Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes

I didn't grow up to be a tea-sandwiches-with-the-crusts-cut-off kind of gal.  In fact, in high school, my standard sassy line to my own mother whenever she (frequently) got on my nerves was a question about whether she really wanted me to be just like Tricia Nixon, sitting primly at a ladies tea eating white bread sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Fast forward a few decades and here I am, happily cutting off the crusts for tea sandwiches for a baby shower for the daughter of one of my close friends. 

The menu for the shower was tea party foods. I volunteered to make tea sandwiches (of course) and small scones, along with lemon mousse. Although there were several types of sandwiches, I felt as though the menu needed a colorful, vegetable-based dish.

The stuffed tomatoes idea came to me as I strolled down the produce aisle and realized that Campari tomatoes are the perfect size for stuffing – big enough to easily hollow out, but not so big that the stuffing would be an overwhelming amount of food. Campari tomatoes are bigger than cherry tomatoes and smaller than regular ones. They are typically sold on a stem, in a hard shell plastic box.  As you can see, they are slightly larger than a large-size egg.

This recipe is gluten and dairy-free, a simple but elegant brunch, lunch, or tea-time dish.  

Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes

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5 Easy Ways to Save Money on “Work” Food

The sequestration craziness this week has turned governmental cost-cutting talk into a blood sport for politicians.  But it can also become personal, as many who may be affected by sequestration wonder how long it will last and what personal expenses they can cut.  As always, I'm all about food.  So, here are 5 easy ways to save money on food and drink you consume at work or school.  Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or snacks, I’ll bet that if you buy food and drinks at take-out places or restaurants, you spend much more than you realize. And of course you can use these tips even if sequestration won't affect your personal budget.

I’ll provide more details on each money saving strategy in the next few weeks, but for now, here are the high points:

Make Your Lunch

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10 Tips for Better Brown Bag Lunches

Whether you’re a parent packing school lunches, an adult trying to save money, or a cubicle-dweller with limited lunch options beyond your office, brown bag lunches are key.

I have been through many a brown bag phase for my own lunches and those I prepared for my kids.  Some lasted months, others barely a few days.  Every time I thought I had figured out how to please my kids, their tastes would change. And like many adults, I have outgrown the same-yogurt-every-day-for-lunch phase that got me through high school and the college mid-day “meals” of cookies and coffee. 

There is no magical formula for healthy, satisfying lunches.  For most of us, including many kids, the only imperative is to switch it up, at least every once in a while.  These tips are not rocket-science, and maybe they are not even inspirational.  But they are the basics for many days and weeks of great brown bag lunches. 

10 Tips for Better Brown Bag Lunches 

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