Week of May 19th, 2025

Hello, Monday! I know many of us are in the trenches of the end-of-school, graduation, and sprinting towards the holiday weekend. So, we're going to keep our offerings simple this week. Sarah is out and I have a feeling that there will be less folks in the building due to all the things happening outside of work. Additionally, I will be leaving town after my lunch delivery on Thursday so, I want Olga to feel good about closing up without help.

We're going to focus on the Salad/Soup Bar, Nachos, and getting things into the cooler. We have an excess of tomatillos on hand so, we'll be making a Pork Chile Verde to serve alongside some rice; this will go near the nachos - probably for Tuesday. We will have a limited simple brunch available on Wednesday, too.

I, also, want to point out that the Cafeteria will be closed this Friday, May 23rd and Monday, May 26th for the Memorial Day holiday. My family and I are doing a budget trip to St. Louis. My husband has a work event on Thursday that he'll fly out to. Then, I'm grabbing the kiddos and driving that afternoon. We're shacking with some friends and planning on doing some budget-friendly touristy things like the Zoo, which is incredible, if you've never been. (And, it's free!!!) We will go to City Museum, as well, which is such a strange, cool, fun place. I didn't have kids the first time I went so, I'm excited to see them explore that wild place - and a little afraid I'm gonna lose them, too, ngl.

What are you doing for the Holiday weekend?!

See you soon!

-Ellen, Your Not-So-Average Lunch Lady

---

Soup & Salad Bar

Build-Your-Own Salad using Fresh Greens, Prepared Veggies, and an Assortment of Toppings along with Housemade Ranch Dressing. Additional dressings available in the coolers.

Salad Specials

Caesar Salad

Grab a Cup or Bowl of Soup and Make-It-Your-Own with Toppings from the Salad Bar.

Soup Specials

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Hot Lunch Counter

Monday, May 19th

Nacho Bar

Tuesday, May 20th

Nacho Bar

Pork Chile Verde w/ Rice

Wednesday, May 21st

Hot BRUNCH Bar Available Starting at 9AM!

Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Homestyle Potatoes

---

Nacho Bar

Pork Chile Verde w/ Rice - While Supplies Last

Thursday, May 22nd

Nacho Bar

Pork Chile Verde w/ Rice - While Supplies Last

Grab & Go

Bagels

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

Chicken Caesar Wrap

Cheese & Salami Snack Pack

Assorted Cookies & Desserts

*Note: Items may vary due to product availability and kitchen speed.

Week of May 12th, 2025

Happy (Belated) Mother's Day to those that celebrated over the weekend! I've got a Mother's Day weekend hangover today so, bear with me as we get back up to speed in the kitchen...

My family and I kept busy this weekend! We started by picking fresh strawberries at Stonebriar Farm Friday night. Then we had a birthday party to attend on Saturday that the ENTIRE SECOND GRADE ATTENDED - it was straight chaos! While there, we made plans to hang out with a couple of families that night. So, I whipped up a Strawberry Crumble with our freshly picked strawberries and we headed over. The kids played with water balloons and a slip-n-slide until they couldn't feel their limbs... Then, rode bikes/scooters/cars in their cul-de-sac until waaaay past dark. Sunday, we headed to the Zoo for the day - a gift from my father-in-law. We all crashed from exhaustion last night - and I'm feeling it today!!

We've got a few fun things happening this week including Birria Quesadillas, again, on Wednesday. I'm trying to perfect the recipe and maybe put it into a weekly or semi-weekly rotation because I thought it was soo yummy! I've got the soup working but it will likely be ready for Tuesday.

See you soon!

-Ellen, Your Not-So-Average Lunch Lady

---

Soup & Salad Bar

Build-Your-Own Salad using Fresh Greens, Prepared Veggies, and an Assortment of Toppings along with Housemade Ranch Dressing. Additional dressings available in the coolers.

Salad Specials

Caesar Salad

Grab a Cup or Bowl of Soup and Make-It-Your-Own with Toppings from the Salad Bar.

Soup Specials

Lasagna Soup >> This will likely be ready for Tuesday instead of Monday.

Hot Lunch Counter

Monday, May 12th

Nacho Bar

Chicken Chilaquiles

Tuesday, May 13th

Nacho Bar - While Supplies Last

Chicken Chilaquiles - While Supplies Last

---

Italian Beef Sandwiches w/ Farm-to-Market Egg Buns, Provolone Cheese, and Horseradish Sauce

Parmesan Roasted Carrots

Wednesday, May 14th

Hot BRUNCH Bar Available Starting at 8AM

Old-Fashioned Pancakes w/ Maple Syrup, Fresh Blueberry Topping, and Homemade Whipped Cream

Scrambled Eggs

Bacon

Homestyle Potatoes

---

Birria Quesadillas served with Beef Consommé

Tomatillo Salsa

Chips

---

Nacho Bar - While Supplies Last

Chicken Chilaquiles - While Supplies Last

Thursday, May 15th

Nacho Bar - While Supplies Last

Chicken Chilaquiles - While Supplies Last

---

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Chipotle Black Beans

Grab & Go

Bagels

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

Chicken Caesar Wrap

Cheese & Salami Snack Pack

Assorted Cookies & Desserts

*Note: Items may vary due to product availability and kitchen speed.

Week of May 5th, 2025

It was an intense start to the week today! I hope those of you who tried the Birria Quesadillas (and Pozole) enjoyed them! Olga did a great job - and I learned a lot in the process. I always enjoy learning new recipes - and this one was a keeper!

This Thursday, we're having the Thai menu that helped me secure my first ever corporate lunch client in September 2018. It was the first meal of a 5-day trial with a local energy company. They'd been catering in lunches from a local celebrity chef and weren't quite enjoying all the things they were receiving and were looking for something different. They just happened to call the commissary kitchen I had just started renting for small events and the owner shared my information with them. I worked really hard to come up with a variety of menu offerings so they wouldn't get bored. I learned so much about catering from feeding that company!!

At the time when I started, I was still working a part-time engineering job in the afternoons, after my lunches were served. I can hardly believe I actually did that...like, what was I thinking?? In reflection, though, I was genuinely conflicted on whether to leave my engineering job to pursue my passion. It was a crossroads between my literal DREAM vs. my dream engineering project: the lighting for the new KC Airport. By November that year, it was clear that I wasn't going to be able to hang onto my engineering position any longer. Things were taking off for my catering and I was floating to 'work' in the kitchen every day. It was such a dream come true!

I appreciate you all and your support of me on this journey.

See you soon!

-Ellen, Your Not-So-Average Lunch Lady

---

Soup & Salad Bar

Build-Your-Own Salad using Fresh Greens, Prepared Veggies, and an Assortment of Toppings along with Housemade Ranch Dressing. Additional dressings available in the coolers.

Salad Specials

Caesar Salad

Rainbow Broccoli Salad

Grab a Cup or Bowl of Soup and Make-It-Your-Own with Toppings from the Salad Bar.

Soup Specials

Authentic Mexican Pozole

Hot Lunch Counter

Monday, May 5th

Cinco de Mayo Special Menu:

Birria Quesadillas served with Beef Consommé

Pozole Soup

Tomatillo Salsa

Chips

Tuesday, May 6th

Nacho Bar

---

Chili-Lime Chicken Thighs

Cheesy Green Chili Rice Casserole

Wednesday, May 7th

Hot BRUNCH Bar Available Starting at 8AM

Biscuits & Gravy

Homestyle Potatoes

Scrambled Eggs

Bacon

Pork Sausage Links

---

Nacho Bar - While Supplies Last

Thursday, May 8th

Nacho Bar - While Supplies Last

---

Thai Chicken Rice Bowls

>Coconut Jasmine Rice

>Peanut Sauce

Grab & Go

Bean-to-Cup Coffee

Bagels

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

Chicken Caesar Wrap

Cheese & Salami Snack Pack

Assorted Cookies & Desserts

*Note: Items may vary due to product availability and kitchen speed.