Lunches
 

Lunch time usually brings a smile to my face when I am visiting overseas.  In Germany, of course, I usually eat bratwurst for lunch, mostly served with sauerkraut and either fried potatoes or a cheesy spaetzle.  In Spain, I love the tapas, probably later in the afternoon, Greece has its Gyros, Italy its pizzas and in France there are exquisite sandwiches on celestial buns. When in the Far East I usually try to eat fried rice for lunch, which is always “fried rice with . . .” 

My goal in preparing these lunches at home is not to reproduce an authentic replica that a native would be proud of but to put together something that to me captures a bit of nostalgia.

These are quick lunches and I want the lunch to be 1) easy to fix, 2)  quick to put together, 3) easy and quick to clean up, 4) made from prepared food readily available at the local supermarket, farmers’ market or health food store and 5) use leftovers.

Bratwurst I use ready-made bratwurst, usually already cooked, and they just require heating. The sauerkraut comes from a can or jar, sometimes I add chopped salami, pepperoni, sausage or ham while it is warming - that’s my take-off on choucroute garni For potatoes, I like to use breakfast-type shredded hash-browns. They also are commercially prepared, and can quickly be cooked in a pan with a small amount of olive oil and will taste even better if a slice of onion is chopped and sautéed along with the potatoes.

If using NOODLES instead of potatoes, heat 1/2 tsp (3ml) butter while stirring together with 1 TBS (15ml) flour.  As paste is formed, add 1/4 Cup (60ml) milk and stir until it thickens.  Then add 1/4 Cup (60) of diced cheddar cheese, melt , stir upon noodles.

Weird Nachos

Easy to make, easy to clean up and Easy to EAT!

Other than that, it’s weird. 

Here’s how it goes

to make lunch for one:

  1. 1)7 ml olive oil in a pan over low heat.

  2. 2)15 ml of chopped onion into the pan

  3. 3)Same with bell pepper and tomato.

  4. 4)Add pinch salt, stir, simmer for 3 to 4 minutes

  5. 5)Add two TBS (30 ml) of refried beans from a

   can to the onion mix and let sit and stir for a couple of minutes

  1. 6)Add about 3 to 4 slices of cheese to bean mix, stir for minute


Now pour over a handful of tortilla chips in a plate.  It does look

weird but it does taste great.  Try it.  (Also good as a dip)


The best thing about Tapas is that there is no end to tapas! 

You can go on and on for ever and ever and munch on

and on without end.  A great way to start is like this:

A couple of “baby carrots”, a dried Turkish fig, a couple of

dried  apricots  and a dried date.  You can begin with

Sunflower Butter on a salted cracker (like “Kavli’s”) and

end with a handful of pistachio nuts.  Wine would be OK,

but I like to use about 6 oz of organic Concord Grape Juice.

Good meal and good for rebuilding the old bod.   And the

best part is if you get any pangs later in the evening you can make a comeback with a handful of dried blueberries and a handful of pumpkin seeds.  If it is REALLY serious, and the lower lip begins hanging out there, then you can bring out the olives, peanuts and real wine.  Maybe even a piece of sausage or a bit of ham and even a little bit of real hard cheese.  See?  You really CAN go on forever and ever!  At least it will keep you going until supper.

Tapas!
Everybody likes pizza. I have a separate page in this cookbook for my own special pizza. When I do that, I make three pizzas, and that gives my wife and me two evening meals and two lunches. When we go shopping in Costco, we often bring home a frozen pizza, and that also usually gives us two evening meals and a lunch. Pizza.htmlPizza.htmlshapeimage_6_link_0shapeimage_6_link_1
Pizza

Then, there are the “lunch” pizzas that I sometimes make at home. I like for these “lunch” pizzas to keep the basic foundation of bread, oil, cheese, tomato and herbs.  Meat can be added or left off.

You can take some baguette slices, add a driz of olive oil, then a bit of tomato paste, topped by a slice of cheese, perhaps an onion slice and a bit of pepperoni, sausage, salami, ham or whatnot.   Shake some dried oregano or basil flakes on it then pop it in the toaster oven for a quick toasting.

Sometimes, I will use a bit of bruschetta in place of the tomato paste.  Surprise!

Again – its quick. Uses leftovers. Easy to make.  Easy clean up.  And tasty. Filling!

StirCrazy


Really easy – at least in the summertime. Especially easy if it is summer AND you have a small garden 

Chop up a little onion and bell pepper, put in a pan with a tsp (5ml) of olive oil (or two)and stir.  As it warms you can add a chopped baby carrot or two and stir, a little minced or shredded cabbage and stir,  chop up a broccoli sprout and cauliflower thing and pitch them in and stir. Green beans, peas, zucchini, squash all fit in the pan, put them in and stir.  Anything else goes (almost) a chopped piece of turnip, put it in and stir, pieces of leftover sausage or ham, or salami, a leek, and so on.  Put them in and stir.  All the leftovers, put them in and stir.   Finally stir in some leftover rice or noodles along with a serious dash or two of Kikkoman soy sauce and stir again.

The one in the picture has rice AND noodles, plus a TBS of leftover BBQ from Texas Roadhouse.


Chop. Stir. Eat. Clean. Smile