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Bento Box Packed Lunch Ideas for Kids and Adults

Bento Box Lunch Ideas Infographic
Bento Box Lunch Ideas

It’s easy to make healthy packed lunches for kids and adults using a bento box. Use the healthy bento box packed lunch ideas for kids and adults above to make a balanced meal. School lunches sometimes get a little boring and repetitive, but these bento box packed lunch ideas will help you spice it up a bit. The free school lunches are mostly made up of processed food that lack fiber and fresh fruits and veggies. These bento box lunches are easy to prepare ahead and a much healthier option to the school lunches. They will also help your child learn to pack and eat healthy options for life.

Bento Box packed lunches are great for adults too. Make a quick and easy well balanced packed lunch for work. Packing a lunch saves time and money. No more waiting in line for food on your lunch break. Just sit down and enjoy your packed bento box, then use the extra time for a relaxing walk instead of waiting in line.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. I earn commission at no additional cost to you.

What are Bento Boxes?

Bento Boxes are lunch boxes with sections that separate the different food options. They originated in Japan and initially contained common foods from that region. Mostly rice, fish, pickled vegetables and some fruit, to make a balanced meal. Bento is a Chinese slang term for convenient, which is fitting since they are very convenient for packed lunches.

Why Choose a Bento Lunch Box?

The Bento box makes a very convenient lunch box. It is so simple to choose items to fill the sections. The sections encourage small servings of a variety of foods to help include more food groups to make a more balanced lunch. The convenient sections also reduce waste from packaging. If your box doesn’t have enough sections you can purchase extra dividers. You don’t have to wrap sandwiches in paper or plastic. Many items like yogurt and apple sauce can be purchased in bulk instead of individual servings which not only reduces waste but also saves money. Check out my other post for more ideas on how to save money on groceries.

Which type of bento box is right for you?

Bento boxes are made in a variety of different materials, shapes and layouts. They are also available in reusable and disposable format. Here are some pros and cons of each option:

Wooden Bento Box:

Traditional wooden bento boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can have a variety of layouts. Some are stacked. Pros: They are traditional, all natural, BPA free, stylish and reusable. Cons: They are difficult to clean, not dishwasher safe, not microwavable, and my be difficult for young children to open and close. Wooden boxes are not able to keep liquid ingredients separated.

Lacquered Bento Box:

Traditional lacquered bento boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These are most often found in restaurants. Pros: They are traditional, stylish, and reusable. Cons: Many do not come with tight lids for transport. If they do have lids, they may be challenging for kids to open and close. They are not dishwasher or microwave safe. They lack a tight seal and my not be great for liquids.

Plastic Bento Box:

Plastic bento boxes come in a large variety of shapes and sizes. These are the easiest type to use for a packed lunch. They are available in reusable and disposable varieties. Pros: They are lightweight, and easy to open and close, Plastic bento boxes can be dishwasher, microwave, and freezer safe, and are often BPA free. Cons: They are not traditional. Disposable varieties are not good for the environment.

Metal Bento Box:

Metal bento boxes are the most durable option. Pros: They are easy to open and close, dishwasher safe and BPA free. Cons: They are not microwave safe. Metal boxes do not have a tight seal may not be the best option for liquids.

Glass Bento Box:

Glass bento boxes usually have plastic lids. Pros: They are microwave, dishwasher, oven and freezer safe. Glass is BPA free and lids usually are also. They have a tight seal. Cons: They are fragile and heavy.

Insulated Bento Box:

Insulated bento boxes come in a variety of materials. There are stainless steel insulated bento boxes or plastic bento boxes with ice packs and an insulated exterior bag. Pros: They keep food insulated. Cons: they may or may not be dishwasher or microwave safe.

Paper Bento Box:

Paper bento boxes are single use and disposable. Pros: They are lightweight and disposable. Perfect for situations when you do not want to carry a container around with you for the rest of the day. Cons: They will not handle liquid ingredients, and they can leak. Disposable products are not environmentally friendly.

Kids do not need a new backpack every year!

What are some Healthy Bento Box Packed Lunch Ideas for kids and Adults?

The Asian Bento box

This traditional bento box includes: sushi, snow peas, pickled ginger, and kiwi.

Asian Bento Box

The Superfood Bento box

This bento box includes: Broccoli salad, blueberries, almonds, and Greek yogurt.

Superfood Bento Box

The Berry Nutty Bento Box

This bento box includes: Almond Butter and Jam sandwich triangles on Whole Wheat bread, blueberries, Greek yogurt, and granola. For a very healthy granola recipe check out my other post. This Bento box could also be a breakfast bento.

Berry Nutty Bento Box

The Quick and Easy Box

For this Bento Box I just used whatever I had in the fridge. This Bento Box includes: Pasta salad, Raspberries, Oranges, and a hard boiled egg. Use the chart above to make any box you would like using the current contents of your fridge.

Quick and easy Bento Box

Greek Bento Box

This Greek bento box includes a Greek salad, grapes, Hummus, and whole wheat Pita bread. Find a great homemade pita bread recipe here.

Greek Bento Box
homemade hummus recipe

Very Fruity Bento Box

Sometimes you just want some extra fruit. This bento box is a great example of that. It is loaded with healthy berries, with a side of mandarin oranges, pecans and Greek yogurt. It still has some protein to help keep you full!

very fruity bento box

Farmer’s Market Special

This bento box includes potato salad, with a side of fresh blueberries, Greek yogurt and fresh tomato slices. Find the potato salad recipe here.

farmer's market bento box

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Categories
Appetizers Easy meals Recipes Traeger Recipes

Best Leftover Pulled Pork Street Tacos, better than Hello Fresh

Leftover pulled pork street tacos
Leftover Pulled Pork Street Tacos
Leftover Pulled Pork street tacos
Leftover pulled pork street tacos.

A pulled pork leftover street taco recipe so good it must be shared. I’m a big fan of using my leftovers. It is a great way to save money on groceries. For more info on how to save money on groceries check out my other post.

I made my pulled pork on my Traeger Silverton 620. This is the recipe I used to smoke the pulled pork on my Traeger. I did not add anything to the pulled pork after shredding it. I prefer to allow each person to choose their own BBQ sauce.

What is the best way to use leftover pulled pork?

My favorite way to use my left over pulled pork is by making pulled pork street tacos. I got the idea for this recipe from a Hello Fresh recipe. I gave Hello Fresh a try and really enjoyed it. My family ended up with a couple of new favorite recipes from our trial subscription. This recipe is a creative spin on one of our favorites. It will not work if you have already added BBQ sauce to your pulled pork.

How to prepare leftover pulled pork for pulled pork street tacos.

Put your leftover pulled pork in a frying pan. Toss it around in the pan until warmed evenly. Add sweet soy sauce to coat. I used ABC Sweet Soy Sauce. Add about 1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce per 1 cup of leftover pulled pork, and mix. If not fully coated add 1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce and mix, continue adding 1 tablespoon at a time until fully coated but not soupy.

Leftover pulled pork for street tacos
Pulled pork for street tacos.

How to prepare coleslaw for your leftover pulled pork tacos.

I always make coleslaw as a side dish with my pulled pork. personally, I do not like soggy leftover coleslaw so I only dress (add dressing to) what I think my guests will eat. This way any leftover coleslaw mix will last weeks in the refrigerator and I can dress more whenever I feel like eating some. Also, I’m able to switch up the dressing for different recipes such as leftover pulled pork tacos.

Here is my basic coleslaw mix: 1 head of cabbage chopped (I like to use half red and half green), 3-4 carrots peeled and shredded, 1 sweet onion chopped. This mixture will last for 2-3 weeks in your refrigerator. For this leftover pulled pork street taco recipe I use 2-3 cups of my coleslaw mix, 3-4 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, and 3-4 tablespoons of Seasoned rice vinegar. Mix right before serving. If you prefer less crunch, mix 20-30 min before serving and add a little salt.

coleslaw with cilantro for leftover pulled pork street tacos
Coleslaw for pulled pork street tacos.

What other toppings are needed?

For my leftover pulled pork street tacos I also make a quick crema. Just add a tablespoon or two of Sriracha hot sauce to 3 tablespoons of sour cream and mix!

crema for leftover pulled pork street tacos
Crema for pulled pork street tacos.

You can also add some shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos RecipeDownload

Recipe By Kristin
Course: Dinner Cusine:Aisian Mexican Difficulty:easy

Servings

16 minutes

Preparing Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

10 minutes

Calories

kcal

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1 head of cabbage chopped (or ½ a head of each green and red cabbage)

  2. 3-4 Carrots peeled and shredded

  3. 1 onion chopped

  4. ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  5. Pinch of salt (optional)

  6. ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar

  7. 4 cups leftover pulled pork

  8. ½ cup sweet soy sauce (more if needed)

  9. ½ cup sour cream

  10. 1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce ( more if desired)

  11. 4 ounces grated Monterey jack cheese (optional)

  12. 16 4-inch street taco shells

DIRECTION

  1. Prepare the crema: 

    Mix the sour cream and sriracha.  Add more sriracha if desired. 

  2. Prepare the coleslaw mix. 

    Mix the chopped cabbage, shredded carrots, and onion.  Measure out 4 cups of the mix.  Save the remainder for another use.  Add the cilantro and vinegar.  Mix to coat.  Add salt if you prefer a softer coleslaw, and mix.

  3. Prepare the pulled pork.

    Put the pulled pork in a frying pan and warm it while mixing.  Add the sweet soy sauce.  Mix until coated but not soupy, add extra sauce if needed to coat the pork.  Remove from heat.

  4. Assemble the Tacos.

    Warm the taco shells if desired.  Top with pork, slaw, crema and cheese.

NOTES

    You can store the extra coleslaw mix in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Categories
Casseroles Recipes

Better than Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac ‘n Cheese

better than rachel ray's Italian mac n cheese

It has been 15 years since I first tried Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac ‘n Cheese. A friend from my mom’s group brought me the dish after I had my third child. It was part of a meal train we put together to help out moms for the first couple of weeks after giving birth. Of the meals I received, this one was by far my favorite. I asked my friend for the recipe and for the past 15 years I have been modifying this recipe. I believe I have perfected the recipe now, because it is always a hit at my home. I am now ready to share with you my Better than Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac ‘n Cheese recipe.

Please feel free to compare my recipe with Rachel Ray’s Italian Mac & Cheese. My recipe is better because it has onions and because it has more sauce. The sauce in my recipe is also more flavorful due to the addition of more tomatoes and seasoning.

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Italian Mac ‘n Cheese Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Penne pasta

1 Pound bulk Sweet Italian sausage

12 Cremini Mushrooms (1 package), sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 Tablespoons butter

1/2 Cup flour

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can of each: chicken broth, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

8 ounces of whipping cream

8 ounces of Italian Blend shredded cheese

1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a pyrex baking dish.

Brown the sausage, drain and set aside. Add the olive oil to the pan and sauté the onion until slightly softened. Add the mushrooms, garlic and butter. Toss to evenly coat, add salt, and continue to sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften. Stir in the flour until evenly coated. Slowly add the chicken broth, add a little and stir until the sauce thickens, then add more and stir. Repeat this process until the whole can is incorporated. Add the undrained can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper. Mix until well combined and return to a simmer. Return the drained sausage to the pan and add half of the shredded Italian blend cheese, mix until melted. Add the whipping cream and mix constantly until the sauce returns to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Pre heat the broiler to high. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix. Top with remaining Italian blend cheese. Place the dish under the broiler for 3-5 min until the cheese in lightly browned. Serve with parmesan cheese.

If you like the recipe, you may also like my Better than Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana.

Italian Mac ‘n CheesePrintable Recipe

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Categories
Breakfast recipes Health Tips Healthy Recipes Recipes

Pharmacist Shares Immune Boosting Granola Recipe

Immune boosting granola pharmacist recommended

Customers are flooding into local pharmacies in search of immune boosting supplements. Many of these immune boosting ingredients can easily be included in your diet. It’s much less expensive to eat your vitamins than to purchase supplements. I’m a pharmacist and I would love to share my recipe for Immune Boosting Granola. Granola is a quick and easy breakfast or snack that can easily be added to any daily meal plan. Add some to you favorite yogurt or just pack it for a quick and easy snack.

Disclaimer: The statements made regarding this recipe have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of this recipe has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. This recipe is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Immune Boosting Nutrients

In order to make an immune boosting recipe, one first needs to know which nutrients are known to boost immunity. I have compiled a list of immune boosting vitamins and minerals, because adding more to your diet can help boost your immunity.

Vitamin C- There is research to support Vitamin C supplementation in reducing the length and severity of respiratory infections.1 Vitamin C plays an important role in immune response.

Zinc – Plenty of research is certainly available supporting zinc supplementation in reducing the length and severity of infections.1 Zinc is an important player in immune response.

Vitamin D – There is some evidence that vitamin D could reduce the risk of Influenza and COVID-19 infections and death.2

Vitamin B6- A deficiency in Vitamin B6 reduces your ability to make antibodies to fight off infection. Vitamin B6 could help strengthen immunity.3

Vitamin E- Immune response is enhanced by Vitamin E. It can provide protection against infections.4

Selenium- The immune system relies on adequate dietary selenium.5

Immune Boosting Ingredients

I selected my granola ingredients to include as many immune boosting vitamins and minerals as possible so they can help boost immunity. Here is a list of my ingredients because it is important to understand why they were included in my recipe.

  1. Elderberry syrup (find it here): Elderberry syrup is also used to enhance immunity. Elderberries are high in flavonoids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It may also help reduce symptoms of viral infections by stimulating immune response.6
  2. Matcha (find it here): Another natural superfood, matcha is green tea powder. It is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. Regular consumption of green tea could decrease influenza infection rates and cold symptoms.7
  3. Hemp hearts(find them here), pumpkin seeds and Flax Seeds: I included all of these mostly for the zinc and omega 3 and 6. These polyunsaturated fats also have been extensively studied for their role in immune health.8
  4. Nuts: These serve as a good source of selenium and zinc. I also chose Brazil nuts because they have the highest amount of selenium. Cashews are also high in zinc.
  5. Sunflower seeds: These seeds also have some healthy fats, but I chose them mostly because they are an excellent source of vitamin E. They are also a good source of selenium and vitamin B6.
  6. Ginger: Can also help reduce the severity of respiratory infections.9
  7. Blueberries: Another natural superfood. Blueberries are a good source of Vitamin C. I included them because they are one of the best sources of antioxidants, mostly flavonoids.

Immune Boosting Granola Recipe

Ingredients:

4 Cups Oats

1 Cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, and Brazil nuts)

1/4 Cup sunflower seeds

1 Cup shelled pumpkin seeds

1/4 Cup hemp hearts

1 Tablespoon matcha powder

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

2 Tablespoons flax seed

1/3 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 Cup shredded dry coconut

1/3 Cup dried blueberries

1/2 Cup honey

1/3 Cup Peanut butter

2 Tablespoons Elderberry Syrup

1/3 Cup coconut oil

Directions:

First preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, matcha, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and flax seed. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix the peanut butter, coconut oil, honey, elderberry syrup. Once mixed, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix until evenly coated.

Cover a Jelly Roll Pan with parchment paper. Spread the granola over the paper. Bake for 15 min. Remove from the oven and mix in the dried coconut. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove and mix again. If the coconut is not completely toasted, bake for 2 more minutes or until most of the coconut is toasted but not burnt. Lastly, remove from the oven and stir in the dried fruit while the granola is still warm. Finally, allow the granola to cool to room temperature. Although it is difficult not to finish it all in one sitting, you may have some leftover. If so, you can store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Immune Boosting Granola Served with Yogurt
Immune-Boosting-GranolaPrintable recipe

Granola makes a great gift!

References:

  1. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/90495
  2. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/4/988
  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28367454/
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266234/
  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30200430/
  6. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1271/bbb.120112
  7. https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/7/1795
  8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6834330/
  9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019938/

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Categories
Recipes Traeger Recipes

How to Make Fabulous Smoked ribs

best smoked baby back ribs

Finally, after multiple attempts, I have been able to perfect my fall off the bone smoked baby back ribs. These ribs are fabulous! I’ve tried 3-2-1 recipes in the past; but in my opinion this recipe is better than 321 ribs. They are certainly award winning according to my family. I want to share this wonderful recipe for how to make fabulous smoked ribs with you.

Smoked ribs Ingredients

2 racks of Baby Back Ribs

4 Teaspoons garlic powder

4 Teaspoons Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup apple juice

4 Tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar

BBQ sauce to taste

How to prepare fabulous smoked ribs

The first step is to remove the silver skin from the baby back ribs. This may have been done by your butcher, but if not it’s a really simple process. Just turn over the rack and use a paper towel to find the skin and pull to remove. Once the silver skin is removed season both sides with garlic powder and a generous portion of Traeger Pork and Poultry Rub.

How to prepare the Traeger Silverton 620 for ribs

Clean the Traeger from any previous cook. Ribs can be really messy so you should use a Traeger tray liner to protect your grill. This Trager grill liner is slightly wider that the liner that came with my Silverton 620 grill, but it is bendable and actually provides more coverage. You could just use foil for this step, but the tray liners do work better. Initially I tried to clean the tray between cooks, but I ended up finding the best cost saving option to be lining the tray with foil. This way I just remove to foil and reapply clean foil to the tray. I get several uses out of each tray, and keep my grill clean. Fill the hopper with Traeger Signature Blend Pellets. Preheat the Traeger to 200 degrees F.

How to make fall off the bone ribs on the Traeger Silverton 620

Place the prepared ribs directly on the rack of the preheated Silverton 620 Treager grill. Smoke at 200 degrees F for 2 hours.

Baby Back ribs prepared to smoke

Line a 21 x 13 Inch foil pan with aluminum foil, make sure there is excess foil to wrap the ribs.

Remove the ribs from the grill, use a hand held Probe Thermometer to check the meat as close as possible to the center between two ribs. The internal temperature at this step should be approximately 150 degrees F. Turn the Traeger Silverton 620 temperature up to 235 degrees F.

Smoked baby back ribs

Place the ribs in the foil lined pan. Drizzle the ribs with honey, approximately 1/3 cup.

baby back ribs drizzled with honey
Baby back ribs drizzled with honey

Pour one cup of warm apple juice over the ribs. Then sprinkle each rack with dark brown sugar, approximately 2 tablespoons each.

baby back ribs with dark brown sugar
Baby back ribs with dark brown sugar

Tightly wrap the foil around the ribs and return to the Traeger.

Baby back ribs wrapped in foil

Smoke the foil wrapped ribs for 2.5 hours.

How to make your own BBQ sauce

While your ribs are smoking prepare your own BBQ sauce.

BBQ Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons mustard

3/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons apple juice

Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan over low heat. I highly recommend the Ballarini Parma sauce pan for this. If you choose to buy one you will thank me when it comes to clean up time. Stir occasionally while maintaining a simmer. Taste your sauce. If it is:

Too sour? Add more apple juice or brown sugar

Too sweet? Add more apple cider vinegar

Not enough mustard, garlic, onion? Add more of those ingredients.

Continue to simmer until sauce is slightly thinner that you would desire your BBQ sauce to be. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

homemade BBQ sauce
Homemade BBQ sauce

Final step for perfect fall off the bone baby back ribs

After your wrapped ribs have smoked 2.5 hours, remove them from the Traeger Silverton 620 with, heat resistant silicone gloves , and once again check a temperature with a hand held probe thermometer. The temperature at this step should be approximately 200 degrees F.

Use a silicone basting brush to coat the top side of each rack of ribs with your homemade BBQ sauce.

Smoked baby back ribs coated with BBQ sauce

Return the ribs to the Traeger. This time they go right on the rack, unwrapped. Continue to smoke at 230 degrees F for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce is tightened.

baby back ribs with sauce on the Traeger
Baby back ribs with sauce on the Traeger

Remove from the Traeger with large tongs, slice or break apart and enjoy!

smoked baby back ribs
Smoked baby back ribs

Hope you enjoyed learning how to make fabulous smoked ribs.

Smoked-Baby-Back-RibsPrint Recipe

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Categories
Recipes Soups

Zuppa Toscana – Better than Olive Garden

Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana - Sausage Kale and potato soup

I’m not intending to share an Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana copy cat recipe, because I really like their Zuppa Toscana. However, I feel my homemade Sausage Kale and Potato soup is better than Olive Garden. I’m sure you will too.

This soup has been a favorite at my house long before I even tried the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana. It all began with a recipe for Sausage and gnocchi soup, that I modified and modified until it became in my opinion, perfect!

Read on and you will find directions for my version of Zuppa Toscana, but if you prefer I also have a link to a video and a printable recipe below.

Zuppa Toscana (Creamy Sausage Kale and Potato Soup) Recipe

Ingredients:

2 Pounds ground bulk Italian sausage

8 medium potatoes peeled

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 cups chicken stock

2 cup heavy cream

1 bunch of kale, stems removed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown the Italian sausage in a frying pan until cooked through.

Set aside on a paper towel lined plate to drain, because you will not want all that grease in your soup. Meanwhile sauté the onion and peppers with the olive oil until slightly tender.

Add the chicken stock and potatoes to the pan.

Put the drained sausage back into the pan and, bring to a boil.

Reduce to simmer until potatoes are tender.

Add the half and half.

Rip the kale into small bite size pieces, or chop with a chef knife.

Add the kale to the soup and simmer for 3-5 min. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Enjoy!

If you would prefer to see these directions in a video, you can find it on my YouTube channel.

Zuppa Toscana RecipePrintable

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Categories
Recipes Sides

How to make Authentic Polish Pierogi

Pierogi served with sauteed onions and sour cream
Pierogi served with sauteed onions and sour cream

It seems fitting to add a Pierogi recipe to my blog today because it is National Pierogi day. I happen to have an authentic pierogi recipe from my husband’s Polish mother. He was able to get the exact measurements from her back in the 90’s when he had an assignment to complete for school. His assignment was to submit a recipe for an ethnic food. It was a bit of a challenge to get the exact ingredient quantities and directions from his mother. Initially when he asked her how to make Pierogi, she said “make dough, then put in the filling, then boil them.”

He ended up having to spend an afternoon watching her and measuring everything she did in order to obtain this recipe I’m about to share with you.

Pierogi basic dough Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups of all purpose flour

250 mL of water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

Directions:

Mix flour and salt together and sift. Add the eggs and water and knead until dough is smooth and stretchable.

Sprinkle flour over the table where you will be rolling the dough to prevent sticking. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut out the dough with a 3 inch round cookie cutter. It’s really nice to have a cookie cutter with a handle since you will be making so many cuts.

Put your favorite filling (filling recipe below) in the center of each circle.

Stretch the dough around the filling and pinch together to avoid leaking during boiling. Use the handle of a butter knife to make a decorative edge. This step takes practice.

How to boil Pierogi

When pierogi are stuffed and pinched together, put 8-10 of the pierogi into boiling water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. When pierogi begin to float, boil for another 3-5 minutes. Continue to boil the remaining pierogi.

Pierogi Potato & Cheese Filling recipe

Ingredients:

5 Medium Potatoes

1/4 pound cheddar cheese

1 medium onion finely minced and sauteed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and mash. Shred the cheese and add to the hot potatoes so it melts. Add salt pepper and sauteed onions, mash to mix.

Pierogi Sauerkraut Filling recipe

Ingredients:

1.5 cans of sauerkraut, drained

2 finley chopped onions

1 package of mushrooms, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Sauté the mushrooms and onions with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and onions to sauerkraut. Put the mixture through a meat grinder.

Mushroom and Sauerkraut filling in a meat grinder

Serving Pierogi

Saute Onions and pierogi in a frying pan until lightly browned. Serve with sour cream.

Can You Freeze Pierogi?

Yes you can! After boiling the pierogi, place them on a buttered jelly roll pan to cool. Once they are cool, place the pan of pierogi in the freezer. The next day the frozen pierogi can be transferred into a freezer bag, and placed back in the freezer. Be sure to label the bag with the date and filling flavor!

Printable Pierogi Recipe

Pierogi-RecipePrintable Recipe

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Categories
Appetizers Recipes

Easy Fritos Bean Dip Appetizer for all occasions

Rich results on Google's SERP when searching for 'Party Appetizer Recipe'
Easy Bean Dip

I love this Easy Fritos Bean Dip recipe, because it always goes. It works great when you need a quick and easy recipe for a party appetizer. People love it and are always asking me for the recipe. It can take on any shape and can be decorated for different for any holiday and all occasions.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, I will earn commission from purchases at no additional cost to you.

Easy Fritos Bean Dip Video

Bean Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened

1 9 ounce can Fritos Bean Dip

4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese

3-4 green onions, sliced

1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced

10-12 black olives, sliced

Instructions:

Blend the Fritos bean dip and softened cream cheese until smooth and uniform. Hint: If you can’t find Fritos Bean dip, try this Copycat Recipe.

Spread the mixture in a dish or on a plate. This is where you can get creative with the dip. Because the dip can take on any shape, you can put it in a football shaped serving dish for a Super Bowl game day party, a Christmas tree shaped serving dish for a Christmas party, a heart shaped dish for Valentine’s Day or a Bridal shower. Get creative!

Top with the shredded cheese.

Layer with tomatoes, onions and olives.

Easy Bean Dip
Easy Bean Dip

This is another opportunity to get creative. For example, you could arrange the toppings like Christmas ornaments on a tree shaped platter. You can also pipe on sour cream using a frosting bag to create some fun designs. See my Easy Bean Dip Recipe seasonal designs below.

Football Party Themed Appetizer

For this football party themed bean dip I used this football shaped bowl for both the dip and the chips.

Christmas Themed Appetizer

For this Christmas Themed version of my bean dip I used a Pyrex Easy Grab Pie Dish. I covered the bean dip with Monterrey Jack cheese (white cheddar would work too). For the wreath I used shredded lettuce, cilantro, green onions and green olives. Then decorated the wreath with sliced cherry and grape tomatoes. These ingredients would also look great in a Christmas tree shaped serving dish.

Halloween Themed Appetizer

Spider Web Halloween themed Bean Dip Appetizer.

To make your Easy Bean Dip more festive for a Halloween party you could decorate it like a spider web. For the spider web I used a piping bag with a #4 tip to pipe on full fat sour cream. I topped with a couple of spider rings which I removed before serving. I still wanted the other toppings so I added them to the edge of the design. If you are really crafty you could make spiders out of olives.

Grave Yard Halloween Themed Bean Dip Appetizer

For more Halloween appetizer fun you could also make your Easy Bean dip into a grave yard. For the grave yard, I piped full fat sour cream on Wheat thins using a piping bag and a # 2 tip . Then I arranged the crackers like grave stones. I added a bat ring and a couple of skull rings too, but I removed them before serving.

Race Track Themed Appetizer

I made this appetizer for a post season Cross County Party, but you could use it for any race themed party. Just fold a label over 2 toothpicks for the finish line. Secure the toothpicks with 2 whole olives and press it down into the dip.

Curling Themed Bean Dip

Curling Bean Dip

For this curling themed bean dip I hid the green onions under shredded Monterey Jack cheese “ice”. The red ring was made with tomato slices, the blue ring was made with black olive slices. Serve with tortilla chips after a good curling match.

Is Bean Dip Gluten Free?

Yes all of the ingredients, including Fritos Original Bean Dip, are gluten free. You should however, shred your own cheese, because pre-shredded cheese could contain gluten. Also, make sure the chips you serve with it are gluten free.

Is Bean Dip Keto Friendly?

No, the Fritos Bean Dip has too many carbs. It is not keto friendly.

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Appetizers Healthy Recipes Recipes

Easy DIY Guacamole Recipe

guacamole
Photo by Tessa Rampersad on Unsplash

Today is national guacamole day! So I thought I should share my favorite guacamole recipe. Be sure to check out my links below to learn how to pit an avocado with a chef knife and how to mince garlic without a garlic press. DIY guacamole sure beats buying the store bought variety. Enjoy my favorite authentic guacamole recipe.

How to make guacamole

Easy guacamole recipe:

Guacamole Ingredients:

3 Avocados

1 medium onion finely chopped

3 garlic cloves

juice of one lime

3 Roma tomatoes diced

2-3 jalapenos diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro minced

Directions:

Pit peel and mash the avocados. See how to pit an avocado for a quick tutorial. Mince the garlic. See how to mince garlic without a garlic press. Slice the lime in half, to obtain more juice place the halves in a microwave for 15 seconds before juicing. Mix all ingredients. Enjoy this guacamole recipe with tortilla chips.

Love jalapenos? Check out my jalapeno popper recipe.

Need more Appetizer and dip ideas? Check out these suggestions.

How do you pit an avocado?

Slicing and pitting an avocado is a simple process if you know what you are doing. All you need is a chef knife a kitchen towel a cutting board and a spoon to scoop out the delicious nutritious fruit. Anyone can enjoy making their own guacamole!

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How do you mince garlic without a garlic press?

I’m not a big fan of crowding my kitchen with tools and utensils that are only able to form one task, uni-taskers as Alton Brown likes to say. One thing no kitchen needs is a garlic press. It is so easy to peel and mince garlic with a good quality chef knife. The Chef knife can be used for may other things and takes up less space than a garlic press. Every kitchen needs a chef knife, no kitchen needs a garlic press. Enjoy making your own home meds guacamole!

Is Guacamole good for you?

All of the ingredients in guacamole except for salt are very healthy. Most of the benefits of guacamole are in the healthy fruits and vegetables. Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats, fiber, and many vitamins. Onions, tomatoes, peppers, limes and garlic are all healthy fruits and vegetables. The only unhealthy thing about eating guacamole is that it is most often served with tortilla chips.

Do you have to serve guacamole with tortilla chips?

If you want to keep your guacamole healthy you can exchange the tortilla chips for baked whole grain pita chips, or spread it on a slice of whole wheat toast. You can also use it as a sandwich spread along with other healthy sandwich topping such as turkey, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, on whole wheat bread or wrapped in a whole grain tortilla. Guacamole also makes a great side for eggs or chicken breast.

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Healthy Recipes Recipes Sides

Best Beet Green Recipe

Sauteed beet greens
Sauteed beet greens

Why I eat Beet Greens and you should too

I have to credit my father-in-law for this delicious sauteed beet green recipe. He is quite the chef. I’ll probably have plenty more of his tasty recipes to share. This one is a delicious way to use a food many people throw away! Wasting food is terrible, but wasting delicious and nutritious food is even worse. According to Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side, beet greens are more nutritious than the beets themselves.

My father-in-law was a child during world war II. Because if this he grew up learning to use all of the food that was provided. Some of his childhood stories make 2020 sound like a picnic. Next time your teens are complaining about wearing masks or giving up football have them read Stolen Childhood. This book is a story similar to what my father-in-law went through and a great explanation for why he has so many tips and tricks for using up left overs and scraps. Through him I learned that beet greens are not scraps!

Where to find Beet Greens

Back to the beets. First you will have to find beets with the greens still attached. Many chain grocery stores will remove them and throw them away! I know it’s really sad. You could grow them your self, find them at a farmers market or a good organic produce store. Don’t get discouraged. If you do manage to find beets with the greens attached, as an added bonus you will know you have found yourself a fresh beet. The beet roots will last a long time on the grocers shelf, but the greens will begin to wilt sooner, which is probably why they tend to remove them. Buy beets with the greens!

Sauteed Beet Greens Recipe

Now for the sauteed beet greens recipe. Start by removing the greens from the beets. Save the beets for later. I’ll share some great beet recipes soon.

Ingredients:

Stems and leaves form 3 beets

1 medium onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Soak the beet greens and thoroughly wash them.

Chop the stems and leaves. Set aside Mince one onion. Sauté onion in a frying pan with the olive oil until softened. Add the chopped stems and leaves and continue to sauté until softened. Add the lemon juice and toss to coat.

Sauteed beet greens with onions and lemon juice

Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Best Beet Green recipe
Prepared beet greens

Serve warm. This dish makes a delicious side for beef or chicken.

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