Conference turris::cooks

    BANANA IN A PITA
    
    Take one round of pita bread, cut in half, spread w/peanut butter,
    insert half a banana in each half.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  When ready
    to eat...squish..sh..sh banana slowly and evenly with fingers.  Enjoy!
    

    Wouldn't the banana get brown and bad before it is eaten?  
    Other than that thought, it sounds great.
    
    aud...
    

    My husband makes the best lunches!:
    	One round, flat bread (used for fajitas)
    	A few slices of your favorite deli meat (we do turkey)
    	A few slices of lettuce, spinach, or sliced celery
    	Mustard or mayonnaise spread on the flat bread
    	Roll this up and cut into 3 and you have a WONDERFUL roll-up
    	   which fits right into a plastic container for storing until
    	   lunch!
    

RE .4 -

>    	One round, flat bread (used for fajitas)

Those are tortillas, no?.

Your husband's method would also work with pita bread cut in half to form two 
round flat pieces (as opposed to two pocket pieces)...

							-- Nina

    I pack the usual - chicken salad, tuna salad, deviled ham, egg salad
    or peanut butter/marshmellow (as well as the deli meats) - but those 
    get to be pretty boring (for me) after awhile.
    
    I cook one day a week-end - and I get my suppers and lunches from all
    the cooking I do.  It has saved me money in the long run as well.
    Some of the lunches I have brought in are:
    
    Chili, lasagna, stew, soups, swedish meatballs, Italian meatballs,
    chicken divan, spaghetti and chicken (fabulous recipe) and Spaghetti
    ala Cabonara which I heat up in the microwave here at work.  I also 
    have boiled up some shrimp and eaten it with an avacado and lime juice 
    or shrimp with lettuce and cocktail sauce - a variety of cheese and 
    crackers - homeade bread - salmon loaf - meatloaf sandwiches - deviled 
    eggs (beats the old hard boiled egg routine) macaroni salad - potatoe
    salad - cold chicken breasts - baked beans - stuffed grape leaves - 
    zucchini appetizers.
    
    For me the list is endless because I love to cook and find it easier
    spending one entire day in the kitchen.  I guess if you didn't like to
    cook - lunch could be a MAJOR problem!
    
    Marilyn
    

mix softened cream or neuchatel cheese with:

	chopped freeze-dried or fresh chives
	diced lean ham
	regular or light mayonaise to soften    

and spread on either a flour tortilla or armenian flat bread that has
been softened in water and then thoroughly squeeze dry.  Roll into
a jelly roll and slice in 1 and 1/2 inch thick slices.  Pack with
lots of green and black pitted olives, celery sticks, cherry tomatos,
and fresh fruit.  one torilla should make enough lunch for 2 hearty
eaters or 3 light eaters.

As I sit here eating my turkey sandwich on pita with lettuce and tomato, I 
empathize with all the brown baggers of the world who need more interesting 
luncheon fare.  Well, here are some things I have tried.  They all need to be 
prepared the nite before bringing.


Stuffed Potatoes 
----------------
Bake potatoes in microwave.  Scoop out, mash and mix in some of the following.

	Grated cheese
	Sour cream
	Chopped blanched vegetables such as broccoli, peas, carrots, 
	   cauliflower.
	Cubed ham, turkey or chicken

Stuff potato and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Wrap in plastic wrap and 
   reheat in microwave at work or eat as is.


Curried Chicken (or turkey) Salad
---------------------------------
Cube leftover chicken and mix with mayo, chutney (purchased), curry powder 
   to taste.

Add chopped celery, carrots (I cook a little in microwave first), raisins
   to taste.

Can eat as a salad or put into pita bread.


Rice with Just About Anything
-----------------------------  
I make a batch of this, have it for dinner, and then bring it for lunch.  
You can also freeze mixture in small packets and reheat.  Here's what I 
normally do, but any similar recipe will work.  I rarely make it the same 
twice in a row and I really don't have exact quantities.  1/2 lb of ground 
meat and 1 cup of rice will make 3-4 servings.  If you like more meat, add 
more.  I prefer the vegetables.  Use a large skillet or casserole that you 
can use on top of the stove.

Cook 1/2 - 1 1/2 cups of white or brown rice, depending on how much you want 
to make.

Brown ground beef or ground turkey (1/2-1 lb. depending on rice quantity)

Precook any or all of the following vegetables:
	Onions
	Green and/or red peppers
	Green beans
	Peas (may not need any precooking)
	Carrots
	Mushrooms

Add tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce or canned tomatoes to ground beef 
mixture, along with whatever spices you like (minced garlic, oregano, basil, 
pepper) and befit your tomato selection.  (I use approx. 8 oz of sauce or 
16 oz canned tomatoes per 1/2 lb. of ground meat.)

Cook briefly and add cooked rice.  Reheat as required.

    I make a batch of rice (lentil or pilaf or wheat) or couscous (Near
    East makes all of them). Bake some boneless, skinless chicken in 1/4"
    water (having sprinkled some spices of your choice on them).
    
    After rice/couscous and chicken are cooked. Chop up chicken, mix with
    rice. Add some chopped tomatoes (or any veg, really).
    
    When you're ready to prepare lunch, just scoop some out into a plastic
    container, put some sauce (white, spag, any flavor) on top and go. You
    can nuke it at work.
    
    FYI - I do NOT refrigerat mine and it stays fine. This is a low fat
    meal that includes Carbs, Protein, and Veg. Have some yogurt and
    berries for dessert and you've pretty much covered all the bases.
    
    beth