3 Bento #236 - Three's Company! (Teacher Lunches)

...aaand I'm spent.  Maybe this should be titled Bento #236-7-8? I happily volunteered to do our teacher appreciation lunch yesterday.  I wasn't initially going to do bento boxes, but I remembered I had recently picked up these two large snap-style boxes which are really cool.  I cracked them out of their packages and went to town.  I didn't want to make them too cutesy, but I also wanted them to be a little fun. :-)

First, Ella's lunch.  I gave her chicken teriyaki pineapple and jasmine rice leftover from dinner, as well as a jasmine flower onigiri.

Flower cucumber centers!  And grapes!

The teacher lunches were both the same, with jasmine rice, (and a flower onigiri each) sauteed spicy Italian chicken sausage, roasted mixed veggies in balsamic butter sauce, and fresh grapes.  The three savory ingredients were meant to be able to be mixed with any one of the other items, if desired.  I gave them each a couple of deco picks to keep if they wanted.  The boxes were also theirs to take home!

There was also lemon creme cake for dessert.  I was at a loss as to what to pack it in, so I channeled my inner [misfit] Martha Stewart and used some large cello bags, and tied them with ribbon.  I also added a pink fork to each bow, but I didn't get a pic of that (of course.)  Probably not the most practical way to eat cake...but it's cake!

All together now!

I LOVE the carrying handles on these!  I hope I can find more the next time I go back to Super H Mart.  Before anyone asks me where to buy them...I looked everywhere on Google and could not find anyone who sells this particular box.  It's a Korean brand called KumHo Chemistry/Komicomo Wellbeing Brand and the box is called Quarter Lock.  Do let me know if you come across it!

All packed up in an Easy Lunch Box cooler.  Fit both of them PERFECTLY!  I can't get over how roomy they are.

Anyway, I hand-delivered the boxes that morning.  Hope they enjoyed them!  Ella got a kick out of having almost the same lunch as her teachers. :-)

Bento #236 - [Ella] Aidell's teriyaki pineapple chicken meatballs, jasmine rice and caramelized onions, grapes, and cucumber flowers. Snack - Clemetine (not shown.) [Teachers] Spicy Italian chicken sausage, jasmine rice, grapes and roasted veggies in balsamic butter.  Dessert - Lemon creme cake.

3 Bento #235 - Hello Kitty Onigiri & Cucumber Rounds

Here is my very non heart-sy February 14th lunch. Why not?  I've already done a few hearts in recent bento boxes.  Also the fact that we don't celebrate, so there's that.  However, if you are looking for some really cute heart-sy bento lunches, here is a link where you can hop from one bento blog to the next for some heart-stoppingly adorable creations.  All together now {awwww!}

Why Miss Hello Kitty, why do you look so mean and mad?  Poor girl.  She must be upset that her favorite bow accessory is not showing up all that well in her mug shot.

More [novice] Baby Bel carvings and some sliced cucumbers.

Grapes and TJ's yogurt stars.

Bento #235 - Jasmine rice onigiri, Baby Bel cheese, cucumbers, grapes, dip and yogurt star biscuits.  Snack - Apple-banana spice muffin (not shown.)

0 Bento #203 - Hello Kitty Onigiri & Thai Chicken Peanut Salad

My version of Thai peanut chicken salad was soooo good!  I made enough for lunches for all three of us.  I picked up some Amylu Caramelized Onion Chicken Burgers for the first time, and they are delicious!  They are all-natural, gluten-free and excellent.  I cubed a couple of patties and sauteed them in a bit of canola oil, along with some ginger-garlic paste, fish sauce, toasted sesame oil and a small handful of halved roasted peanuts.  In about 7 minutes I had a savory-sweet salad topping that everyone loved.  I had initially planned to do lettuce wraps, but I realized that all my lettuce was small-leaf variety.  This would be awesome on Boston/Bibb/Butter lettuce.

I also made a Hello Kitty onigiri of plain, cooked rice.  She is decorated with a few decorative sprinkles to liven up her appearance.  I also froze a container of vanilla yogurt, in lieu of the ice cream they allow the kids to have on Fridays.

Bento #203 - Thai chicken peanut salad over fresh artisan lettuce, rice onigiri, and frozen vanilla yogurt.  Snack - organic baby carrots, dip, multi-vitamins, and fresh raspberries.

1 Bento #58 - Onigiri & Mr. Egg Head

This is a very bento-y bento today!  I made more onigiri, and for more protein I made egg heads (aren't the top hats cute?) with spinach & onion dipping sauce as a side.

Bento #58 - Fried rice onigiri, hard-boiled egg heads with spinach & onion dipping sauce, checkerboard Granny Smith apple with strawberry cream cheese for dipping.

0 Fried Rice

Whenever I make rice I usually make more than I need so that I can make fried rice with any leftovers (it's also best in fried rice when it's cold, and not too sticky.)  I specifically used sushi rice today because I wanted it to be sticky enough for the onigiri, but you can use almost any kind of rice.

This is just a really basic recipe, you can add whatever veg you like - corn, mushrooms, etc.  I have also done this quickly with frozen veggies (like for veggie soup.)

2 cups cold cooked rice
3 cloves minced garlic
half a small onion, minced
1 minced carrot
handful of frozen peas
a pre-cooked protein minced finely like chicken, pork beef, bacon or even shrimp (optional)
1-2 eggs, scrambled and chopped up
soy sauce
black pepper
1 tbs butter, bacon fat or other cooking oil
sliced green onion (for garnish - optional)

Heat a large saucepan over high heat and add your cooking fat.  I especially like butter or bacon fat for extra flavor.  Throw in the onion, garlic and carrot and cook for about 2-3 minutes until it gets soft.

I think I need a new cutting board!  Those cubes are the nifty frozen garlic I get at Trader Joe's, love 'em.

Add the peas, cook a minute and then add your protein.  Then add the rice, still cooking over high heat and cook until heated through.

Start by adding about 1 tbs of soy sauce, and increase according to your personal taste and lots of black pepper.  Finally, add the chopped egg, stir through, and garnish with green onions, if using.

0 Egg & Onigiri Experiment

I was totally excited to get my rice molds the other day, and got to try them out while E was at school.  I made sushi rice, cooled it, and then made fried rice with it with fresh veggies, chicken and egg.

First, however, I tried using the rice mold to shape a hard boiled egg, since two of them seemed to be able to do double-duty.  I think it would have worked had my egg been a little smaller than extra-large.

Smooshing it in.  As you can see, it got a little messy.  The top is turned upside down to help accommodate the egg, but alas, it didn't help, and the rubber bands are to hold it down (obviously.):

The bottom turned out pretty well, but the top sheered off ;).  I'll try this again with a smaller egg.

Next, the very successful onigiri experiment!

E loved these as her after-school snack today.  Next time I might try to use the veggies to make more of an animal face.