LunchBox Recipes

I used to spend a lot of money buying lunch each day, until my money-savvy husband persuaded me to start taking my lunch to work.  I get so bored of sandwiches day in and day out, so I made it my mission to come up with some inspiring new lunch ideas.  Here are two of my favourites…

Mini chicken and mushroom Pies

500 puff pastry

400g boneless chicken, cut into small pieces

6 medium mushrooms, sliced

½ red onion, sliced

3 tsp oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tsp dried mix herbs

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

250ml Vegetable/Chicken stock

125ml Double Cream

1 egg, beaten

In a saucepan, add the oil, chicken, mushroom and onion pieces. 

Add the herbs and cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat.

Add the stock and cream, Worcestershire sauce along with the salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once cooked, take off the heat to cool.

Roll out the pastry until it is about 1.5cm thick.  Cut out circles to fit into 6 muffin moulds.  Oil the moulds and add pastry to fit snuggly. Prick the pastry all over and put into a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes.  Re-prick the pastry if it has puffed up too much and add the filling.

Cut lids for each pie and place on top.  Egg wash generously.

Return to the oven and cook until the pastry is golden brown.

Pesto Pasta

 

Ricotta and Spinach Filled Pasta (or normal pasta shapes), cooked

Cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons pesto

Spinach leaves

Mix the pasta with the pesto and add the tomatoes and spinach.

Best served chilled.

Enjoy!!