Weekly School Lunchbox Ideas - Week 6

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MONDAY CHILI MAC
1 lb. ground beef
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno or poblano, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 garlic cloves, minced
15 oz tomato sauce
2 cup beef broth
10 pasta of choice
1 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

Seasoning
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
Into a skillet brown the ground beef breaking it apart as it cooks. Add the diced bell pepper, jalapeños, onion & minced garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste & cook for a few more minutes. Add the seasoning, tomato sauce & beef broth. Let this come to a simmer. Lower the heat & cook on low heat for 15 minutes. In the meantime cook the pasta until al dente. Drain then add it to the chili. Add the shredded cheese & stir to combine.

TUESDAY SHRIMP FRIED RICE
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp white pepper, divided
1 tsp rice flour/cornstarch, optional
2 green onion, sliced and separate the green and white part
1 shallot, sliced (or about 2 tablespoons diced red onion)
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup frozen veggies
2 eggs, whisked
2 cups cold rice
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp MSG, optional
1 Tbsp kecap manis/sweet soy sauce, optional
1 tsp sesame oil

Toss the shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper & the rice flour. Set aside for a few minutes. This step is optional. Heat the oil in a skillet or wok and sear the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer shrimp to a skillet & add the sliced shallot, white part of the green onion and garlic. Add more oil if necessary & cook for a few minutes. Add the frozen veggies & cook until softened. Create a well in the center of the skillet & add the whisked eggs. Let it set for 15 seconds before scrambling it. Add the rice, return shrimp to skillet, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, MSG & sweet soy sauce if using. Toss to combine & cook until heated through. Sprinkle the sliced green onion & drizzle the sesame oil. Toss once more.

WEDNESDAY BBQ CHEESEBURGER SLIDERS
1 Tbsp oil
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced

Seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp black pepper
a few dashes of worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup BBQ sauce or to taste

Serve with
12 Slider rolls
Shredded cheese
5 Sliced cheese

Add the oil in a skillet then sautee the onion until translucent about 5 minutes then add the minced garlic. Cook for a minute then make room for the ground beef. Break it apart as it cooks until no longer pink. Add the seasoning and BBQ sauce. Toss and let simmer for a few minutes. Adjust to taste.

To serve at home
Cut buns in half & place bottom half of slider rolls on buttered baking sheet & line with cheese. Add the BBQ beef mixture on top and spread evenly. Top with shredded cheese then place the top slider rolls on top. Brush with melted butter & bake at 375F until cheese has melted about 10 minutes.

To pack in a lunchbox
Add BBQ beef mixture into a preheated thermos. Place the slider rolls & shredded cheese separately. At lunchtime, spoon the BBQ beef mixture into the slider rolls & top with cheese.

THURSDAY CHICKEN ALFREDO
10 oz pasta of choice
1 boneless skinless chicken breast cut in half lengthwise
1-2 tsp salt, to taste
1-2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tsp garlic powder
1 -2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Cook pasta al dente & reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a skillet and sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked thoroughly. Remove from skillet & let cool before cutting into strips. Add the butter into the skillet and once it has melted, add the heavy cream and cook for a few minutes until slightly thickened. Add the parmesan cheese & the remainder of the seasoning. Check for seasoning. Be sure to adjust to your liking. Add the pasta & chicken into the skillet, toss and add a splash of pasta water if needed.

FRIDAY AIR FRIED WINGS
20 wings
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp oil
Dredging (optional)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp each: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika

Combine the chicken wings with the seasoning & oil. Toss the let sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. Place the all purpose flour & seasoning inside a ziploc bag & place the wings inside (may have to do this in several batches). Shake the bag & remove excess flour. Place on a baking sheet for at least 15 minutes. Spray both sides of the chicken then place in the air fryer. Cook for 30 minutes at 375F flipping halfway.