Food Days (OUTSPOKEN DIVA's Favorite Recipes)

I saw this funny video circulating on social media. Then I started to think about my food education. It all didn't happen in a classroom. School Food exposed me to many foods I wouldn't have ever tasted. My grandmother cooked 90% of our meals at home. So when I started school in the early to mid-80s, I had never heard of;

• Chicken Fried Steak
• Chicken Patties
• Boxed Mashed Potatoes
• Burritos
• Tetrazzini (Chicken or Turkey)
• Chicken Nuggets
• Tator Tots
• Traditional Sloppy Joes (Muh Diva puts canned vegetable soup in her recipe)
• Cream Gravy
• Sugar Cookies
• Fruit Roll-Ups

I still remember my first pizza day in Kindergarten. Our teacher told us what was for lunch and I was excited because I knew what that was. That weird rectangle on my plate confused me. It only had pepperoni on it. Where were the vegetables & other meat? And why was corn & salad on my plate, too? Even at an early age, I knew not to ask much at school. I was teased enough without opening my mouth. The next time we had pizza at home, I learned about the different types of pizza. We ate Supreme at home. And schools served us one topping, corn, and salad because they had more people to feed. I guess that explanation satisfied Kindergarten me. Probably when I mentally made the separate groups, "Food I ate home" & "Food I ate at school" 

My first salad bar experience was at school. If a student didn't want the hot lunch, they could go over & make their own chef's salad. But no salad rivaled school Fiesta Salad. It is similar to a taco salad but with chili con carne & rice. I only know one picky eater that didn't get in the lunch line for Fiesta Salad. As a young adult, I guessed the correct recipe one day and make it. It wasn't on the internet as it is now.

Fiesta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbl sp & 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 pkg taco seasoning
• 1 tsp bottled minced garlic
• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 2 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion
• 1 (19-oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 oz corn chips (more if you want)
• 1/2 cup rice, cooked and hot
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 Tbsp sour cream (optional)
• 2 Tbsp salsa (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Cook the first 5 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beef is browned, stirring to crumble.
2. Add diced tomatoes; bring to a boil.
3. Add beans; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Set aside.
4. In a bowl place the chips inside.
5. Top with the rice.
6. Add 1 cup of the chili mixture over the rice.
7. Add the cheese.
8. Top with the lettuce, tomato, and condiments

Nowadays, I don't eat the meals I did as a school-age child often. Some of them, not at all. I limit the beloved Ravioli Casserole to once a year, but I don't eat Chili Mac at all.

Oh and I still prefer Muh Diva's version of sloppy joe. Even my Fiesta Salad is now made with no salt added canned tomatoes, fresh black beans, frozen corn, and lightly salted corn chips. Oh, and salad goes great with pizza. But it's cool to realize the foods that the school lunchroom introduced to me. And a nice trip down memory lane for my emotions & taste buds.

So, what were your school lunch favorites? Leave them in the comments.

As Always Talking to You In Adult Terms!