also packed a mixture of soy and wasabi for the sushi, as well as dressing for the salad.

Everything you see here can be bought pre-made, including the sushi; many supermarkets offer this item at the deli section. By the way, there’s a widely held belief that sushi is always made with raw fish. Not true! The main ingredient in sushi is short-grain rice flavored with rice vinegar. Although some sushi dishes include raw and cooked fish, other types of sushi incorporate avocado, pickled vege’s, or other foods into the final product.

I would like to mention that the containers in the photo were purchased at bentology.com. This website offers a variety of bento-style lunch boxes which are quite useful for all kinds of brown bag dishes. In addition, the containers are dishwasher and microwave-safe. The Bentology items are pricier than the Walmart lunch containers I recommended in an earlier post (See my “Gadgets/Equipment” category on this site). However, you might enjoy looking at the selections.

When I think of “tea time,” what comes to mind are images of elaborately decorated tea pots, delicate tea sandwiches, and tiered services filled with crumpets and scones. Guess what? A tea time style lunch menu is just as accessible as your local market. And very easy to pack.

• Tea sandwiches. We have a nice French baguette market near our condo. It’s always filled with delectable pastries of all shapes and sizes.

Today, I purchased a French baguette filled with ham, cheese, and Dijon mustard. Only 250 calories for half a sandwich.

• Sides. Fresh fruit and baked goods are frequently served with sandwiches at a traditional tea. I already had strawberries and scones that I purchased from my local Albertson’s. (Albertson’s scones are a tasty Quickbread that can be heated up in the microwave for 20 seconds. Great by themselves or with a little butter and jam.)
• Tea. The most important ingredient! Since the weather is still a bit warm, I chose to purchase some iced tea at Starbucks, which was close by the French baguette shop.

The final product was satisfying….and quite easy to pack for a brown bag lunch!

Here I am in the middle of a California summer. It’s way too hot for a heated lunch. So today, my cold lunch alternative is meze.

“Meze” refers to a selection of appetizers commonly served in Middle Eastern countries. In predominantly Muslim regions, meze can be served as part of a multi-course meal. In Greece, Turkey, and the Balkans, meze is often served as a snack with alcoholic beverages.

Foods in a meze menu can include the following:

• Dolma (stuffed grape leaves)
• Sheep, goat, or cow cheeses
• Kalamata olives
• Pita or other breads
• Cold vegetables (for example, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper)
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Grain salad (please see my post from last week for an excellent grain and legume salad)
• Dips such as hummus, baba ghanoush (mashed eggplant), and tzatziki (yogurt dip)

These are just a few choices. You can find more listed on “Wikipedia” and other culinary resources. Or…just use your imagination. If it’s cold and edible, you can put anything into a meal like this!

I’ve fixed a Meze-style lunch several times for work. It’s easy to assemble, especially if you have access to a Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. Today, all of the ingredients you see in the above photo were purchased at Trader Joe’s. They are pre-made, pre-packaged, and can be dumped into your lunch bag with little preparation on your part.

If you access the Menu section, “Equipment and Gadgets,” my October 18, 2018 post features the lunch bag and plastic containers seen in the photo.

Reference:

• “Meze”  Wikipedia:  The Free Encyclopedia.  Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.  24 July 2019,.  Web.  26 July 2019.