I'm working this weekend on a new "home" for my blog:
http://www.thesublurbs.com/
I'm feeling rather scatterbrained these days, with tons of different projects rolling around in my consciousness, begging for attention. It's not only bento that's intriguing me -- it's also a jedi costume I'm making for a friend's son; it's also the possibility of having to go gluten free; it's also my long-neglected garden; it's also a new idea for a book that I'm researching.
In order to impose some order onto the chaos, I've decided to make the switch to WordPress and have been playing around and getting things ported over and cleaned up.
So... come over to the new blog and see what is going on in my life.
Hope to see you there!
Eileen
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Recent bento finds
My son and I went shopping yesterday and today and kept our eyes out for items that aren't **specifically** bento tools, but would work great nonetheless.
The first thing we saw was an ice cream scoop (they also had cookie scoops) that would work to make rice balls -- they had a silicon bottom that would help to push out the rice ball once formed:
Not sure I'd spend the money, but it was interesting to think about.
Today's Target finds in the dollar section were:
I saw more of the small snack boxes with a sports and a flower theme (but don't have a picture.) All of the Sesame Street boxes were long gone!
The first thing we saw was an ice cream scoop (they also had cookie scoops) that would work to make rice balls -- they had a silicon bottom that would help to push out the rice ball once formed:
Not sure I'd spend the money, but it was interesting to think about.
Today's Target finds in the dollar section were:
I saw more of the small snack boxes with a sports and a flower theme (but don't have a picture.) All of the Sesame Street boxes were long gone!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The good and the bad in one shipment!!
Such a bittersweet moment -- seeing my last shipment from Ichiban Kan sitting on my porch today. **sigh**
First things first, the shipment included some new Hakoya boxes that came in with their last container -- they were understated and fairly large and had the added (and most vital) benefit that they are listed as being both microwaveable and dishwasher safe (except for the inner lids.)
Here they are in the original packaging:
Next up were two boxes that have the cool factor necessary to a middle school boy!
A nice feature of the Skater "Urban Style" boxes is the ice packs that fit into the included thermal bags (which perfectly fit the box and ice packs.) They also have a special container in the lids for chopsticks.
This is the 2-tier box, which also includes one divider. I like how the lockable lid captures both tiers!
This is the larger single box:
I also picked up a few odds and ends, including a green snack container (which I like for a side salad) of the Natural Lunch collection. I already have the tan and pink snack containers to complete my sets, but needed the green to go with my 2-tier green bento box. Additionally, I picked up a four-pack of tiny containers -- perfect for dressing or dip or hummus. The Picnic Mini Twin will be great for when we do car trips!
I was a little surprised that they included a gift as well:
At first, I thought they'd switched something in my order, but everything I ordered was there. When I looked more closely at the tong package, I noticed they had written "gift" on the back card -- what a nice thing to do!
I haven't even had a chance to make a bento lately because I've been too swamped with other responsibilities (one of which includes making a Jedi costume for my BFFs son. Oy, the things we do for love!)
First things first, the shipment included some new Hakoya boxes that came in with their last container -- they were understated and fairly large and had the added (and most vital) benefit that they are listed as being both microwaveable and dishwasher safe (except for the inner lids.)
Here they are in the original packaging:
...and removed from their boxes and "exploded" so you can see the innerds:
Next up were two boxes that have the cool factor necessary to a middle school boy!
A nice feature of the Skater "Urban Style" boxes is the ice packs that fit into the included thermal bags (which perfectly fit the box and ice packs.) They also have a special container in the lids for chopsticks.
This is the 2-tier box, which also includes one divider. I like how the lockable lid captures both tiers!
This is the larger single box:
I also picked up a few odds and ends, including a green snack container (which I like for a side salad) of the Natural Lunch collection. I already have the tan and pink snack containers to complete my sets, but needed the green to go with my 2-tier green bento box. Additionally, I picked up a four-pack of tiny containers -- perfect for dressing or dip or hummus. The Picnic Mini Twin will be great for when we do car trips!
I was a little surprised that they included a gift as well:
At first, I thought they'd switched something in my order, but everything I ordered was there. When I looked more closely at the tong package, I noticed they had written "gift" on the back card -- what a nice thing to do!
I haven't even had a chance to make a bento lately because I've been too swamped with other responsibilities (one of which includes making a Jedi costume for my BFFs son. Oy, the things we do for love!)
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Last Supper
Eating the very last bite was momentous. The Hubster and I did a mouth-trumpet rendition of Pray for the Dead" like a mournful dirge as the kid swallowed.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Back-to-bento! (#57)
Best laid plans ... and all that jazz.
So, I was not up and at 'em early enough to put a bento together for The Hubster, but he got himself a lunch (and, from the looks of the fridge, he took some rotisserie chicken), but didn't take a picture of it and I suspect it wasn't done as a bento anyway.
After I was showered and dressed, I pulled a bento together for myself:
I had a slight problem keeping it horizontal as I got into the car this morning and was skeeved out to realize that the wasabi peas had tipped over and landed in the raspberry yogurt. I was able to fish them out and they didn't affect the yogurt at all. **phew!** However, I should've wrapped the cup of wasabi peas in plastic wrap to keep them from getting soggy.
Otherwise, it was a perfect lunch for me and I was thrilled to have it.
On the "the Mother of the Year trophy slipped through my fingers once again" front, I totally didn't make The Boy a bento and just told him to slap together a PB&J for himself. As it turned out, it was too hot today for him to feel hungry and he ended up just eating a fruit cup anyway.
So, I was not up and at 'em early enough to put a bento together for The Hubster, but he got himself a lunch (and, from the looks of the fridge, he took some rotisserie chicken), but didn't take a picture of it and I suspect it wasn't done as a bento anyway.
After I was showered and dressed, I pulled a bento together for myself:
I had a slight problem keeping it horizontal as I got into the car this morning and was skeeved out to realize that the wasabi peas had tipped over and landed in the raspberry yogurt. I was able to fish them out and they didn't affect the yogurt at all. **phew!** However, I should've wrapped the cup of wasabi peas in plastic wrap to keep them from getting soggy.
Otherwise, it was a perfect lunch for me and I was thrilled to have it.
On the "the Mother of the Year trophy slipped through my fingers once again" front, I totally didn't make The Boy a bento and just told him to slap together a PB&J for himself. As it turned out, it was too hot today for him to feel hungry and he ended up just eating a fruit cup anyway.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Hubster goes back to work!
Today marked the first day for my husband to go back to work after a two week (sorta) comp vacation. I say "sorta" because he had to do a lot of work from home through all of that, but he *WAS* home and that made it better.
Much of his first week of vacation, I was away in Walt Disney World with girlfriends and he got to stay home and veg in front of the TV, mess around with video games and basically be a vegetable until I returned. My son finished up his last day of school a few days after that, so we --as a family-- got some great play time together, seeing movies, playing games, and enjoying each other for more than a full week.
As always, I was my jokey self and always trying to keep things lighthearted. What was so wonderful was that, in response to my silliness, I heard The Hubster laugh more this past week than I have in, probably, a year.
What a blessing!
**sigh**
On the bento-front:
As of tomorrow, I'll be packing daily bentos for my husband again and packing ones on Mondays and Fridays for my son and myself for the days that I'm in the office, working.
I'll be taking pics for the blog with my new cell phone.
It's an enV3 that I had to purchase in a panic after I left my old enV on the roof of the car during a rainstorm. On an interesting note, the old enV has come back from "the brink" --all except the camera works again-- and my son has been enjoying having a Qwerty keyboard. I've gotten more multi-syllabic texts in the past few days than I have in the 18 months since we got him a cell phone.
Much of his first week of vacation, I was away in Walt Disney World with girlfriends and he got to stay home and veg in front of the TV, mess around with video games and basically be a vegetable until I returned. My son finished up his last day of school a few days after that, so we --as a family-- got some great play time together, seeing movies, playing games, and enjoying each other for more than a full week.
As always, I was my jokey self and always trying to keep things lighthearted. What was so wonderful was that, in response to my silliness, I heard The Hubster laugh more this past week than I have in, probably, a year.
What a blessing!
**sigh**
On the bento-front:
As of tomorrow, I'll be packing daily bentos for my husband again and packing ones on Mondays and Fridays for my son and myself for the days that I'm in the office, working.
I'll be taking pics for the blog with my new cell phone.
It's an enV3 that I had to purchase in a panic after I left my old enV on the roof of the car during a rainstorm. On an interesting note, the old enV has come back from "the brink" --all except the camera works again-- and my son has been enjoying having a Qwerty keyboard. I've gotten more multi-syllabic texts in the past few days than I have in the 18 months since we got him a cell phone.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The dogs in my life
It's a cruddy picture, but I didn't want to deal with getting a flash camera for fear that they'd move.... but here are my two dogs (taken with my cell phone.)
The one on the left is my 10 year old border collie -- Treelo. (The little devil who woke me up last night.) He's a total Frisbee hound and, despite some pretty serious arthritis in his knees, he will still run to the point of total exhaustion.... on the part of the Frisbee thrower. He'd **never** admit defeat!
The one on the right is my beautiful girlie, Kenzie. She was rescued from Delaware by a group that told us she was a border collie.
Um... no. She's way too big, totally dim-witted, and unmotivated to move more than absolutely necessary.
She's also in complete possession of my heart.
When we got her, she had been on the streets for a looooong time and they suspected she'd had puppies. She weighed 32 pounds, had intestinal worms and heartworm. We drove to Delaware to get her and, the moment we saw her running through the rescue organization's yard, we knew she wasn't a BC.
But, she was a total clown and needed our help. We got her in our car and I proceeded to bond her to me for life by rubbing her chest the entire trip. The dog hasn't left my side since.
She *has* gained tons of weight. She now is a big, fluffy, beautiful girl of 85 pounds and is the sweetest most grateful dog I've ever had.
The one on the left is my 10 year old border collie -- Treelo. (The little devil who woke me up last night.) He's a total Frisbee hound and, despite some pretty serious arthritis in his knees, he will still run to the point of total exhaustion.... on the part of the Frisbee thrower. He'd **never** admit defeat!
The one on the right is my beautiful girlie, Kenzie. She was rescued from Delaware by a group that told us she was a border collie.
Um... no. She's way too big, totally dim-witted, and unmotivated to move more than absolutely necessary.
She's also in complete possession of my heart.
When we got her, she had been on the streets for a looooong time and they suspected she'd had puppies. She weighed 32 pounds, had intestinal worms and heartworm. We drove to Delaware to get her and, the moment we saw her running through the rescue organization's yard, we knew she wasn't a BC.
But, she was a total clown and needed our help. We got her in our car and I proceeded to bond her to me for life by rubbing her chest the entire trip. The dog hasn't left my side since.
She *has* gained tons of weight. She now is a big, fluffy, beautiful girl of 85 pounds and is the sweetest most grateful dog I've ever had.
Boy's bento (#56)
This is a "post-shot" day for me and my MS meds make me feel very cranky, achy and generally in need of great sums of sleep.
So, when the Hubster came home at 3AM and my male border collie decided that it would be appropriate to bark and bark and bark -- from his spot on the floor, right by my ear! I grumbled a few times and even contemplated swatting him with my pillow, but did nothing but lay in bed and steam until I fell back to sleep.
Then, The Boy came in our room at 4AM to tell me he had a Charlie horse in his leg and needed my ministrations. Ugh! That's what he gets for playing with my Wii Active without doing a proper cool down or stretching that close to bed time.
So... right now, the men in my life are all on my "naughty list" and I feel like doing nothing for them. My female doggie, Kenzie, is getting all the love -- she didn't make a peep!
For The Boy, he got:
Deconstructed PB&J crackers, apples, chocolates, GoGurt, G2 and a NutriGrain bar.
I threw a couple of grumbling complaints in the bag as well. (Oh, if only this were Hogwarts and I could send him a Howler!)
The Hubster got nothing -- not because I was mad at him for coming in late (he has to to complete this project and get on the road to do the install.) It's just that I was, at that point in the morning, so relieved that The Boy made it to the bus in time and I could head back to bed to sleep off more of my side effects.
From what I could tell from our fridge supplies, he was able to make himself something to take along to work.
So, when the Hubster came home at 3AM and my male border collie decided that it would be appropriate to bark and bark and bark -- from his spot on the floor, right by my ear! I grumbled a few times and even contemplated swatting him with my pillow, but did nothing but lay in bed and steam until I fell back to sleep.
Then, The Boy came in our room at 4AM to tell me he had a Charlie horse in his leg and needed my ministrations. Ugh! That's what he gets for playing with my Wii Active without doing a proper cool down or stretching that close to bed time.
So... right now, the men in my life are all on my "naughty list" and I feel like doing nothing for them. My female doggie, Kenzie, is getting all the love -- she didn't make a peep!
For The Boy, he got:
Deconstructed PB&J crackers, apples, chocolates, GoGurt, G2 and a NutriGrain bar.
I threw a couple of grumbling complaints in the bag as well. (Oh, if only this were Hogwarts and I could send him a Howler!)
The Hubster got nothing -- not because I was mad at him for coming in late (he has to to complete this project and get on the road to do the install.) It's just that I was, at that point in the morning, so relieved that The Boy made it to the bus in time and I could head back to bed to sleep off more of my side effects.
From what I could tell from our fridge supplies, he was able to make himself something to take along to work.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sesame Street characters at Target
I found nadda that was Disney, but saw these cute boxes, perfect for a small snack bento in the dollar section!
Boys' bento (#55)
I'm totally not energized to do much that is interesting, foodwise... I'm relying on old classics that have little to do with bento right now.
The Boy got a PB&J sandwich, pretzels, GoGurt, celery, chocolates and a G2.
Mom's bento (#54)
I have a long day at work today and some shopping to do for an upcoming trip afterwards.
Lebanon balogna and cream cheese sandwich, cheeses, carrots, pretzels, and chocolate.
The Hubster never ate yesterday's bento (he had too much pizza!) so he'll eat the one I made him yesterday for today lunch.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Dad's bento (#53)
Today is the last day of play testing on the sub ride.
Even though he has plans to take a bunch of co-workers out for pizza, I put together a chicken nugget roll-up meal for him to construct later. I crammed in the last of the cut-up watermelon from earlier in the week.
Of course, I put the bento together and realized that I'd packed the top lid of the Hakoya box and had to REMAKE the lunch properly moments later.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Hubster's Long Saturday bento (#52)
Loooong day for the Hubster today as he preps for the last play testing tomorrow. (Hopefully, the ride will ship next week!)
It's a ham and cheese sandwich, cheeses and chocolates. More of yesterday's watermelon sits in the tight upper container.
Since he needs lots of sustenance to stay awake into the wee small hours, his bag also included some homemade hummus, crackers, dried fruit, and extra chocolates.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Family bentos (#49, #50 and #51)
I was up stupid late last night doing what turned out to be the less important of two writing projects for my overworked hubby.
Six AM came verrrry early today and I had to not only drag myself out of bed to get going, but had to motivate The Boy with some intense hollering.
Yes... it was definitely hollering.
While he got showered, flapped his hair into True Awesomeness, and discarded two sets of shorts before hollering back that he didn't have enough shirts in his drawer FULL of shirts, I got his breakfast and lunch ready.
It's just a ham and cheese sandwich, some pretzels and cheese. The time-consuming addition was a watermelon that I cut up to include in the sealed container of this Hakoya box.
I packed two identical lunches for myself and the Hubster:
A big container of watermelon, some turkey sausage I fried up and let cool, leftover quesedillas, some cheese, some crackers and my favorite cookies from Ikea.
I really liked these boxes I got at Ikea yesterday -- they washed well in the dishwasher without warping one iota. They are quite deep and, since this lunch didn't have a ton in it, I know my food will shift around a bit. (I realized now that I should have added some veggies to tighten it up!)
In all today's lunches, I used the "vegetable" picks I got from Daiso and they looked really adorable without being cutesy.
Six AM came verrrry early today and I had to not only drag myself out of bed to get going, but had to motivate The Boy with some intense hollering.
Yes... it was definitely hollering.
While he got showered, flapped his hair into True Awesomeness, and discarded two sets of shorts before hollering back that he didn't have enough shirts in his drawer FULL of shirts, I got his breakfast and lunch ready.
It's just a ham and cheese sandwich, some pretzels and cheese. The time-consuming addition was a watermelon that I cut up to include in the sealed container of this Hakoya box.
I packed two identical lunches for myself and the Hubster:
A big container of watermelon, some turkey sausage I fried up and let cool, leftover quesedillas, some cheese, some crackers and my favorite cookies from Ikea.
I really liked these boxes I got at Ikea yesterday -- they washed well in the dishwasher without warping one iota. They are quite deep and, since this lunch didn't have a ton in it, I know my food will shift around a bit. (I realized now that I should have added some veggies to tighten it up!)
In all today's lunches, I used the "vegetable" picks I got from Daiso and they looked really adorable without being cutesy.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Ikea products for bento
We had several doctors appointments today (still no definite Celiac diagnosis, but we've scheduled the endoscopy for late June.) As we left the last one, I realized that we'd be passing an Ikea on our way and that would be a great place to check for some interesting containers to use as bento boxes.
I liked this interesting cookie cutter set, but didn't get it.
Raritet containers are nice, sturdy and rather "manly." I bought the large rectangle because it's a great size, has a steam vent in the lid, and has a small, sealed container within. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. The larger box was around $10 and the smaller one was around $6.
These weren't marked with a name, but they were on display in the pre-check out area. They are three hinged boxes -- but one of the hinges snapped as I was putting it together once I got home. OY! They are rather deep and will be good for sandwiches. Even though I wasn't sure if they are food containers, they have markings indicating that they're food safe, as well as dishwasher and microwave safe too. They were $3.
Distans - sold as a 3-pack for about $6. I like that they seem very sturdy with a tight lid. Again, they are dishwasher and microwave safe.
These were actually my reason for shopping -- I'd seen them listed on eBay and knew they'd be great for making Jell-o Jiggler shapes!
I liked this interesting cookie cutter set, but didn't get it.
Raritet containers are nice, sturdy and rather "manly." I bought the large rectangle because it's a great size, has a steam vent in the lid, and has a small, sealed container within. They are dishwasher and microwave safe. The larger box was around $10 and the smaller one was around $6.
These weren't marked with a name, but they were on display in the pre-check out area. They are three hinged boxes -- but one of the hinges snapped as I was putting it together once I got home. OY! They are rather deep and will be good for sandwiches. Even though I wasn't sure if they are food containers, they have markings indicating that they're food safe, as well as dishwasher and microwave safe too. They were $3.
Distans - sold as a 3-pack for about $6. I like that they seem very sturdy with a tight lid. Again, they are dishwasher and microwave safe.
These were actually my reason for shopping -- I'd seen them listed on eBay and knew they'd be great for making Jell-o Jiggler shapes!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Family bentos (#46, #47, #48)
Okay... I'll admit it. The only bento I actually spent more than a half second on this morning was my own.
This is some boneless chicken nuggets I got from the grocery store the other day. I'm still not sure of the flavor as I think they were mismarked as being "Buffalo chicken" flavor. In truth, they taste like they were basted with baked bean sauce. But... since I **lurv** baked beans, I'm happy with that.) I made a wall of edamame pods to separate it from the mashed potatoes and -- even though I don't like cherry tomatoes -- I stuck one in there to bento-ize it a bit.
Unfortunately, I forgot to zip up my lunch bag and the whole thing hit the floor later when I grabbed my bag's handle to pull it off the counter on my way out the door. Luckily, the bento landed on its bottom and only the lid flew off. (And, also luckily, I had just washed my floor!)
The boy's bento is a standard PB&J sandwich, some skewered grapes, chips, chocolate and a G2. He's working on a project at school for a favorite teacher during lunch and needs something simple.
Of course, after I'd stuffed his lunch bag in his backpack, he revealed to me that his lunches can get "complex" again because the teacher has asked that he come at Advisory (last period's study hall) instead of lunch time. *oy!*
But, hey... I did remember to buy marshmallows for French class! In all seven years of my own study of the French language and culture, I never learned that mashmallows go great with crepes. (*gag*)
I had zero energy left for the Hubster's lunch -- plus, I think he could do with a hot meal and he finds it a pain to have to deconstruct his bento box to heat things up. So... this is just leftover spaghetti and meatballs from dinner the other night. I made a side salad in a lockable bento box to make sure I could "count" this as an official bento and not just a packed lunch.
I added chocolates, some bread (Hubster likes to soak up sauce!), and smooshed lots of love into his lunch bag.
I also remembered to zip his bag up, thereby negating the need for a clean floor. *smirk*
This is some boneless chicken nuggets I got from the grocery store the other day. I'm still not sure of the flavor as I think they were mismarked as being "Buffalo chicken" flavor. In truth, they taste like they were basted with baked bean sauce. But... since I **lurv** baked beans, I'm happy with that.) I made a wall of edamame pods to separate it from the mashed potatoes and -- even though I don't like cherry tomatoes -- I stuck one in there to bento-ize it a bit.
Unfortunately, I forgot to zip up my lunch bag and the whole thing hit the floor later when I grabbed my bag's handle to pull it off the counter on my way out the door. Luckily, the bento landed on its bottom and only the lid flew off. (And, also luckily, I had just washed my floor!)
The boy's bento is a standard PB&J sandwich, some skewered grapes, chips, chocolate and a G2. He's working on a project at school for a favorite teacher during lunch and needs something simple.
Of course, after I'd stuffed his lunch bag in his backpack, he revealed to me that his lunches can get "complex" again because the teacher has asked that he come at Advisory (last period's study hall) instead of lunch time. *oy!*
But, hey... I did remember to buy marshmallows for French class! In all seven years of my own study of the French language and culture, I never learned that mashmallows go great with crepes. (*gag*)
I had zero energy left for the Hubster's lunch -- plus, I think he could do with a hot meal and he finds it a pain to have to deconstruct his bento box to heat things up. So... this is just leftover spaghetti and meatballs from dinner the other night. I made a side salad in a lockable bento box to make sure I could "count" this as an official bento and not just a packed lunch.
I added chocolates, some bread (Hubster likes to soak up sauce!), and smooshed lots of love into his lunch bag.
I also remembered to zip his bag up, thereby negating the need for a clean floor. *smirk*
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
roses and rhododendrons
The zepherine roses are going full tilt today and, backed by the rhododendrons and a birdhouse covered in pale purple clematis, it's quite a delicious display.
Dad's and Boy's bentos (#44 and #45)
The Hubster is still hard at work on his thiiiiiis-close-to-finished ride. His days continue to be incredibly long and stressful, but play testing is shaking out fairly well (some bugs, some fixes that need to happen, but generally good.) I'm doing what I can to help by sending massive amounts of food to work with him to keep him going.
This bento is basically leftovers from last nights "non-Memorial Day" dinner of falafel. (It's not that we're not totally in favor of Memorial Day, just that I'd forgotten to get propane for our new grill and ... well... I also forgot that we didn't have any steak in the house.)
I had to use two Leaflet Tight boxes to hold it all, but they fit in his lunch bag stacked on top of each other. I included some tomato cous cous, fresh hummus and crackers to go with his tortilla (we ran out of pitas last night), tomato and lettuce. In the cup is some greek yogurt.
The boy only has about 18 days left of school and is counting down every minute!
For his lunch, he got a turkey and cheese roll-up, some TastyKake cupcakes (trying to cram in all the gluten-containg treats now, as our GI appointment is later this week) and a few grapes tucked in for some token fruit in this bento. (Oh wait, I packed a banana too!)
I included a bottle of G2 (low-carb Gatorade.)
I have a dental appointment that should be grueling today (two fillings have to be replaced!) and I decided to push my in-office day to tomorrow. No bento for me.
This bento is basically leftovers from last nights "non-Memorial Day" dinner of falafel. (It's not that we're not totally in favor of Memorial Day, just that I'd forgotten to get propane for our new grill and ... well... I also forgot that we didn't have any steak in the house.)
I had to use two Leaflet Tight boxes to hold it all, but they fit in his lunch bag stacked on top of each other. I included some tomato cous cous, fresh hummus and crackers to go with his tortilla (we ran out of pitas last night), tomato and lettuce. In the cup is some greek yogurt.
The boy only has about 18 days left of school and is counting down every minute!
For his lunch, he got a turkey and cheese roll-up, some TastyKake cupcakes (trying to cram in all the gluten-containg treats now, as our GI appointment is later this week) and a few grapes tucked in for some token fruit in this bento. (Oh wait, I packed a banana too!)
I included a bottle of G2 (low-carb Gatorade.)
I have a dental appointment that should be grueling today (two fillings have to be replaced!) and I decided to push my in-office day to tomorrow. No bento for me.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Not bento - ROSES!
My garden is really starting to ramp-up and it's well on its way to the standard "Victorian Lady of Easy Virtue" look that it takes on in May. Seriously, there are so many blooms in my yard that it actually gets to be a bit MUCH!
This is a 'Zepherine Drouhin' rose -- thornless and lovely. Over Mother's Day, my husband installed a climbing frame that extends over the arch of our porch.
This "lamp post bed" is full of red Knockout and pink Carefree Wonder roses that are *just* beginning to show. Yum... the Carefree's have such a lovely sent.
I'm a sucker for irises and these 'Batik' ones are my absolutely favorite color. Behind them is a small stand of two-tone bearded irises. (The deep red ones are just coming up, but not yet ready to blossom.)Behind them is a large baptisia autralis (false indigo.) This beauty grips my heart every year and doesn't let go until the last bloom drops. (I have some in my big back garden as well.... sigh.)
My "hostafarian" bed along the side of the garage was designed by my "enabler" and wholesale plant dealer, Emanuella. She loves BIG plants and this bed really has her flare.
It's full of lots of varieties, plus ferms, tradescantia (spiderwort), heucheras (coral bells) and alchemilla mollis (ladies mantle.) On the two trellises are climbing hydrangea to match the two mop cap varietals in the back corner. (I'll include better pics later.)
This is a 'Zepherine Drouhin' rose -- thornless and lovely. Over Mother's Day, my husband installed a climbing frame that extends over the arch of our porch.
This "lamp post bed" is full of red Knockout and pink Carefree Wonder roses that are *just* beginning to show. Yum... the Carefree's have such a lovely sent.
I'm a sucker for irises and these 'Batik' ones are my absolutely favorite color. Behind them is a small stand of two-tone bearded irises. (The deep red ones are just coming up, but not yet ready to blossom.)Behind them is a large baptisia autralis (false indigo.) This beauty grips my heart every year and doesn't let go until the last bloom drops. (I have some in my big back garden as well.... sigh.)
My "hostafarian" bed along the side of the garage was designed by my "enabler" and wholesale plant dealer, Emanuella. She loves BIG plants and this bed really has her flare.
It's full of lots of varieties, plus ferms, tradescantia (spiderwort), heucheras (coral bells) and alchemilla mollis (ladies mantle.) On the two trellises are climbing hydrangea to match the two mop cap varietals in the back corner. (I'll include better pics later.)
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Dad's and Boy's bento (#42 and #43)
For the Hubster, I cooked up some chicken nuggets and chopped them up so he could make his own sandwich roll-up. Lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese (in silicon cup) and ranch dressing were included for him to put together with the tortilla I tucked into his lunch bag.
Cherries, a cheese wedge and carrots filled out the box.
For the Boy, I made a sliced turkey and cheese rollup:
Some chips, carrots, chocolates and fruit cup balanced it up a bit. I added a bottle of G2 (low-carb Gatorade) for his drink
Cherries, a cheese wedge and carrots filled out the box.
For the Boy, I made a sliced turkey and cheese rollup:
Some chips, carrots, chocolates and fruit cup balanced it up a bit. I added a bottle of G2 (low-carb Gatorade) for his drink
Monday, May 18, 2009
Mom & Dad bentos (#40 and #41)
We're still busy, busy, busy and the bento count shows it. All our other meals were general leftovers and I didn't even bother to present them nicely. This is the first TRUE bento I've made in a bit.
I cheated, though -- the chicken isn't homemade. I got it at the grocery store and just gussied it up in the Leaflet Tight box. Cherries and carrots rounded out the box and I added containers of yogurt and jello and some candies to the lunch bags.
I cheated, though -- the chicken isn't homemade. I got it at the grocery store and just gussied it up in the Leaflet Tight box. Cherries and carrots rounded out the box and I added containers of yogurt and jello and some candies to the lunch bags.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Dad's bento (#39)
More stick-to-your-bones meals for the hard-working Hubster.
A slice of meatloaf from the freezer, fresh-made mashed potatoes, and some edamame to round things out. (There's home-made BBQ sauce in the cup.)
The edamame from Costco comes with little packets of salt, so I tucked one in when I added the tomatoes, mini Reese's cups, and cheese.
The boy just had a regular PB&J sandwich -- so no bento pics.
A slice of meatloaf from the freezer, fresh-made mashed potatoes, and some edamame to round things out. (There's home-made BBQ sauce in the cup.)
The edamame from Costco comes with little packets of salt, so I tucked one in when I added the tomatoes, mini Reese's cups, and cheese.
The boy just had a regular PB&J sandwich -- so no bento pics.
Boy's bento (#38)
I've been packing us lunches every day, but haven't had the time to photograph them (even in my "quick and dirty, stick it on the kitchen table in natural light and shoot it with my cell phone" fashion.)
There were a lot of spaghetti leftovers and sandwiches in regular plastic storage containers, with little or no thought to presentation, so... I guess they weren't really bentos and I'll have to let them slide and not get counted.
Here, however, is The Boy's bento from today. Since it's just yet another "decontructed" PBJ, I'm not sure that it's worth a picture, but... gosh darn it, I took one anyway.
There were a lot of spaghetti leftovers and sandwiches in regular plastic storage containers, with little or no thought to presentation, so... I guess they weren't really bentos and I'll have to let them slide and not get counted.
Here, however, is The Boy's bento from today. Since it's just yet another "decontructed" PBJ, I'm not sure that it's worth a picture, but... gosh darn it, I took one anyway.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Family bentos (#35, #36 and #37)
I stopped at Sam's Club and picked up a rotisserie chicken for a quesedilla dinner last night -- with the intention of having leftovers for our bentos today.
I added a lining of lettuce and some picks, but neglected to add anything to make the now-dry chicken at all appetizing. (Yuck!)
The rest of the bento is rounded out with cheeses, crackers, tomatoes, nuts, and grapes. I added frozen berries to vanilla yogurt, but had to wrap it all in plastic wrap when I overfilled the container and worried about spillage.
Note to self: the Hubster doesn't like honey-roasted peanuts. They all came back in the otherwise empty bento.
My bento was pretty much the same...
The Boy had another "deconstructed" PB&J sandwich:
There's waaaay too much of the same pale green in this bento, but he doesn't like many veggies that aren't green. I'm having a heck of a time explaining that green bell peppers and red bell papers are essentially the same thing, only less ripe. Oh, well, it was nutritious and he ate it all. (Note the TastyKakes! Aaaaargh, how can we give these up?!)
I added a lining of lettuce and some picks, but neglected to add anything to make the now-dry chicken at all appetizing. (Yuck!)
The rest of the bento is rounded out with cheeses, crackers, tomatoes, nuts, and grapes. I added frozen berries to vanilla yogurt, but had to wrap it all in plastic wrap when I overfilled the container and worried about spillage.
Note to self: the Hubster doesn't like honey-roasted peanuts. They all came back in the otherwise empty bento.
My bento was pretty much the same...
The Boy had another "deconstructed" PB&J sandwich:
There's waaaay too much of the same pale green in this bento, but he doesn't like many veggies that aren't green. I'm having a heck of a time explaining that green bell peppers and red bell papers are essentially the same thing, only less ripe. Oh, well, it was nutritious and he ate it all. (Note the TastyKakes! Aaaaargh, how can we give these up?!)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Dad's bento (#34)
I had picked up some boneless pork shoulder ribs (sometimes called a "picnic" shoulder) on sale at the grocery store. They had to be cooked last night so I browned them in a dutch oven and covered them with barbeque sauce before popping them in the oven for 90 minutes. I pulled the pork apart and let it sit and cool. (Hubby had to work late again, so it was his dinner at 10PM last night before getting put away for leftovers today.)
The veggies are propped up on a bag of airplane pretzels.
The other tier of the bento box includes his rolls and treat. I wish I'd had coleslaw...
The veggies are propped up on a bag of airplane pretzels.
The other tier of the bento box includes his rolls and treat. I wish I'd had coleslaw...
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Boy's bento (#33)
We had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner last night and I made sure to cook extra meatballs -- the boy loves those bone picks and thinks this presentation is a hoot.
Those are Tasty Kake peanut butter "Kandy Kakes" -- something that makes me ache when I think of my son facing a lifetime of not getting to eat these, still warm from the factory.
This was my one last attempt at offering cheese in his lunch. Let's just say the dogs were happy when the bento box came home after school.
Those are Tasty Kake peanut butter "Kandy Kakes" -- something that makes me ache when I think of my son facing a lifetime of not getting to eat these, still warm from the factory.
This was my one last attempt at offering cheese in his lunch. Let's just say the dogs were happy when the bento box came home after school.
Dad's bento (#32)
Yeah... so when I said the grocery store had pork cutlets on sale, I meant the "value package" size. I made a boatload of tonkatsu and still had leftovers.
Not that the Hubster seemed to mind. He liked having the California roll parts again too.
But, I'm unhappy that I left a gaping hole in the bento. Why didn't I tuck one of the Rollos in that spot?!
Not that the Hubster seemed to mind. He liked having the California roll parts again too.
But, I'm unhappy that I left a gaping hole in the bento. Why didn't I tuck one of the Rollos in that spot?!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Mom's bento (#31)
I was rushing to make dinner for my son on Sunday (while still enormously full from Korean barbeque) and resorted to packaged noodles (not GF) and octodogs.
I packed up the leftovers for my own lunch the next day... and then ended up not going to work.
I packed up the leftovers for my own lunch the next day... and then ended up not going to work.
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