Bento!

So I've noticed I really don't like bento blogs. I'm realizing that most bento-ers have read books on the subject and don't give any directions or recipes on the blog. I, myself, have been guilty of posting pictures and just telling you what is in it. Today will be one of those posts. I have spent HOURS looking online for inspiration, recipes, or some kind of guidance to create better and more creative lunches. Mine are usually basic and self explanatory. I'm not doing it anymore. I will start posting recipe, giving directions, and taking requests. Tomorrow  I plan on posting about how to start bento making. I think I may do a give away too. Once I figure out how to do so on blogspot. So here are the girls' lunches for today. 

Boo has rice, carrots, and spam in the bottom tier. 

On the top tier she has stir fried bok choy, a chicken nugget, watermelon, and pineapple.

Lily had watermelon and kiwi in her snack container.

For lunch she had asparagus, pork stuffed bell peppers, ranch, an egg flower, carrots, and rice.

Please leave a comment on your thoughts about having more details about bento making, a give away, and please share my blog if you enjoy it. Thanks again, V. 

The other new lunch box!

So when I went to The Container Store I also got this nifty lunch box for my Lily and Boo to share from their Auntie Momo and Untel Gub Gub. Yes for some reason he is the only Untel everyone else is an Uncle.


So what did I pack her? Human souls!!!! Well I had some leftover grilled chicken that I shredded added celery, onion and mayo to make her chicken salad which I stuffed into two little dinner rolls. Carrots with ranch dressing, kiwis, apples and I made her some blueberry/strawberry tea. This is everything laid out for a better view. I really do like the separate containers. I do try to make her lunches more fun but this came in real handy considering I was running 20 minutes late this morning. Since I could cut the fruits and veges and still keep them away from the sandwich it took less time and was still cute.

Here is the lunch box from the side and top. (Jeez this lady needs a better camera! I can barely see the details!!!) I know I need a better camera to capture the details better.... (She's reading my mind AGAIN!!!!!)

Simple short and sweet lunch box. I'm looking for more little cookie cutters that aren't too expensive when I find some I will let you all know. Also I have a declutter project and the first sewing project for my "resolution" that I am planning to complete here soon. Tune in next time same Ronnie channel, same Ronnie station.

New Year new box!!!

My sweet sister-in-law, the Mo-Mo, gave our family some gift cards for the holidays and my Lily's birthday. She received so many toys that it seemed like a waste to buy her more so I bought her a new lunch box. (Good gravy this lady has a problem with lunch boxes. Does she collect these things?) It is, wait for it........a Lego box!!!! I got her three of them, one large box and two smaller ones from here. That is so not what I went in there for. I swear that store is a swirling vortex of inspiration! I saw so many things that I just wish I could buy. I also picked up an over the door hat organizer and an awesome trash can. Sorry I get side tracked by pretty organization pretties! Now, as I was saying, I got my Lily another lunch box!

Now what happened was, I packed the whole thing and then tried to get the lid on the smaller Lego boxes and that totally didn't happen because I packed that stuff in. (Thanks, Captain Obvious we can see that the smaller boxes are open since there is no space for the lids.) So for the first school day of the new year she got ham chunks, flower carrots, chopped apples, ranch dressing, heart shaped kiwis and the "Rainbow Brite cake," as my mommy calls it, that she had for her birthday this weekend. Pretty cool, huh? (Oh my gosh! I want to make that cake!) You know I should make a tutorial about how to make this cake. (It's like she can read my mind!!!)

So New Year's resolutions. Does anyone have any? I want to read to my kids at least 5 times a week. I get very nervous reading out loud so I don't like doing it and sometimes forget too. So reading to my kids more often is one of my goals. Next I want to use all the fabric I have. I know, big project, but since both my sewing machine and Serger are finally fixed I think it should be done. What am I going to sew? No clue yet. I don't know what I'll do since I do have a LOT of it but we'll see. Any suggestions to start me on my path? Next I want to drink more water and tea and exercise a little every day! I know most people set really high goals but I want to set mostly reasonable goals and she where I go. So in short new box, pretty cake, lots of goals!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Fall colors.

Once again I love October, autumn, fall. Totally love it. Today I packed Lily a red, orange, yellow and brown lunch. 

 

Going clockwise we have red Roma apples, carrots, Baby Bel cheese, a banana, a home made pretzel, and a mandarin orange. I also packed her a little container of queso con salsa. The recipe I used is from the FoodNetwork.com by Alton Brown. How I love that man and his recipes. Here's the link to his recipe. Once again I didn't have any pictures for this recipe. It kinda slipped my mind. All right until next time my dears. Remember enjoy family, friends and food!!!

(reader 1:....... What the heck? That's it? No long winded post? No sass? No sarcasm? Is this even Ronnie posting? I mean come on that girl doesn't know the meaning of the word serious. I really wanted a laugh today, too. Boo to you Ronnie and your "serious, short" post! Boo I say! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!!!)

Ghooooooooost!!!!

So I didn't cook anything this time. :( Sorriness! But I did make ghosts for my little ones. After the conversation yesterday I was a little upset about making lunch today. I was going to skin some radishes and make some hard boiled eggs but that TA really discouraged me. So For Lily almost 1/2 a banana with chocolate chip face, a peanut butter sandwich also with a chip face and string cheese cut in half and slightly flared on the bottom for ghostiness. I used Wilton food writers to make the faces on the cheese. (My food writes will become ghosts soon...) Here is a link to see the ones I used. 

For Boo I packed one whole banana ghost and a peanut butter and strawberry ghost sandwich. This child doesn't really like jelly which I am totally glad about.

 

Bruce after reading your comment today I think I am going to make a fall colored lunch.
Tune in tomorrow. Same Ronnie time. Same Ronnie channel.

Pumpkins!!!!

Well some of you may know that October is my favorite month/time of year. The smells, the weather, the food and the preparations for the holidays. Don' get me wrong Christmas and Thanksgiving are great. I love getting together with my family and our mixture of Filipino and American cuisines and cultures. My mom getting out our old decorations (my favorite being this Jack-in-the-box that has a bunch of Christmas things in it and plays a melody), the Christmas edition Barbies my G-ma gave me, and just the simple time we spend together. The goofiness of my brothers, my dad's cooking and laughter, my mom's radiant smile, my little sister and all that she is. I enjoy the holidays but October for some reason is my favorite month. I don't know, it may be that dark, goth, emo, punk, "anti-conformist" side of me that loves this month so much but whatever it is I LOVE IT!!!!

Well 2 things append today 1) I was super excited about packing my Lily October/Halloween lunches and 2) I was completely embarrassed by one of the teacher aides. Let me say that I am well aware that I pack my daughter a fairly large lunch. Why? Sometime she is hungry enough to out eat her daddy and other times she isn't so whatever is left over she can have as a snack. She opens the car door and says, " I didn't finish my lunch all gone." M: "What? Oh that's okay now you can have a snack before we go grocery shopping! YAY! Snack!" Teacher Aid: "Yep Lily always has such a large lunch and she rarely ever finishes it. Out of all the students I have she usually has the largest." I explained that sometimes she eats a lot and other times she doesn't so I just pack enough so that if she is hungry she has enough food. I bolted out of there! Here I am the immovable object the large lady trying to cram food down my poor daughter to turn her into a fat kid. No, not what I'm trying to do. So my October happiness was squished by a teacher aid today. Even now I'm not real excited to post this blog but post I shall.


Today I made a pumpkin themed lunch for Lily. going clockwise she had "mini pumpkins" (carrots), a pumpkin marshmallow, pumpkin bread, "candles" (string cheese with a cheddar flame), a Jack-O-Lantern (Mandarin orange), and pumpkin seeds.

So here is the recipe for pumpkin bread I don't have any pictures so you will have to use your imagination.

1 pie pumpkin                                                  2 teaspoons baking soda

1 2/3 cups white sugar                                      1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce                      1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup milk                                                     1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons vanilla                                           1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

2 eggs plus 4 egg whites                                   1/4 teaspoon ginger

3 cups flour                                                      2 tsp oil or melted butter

1) Move the oven racks so that the top of the loaf pans will be in the middle of the oven. Cut the pie pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet and cover with foil bake at 350 degrees F for an hour. Remove from the oven, scoop out the pulp and mash or puree in the blender. All you need is 15 ounces, just a little less then 2 cups.

2) Grease the bottoms of 2 9X5 inch loaf pans with shortening of spray with cooking spray. In a large bowl shift spices, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another mixing bowl, mix sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, milk, vanilla, eggs and oil or butter. 

3) Make a well in the dry ingredient bowl and mix in the wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into pans. Place on the oven rack and bake for an hour to and hour and ten minutes or of course until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes before removing from the pans. Place on the cooling racks until cooled completely. 

4)  Tadah! Yumminess!

Not what I wanted but.....

Not really what I wanted to make but hey why not? While we were at Earth Fare Lily tried their chicken salad and said she enjoyed it. Well I am NOT paying $7 something for the little container they wanted to sell me. So instead I bought a whole rotisserie chicken and made my own using a sprinkle of lemon pepper, mayo, onions and celery. Sadly I forgot to pick up more bread and all I had was this white wheat kind. I now know this bread photos badly. It may look a little weird that is because I used this sandwich cutter to seal the sides and remove the crust. Cool, huh? I also packed her "favorite treat" carrots and hummus with radishes and green bell pepper. Normally I pack her different fruit but she insisted she wanted grapes, blueberries and mandarin oranges. I was not in the mood to argue with her. So there you have it simple and nutritious lunch. See you next time.

Reader 1: Wait no witty comment, no smart aleck, no sarcasm? That's it! I'm going to a different blog!

With this unusual cold front that has kicked in I decided to make potato and cheese soup. Nikki I know you love it so the recipe will be here soon. Good bye my adoring fans!

A thank you and a bento... well 3.

So I finally was able to get online to update this sucker! for you my dears. It has seriously been a long couple of weeks for me and for those who have given me emotional support as well as a listening ear. For all of those in my life thank you so much for understanding my situation and for giving me the support I needed in the past and am continuing to need now. Thank you, Daddy for being more then brutally honest and respecting me as an adult. I know there are times I want to give up but you hold me accountable and remind me that I can do what needs to be done. Thank you Momma, my Demow, you have shown me to improvise and over come obstacles that feel like there is no solution. I wish I had more of your outward grace and your ability to be alright when everything is so wrong.

Thank you Melissa for your children and the distraction they bring, thank you for listening, for letting me feel understood, and giving me your opinion. I truly treasure it and I really appreciate it. Thank you Tara for letting me confide in you and being there for my girls. I'm sorry that you happen to be their "best friend" because I know they can be very intense. Thank you for the laughs and new inside jokes and for introducing me to Downsy. Thank you Megan, Spoon, Linda, Jessica and all of my other friends who have given me the emotional support to hold my head up high for my girls over the last several years. Thank you, Rachel for teaching me what it means to love someone, more than myself, and want to protect them from things big and small. I still thank God for giving me the strongest, one of the funniest, and the sweetest little sister anyone could ever ask for and didn’t deserve. Lastly thank you Nikki for everything you do and everything you are. You know that you mean more to me then words could ever describe. You have been an amazing sister, a cherished friend and my foundation in more trials then I can count. You are my own personal cheerleader and my couch in so many challenges. I hope as you enter this journey into motherhood I can be there for you as you have been there for me.

Now onto less mushy and emotional matters:

Captain's log: It has been 18months since I arrived in "Charlotte" and I am assimilating rather well. I have experienced many customs since my arrival and I have grown fond of several including the "play date."

 The glorious play date. All mommies that partake of this ritual know that it is a wondrous thing when children entertain themselves long enough that all mommies involved can communicate with one another for brief periods of time without too many interruptions. For my first offspring, who is currently in the educational program with the local government, I made her a "lunchable" type lunch with thinly sliced rolled animal flesh, cheese, crackers, a couple of Late July cookies, grapes and the innards of Actinidia chinenesis, Citrullus lanatus, and Prunus persica. She consumed this lunch in its entirety. Which made me quite pleased.

While my older offspring was diligently being brainwashed learning my younger offspring and I enjoyed a sunny day at our local park equipped with water fountains available to the indigenous balls of copious energy. When it came time to replenish our energy source I refueled with a pastry known as a "ham sandwich," roughage, a root and a sugary substance known as "wat-er-mel-on."   

My younger offspring refueled with a baked good that contained some berry of straw and a thick sticky glue call peanut butter. She also had the same sugary substance, little balls known as blueberries and a mix from different trails. These foods were unusual to our normal consumptions but was interesting all the same. If you have a chance to visit the continent known as North America these are some of the various foods I suggest you try.

What the first day? Really?

Alrighty today is technically my daughter Lily’s first day of school. Kindergarten….. Oh-My-Gosh! My little girl has grown up right before my eyes and I feel as if just yesterday I was feeding her solid food for the first time. I had no idea what I should have packed nor if I should have gone all out. Well after hours of internal debate  second guessing myself and banging my head against a wall I decided not to be too creative and what I wanted to pack. I went with my Sterilite square box and a few of the smaller pieces of plastic ware that I received as a gift from my friend Megan.

Secured with a napkin is a chicken wrap with tomato, lettuce, and onion. For the vegetable sides I packed carrots, broccoli and sliced radishes. The half circle container is filled with watermelon and cantaloupe balls, grapes, and kiwis. I gave her roasted red bell pepper hummus to dip her veges and in that yellow thing (it is a bear shaped sauce container) is some ranch dressing for her wrap. As a treat I gave her two little dark chocolate truffles one being a spearmint infused truffle while the other is a pure chocolate truffle. I rarely give my children treats but the benefits of dark chocolate are so numerous how can I refuse.

I bought these delicious truffles from a local chocolate boutique called The Secret Chocolatier. For my local Charlotte dwellers these delicacies can be found at the Yorkmont farmers market as well as their shop on 2935 Providence Rd Suite 104 Charlotte, NC. For those who would like to order via online you can visit their web site. I love this family as well as their chocolates and I am so excited my little girl can enjoy them on her first day of school.

Hopefully inspiration will hit you as I continue to add more and more bentos to my blog. Speaking of inspiration my dishes from the International market didn’t turn out so well. L I have decided to do some research on basic recipes and tweak them to fit my Americanized particular tastes. Until next time my vast audience I bid you farewell!  

Animal Bento Lunch Box Set Giveaway

Animal Bento Lunch Box Set Giveaway

The moment I saw this my imagination started to turn (I know a dangerous thing). I really hope I win this. If you would like a change to win simply click on the link above! Good luck!!!

Wal-mart Bento??????

So we have been super busy. I do have the meat ready to make the Sio Poa and hopefully I will get to it this Monday. Besides that I have a gal pal (Ms. M) that has seen the bentos I make for the girls and really wants to make one. The problem with bentos and the supplies for them is that they are EXPENSIVE!!! Since I live in a predominately non-Asian community/city it is super hard to find supplies in our area which leaves the net which, once again, cost a lot. So the Wal-mart bento is awesome. Most of the items I have came from Wal-mart or other local stores like Dollar Tree or Target. So here we go:

 Both of the boxes are by Sterilite and I think both products are called "Ultra Latch." The square one has a 5.2 cup capacity and the rectangle one has a 3.4 cup capacity. Each box has roughly the same amount of food. The only items I didn't purchase at my local Wally World were the pig container, which I bought at Dollar Tree, and the square containers with the purple tops were a gift from my friend, Megan. I still can't remember were she bought those from. The number cutters are actually from a Play-Doh set I bought in the clearance aisle. A little odd but it was much cheaper then the real cookie cutters. I decided half way through I wasn't going to use them since I didn't have enough crackers for both girls. The sandwich was cut with a sandwich punch that I found a while ago hanging off an impulse a display clip. All the picks you see here are for hor d'ourves and the long ones are actually drink stirrers. The "baran" (a food divider in Japan) was something I printed out from here and I covered it with press and seal.

So what did I pack you ask?

 Pretty, huh?

Carrots, cucumber, strawberries, blueberries, chocolate graham crackers, yogurt, hummus and a ham and cheese sandwich cut in a heart shape. 


I only spent a total of 20 minutes cutting and packing both bentos. The differences between the two; Lily likes hummus for her carrots while Boo does not, so she gets Greek yogurt with strawberries. I didn't make them too elaborate because really I was just plain lazy. It can be a little overwhelming to start making cute or nifty lunches for kids. With all the fun things to buy, ideas and pressure we put on ourselves to make it perfect (I know I am not the only perfectionist) I wanted to show you how easy and cute it can be. I did make one for a girl friend using my other "toys" but this was simple, fast and still cute, plus everything was something that was readily available and I didn't waste time or money hunting on the net or cursing around town. Happy Bento-ing!!!