The Triple Decker

I am not thinking this picture is showing off the three slices of bread, but that is what this Triple Decker sandwich has. Does it make a difference? I say, YES!

I used Pepperidge Farm Very Thin 100% whole wheat. If I were packing lunch for my boys, I would probably do a regular bread, but since this sandwich was for my girls, I went very thin.

The Triple Decker

3 slices of bread

(and then you choose), I used:

sliced turkey

cheese

turkey bacon

lettuce

tomato

mayo

mustard

Layer it up, wrap it up, and pack it! (because you don't really need directions on how to put it together, do you?)

Enjoy!

Egg Salad, Salsa and Cheddar Sandwich

I made this for my high schooler because eggs, salsa and cheddar cheese are her 3 favorite foods. When she came home she said, "I opened my lunch box and looked at the sandwich, everyone at the lunch table looked at it in disgust and I told them that 'I think my mom has pushed it too far this time'. But then I took a bite... and boy was it good!"

If you or your kids love eggs, salsa and cheese too, I hope you'll give this one a try. I don't even love those foods (but I like them a lot) and I enjoyed this sandwich.

Egg Salad, Salsa and Cheddar Sandwich

• 2 boiled eggs
• 1-2 tsp mayo (just enough for the egg to bind)
• a spoonful of salsa
• 1 slice of cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper
• whole wheat or multi-grain hamburger bun

Take a fork to the boiled eggs and mash. Add just enough mayo for the eggs to bind. Add salt and pepper. Put slice of cheese on bread. Add about half the egg mixture, then top with salsa, then add the rest of the egg. This is to prevent the salsa from making the bread soggy.

sandwich tip-  actually 2 eggs make this quite a bit of filling and 1 egg isn't quite enough, so three eggs should make 2 sandwiches perfectly. but that may be a matter of preference.

5 Layer Dip

A 5 Layer Dip (or a 7 Layer Dip, if that's how many layers your recipe has) can easily take the place of a sandwich in a lunch box. Especially if you have the right sized container to make the right amount of dip. My containers hold 8 ounces which is "a gracious plenty" (as my mother-in-law says) for my children.

A 5 Layer Dip for a lunch box is a great thing to make when you are already making the dip for an event but it's also easy to make after any Mexican dinner night, when you already have these ingredients on hand.

If you don't already have your own favorite recipe and would like to try my simplified version, here goes-

5 Layer Dip

refried beans

guacamole

sour cream, with a little taco seasoning mixed in

shredded cheese

salsa

Evenly spread each item in order on a container. Serve with chips.

SO: Grilled Tomato, Basil and Cheese Sandwich

Today I am starting a new section of recipes, SO stands for School's Out.

When school is out, lunch still must be made, but there are more options. Case and point: Grilled Cheese. But this isn't your ordinary Grilled Cheese, this tastes garden fresh. Inspired by one of my favorite sandwiches on Lorinda's Lunch Box Lowdown that was inspired by one of my favorite salads, the Caprese Salad- The Grilled Tomato Basil and Cheese Sandwich.

Grilled Tomato Basil and Cheese Sandwich

2 slices of whole wheat bread

2 slices of mozzarella cheese

2-3 slices of tomato

3-4  chiffonade, basil leaves

cooking spray

Spray griddle, add slice of bread, then cheese, tomato and basil. Top with other slice of cheese. Toast until bread is golden brown, then flip sandwich. Toast other side. Enjoy warm off the griddle!

Breakfast English Muffin Sandwich

We all love Breakfast for Dinner, so why not some Breakfast for Lunch? Am I right or am I right?

The store bought English Muffins of today (such as Thomas' brand) are so moist and delicious, they don't have to be toasted, they taste great right out of the package. And because a fried egg hardly seems an option for a lunch box I used a boiled egg in it's place. I would prefer ham to make this more Egg McMuffin like, but my high schooler always chooses turkey over ham.

Breakfast English Muffin Sandwich

• 1 English Muffin (I used Thomas' wheat)
• 1 slice sharp cheddar
• 2-3 slices ham or turkey
• 1 boiled egg
• mayo and/or mustard
• pepper

Layer cheese, meat and egg on mustard and/or mayo smothered English muffin. Dust with a little pepper, the meat should have plenty of salt. Enjoy!



Lightened Muffaletta

Without compromising taste and losing the Muffalettaness of this great traditional sandwich, it's been lightened! It's still full of flavor and oh-so-good! 

The olives are such a great source of Omega-9 and vitamin E and research has shown that they can help reduce chances of type 2 diabetes, colon cancer and more. The olives are also what make a muffaletta and muffeletta and what saved the world from only eating an unhealthy muffaletta or eating no muffaletta at all was this olive salad.

Lightened Muffaletta

• Ciabatta bread (or something similar)
• Sliced turkey, about 4 slices
• 1 slice salami
• 1 Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Cheese wedge
• **Olive Salad mix, about 1/4 cup

Spread Olive Salad mix on bottom slice of bread. Add salami and turkey. Spread cheese wedge on top half. Wrap tightly and enjoy in a couple of hours or more, sandwich improves with time.

**Olive Salad

• 3/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives
• 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 lg. pepperoncini
• 3 - 4 pickled onions
• 2 Tbsp. capers
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. dried oregano  
• lemon juice from half a lemon 
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Dice olives,pepperoncini, onion and garlic finely. Add  capers and oregano and mix. Toss in lemon juice and olive oil. Keep tightly covered in refrigerator.

If this isn't lightened enough for you, use Flat Out bread and skip the salami. You may want to call it a Turkey and Olive Wrap though, because it will then be lacking any muffalettaness at all at that point, while still being delicious.

Strawberry and Cheese Spread

Why not have crackers and a cheese spread as the main dish in the lunch box? No really, hear me out.

A Grilled Cheese Sandwich is simply bread and cheese and it works.

Crackers = Bread

Cheese Spread= Cheese slice

See?

This is inspired by a Southern Living recipe.

Strawberry and Cheese Spread

• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• a dash of salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• Strawberry Jam (I used Smucker's Simply Fruit)
• Crackers (I used Kashi's Stoneground 7 grain party crackers)

Stir together cheese, mayo, onion and spices, until incorporated. Then add walnuts. Spread a thin layer of cheese spread in individual container and top with a couple of spoonfuls of strawberry jam.

Or....

If you dare, make this into a sandwich using a bagel. It may not be the prettiest, but it is mighty tasty!

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

This is a great lunch box recipe when you have leftover chicken, baked or grilled or rotisseried.

The hummus adds iron, vitamin C and B6, manganese, and copper to the wrap. I like to add spinach instead of lettuce. Spinach has lutein, vitamins A & C, calcium, folic acid, and magnesium. In other words, this wrap packs a pretty nutritional punch and it's tasty on top of that.

So here is the lowdown-

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

makes 1

• chicken, about 3/4 of a chicken breast, cut into sliced
• 1 T. hummus
• 1 t. Italian salad dressing
• 1 T. Feta
• spinach (to taste)
• diced tomato (to taste), or tomato wedges
• 1 wrap (I used Toufayan Tomato Wraps)

Spread hummus in the middle of the wrap then add sliced chicken, spinach, tomato, and cheese. Drizzle Italian dressing. Roll wrap tight. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Pimiento Cheese Sandwich

Pimiento Cheese is a delicious southern sandwich that is perfect for a lunch box. It can be cut into triangles with the crusts removed for a finger food event or even grilled. It's the signature dish at The Masters Tournament. It is easy to make and it is oh so good!

Pimiento Cheese Sandwich

makes 4 cups of cheese spread

• 1 cup of mayo
• 1 4 oz. jar diced pimiento
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. finely diced red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 8 oz. block of extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Stir mayo, pimiento, Worcestershire sauce, onion, and pepper in a bowl. Add cheese and mix. Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Can be served on crackers, celery, with chips, but best served as a sandwich.