Montly Mingle: Kids Lunches

I would never put this in one my children's school lunch boxes. Too messy for the quick 15 minutes they get for lunch at school. Or rather, not lunch, but "nurtrition break." My children go to a school that has a balanced school day, which means that rather than the traditional morning recess, hour long lunch time divided between eating and playing, and afternoon recess, they get two "nutrition and activity breaks," each 45 minutes long, again divided between eating and outdoor play. Time-wise it works out to the same amount of time as they were getting before, but it seems so much shorter.

As a result, my children are getting to school for 9:15 am and having "lunch" at 11:15 am. Then "snack" at 2pm. By the time they get home at 4:30pm, they are starving! So when they are home, I like to give them a bit more of a substantial lunch than they would get to have at school, with a little more time and alot more leisure.


Slow cooked shredded beef sandwiches are a nice way to have a relaxed lunch together. Cooking the beef all morning in the slow cooker until it is tender and falling apart, soaking up the seasonings in the liquid. Piled high on fresh buns, soft on the inside, but toasted for a little bit of contrast. Top the beef as you'd like, with salsa or cheese, with dressing, with stacks of caramalized onions, however you want to eat it. I had mine with an avocado aoili that I'd thrown together (really, just avacado with store bought mayonnaise and alot of garlic).

I served these dripping sandwiches with a platter of cruidites, fancy for raw vegetables, and a dip. A lovely crunch to pair with the softness of the beef and bread.

This might not be quite what Meeta and Srivalli had in mind when they asked for submissions to this session of the Monthly Mingle, but the beauty of the mingle is that you never know what anyone is going to come up with. Be sure to see both these blogs for more ideas, and check for the round-up!

Slow Cooked Beef Sandwiches

2 1/2 - 3 lb boneless beef pot roast (a cheaper cut works best here, don't go with prime rib or sirloin!)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
5 cloves of garlic, minced
dash of hot sauce
1 tablespoon of olive oil
kosher salt (just a pinch, the Worcestershire sauce will have plenty)
freshly ground black pepper, lots of it!

Heat a medium pan over high heat. Rub the olive oil all over the roast and season with the salt and pepper. Sear the beef on all sides on high in the pan. You want a nice crust here.

Place the seared beef in a 3 1/2 - 4 quart slow cooker (I used my small one.) Mix together the rest of the ingredients and pour all over the beef. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is falling apart when you touch it with a fork.

Remove the beef from the slow cooker with a slotted spoon, to drain slightly) into a bowl. Shred up any that does not fall apart on its own. Serve with toasted buns and a variety of toppings, your choice.