Tuesday, December 18, 2012

bagel sandwich

Last lunch before winter break. Bagel sandwiches and all of the veggies to add to the sandwich.
Peppers, red onion and carrots are missing  from this picture, but are offered as well.
All in all a pretty popular day.   Lots of choices today.    Some students are overjoyed for the bagel and others really like the toppings that are offered.

tortellini

Tuesday we served cheese tortellini. Tomato cream sauce was offered as well as roasted cauliflower.
The students really like this dish.   I use 100 pounds of tortellini.  I use 50 cups of tomatoes for the sauce.  Cooking in these large number can be difficult,  but I believe there is always a solution to a recipe that does not translate well to large batches.  I do research and try recipes until I am satisfied with the outcome.

tuna salad sandwich

Today was family group lunch day and the specialty sandwich was tuna salad.
Lots of veggies in this tuna salad.   Onions, celery, apples and spinach pack this sandwich.
As usual string cheese, and clemintine oranges as well as a graham cracker snack were served.
Milk is the only option for a beverage although students always have access to their water bottles.

Friday, December 14, 2012

chicken and rice

Chicken and rice was served today.  TO CELEBRATE HANUKKAH WE SERVED A TREAT.
Green beans and  roasted broccoli were offered on the side. Sun dried tomatoes were popular on the salad bar today.

chicken tenders and lemony smashed potatoes

                                                    Kid friendly lunch today.
 Lemony smashed potatoes were served as a side dish.  This is a difficult lunch to serve because the chicken tenders are so popular that they take up all of my oven space and time.
 Serving a kosher style lunch means no dairy with meat.  Lemony smashed potatoes are a good side dish to meat because they are dressed with a bit of olive oil and not butter.  Lemon zest and lemon juice are also in the drizzle that goes on the potatoes.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Pasta with alfredo sauce will be served today. We steam veggies and add them to alfredo sauce (made from scratch). As usual all of the items are offered separately.  The salad bar is a popular place  here in the  McGillis lunchroom. Olives and croutons are a limited food choice.  If allowed to students will pile olives and croutons only and call that a salad. We talk a lot about vegetables being salad and certain foods with salt and higher fat being condiments.  A pile of croutons is not a salad, and it is not allowed.

vegetable soup and grilled cheese

Vegetable soup and grilled cheese were served today. This is as usual, a made from scratch soup.
Almost every vegetable that you can name is in this soup.  Ingredients are onions, celery, carrots broccoli, cauliflower, zuchini, cabbage, potato, mushrooms corn, green beans, garlic, tomatoes and parsley. Most students try this and enjoy dipping the grilled cheese sandwich in it.

chicken salad sandwich

Chicken salad sandwich was the family group lunch entree today.  This sandwich was served on a whole wheat hoagie.  Red onions, celery, and red grapes were added to diced chicken, and dressing.
Clemintine oranges are the fruit of choice on a family group lunch day.

Friday, December 7, 2012

These are mushrooms, bell peppers and onions for the veggie quesadillas that we served today.
A surprising amount of students ask for a veggie quesadilla. The cheese quesadilla is very popular. Cheddar cheese is the preferred cheese for the quesadilla here at McGillis.
Spanish Rice pilaf was offered as the side option.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

chili beans and corn bread


Today we will serve chili beans and cornbread.
There are black, pinto and white beans in this chili.  Tomatoes, onions and bell peppers are also added to the chili.  The ingredients that really tempt the kids to eat this chili are the frito chips and shredded cheddar cheese toppings. I am of the opinion that a bit of cheese and corn chips are worth it for a child to eat a bowl of beans.   Really, this chili is delicious.

LASAGNA

LASAGNA WAS SERVED TODAY AND IT IS A POPULAR ENTREE.
THIS IS HOMEMADE LASAGNA AND IT TAKES A WHILE TO PREPARE,
BUT IT IS WORTH IT.

CHICKEN TERIYAKI

CHICKEN TERIYAKI WAS SERVED TODAY.  AS USUAL ALL ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE ALA CARTE.  STUDENTS REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT.
I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING AND SWITCHING TO A BROWN RICE THAT FITS ALL OF OUR NEEDS.  I DO NOT HAVE A RICE COOKER, AND IN THE LARGE NUMBERS THAT I COOK FOR,  BROWN RICE CAN BE HARDER THAN WHITE.
AS I LOOK AT THE MENU AND TRY HARD TO KEEP THE MENU HEALTHY,  I MAKE CHANGES AND USUALLY THE STUDENTS DO NOT PROTEST IN MASSES.

monday family group lunch

TODAY FOR FAMILY GROUP LUNCH WE SERVED EGG SALAD SANDWICHES.
THE EGG SALAD IS SERVED ON A WHOLE WHEAT TOASTED HOAGIE ROLL.
TILLAMOOK CHEESE SQUARES AND CLEMINTINES AS WELL AS CHIPS WERE OFFERED AS SIDES. LOWFAT MILK AS USUAL WAS THE BEVERAGE, ALTHOUGH ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO WATER.