Eclectic Lamb

My 20 year old niece came over for a cute and easy weeknight dinner. I was inspired by this but wanted it to be very easy so I bought two bread bowls from Panera Bread. I showed the cashier what I was trying to accomplish and he was helpful.

Salad – lettuce, carrots and ranch or vinegar

Cauliflower Cheese Soup – Boil cauliflower florets and make a 2 cup cheese sauce (double recipe). Add the cooked cauliflower and a little saved cauliflower water to the cheese sauce.

Bunny Bread Bowl – Panera bread bowl. Cut ears from the underside of the bread lid, and make a nose from the lid bread, dried cherry eyes – attach with toothpicks. We tried to use toothpicks to attach the head to the bowl but it worked better to just have the head sit on top.

Bunny Danish – I followed this recipe except that I did not add egg to the cream cheese.

My critique of the meal: We were happy with everything. It was a easy, delicious, and fun meal.

My 20 year old niece and I celebrated Girl’s Day (Hinamatsuri) together. We both got carried away taking photos because it turned out so cute! A majority of these photos were taken by my niece. We have celebrated Girl’s Day in some way a few times over the years but the last time we made a themed dinner was in 2013. Since she is graduating college in May and will no longer be living near me, this seemed like the perfect year to celebrate again.

Emperor:

• Body – Onigiri (rice ball made with this) with spinach and Parmesan cheese inside
• Head – Peeled radish with spinach face details and spinach hair (wilt fresh spinach leaves for a few seconds in the microwave), crown food pick – attach head to body with a toothpick
• Clothes – Spinach crepe, cucumber skin
• Baton – Cucumber – attach to body with a toothpick

Empress:

• Body – Onigiri (rice ball made with this) with cooked zucchini, tomato paste, and oregano inside
• Head – Peeled radish with spinach and food coloring marker face details and spinach hair (wilt fresh spinach leaves for a few seconds in the microwave), crown food pick – attach head to body with a toothpick
• Clothes – Tomato crepe, carrot strip
• Fan – Radish with food marker details – attach to body with a toothpick

Lettering: Hinamatsuri – carrot cut with Hiragana cutters

Lanterns: Mini cucumber, decorative wooden stick, carrot

Flowers: Cream cheese mints – I used flower and leaf molds

Edamame

Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Drink: Grapefruit juice with seltzer

My critique of the meal: Adorable, adorable adorable! I am the first to say when my edible food art does not turn out the way it did in my head. But this time, I was thrilled with how these looked! We both liked the Emperor’s filling (spinach and cheese) better than the Empress filling (zucchini and tomato paste). The cream cheese mints were pretty and delicious. This was a time consuming meal especially since I made two different types of crepes. But, I am the type of person who enjoys being immersed in a big cooking project. A successful meal!