I love lunch

Lunch is my favorite meal.  I'm not a breakfast girl.  I don't especially enjoy eggs and while pancakes taste good once in a while, breakfast foods just aren't my thing.  Lunches, however, are a whole different thing. 

I've been fairly busy working as a personal chef.  Yesterday and today I was able to prepare food for two luncheons.  I love that the menu possibilities for lunch are limitless.  The fare can be lighter, or it can be a miniature version of dinner. 

Today I prepared tomato bisque, foccacia, tabblouleh, fresh fruit, and for dessert - strawberry pie and chocolate peanut butter brownies. 

tabblouleh with grilled chicken

strawberry lemon cream pie

foccacia with fresh basil, parsley, and oregano

chocolate brownies with peanut butter chips

I'll share the recipes later this week - some of the recipes I already have in my archives, but a few of them I've revised over the years. 

I already shared my recipe for tabblouleh.  I kept the process almost identical, but the display was a little different and I added grilled chicken.  I used a large platter for the tabbouleh.  It actually has a turkey on it (for Thanksgiving, I assume), but no one noticed.  For the chicken, I marinated chicken breasts in balsamic salad dressing and then grilled it.  Complicated, right? 

I cooked the bulgur and then mixed in the lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs.  I layered the remaining ingredients around the platter.  I served the salad with a large spoon and the guests were able to choose which toppings they liked. 

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur
3 T olive oil
1 cup boiling water
1 cucumber, seeded, peeled and chopped
fresh parsley, basil, and oregano
5 roma tomatoes, slow-roasted and chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 T lemon juice
black olives
grilled chicken

1.  Pour boiling water over bulgur and 2 T olive oil.  Cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
2.  Mix remaining ingredients into bulgur.
3.  Chill and serve