tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8491960803624262812024-02-07T15:57:43.849-07:00American BentoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-15353759049863964472014-08-26T07:00:00.000-06:002014-08-26T07:00:01.221-06:00A Comfort Food Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Good Morning!<br />
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DH played paint ball with his students yesterday. He came home tired and covered in paint. It was too funny to see what his students had done to him. Tales of battle and acts of valor made dinner quite fun last night. I was glad to be able to send him to school today with a comforting bento that will fill him up and help him to forget those sore muscles. I am sure he's going to be uncomfortable today. <br />
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My youngest daughter helped me to make this bento and is very proud to be helping take care of daddy. She was so excited to be able to assemble the lunch and even more excited to know I was posting pictures online.<br />
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Layer 1: Cucumber and tomato salad with homemade vinaigrette, Greek yogurt and blackberries, blueberries, and some raspberries, a single chocolate covered strawberry, and two fruit candies from Perugina. Yummy!<br />
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Layer 2: This is the comfort food section of the bento. It doesn't look like much but it is a rich, warming meal. There is creamed spinach with 3 types of cheese in it, turkey meatloaf stuffed with goat cheese, and potato topped with butter and herbes de Provence. <br />
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I can't take credit for this meatloaf recipe. It was supposed to be a stuffed burger but it was really moist. My fix was to turn it into a meatloaf. Here it is: <a href="http://onceamonthmeals.com/stuffed-turkey-burgers/" target="_blank">Stuffed Turkey Burgers</a>. It came from a site I absolutely love: <a href="http://onceamonthmeals.com/" target="_blank">Once A Month Meals</a>. This site has menus for freezer cooking. It is a great resource for bento stash items that I can keep in the freezer and pull out as needed. I also love their menu planning system and have been known to cook ahead meals, especially when I know life is about to get really busy. They even have baby and toddler menus - a wonderful thing.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-26503701453396287792014-08-25T07:30:00.000-06:002014-08-25T07:30:01.169-06:00Ramen Noodle Upgrades<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I saw this article online and thought I should share. It's about ways to dress up Ramen. There are some neat ideas. <br />
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Enjoy! <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/03/ramen-hacks-30-easy-ways-to-upgrade-your-instant-noodles-japanese-what-to-do-with-ramen.html" target="_blank">Ramen Hacks</a><br />
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Do you have any new and interesting ways to use ramen?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-65819950638630769382014-08-24T08:43:00.001-06:002014-08-24T08:43:47.962-06:00A Bento on the Lighter Side<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear Friends,<br />
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It has been quite some time since I've posted and with good reason. Four kids will keep ya hoppin'. But, I really wouldn't have it any other way. DH is back to teaching after a lovely, lazy summer replete with 5 weeks on the Cote d'Azure. OK it was only 4 weeks in France; one week was spent in Tuscany in a lovely villa. The trip was wonderful and the food . . . AMAZING! (Did I mention that my mom's a French chef?) Needless to say, we overindulged a little bit. So, to send DH back to school, I've tried to make meals a little lighter. He doesn't mind and it is a bit healthier. So, here is a lighter bento with just a little indulgence.<br />
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Layer 1: Ham roll-ups (I was going to alternate ham and turkey but DH wanted just ham). They have an herbed Neufchâtel cheese in the middle. There are almonds, stawberries, Greek yogurt, and a special indulgence: some of the candies we bought in Perugia (in the Perugina factory - as yummy and fun a diversion as it sounds BTW). <br />
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Layer 2: A simple spinach salad with carrots and tomato slices. There's homemade vinaigrette in the little bottle.<br />
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Fun tip: I love the Magic Bullet. I know, it's a cheesy infomercial product . . . But the thing is a real work horse and can make food on a small scale. That makes it perfect for bentos. Homemade vinaigrette is super easy with it. Most people just swirl together oil and vinegar with some herbs and call it good. <br />
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That's not the way my mom taught me to make a vinaigrette. She always puts a teaspoon or so of mustard in a bowl. Then she adds red wine vinegar and oil in a 1:3 ratio. You start with the vinegar and whisk constantly while adding oil in a small drizzle until it's all fluffy and creamy. Now, this takes a fair bit of stirring and I've got better things to do. So, I put the mustard and vinegar in my magic bullet and add about 1/3 to 1/2 of the oil I want to use. Run the magic bullet. Then open it up and add some more oil. Repeat until all the oil is incorporated. What you'll get is the thickest, creamiest vinaigrette you've ever seen. Add salt, pepper, and any herbs you like. You might need to add a fair bit of water to thin it enough to pour. <br />
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The baby bullet has a blender attachment that makes this even easier, but I've packed up my baby bullet and put it away (our little guy is eating normal food - time flies by so quickly!). The magic bullet is on the counter . . . Setting up the baby bullet takes time I don't always have. (Yes, I'm that lazy.)<br />
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Just a thought folks: A bottle of salad dressing is at the very least around $2. The ones I like run $3.50 - $4. Making your own costs almost nothing by comparison. You have a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard (cost maybe $0.10), a little red wine vinegar (I make my own with leftover red wine we're not going to drink, but even if you bought it, it wouldn't cost much - maybe $0.25), and some oil (I use canola and that's pretty cheap so $0.30 max for the amount used). The salt, pepper, and herbs are hardly worth mentioning. So, at the most you've spent $0.65 for enough salad dressing to last my house of 6 two weeks (and we eat a lot of salad). Even better: these ingredients are things I usually keep in the house anyway. I don't really spend anything "extra" on this the way I do when I buy salad dressing.<br />
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Economical and easy! How often do those two combine? Did I mention it's tasty too?<br />
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Hope you have a lovely day!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-82348323109164414282013-06-11T18:03:00.002-06:002014-08-24T07:46:52.196-06:00A Picnic Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is summer and that means lovely days filled with sunshine and my whole family (including DH) around me. I'm not making bento as frequently because we are grilling outdoors. But we are planning on taking the kids to Rocky Mountain National Park for an outing. I decided that we needed bentos for the voyage and spent some time playing today. As hot as the weather is, it is a real pleasure to stay inside with my bento supplies. <br />
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I made a fake sushi roll. It is not my greatest work but I learned a lot. They are a light pink color because the only vinegar I had handy was red wine vinegar. I put asparagus in the center and really could have put more into it. Next are chicken wing pieces baked with salt, pepper, and garlic. There are mini peppers, strawberries, tomatoes cut into flowers, and cucumber pieces that are meant to go into a vinaigrette in the little cup. There is also half a hard boiled egg. I've added chive blossoms (fully edible) for a little onion flavor and purple color. The cup holds some imitation crab meat. On the far right is a tiny bamboo fork.<br />
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The coolest part of this bento is that it is 90% disposable. At the end of the day, we will take home 5 silicone cups and 5 dressing cups. The rest can go in the trash. Now, normally, that isn't a good thing, but I have wanted to find a good container for DH to use for field trips and so that I can pack lunches for our family outings where it is not as easy to tote around lunch boxes. A baby requires enough gear that simplifying lunch is important. Well, simplifying is a relative term here. :0)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-69028714159226639382013-05-30T08:46:00.000-06:002013-05-30T08:46:01.789-06:00I got new bento toys!!!Thanks to DH, I made a big order at bentousa.com. I got some neat decoration kits and other toys to play with. Today, I took out one of them.<br />
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This is a cutting tool set with different shapes. At first I thought the tweezers were silly but then I realized that in order to move the shapes, you need a precise tool because they are so small. I used this tool to augment a smaller, simpler bento I made for DH.<br />
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This bento is a single layer containing a pork chop cooked with salsa, cilantro, and lime juice. I've topped the chop with two flowers made of cheese and little circles of celery. The cup holds a black bean, tomato, and corn sauté topped with little hearts cut from cheddar cheese. There are also mini peppers and some Laughing Cow cheese. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-30212696511556688112013-05-23T06:59:00.000-06:002013-05-23T09:18:41.647-06:00Last Day of School Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today is the last day of school and DH has a long day ahead of him. I made this lunch in about 20 minutes this morning. It turned out quite well considering the situation - little to no groceries, a bit of a time crunch, and no plan. It could almost be termed a fly by the seat of your pants bento. :)<br />
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Layer 1 contains a salad of carrot, cucumber, and grape tomatoes. On the other side is brie cheese, a few grapes and orange slices.<br />
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Layer 2 contains a stuffed portobello mushroom (I found one lone mushroom in the fridge and some herbed cheese). There is also sauteed asparagus and a stir fry with ramen noodles, chicken and broccoli slaw.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-10271975557738155272013-05-22T07:05:00.000-06:002013-05-22T07:05:53.914-06:00A Clean Out the Fridge Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You can so tell that it is the last week of classes! I haven't really gone grocery shopping in two weeks. We are dwindling down the stores of food and things are looking a little sparse. For this bento, I had to search around quite a bit. For better or for worse, here it is.<br />
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As you can see, it is one of the larger My Bento Meal boxes that DH loves because there is so much food. My goal, as usual, is to fill him up with more fruit and veg than junk food. <br />
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Layer 1 contains ham and boursin roll ups in a low carb tortilla, a carrot, slices of white peach, orange, and grapes. I tried for a swirl effect with the fruit in the center but it just didn't come together as I wanted it to. <br />
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Layer 2 contains carrot, green bean, and zucchini in a rosemary, brown butter sauce, some diced chicken (from the freezer), broccoli, and low carb pasta topped with flowers cut from purple cabbage.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-36046646756607799022013-05-20T11:03:00.001-06:002013-05-20T11:03:59.915-06:00Baby Bento - 2013 #1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My children have officially requested bentos again after a winter spent in fascination of homemade soups and mayo. Yes, homemade mayo, I am told, tastes better than that stuff in the jar. :) I think I'm raising foodies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtFczGjq7ZffGFwigcNSYvIGj56Fa36bOTY_5vU8pfBEU3Bkt1X4W-XPB80epHleffn80kYPfxvm5EHM325Y9vEOYDZBrZSVnGAzWeJtwEDxP4lNGMgyZPPVLojkMX2FCRT03nF-EK00/s1600/130520_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtFczGjq7ZffGFwigcNSYvIGj56Fa36bOTY_5vU8pfBEU3Bkt1X4W-XPB80epHleffn80kYPfxvm5EHM325Y9vEOYDZBrZSVnGAzWeJtwEDxP4lNGMgyZPPVLojkMX2FCRT03nF-EK00/s1600/130520_0001.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is what I came up with today. It is similar to DH's bento but I've added elements. The little cup on the left contains last night's cucumber and green pepper salad with olive oil, red wine vinegar, mint, salt, and pepper. Above are chunks of Cajun chicken, a single shrimp cooked in saffron, and a little hard boiled egg. The right side contains two onigiri like the ones I made for DH but here they are topped with flowers cut from ham and a little piece of cheddar. Between the onigiri is a small piece of avocado. There is also some broccoli, a strawberry, some grapes, and a slice of peach.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-36950543304028516172013-05-19T19:56:00.000-06:002013-05-19T19:56:27.189-06:00A Bento in Small<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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DH has a stash of strawberries and chocolate in his office for this last week of school. He said that he didn't need quite as big a lunch since he could snack a bit. So, I decided to use an older bento from my collection: one I bought on ebay a couple of years ago. This is a two tiered bento that is nowhere near as large as the two green ones I used last week. However, if you pack for density, you can still manage a fairly large lunch. Here are the two layers together.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUHzOG5Aph2gIR0_aROC3DgB3eRyNZQeDEXHw16_br0NyFg97lwWvQ7mHu7g4oViZfaWFm-rlAGKgNl63ICEhaf_WXhgpmyB6cLn1DN2vDK4B61zx8hH9SDpnZ_uDop22S8ue2dKGe3k/s1600/DSCN0591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxUHzOG5Aph2gIR0_aROC3DgB3eRyNZQeDEXHw16_br0NyFg97lwWvQ7mHu7g4oViZfaWFm-rlAGKgNl63ICEhaf_WXhgpmyB6cLn1DN2vDK4B61zx8hH9SDpnZ_uDop22S8ue2dKGe3k/s1600/DSCN0591.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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What I like about this bento is the fact that they nest inside one another for storage. I think I bought 3 on ebay as a group and got a great price. I'm gearing up with some new bento toys soon that I hope will help spark some further creativity, but that's a subject for another post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSA_DeZsxnUHhBIGNtHPbPCNiVCAPqd6fjPEcIJ2Ob5h0ZF2frVuJi1TTlk73Dt2GfXaUGCAsaXQCt_fAlqeOhtbDb3x8h_e0hetL6zUn5sFP55czXqS_mi0IVtwKhsw3wj5ZfajIkpM/s1600/DSCN0593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSA_DeZsxnUHhBIGNtHPbPCNiVCAPqd6fjPEcIJ2Ob5h0ZF2frVuJi1TTlk73Dt2GfXaUGCAsaXQCt_fAlqeOhtbDb3x8h_e0hetL6zUn5sFP55czXqS_mi0IVtwKhsw3wj5ZfajIkpM/s1600/DSCN0593.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br /></div>
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The image above is the larger section of this bento. It is packed with a cucumber and green pepper salad with mint (in the cup), some grape tomatoes, 4 oz of chicken with Cajun seasoning, some broccoli, and a carrot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4zj_P6donN6ck2g_nCDSNlZ4gZlT5nc1IF4-sHmfpneDxopuxBtA35OwjjO31VWBCyQAeEnvbQcZ0Qzrj8HHp0AkDFynK3m5u1W1zhjIshyh72ivAnu5sIL3PBPnQyXLR7FqT9S82zo/s1600/DSCN0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4zj_P6donN6ck2g_nCDSNlZ4gZlT5nc1IF4-sHmfpneDxopuxBtA35OwjjO31VWBCyQAeEnvbQcZ0Qzrj8HHp0AkDFynK3m5u1W1zhjIshyh72ivAnu5sIL3PBPnQyXLR7FqT9S82zo/s1600/DSCN0595.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This smaller section is filled with my attempt at some onigiri. I made them with leftover long grain rice (not a good idea by the way). The rice has onion, green pepper, tomatoes, peas, and carrots in it along with some saffron. I've added two shrimp steamed alongside the rice, some cheese, and a little more broccoli. <br />
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Here is the bento stacked and ready to go.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbwSF2GTzlsaDbNT8hmr_aDFvsvjkasys-tE8HDdttN9Jgwfc61Da6ceAg2gPF5ClwBdiUm6xyYe6qsHCfKTjFk6kaFJu58SSPemoe2kGPT7XZ5W9fgakujS4abzQU7UMmVtCUBN82os/s1600/DSCN0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbwSF2GTzlsaDbNT8hmr_aDFvsvjkasys-tE8HDdttN9Jgwfc61Da6ceAg2gPF5ClwBdiUm6xyYe6qsHCfKTjFk6kaFJu58SSPemoe2kGPT7XZ5W9fgakujS4abzQU7UMmVtCUBN82os/s1600/DSCN0596.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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My kids said something rather cute today. They asked me to keep making bento over the summer because they like "Daddy's lunches." :) So sweet!<br />
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DH was really sweet to me too. I asked him if he'd mind if I bought some new bento gear. He smiled and said if I wanted it, I should have it. What a kind man!!! Well, I guess he benefits from my little hobby . . .<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-31144032535358579842013-05-15T08:12:00.000-06:002013-05-15T08:12:59.683-06:00How to Make Acorn Squash Ravioli<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In my last bento, I included some homemade raviolis. To be completely honest, my mother made them for me the last time she came for a visit. However, they are a good stash item because you can freeze them and pull them out whenever you need a quick meal, so I thought you might like to know how to make them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOEPfcAYrTwyD4RETkW3ZJhSN3LA-JP5Y-hlvTsoUCQNykAGs87S9Y1_sS7p6Eft2Ylpm72mmdGM06xELjwLfVbelMihhdii_1A9e4H4q9u3UjQXNrN23IfPnD2GLxz_ap6BoFJus1Sg/s1600/130513_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOEPfcAYrTwyD4RETkW3ZJhSN3LA-JP5Y-hlvTsoUCQNykAGs87S9Y1_sS7p6Eft2Ylpm72mmdGM06xELjwLfVbelMihhdii_1A9e4H4q9u3UjQXNrN23IfPnD2GLxz_ap6BoFJus1Sg/s1600/130513_0009.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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The basic procedure is the same for a quick and easy ravioli. You can make up your own fillings and cook in a variety of ways, so feel free to play and share your own ideas.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Acorn Squash Ravioli</div>
1 pkg wanton wrappers<br />
1 acorn squash<br />
a few slices of black forest ham, diced fine<br />
1 large portobello mushroom, diced fine<br />
butter<br />
1 egg separated<br />
plain breadcrumbs<br />
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Bake the acorn squash the way you like it. I make mine with butter, salt, pepper, garlic, and cinnamon. I make them as a side item with roast chicken and just make an extra for this project. It helps to cool the acorn squash so that the filling is easier to handle.<br />
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Sauté the mushroom in butter. Season with a little salt and pepper.<br />
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Mash the acorn squash interior, adding the mushroom and black forest ham. Add the egg white and enough breadcrumbs to have a firm (not runny) filling. The amount of breadcrumbs you use will depend on how much liquid your acorn squash contains after cooking and how much moisture is left in your mushrooms.<br />
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Mix the egg yolk with 1/2 tsp water and blend. <br />
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Take out a wanton wrapper (keep the remainder covered or they will dry out). Paint the edges with the egg yolk. Add a small amount of filling to the middle and fold over to create a triangle shape. Press the edges firmly together. Then, moisten two tips of the triangle opposite one another. Fold together and press firmly.<br />
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Repeat until all your filling is gone.<br />
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If you get tired of making these and want to stop, the filling freezes well on its own. You can always package it up and make more another day.<br />
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This is essentially a western version of dim sum. You could steam it in that way, bake it either in sauce or as I did for this bento, or boil as a traditional ravioli would be. I like these particular raviolis with a light mushroom cream sauce.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-51292473138207246602013-05-14T08:35:00.001-06:002013-05-14T08:35:52.120-06:00Bento Sans Stash<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As I've said, I am out of standard "stash" items and am throwing together bentos based on what I've made recently for dinner. This bento is a mixed bag - a little of just about everything. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdzXHfdNr_SUj2IKnYPFZwN0bG1hZislwVwrpTUOkjttXN1rjglSLg3FlBbhffVYOOdGT7S50OmkJWhpK1j9pCORyrQhiWkQwm6rmkg-i56lW4ZmF-Py8g3zdsHS1bvx7qCll73hnV8E/s1600/130513_0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdzXHfdNr_SUj2IKnYPFZwN0bG1hZislwVwrpTUOkjttXN1rjglSLg3FlBbhffVYOOdGT7S50OmkJWhpK1j9pCORyrQhiWkQwm6rmkg-i56lW4ZmF-Py8g3zdsHS1bvx7qCll73hnV8E/s1600/130513_0008.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Layer 1 contains a salad of grated carrot, some smoked Gouda, and nuts. Dessert is Greek yogurt, strawberries, grapes, and slices of white peach.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZvTriiPsTQ71ig9il3pVKmBJjuILEA-KlRKDINbwdEIIDoix174u4cw5rau7UnDAHW8ggzEb-jO0tBC3lfc6WL-yb27yyTdcCQx00VQEXPP901OzA0q7NJ1YsFB0LLnL-cs-naJix74/s1600/130513_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZvTriiPsTQ71ig9il3pVKmBJjuILEA-KlRKDINbwdEIIDoix174u4cw5rau7UnDAHW8ggzEb-jO0tBC3lfc6WL-yb27yyTdcCQx00VQEXPP901OzA0q7NJ1YsFB0LLnL-cs-naJix74/s1600/130513_0009.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Layer 2 contains a lot of mismatched items. On the left is a tomato salad that we had for dinner last night (so simple and easy). Beneath it is some sliced roast pork. Broccoli fills in the gaps. There are also little raviolis (homemade) stuffed with acorn squash, black forest ham, and portobello mushrooms. I misted them with canola oil and baked them. They are a little like a fried ravioli. Next to that are some sandwiches. These are filled with ham. Separating each one is a slice of cucumber.</div>
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DH suggested that I call this a tea time bento because of the cucumber and sandwiches. I don't think it looks particularly light or suited for tea time. But it is cute. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-24164016290510408332013-05-13T17:14:00.000-06:002013-05-13T17:14:51.050-06:00Sausage Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This bento was my first "getting back into the swing of things" bento. It had been so long since I'd made a bento that this one feels a little incomplete. I would have liked to have seen more color, perhaps some fruit, and for the whole thing to have a sense of cohesion that this one lacks. It seems like a work in progress. :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfRlMh9SWbo5Afn_EsNhxu7nRg_81l8-Tp9gnzLd7-PN2fpaBa2BXP7nPQ7jqUs-ihmfjzV1UdzJgAhU0gJq077l7N0LrCP8k87yGh2AT8-33F0498SwVrr9BwIWaraICbmZEmjSF9Jc/s1600/DSCN0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfRlMh9SWbo5Afn_EsNhxu7nRg_81l8-Tp9gnzLd7-PN2fpaBa2BXP7nPQ7jqUs-ihmfjzV1UdzJgAhU0gJq077l7N0LrCP8k87yGh2AT8-33F0498SwVrr9BwIWaraICbmZEmjSF9Jc/s1600/DSCN0561.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This first layer contains a salad with tomatoes, celery, and cucumber. There are also olives and nuts (almonds and sunflower seeds). But my favorite part of this bento is the chocolate mousse in the little cup. It held up surprisingly well. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT652bZBkiJci_m_1M3mWYbLEYUG5qPZld8Xd-RktpK7jxqo5toHOFkUYztK6tIpfNFfZ2D9q_Cl8P3-z4UeZPt3eCAf8NRGMhuNVPKnr6X9uzH7jAiqImJmhrmKx_KtnwLqrs462FXyk/s1600/DSCN0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT652bZBkiJci_m_1M3mWYbLEYUG5qPZld8Xd-RktpK7jxqo5toHOFkUYztK6tIpfNFfZ2D9q_Cl8P3-z4UeZPt3eCAf8NRGMhuNVPKnr6X9uzH7jAiqImJmhrmKx_KtnwLqrs462FXyk/s1600/DSCN0562.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This layer contains cups filled with low carb pasta and sausage. It is a basil chicken sausage from Sprouts paired with my mother's amazing pasta sauce. When she came for a visit, she made 14 quarts of sauce and froze them for me. I used one for dinner (where I initially served the sausage) and it was a spectacular combination. I've paired the pasta with some broccoli because I wanted a contrasting color.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-91868714322130472302013-05-13T07:17:00.000-06:002013-05-13T07:17:09.754-06:00A Mother's Day Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My own DH made a lovely dinner for Mother's Day: roast chicken with fennel, onion, celery, and carrot. Dessert was chocolate dipped strawberries. We had a great time with all the kids around us. After dinner, I made this bento for him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxcH2XodbbxvyXz81eWM61HLO6UEo5WKxpHdpykngxkk2omGgdgTYY3pJxBezpOOSSjhXB3nW3yeb73EM6vaosU3iryq1O_1EIGFds9HXYirZGvdlu5CDRIMdzt43-8Gu6HigphQfPUg/s1600/130512_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxcH2XodbbxvyXz81eWM61HLO6UEo5WKxpHdpykngxkk2omGgdgTYY3pJxBezpOOSSjhXB3nW3yeb73EM6vaosU3iryq1O_1EIGFds9HXYirZGvdlu5CDRIMdzt43-8Gu6HigphQfPUg/s1600/130512_0002.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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This top layer is a cheese plate with smoked gouda, provolone, and brie cheeses, grapes, crackers, and one chocolate dipped strawberry. I added two roses that came from the flowers our eldest daughter brought me.<br />
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The bottom layer is leftovers from two nights. The cup holds roasted veggies from last night (fennel etc.). There is sliced chicken breast and a wing. Lastly, I added some low carb pasta tossed with a portobello mushroom cream sauce. <br />
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I am absolutely crazy about this roast chicken. It is the best I've had in a long while. DH coats the chicken and veggies with a rosemary rub. We make a huge quantity of the rub and use it on grilled meats and roasts all summer long. It goes nicely on veggies too - especially grilled zucchini. <br />
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Rosemary Rub:<br />
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<li>1/4 cup dried rosemary</li>
<li>2 tbsp dried oregano</li>
<li>1 tbsp dried crumbled sage</li>
<li>2 tbsp garlic flakes</li>
<li>1/4 cup kosher salt</li>
<li>2 tbsp cracked black pepper</li>
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Crumble the rosemary leaves and then combine with the rest. This stores well and can be used on almost everything. I think it would be particularly awesome on lamb.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-43074353786655829852013-05-12T12:02:00.000-06:002013-05-13T06:45:55.031-06:00Leftovers Lookin' Good<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We had some really lovely fish the other night. It was a recipe from a cool service: <a href="http://emeals.com/account/go.php?r=432369&i=l1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(53, 97, 173, 0.6); background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #3561ad; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;">eMeals</a>. This service does the menu planning for you according to what is on sale that week. Each week, I get a PDF file with the week's dinner menus and grocery list done for me. It makes life easier and gives me some new ideas. I like that there is at least one meatless meal each week, even on the low carb menu plan. This was a Spanish Cod recipe that came out rather well. <br />
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I made 6 portions and put the leftovers into this bento for DH. The top layer is a salad with cucumber slices, tamagoyaki, pepper slices, ham rolls, tomatoes, a cornichon, and some nuts. The tamagoyaki is much like the last one except that I put basil leaves in the center. <br />
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The bottom layer contains the Spanish cod - a weird name for a rather simple dish: pan fried cod in a roasted red pepper and tomato pesto sauce. I topped it with some chopped parsley and basil. Then, I put some sauteed peas and asparagus alongside it. <br />
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DH tells me that really enjoyed this rather large bento meal. It is another neat bento box I bought from Tuesday Morning. This one is very like the last I showed you from My Bento Meal but has larger compartments. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-39436309395125659402013-05-10T16:29:00.002-06:002013-05-10T16:29:42.850-06:00The Closed Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As promised, here is the bento design I showed you earlier today. This is what the box looks like all closed up. The handles fold down. It is a nice design from My Bento Meal.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-4902325307117211792013-05-10T08:16:00.001-06:002013-05-13T06:46:28.694-06:00Bentos after a Break<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It has been quite a while since my last bento. In the meantime, I have had a baby - a beautiful little boy. As you can well imagine, there was another adjustment necessary (what a year for change!). We went from a teenager just about to graduate and go to college to not just 3 but 4 children under the age of 5! :) The pregnancy was not an easy one but I am truly grateful to have our littlest boy safely delivered and thriving. Just because I can, here is our latest little bundle of joy:<br />
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I think I have finally figured out a schedule that works and am back to making bento. Here's one:<br />
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This is a new bento that I bought from Tuesday Morning. It was originally made by mybento.com. It is a cute oval shape and has handles on the top for easy carrying. I'll post a picture of the closed bento when DH comes home from work. <br />
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The top layer of bento holds a cucumber and tomato salad, tamagoyaki, some pepper slices cut in the shape of flowers, and nuts. I think it would have been nicer to put a layer of lettuce beneath the tomato and cucumber salad but I didn't figure that out until after the fact. <br />
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What are tamagoyaki? They are a lovely Japanese folded omelet. I've tried two variations this week and both have turned out well. This one is rather plain: egg, water, a little pinch of salt, and some sugar (1/2 tsp or so). This doesn't really make the tamagoyaki sweet but does amplify the egg flavors nicely. To make this, I blended 2 eggs with the salt and sugar in my magic bullet (you get a really uniform mixture and it seem lighter that way than if I do it by hand). I cooked half the mixture until the egg was just barely set. Then, I rolled it over itself. I then cooked the other half of the mixture and placed the first role on one edge and rolled the second around it. I then transferred it to a cutting board and allowed it to cool. DH and I nibbled on pieces as I was making the rest of this bento. You could easily get 2 or 3 bentos out of one tamagoyaki. If you had a smaller pan, you could easily make it with 1 egg instead of 2.<br />
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Since I haven't been making a lot of bentos lately, I haven't kept a lot of staples in the house. To make matters worse, I didn't go grocery shopping this week. I had enough food in the house that we just tried to eat ourselves down a bit. It means that my usual cheeses and tidbits are nowhere to be found and I've had to improvise a bit to fill things in.</div>
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This bottom layer is the result of making it up as I go. On the left is sautéed cabbage, leek, and carrot with dill. The two onigiri are very western: flavored with red wine vinegar (from my own vinegar pot) and stuffed with roasted red pepper. There is a stuffed tomato on the right. The filler on this layer is the protein: sautéed shrimp. The shrimp are made with garlic, salt, pepper, white wine, tomatoes, and parsley. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-4988847803482198472012-07-22T17:30:00.000-06:002012-07-22T17:30:09.739-06:00A Sunday Afternoon Bento<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I hope you are having a wonderful and restful Sunday. My morning was CRAZY; two kids acted up for most of it. Nap time brought about a complete change in attitude and peace now reigns in my house once again. Thank God! I have two kids playing in the garden and a third playing with a puzzle in the living room. Even DH is playing: fencing at a local park with some of our friends. I thus had most of an afternoon to myself. What did I do with that time? Well, I made dinner - a bento box for each member of the family while watching a movie. :) What a lovely way to spend an afternoon!<br />
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The blue bento is a child's bento and the clear one is the adult version. There is very little difference between the two. I will describe the child's bento as the template for the day. <br />
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The top section contains a pot sticker cut in half for easy eating, some dipping sauce, and three square onigiri made with peas in them. The spaces are filled with grapes. <br />
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The bottom section contains marinated cucumber slices (with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce), some orange slices, broccoli, and some sauteed chicken. Carrot sticks and grapes fill in any further gaps. <br />
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The adult version of the bento has more meat and no carrots. <br />
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I was visiting one of my favorite bento blogs this evening and just had to share. There was a fabulous contest in which 220 people submitted their most beautiful bentos. I didn't submit anything and I'm glad I didn't. The work I see is simply lovely and far better than anything I have done! Please take a look at these<a href="http://justbento.com/results-2012-bentoco-contest-plus-few-personal-favorites?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+justbento+%28Just+Bento+-+meal+in+a+box%29" target="_blank"> amazing bentos</a>!<br />
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I shared them with DH and he commented that he would feel guilty eating any of them. He's such a kind man!!! :)</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-44264333194648297452012-07-20T10:35:00.002-06:002012-07-20T10:35:58.093-06:00Picnic Bentos: Part II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
DH's bento is done! He is taking this little beauty to the park today with the kids. <br />
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Of course, the second I packed it, my little girl tried to flip it over . . . Thank heavens that I packed it really tightly.<br />
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From left to right: Tuna salad in a tomato and topped with green pepper slices, peppers and carrots, cucumber slices, orange slices, banana bread, grapes, and whole wheat rusks.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-38789046754704517382012-07-20T09:34:00.000-06:002012-07-20T10:18:28.604-06:00American Bento Part II: A Picnic in the Park (AKA The Bento Strikes Back!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well, I haven't posted in FOREVER! Luckily there are good reasons. Since my last post, I had bronchitis and sinusitis for 2 months straight, we found a brain tumor in my father's head while he was visiting and meeting the grandkids, and . . . I am pregnant. As of this post 22 weeks pregnant (plus a few days). So, as you can imagine, I've been pulled in 100 directions at once and not nearly as attentive to cute meals as I could be. But, all that is past us now. Well, except for the whole pregnant thing. I'm due in November but as long as I'm feeling good and not waddling around the kitchen, I might as well play a bit. <br />
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Today DH is taking the little kids to the park for a picnic - well those little kids who behave properly anyway. I am in the process of packing lunch for everyone involved. I hope to have some quiet time to get work done around the house while the kids get quality time with Dad. <br />
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This is installment one of the picnic bentos. Today is Friday, so usually, we go meatless. The littles are eating chicken while DH is eating fish. I haven't done his bento yet but here are the kids' bentos.<br />
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Since it's summer, everything here is meant to be eaten cold. On the left is Greek yogurt topped with homemade plum preserves along with some peppers, carrots, and cucumber. On the right is the main course: diced chicken breast, potatoes sauteed with onions and peppers, and then topped with peas. </div>
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I love this bento shape for the kids. It's not as cool as the multilayered bentos I use for DH and our eldest DD (who is starting college soon by the way), but each compartment has the ability to seal on its own. For little tummies, this is about right in terms of size. I can make things more complicated if I choose by adding subdividers or keep it simple. </div>
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Here it is, all closed up. As you can see, I've added a slice of banana bread (miniature of course).<br />
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Everything in this bento is a leftover of some kind. The Greek yogurt is breakfast food that I keep on hand. The plum preserves were made last summer and frozen. The veggies are leftover from salads this week. The chicken was baked 2 days ago for dinner. The potatoes were part of breakfast burritos yesterday morning. Even the banana bread is something I pulled from the freezer: back when my mom and dad were visiting, mom made lovely loaves of banana bread one of which I found in the freezer today. I thought we had gobbled it all up, but this lone, little loaf was hidden away for a surprise treat!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-5564699250641367702012-03-05T12:28:00.001-07:002012-03-07T15:21:47.749-07:00Baby Bento 3: Chicken Cacciatore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I haven't done a bento in a long while. I can only say that I have been focusing on raising our three beautiful children. This is a lunch I served recently: chicken cacciatore with tortellini, and a cannellini bean, green bean, and tomato salad. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl2r6MIFY5YAa_4Ox4JTyXMfWtpBcyZ1ngPvKB5kKt46FVe1UQlRsVdl3aAg0yQwACXdVvTQv7BVI_hOkUoBxBoy-GJ3sOclQMACdWUSGLos1kZqjFeE_mSVk92qx1q_TbrQaGWhqe0I/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnl2r6MIFY5YAa_4Ox4JTyXMfWtpBcyZ1ngPvKB5kKt46FVe1UQlRsVdl3aAg0yQwACXdVvTQv7BVI_hOkUoBxBoy-GJ3sOclQMACdWUSGLos1kZqjFeE_mSVk92qx1q_TbrQaGWhqe0I/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Layer 1 is a small green salad and fresh fruit. There is dressing in the cup in the center. I've added a square of lovely dark chocolate as a special treat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_vVO_vfeSU1noCFgoPUlhHgWjqEnWzWnriJ1QlQqQEagoZt03XsbGXSIng-m4QMULgUy4kgiG2YrU4AHjMxwCFsYnSBhL6kFXFWHbf3o6NBpMi6SHr0Sm2M8pTYfk_YzhyhYnvhHgn8/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_vVO_vfeSU1noCFgoPUlhHgWjqEnWzWnriJ1QlQqQEagoZt03XsbGXSIng-m4QMULgUy4kgiG2YrU4AHjMxwCFsYnSBhL6kFXFWHbf3o6NBpMi6SHr0Sm2M8pTYfk_YzhyhYnvhHgn8/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Layer 2: Sausage and spinach pasta. It isn't pretty but it did the trick. :) This dish started life as a soup: chicken stock with Italian sausage (chicken sausage) meatballs that I had sauteed. I added spinach, tomatoes, pasta (which cooked in the broth), and cheese. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-2518766278206171772012-02-07T08:15:00.000-07:002012-02-07T08:15:03.478-07:00Thank you DD for being wonderful bento!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Since we've gotten home from Russia with our three little munchkins, our DD has been a fabulous help! She has changed diapers, given up her time so that I could have 5 minutes of my own during the day, and generally been a mini-mom to our other children. This tremendous gift of self is more than I can ever repay. She does it without asking and without complaint - even going so far as asking us to plan a date night and get out of the house (providing baby sitting free of charge, of course). She has tried to get me to stop making her bento but I just can't. It would be poor thanks for all she does. So, this bento, simple as it is, is a thank you bento - made with love and gratitude.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4CSIxhnERlQRaf_kd-G8ZfUGhJw8uWLgXBmcNCZPWc9Y29ld5-b-KGK-QfsFXwrJcYuefXQZBt2gpdllVFNk2UPq3kJtm3ZPB5kyx8x0nHJ43yJXZN28yc-lQCZdMQPNOqpTSdt8BvE/s1600/IMG_0774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4CSIxhnERlQRaf_kd-G8ZfUGhJw8uWLgXBmcNCZPWc9Y29ld5-b-KGK-QfsFXwrJcYuefXQZBt2gpdllVFNk2UPq3kJtm3ZPB5kyx8x0nHJ43yJXZN28yc-lQCZdMQPNOqpTSdt8BvE/s320/IMG_0774.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Layer 1 is the usual veggies and cheese, Greek yogurt with blackberries, and some crackers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeTAkXrbqpIBNOapRBHtSo9trXtt7E732-99glpdQ1zTG272frmpRcWEm1CiDxNHChhGERiEPucDYON3lVs9Bfte-GhiyPcn8TUn380b6F846ipDZu65iJvE99MxWnCLcz0ew6LX84OE/s1600/IMG_0773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBeTAkXrbqpIBNOapRBHtSo9trXtt7E732-99glpdQ1zTG272frmpRcWEm1CiDxNHChhGERiEPucDYON3lVs9Bfte-GhiyPcn8TUn380b6F846ipDZu65iJvE99MxWnCLcz0ew6LX84OE/s320/IMG_0773.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Layer 2 contains red, purple, and golden potatoes tossed with carrots, edamame, sugar snap peas, and black beans. Roast chicken tops it all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And just because I can, here is my DD with our other little girl. They look so alike! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRF9g_RoXgWDW_LujlVVer9ZZkdU5k2A6uZ6g_2RKRkUTEIPKs3gcZbihnSB0w8wSWNHxY5wzlJSeExlsyp6xlHb2A_8iJe_wsaa9VWuX4AGVWbT1t94KrWdWg_LTJi-tDGvpVfSFa1A/s1600/IMG_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRF9g_RoXgWDW_LujlVVer9ZZkdU5k2A6uZ6g_2RKRkUTEIPKs3gcZbihnSB0w8wSWNHxY5wzlJSeExlsyp6xlHb2A_8iJe_wsaa9VWuX4AGVWbT1t94KrWdWg_LTJi-tDGvpVfSFa1A/s320/IMG_0784.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh, and please excuse the top of the fridge - it looks a dreadful mess! It is the only place in the entire kitchen that the kids don't seem to be able to reach. I tossed a bunch of things up there in an attempt to stop them grabbing everything in sight!</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-861341099151097422012-02-06T08:31:00.000-07:002012-02-06T08:31:52.401-07:00Baby Bento 2: Lunch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I have begun putting together bento lunches for the kids. It's a slow process because they take a lot of my attention. :) Here is my first attempt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhn_1Z7Kf6XItxeNWcuFfpy1XsqnwVVcDH5lUrMK_VGewTRUydvqXWzYItxYmOCjlaYVSaFj_gfjFp9orpyBw7zGUVScm-yrmK1_atoFaAYjWkEIDJ34YAt8Utkc8bsigK2iAxMb8nis/s1600/IMG_0771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhn_1Z7Kf6XItxeNWcuFfpy1XsqnwVVcDH5lUrMK_VGewTRUydvqXWzYItxYmOCjlaYVSaFj_gfjFp9orpyBw7zGUVScm-yrmK1_atoFaAYjWkEIDJ34YAt8Utkc8bsigK2iAxMb8nis/s320/IMG_0771.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the left is a maccaroni and cheese type item. It's whole wheat macaroni that I have combined with a sauce made from leftover vegetable soup from the night before, a little milk, cornstarch, and some cheese. The kids seemed to love it! On the top right are more veggies: pepper, sugar snap peas, some yogurt and a cube of cheese. The bottom right compartment is clementine and watermelon.</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849196080362426281.post-85932868481667000042012-01-29T12:19:00.001-07:002012-02-06T08:32:13.401-07:00Baby Bento 1: A Morning Snack<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Greetings all! We are back from Russia with three beautiful children!!! They are wonderful, bright kids who will certainly keep me on my toes. I wanted to do a bento this morning for their snack - just to see what they thought of it. Here are the results.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNeML7jufQYaL93SO8Ujm2MK82Y0cxD2YTU4qFj9w1ccsU43jw-vLKz0b8yNWL1ockWIb8faf7IikiatMJa4U9xQf2LMwAwtlwBDhTV04wvLr4zez0lfQnfeW_v16m75aOiBXQvYNOWo/s1600/IMG_0767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNeML7jufQYaL93SO8Ujm2MK82Y0cxD2YTU4qFj9w1ccsU43jw-vLKz0b8yNWL1ockWIb8faf7IikiatMJa4U9xQf2LMwAwtlwBDhTV04wvLr4zez0lfQnfeW_v16m75aOiBXQvYNOWo/s320/IMG_0767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are carrot slices, apple slices, honey dew melon bits, French toast fingers, and vanilla yogurt. My mom's reaction was that this sounded like too much food for a snack but the cup in the middle of the bento is a mini muffin cup with just a few bites of yogurt in it. Everything else is likewise small. My idea was to provide some variety so that if they didn't like something, they had lots of options. The only thing left in a bento were a few bits of carrot that didn't get eaten. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">How did the kids like it? Well, here they are eating it. Our little girl was finished so quickly that I couldn't get a picture!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MuwdVRWMHe2F8fh3xayANnygTAZtC3MYlyBnWui7jcZRBvAdQ3QK83E4_gi30GIymaKGy9BgTfRuSZn5DHAi1g6BokJb8FMLd9waiDbX_y-2bEfXkAxns3TVa899Huhyphenhyphen2tsIGSCfLrk/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MuwdVRWMHe2F8fh3xayANnygTAZtC3MYlyBnWui7jcZRBvAdQ3QK83E4_gi30GIymaKGy9BgTfRuSZn5DHAi1g6BokJb8FMLd9waiDbX_y-2bEfXkAxns3TVa899Huhyphenhyphen2tsIGSCfLrk/s320/IMG_0770.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcOw7OlIsUbxDbz6NT4cJGZyVxf1Ip77n81j2E_ReS7nmLGTRihyphenhyphenSfY_g-deWr2Fs5v-L3u7ZPH2l2ebzlrhQZZRgD6DYItD61StwVk6s1A69kWce4mln8sDWIAZBDG3qbzvtidQIVIc/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEcOw7OlIsUbxDbz6NT4cJGZyVxf1Ip77n81j2E_ReS7nmLGTRihyphenhyphenSfY_g-deWr2Fs5v-L3u7ZPH2l2ebzlrhQZZRgD6DYItD61StwVk6s1A69kWce4mln8sDWIAZBDG3qbzvtidQIVIc/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03310719511999256918noreply@blogger.com5