I made this lunch for myself and decorated it with flamingo shaped radish. I picked this theme since I wanted to use my flamingo cookie cutter for the first time. On a whim I colored them with Butterfly Pea Flower Powder mixed with a little water.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Flamingos – black radish cut with a cookie cutter, brushed with a mixture of water and Butterfly Pea Flower powder, peanut noodles
Top Right: Pumpkin seeds
Bottom Right: Blueberries
I made this dinner for myself. It was easy and delicious! I am glad that I enjoy cooking and can make interesting food for myself. I don’t think I had ever made romesco sauce before. I had all of the ingredients. It was quick to make in my food processor. Usually I don’t like raw garlic but I enjoyed it in this meal.
Roasted Cauliflower with Romesco
Cheddar cheese
Pears with nutmeg
Toasted sunflower seeds
I made this potato whale lunch for my Mom.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Top: Whale – garlic and Asiago cheese mashed potato cut with cookie cutter, Eye – dried blueberry, Ocean – blue mashed potato
Bottom Left: Blackberries
Bottom Right: Macadamia nuts
Happy Valentine’s Day! This is my collection of Heart, Cupid, Be Mine, and XO food. As with my other collections, I plan to update when I create something new.
ANIMALS / CHARACTERS with HEARTS
Bear Rice Holding Carrot Hearts
Precious Moments Character Sandwich with Heart Egg
Mashed Potato Giraffe with Carrot Hearts
HEARTS
Cucumber Hearts over Peanut Noodles
Heart Cinnamon Rolls with Heart Fruit
BE MINE
CUPID
I made this meal for myself as part of my emoji rice series.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Heart Eyes Emoji – cooked Nishiki rice pressed into a round emoji cookie cutter, cheddar cheese broiled on top of rice. Eyes – radish cut with mini heart cutter. Mouth – spinach cut with a mini cutter, peas
Top Right: Walnuts
Bottom Right: Pineapple
I made this cupid cheese art over baked risotto for myself. I used an imprint cookie cutter for the shapes.
Container: Prep Natural Glass Meal Containers
Left Side: Cupid – orange and white cheddar pressed into an imprint cupid cookie cutter, Eyes – dried blueberry, Mouth and Heart – radish. Baked asparagus and spinach risotto
Right Side: Grapefruit
Happy Groundhog Day! I made this meal for myself on the same day that I made a lunch with polenta hands for my friend Deborah.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Top: Groundhog – polenta cooked in vegetable broth – cooled then cut with a cookie cutter, Shadow – smoked paprika, mashed garlic broccoli
Bottom Left: Orange slices
Bottom Right: Hazelnuts
To celebrate my friend Carols birthday with her this year I made and delivered dinner. Then over zoom we ate together and talked. She requested the same meal as last year. I prepared the Wellington the same way as for our virtual Thanksgiving.
Vegetable Wellington (I used frozen Puffed Pastry and did not use mushrooms or eggplant), served with Citrus Beurre Blanc sauce (recipe at the bottom)
Individual Chocolate Cream Pie
My critique of the meal: Wonderful meal! The only thing I would change is to use chocolate curls instead of mini chocolate chips on top of the pies. But the mini chocolate chips worked just fine.
I made this two box meal for my friend Deborah on her birthday. I was happy to try making an earth out of eggplant! When I delivered her food, we went for a walk. It was lovely to go for a walk together. The air was crisp and woods pretty from a recent snowfall. And I always enjoy speaking with Deborah.
Container: U Konserve
Contents: Earth – roasted eggplant brushed with a little olive oil and Butterfly Pea Flower Powder for the water and some basil-lemon-walnut to represent land. Hands – polenta cooked in vegetable broth, cut with cookie cutter, mashed garlic broccoli (to make it vegan for my friend, I did not use cheese)
Contents: Sliced oranges, coconut-pecan-date balls
My Dad ate this potato and cream cheese penguin for lunch. He did not know what it was supposed to be but he said it tasted great. Both my Mom and Dad independently turned the lunch around and though it was a dolphin.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Penguin – blue mashed potato cut with a cookie cutter, cream cheese, Eye – dried blueberry, peas
Top Right: Macadamia nuts
Bottom Right: Blackberries
I made this easy lunch for myself. I also ate the waffle scraps not shown in this photo.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Top Left: Greek yogurt with sprinkles
Bottom Left: Walnuts
Right Side: Waffle cut with a cookie cutter, radish slices
I consider this blog my scrapbook of the past 9.5 years. I made this lunch for myself to represent this time in history. A year ago I owned no masks and now I have many.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Mask Emoji – cooked Nishiki rice pressed into a round emoji cookie cutter, cheddar cheese broiled on top of rice. Eyes and eyebrows – spinach. Mask – cheddar cheese, spinach leaves
Top Right: Hazelnuts
Bottom Right: Clementine
I made this snowy lunch for myself. So far this year we have less snow than usual.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Snowflakes – cream cheese piped (imprint in potato with cookie cutter, cut corner off of small plastic bag and pipe shapes, blue mashed potato
Top Right: Macadamia nuts
Bottom Right: Blackberries
I made this simple meal for myself. Happy New Year!
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: 2021 – Carrot (cut with cookie cutters), rice with peas and cheese
Top Right: Mixed nuts
Bottom Right: Pomegranate seeds
I am happy to share my favorite bento meals from the year.
I made this Daisy Vegetable Potato Salad for my friend Carol.
This Cheese Helicopter over a blue potato sky was for myself.
My friend Renae ate this Cheese Witch flying over a lentil sky.
I enjoyed this Tooth Pizza meal.
I made this Woodland Snack lunch for my Mom.
I enjoyed this Day of the Dead sugar skull rice.
I made this cute Cheddar Fox meal for my Mom.
I enjoyed this Carrot Eiffel Tower meal.
My Mom enjoyed this polenta and cream cheese Owl.
My Dad ate this mushroom themed lunch.
Happy New Year! May your 2021 include delicious and attractive food.
I love the song, Carol of the Bells. This year it was my inspiration for Christmas dinner. When I first told my Mom the theme, she seemed confused but planned beautiful table decor. I made the menu cards and we used bell napkin rings that I made for this dinner. We played various versions of Carol of the Bells during our courses.
We decided to space out the courses throughout the day. It was fun that my niece who was not able to join us, figured out the spacing since my Mom sent her a photo after each course.
Cracking and eating nuts at the end of the meal is a family tradition. We used a historical wooden nut bowl that I remember from my Grandmothers house when I was a child.
Hark How the Bells
Onion Rings with Sour Cream Ranch Dip
Sweet Silver Bells
Pumpkin Ricotta Cocoa Ravioli with Pecans, Blue Cheese, and Brown Butter
Bringing Good Cheer
Leek Potato Galette with Pistachio Crust
Merry Christmas
Lemon Cake with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Nuts
My critique of the meal:
I liked having my Dad’s onion rings as a course. He made them so it gave me time to do other things. This was my first time making bell shaped cocoa ravioli. I was concerned that my Mom would not like it. Both of my parents loved the ravioli. I was on the fence about them. But I thought they looked beautiful especially with the combo of the brown ravioli and orange pumpkin filling. We all enjoyed the Leek Potato Galette with Pistachio Crust. The cake was delicious. My Mom made it in 6 inch pans and frosted it. She used Raspberry Jam from France. My only contribution to the cake were the decorations. I wrote “Merry Christmas” in leftover frosting dyed green (snipped the corner off a zip lock bag), and used mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, and raspberries. My Dad made cappuccino which is always appreciated. It was a special meal.
We decided on a Snowman theme for our traditional Christmas breakfast table this year. I love the snowball lights my Mom found! This was at least our second time making a citrus snowman but this year was the best. I made the chocolate hat and my Mom did everything else. A wooden skewer holds the grapefruit, orange and clementine together.
This year we did something we never did before. You don’t have to have children around to have fun. We wore matching pajamas.
I don’t know when I first started making Pig Scones but it could have been as long as 1992. I make them most years but I don’t usually blog it. Including this year, the pig scones are in three blog posts – 2014, 2018, 2020.
Traditional Christmas Breakfast
Roasted Potatoes with Dijon Dip
For lunch on one of the days before Christmas we had a beautiful and delicious soup.
Tree Wonton Crackers – we used olive oil and fresh herbs instead of pesto
I was fortunate to spend 5 days at my parents house for Christmas this year. When my Mom and I planned the meals, she wanted to have themed nights celebrating different countries. My Mom planned the tablescapes for each of the meals. My parents researched traditional Christmas celebrations in each country. It inspired the table decorations. Also they prepared fun facts about the holiday celebrations. The table decorations were special and added to the atmosphere. The German wooden winter pyramid was a huge hit. We delighted in watching the scene spin around from the heat of the candles.
The first night was inspired by France.
French Onion Soup with Homemade French Bread
The second night was inspired by Italy.
Broccoli with Garlic
Italian Cookies from Carlo’s Bakery
The third night was inspired by Germany.
Red Cabbage (we reduced the sugar and increased the vinegar)
Toasted Pecan, Coconut and Chocolate Clusters
The three of us enjoyed our holiday meals this year. We made it special and it was memorable.
I made this pesto pizza tree for myself. It was delicious!
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Tree – homemade pizza dough cut with a cookie cutter, pesto, Star- yellow bell pepper cut with a mini cutter
Top Right: Hazelnuts
Bottom Right: Cotton Candy Green Grapes
I continued my challenge to find ways to use my angel cookie cutters.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Angel – cooked and mashed carrots inside an angel cut-out (cookie cutter), cheddar mashed potatoes
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Angels – mango cut with a cookie cutter, blueberries
Continuing my popular series of themed potato salad, here are some angels.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Angels – orange cheddar, white roasted potato, yellow bell pepper cut with a cookie cutter. Face – paprika (put on with a toothpick)
Top Right: Pumpkin Seeds
Bottom Right: Angels – melon cut with a cookie cutter, Face – cocoa power (put on with a toothpick)
I made this angel lunch for my Mom. As usual, she enjoyed the meal!
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Angels – Cheddar cheese, tortellini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, black olives, olive oil and red wine vinegar
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Raspberries, blackberries
This year my parents came for Thanksgiving. We shared the same food and ate together virtually with my friend Carol. I delivered the food to Carol and gave her instructions to cook the main course the same time I cooked ours. I am glad that she lives nearby. I was distracted by actually having people at my place and I forgot to bring the wellington sauce to Carol. It worked out fine. I drove it over to her between courses and it gave my parents time to talk to her without me around.
Table: I borrowed my Mom’s plates, place mats and napkins. (I sent a place mat, and napkin with cornucopia ring over to Carol with the food. She used her families China.) My Mom made the flower arrangement. She filled her ceramic pumpkin with fresh flowers. I bought and used the cornucopia napkin rings in NYC in 1999. This may have only been my second time to use them since my family did not remember them.
Appetizer: Corn Fritters with Maple Syrup (This is an old family favorite.)
Vegetable Course: Sweet Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts (I used mild Wegmans creamy blue cheese.)
Main Course: Vegetable Wellington (I used assorted bell pepper, zucchini, and asparagus. I put the vegetables, goat cheese, and homemade pesto in store bought puffed pastry cut into rectangles that I folded over), Citrus Beurre Blanc sauce
Dessert: No Bake Pumpkin Mousse Pie (I made these individual in bowls with the crust on the bottom), Apple Crisp in Oatmeal Cookie Cup
My critique of the meal: I think that all involved enjoyed this in-person / virtual meal. I enjoy doing virtual meals. The sweet potato vegetable course was a huge hit! It was a wonderful combination and I am sure I will make it again. It was my first time making candied nuts. They were easy to make and delicious. I think this was my third time making this vegetable wellington but the first time making it individual. It enjoyed making it this way. I think I was the only one who did not like the apple filling for the oatmeal cookie cups. We all liked the cookie cups.
I made this Turkey themed cheese quesadilla for my Dad. I was inspired by this.
Body: Apple
Eyes: Raisins
Nose: Carrot (attached with spaghetti)
Feet: Carrot
Feathers: Cheddar cheese quesadilla, carrot sticks
This year I made a gingerbread castle for Sweet Creations at the Eastman Museum. I used a slightly smaller board (14 x 16) and created an easier to assemble design. In the past I relied on an extra pair of hands from friends. Because I am limiting time I spend with people indoors, I did it alone. I had a wonderful time! When my castle was done, I wished I could actually go and visit it and walk on the bridge.
Gingerbread Recipe: I used this recipe.
Royal Icing Recipe: I love using this recipe which uses Meringue Powder. It hardens fast and in works very well.
Castle Flat Roof – Red sanding sugar attached with royal icing
Turret Roof: Ice cream cone with Wrigley’s Spearmint gum shingles (cut with cookie cutter)
Flags: Gum painted with red food coloring, linguini poles
Tower: Round gingerbread cookies (cut with a cookie cutter), glue cookies with royal icing, wrap in fondant, roll stone texture roller over fondant. Larger gingerbread cookie round on top of tower – decorated with green balls.
Wreaths: Royal icing dyed green, piped with pastry bag, small red round decorations
Doors: Gingerbread with red decorating balls
Present: Peppermint candies with red fondant bow
Bridge – Gingerbread covered with strips of brown fondant, holes made with toothpick.
Cables: Shoestring licorice
Brackets for Cables: Black fondant
Pillars: Spearmint leaves
Dragon Body: Red fondant
Dragon Wings: Used swan wings mold
Dragon Eyes: black fondant
Castle Land: Rice Krispie Treats (2 batches pressed separately into a Springform pan, glued to base and to each other with royal icing
Snow Covered Land: White fondant, royal icing, unsweetened coconut
Rocks Around Land: Royal icing and assorted candy stones
Swans: White fondant, Black Paste Food Coloring, swan wings mold
Moat: Royal icing with blue sanding sugar
Ice Around Moat: Rock candy pieces
Windows: Black fondant
Candles: White gum, Sour Streamers
Stone Walls – I used a stone texture roller on dough before baking, after assembling castle, I sprayed the castle with edible glitter. Caution: I would not recommend using edible glitter. A lot of glitter gets into the air and you could breathe in edible glitter.
New techniques I tried this year: Rice Krispie Treats, created a fondant dragon, fine coconut for snow piles, icing wreaths with pastry bag, edible glitter, towers (I tried baking two different types until I ended up using cookies covered with fondant.)
My Gingerbread Collection: Go here to see most of my gingerbread creations.
For the 4th year in a row, I made gingerbread for the Eastman Museum’s Sweet Creations gingerbread show. Things are different this year because of COVID-19. The museum allowed less gingerbread creations. I received a letter in August inviting me to participate because of my history with the show. All of the pieces have gallery covers. For the first time, the auction to benefit the museum is now online. Go here to see all of the creations and to place a bid. To see the gingerbread in person, visit the Eastman Museum by December 13. Reservations are required.
Here is a sampling of some of my favorite gingerbread creations from this year.
I made this for my friend Carol on a summer evening we had dinner in her yard. When I make themed pizza, I like to make several themes at once. I gave this to her as planned leftovers for the next day.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Sheep – homemade pizza dough, cut with a cookie cutter, sharp cheddar cheese, Eye – pistachio, Feet – black olive attached with piece of spaghetti, pistachios
Top Right: Flowers – radish cut with a mini cutter, broccoli
Bottom Right: Sheep – apple cut with a cookie cutter (dipped in water with lemon juice to prevent browning), blackberries
I made this salsa rice Daruma for myself for a workday lunch.
Container: U Konserve
Contents: Daruma – Nishiki rice mixed with a little salsa shaped with plastic wrap, cheddar cheese, radish, spinach, grape tomatoes, blueberries, edamame
I made this odd looking Tanuki meal for myself. I am fond of Tanuki; the animal and folklore versions.
Container: Wooden box purchased in Kyoto at Bento&co.
Contents: Tanuki – homemade firm polenta cut with a Teddy Bear cookie cutter, spinach, black sesame seeds, radish, carrot cheddar cheese, black beans with salsa
Happy Halloween ! This is my collection of Halloween themed meals.
JACK-O-LANTERN
Mashed Potatoes Jack-O-Lantern
Orange Jack-O-Lantern with Fruit
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Jack-O-Lantern
Potato Blintzes Jack-O-Lanterns
Polenta Jack-O-Lantern
GHOST
WITCH
CANDY CORN
BAT
Peanut Butter Chocolate Bat Sandwich
BOO
SPIDER
Black Beans and Sweet Potato Spider Web
BLACK CAT
SKULL
FRANKENSTEIN
Cheese Frankenstein
TRICK-OR-TREATING
I made this lunch for myself on the same day I made the Mushroom meal for my Dad.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Frankenstein – cheese cut with a cookie cutter, painted with food coloring and water, paprika details put on with a toothpick, Brown Rice and Wild Rice Pecan Stuffing (I used vegetable stock.)
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Blackberries
I made this pumpkin polenta lunch for myself. The smiling pumpkins made me smile.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Jack-o-lantern – homemade polenta made firm, cool on a plate, cut polenta with a cookie cutter, imprint face details with a cookie cutter, Eyes and Mouth – cut spinach, lima beans
Top Right: Hazelnuts
Bottom Right: Jack-o-lanterns – cantaloupe cut with a cookie cutter, melted chocolate faces (cut the corner off of a snack size plastic bag)
I made this for my friend Renae on a night we meet for an outdoor dinner and walk. She likes Halloween and is used to my making themes ahead so she did not question that it was the end of August.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Witch – white cheddar cheese lightly painted with food coloring and water, Moon – orange cheddar cheese, lentils cooked in broth, black beans, carrot stars (cut with mini cutter), Asiago cheese and fresh spinach leaves (under the lentils)
Top Right: Pumpkins – cinnamon sugar homemade tortilla chips (cut flour tortilla with cookie cutter, brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.)
Bottom Right: Cantaloupe and Blackberries
I made this fun and colorful lunch for myself.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Sugar Skull – Nishiki rice shaped by hand with plastic wrap, broil cheddar cheese on top then decorate. Eyes – spinach cut with a cookie cutter. Nose – radish cut with a cookie cutter, Teeth – almond slices, peas
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Mango and blueberries
I made this meal for myself on the same night I made this for my friend.
Container: U Konserve
Contents: Horses – Nishiki rice shaped with a horse shaped rice mold, Sriracha flavored sesame seeds, Asian Cabbage Salad (I did not use cilantro)
I am thrilled that I now know how to make homemade tortellini! I made pumpkin tortellini for dinner with my parents at their Lake House. When researching how to make it I found directions for squares or circles. I decided on circles. It was actually quite easy to make and delicious!
Dough: I made my favorite pasta dough and cut it with a round fluted cutter.
Filling: Roasted pumpkin mashed, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, pepper. I followed these directions to form the tortellini shapes.
Sauce: Brown Butter Sage Sauce
Garnish: Maple Pumpkin Seeds
Spinach Salad: Spinach, apples, toasted walnuts, blue cheese with a Dijon vinaigrette (Dijon, vinegar, olive oil)
Awhile ago, I had some leftover dill cheese and thought it would be fun to make elephants. I enjoyed eating this simple meal.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Elephants – Dill Havarti cheese cut with a cookie cutter, Eyes – smoked paprika, brown rice, purple cauliflower (CSA)
Top Right: Hazelnuts
Bottom Right: Elephant – honeydew melon cut with a cookie cutter, mini chocolate chip
When I was a child, a friend’s grandparents had peacocks. For a long time, I had a beautiful peacock feather that they gave me. I am a little surprised that this is my first time making a peacock out of food. It was a concept on my mind for a long time. I made this peacock quesadilla for my Mom’s lunch.
Peacock Body: Zucchini (a different type from my CSA)
Feet and Beak: Carrot
Eye: Dried blueberry
Feather on Head: Parsley
Feathers: Spinach Garlic Pesto tortilla quesadilla with cheddar cheese, carrot, pimento stuffed green olive slices attached with spaghetti
I made this lunch for my Dad. There was no reason for the theme other than my continued quest to use new cookie cutters. I did not realize that he prefers red grapes to green so he shared some with my Mom.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Cactus – Havarti dill cheese, tortellini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, black olives, olive oil and red wine vinegar
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Green Grapes
As part of my CSA share, I can pick 2 pecks of apples from their orchard. When I checked-in to get my apple bag, the woman said, “Have fun!” It was my first time apple picking solo. I took some photos and enjoyed myself on a beautiful day with loaded apple trees. It was easy picking.
I asked my parents what they wanted me to make with some apples. My Dad wanted an apple pie with a lattice top. We made the pie together at their Lake House. I made a basic pie crust, my parents peeled the apples with this, my Mom then cut the slices in half and plumped some raisins. I sprinkled the apples with some cinnamon and nutmeg. We did not use any sugar. I made a lattice crust and decorated with braids and some leaves cut with a cookie cutter. After about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven, we had a beautiful pie.
This was for my friend Deborah on a night we had dinner in her garden. She made delicious fruit popsicles for dessert.
Container: Wooden box purchased in Kyoto at Bento&co.
Contents: Rice balls Nishiki rice shaped with a cookie cutter and plastic wrap, black sesame seeds, Asian Cabbage Salad (I did not use cilantro)
Earth (Tree): cucumber cut with a cookie cutter
Wind (Cloud): radish cut with a cookie cutter
Water (Water Droplet): purple carrot cut with a cookie cutter
Fire (Fire): radish cut with a cookie cutter
Happy Fall! This is my collection of Fall / Autumn themed meals.
PUMPKIN
Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling
Pumpkin Rice with Cinnamon Pumpkin Stencil
Sweet Potato, Bell Pepper, Cheese Pumpkins
FALL LEAVES
Cheese Dog Playing in Carrot Leaves
Falling Leaves Painting on Quesadilla
SQUIRRELS
OWL
MUSHROOMS
Cheese, Apple, Marinated Mushrooms
APPLE
Apple Pie with Caramel and Walnuts
I was inspired by the art of Tanya Marcuse to take this photo in my Mom’s rock garden.
When I see mushrooms I think of many things, but one is my Dad and his stuffed mushrooms. I don’t like mushrooms but my Dad is known for his delicious stuffed mushrooms. It is a popular winter holiday food for my family. Since I don’t eat mushrooms, I rarely cook with them but I have made sauteed mushrooms with butter and mushroom soup. I made this lunch for my Dad. This was my first time making marinated mushrooms. I was told that they were delicious.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Mushrooms – cheddar cheese cut with cookie cutters, paprika details, Brown Rice and Wild Rice Pecan Stuffing (I used vegetable stock.)
Top Right: Mushrooms – apple cut with cookie cutters, dipped in water with lemon juice to prevent browning, then sprinkled with cinnamon, frozen blueberries
Bottom Right: Marinated mushrooms
I made this lunch for my Mom. She enjoys honey cream cheese with nuts and she also likes owls. She ate this meal at her Lake House. I should have taken a photo of the new wallpaper in the laundry room. It has owls.
Container: Wooden box purchased in Kyoto at Bento&co.
Contents: Owl – polenta cut with a cookie cutter then frosted with a mixture of cream cheese and honey, Eyes – cucumber with dried blueberries, Ears – sliced almond, Beak – carrot, Body – sliced almonds and pecans, lettuce (CSA)
I made this meal for my friend Renae. I drew sheep when I was a kid, she drew dinosaurs. I enjoyed making a dino meal for her. We had an outdoor dinner at my place, then we went for a long walk in my neighborhood. It was a beautiful September evening and wonderful to connect in person!
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Dinosaurs – cheddar cheese cut with a cookie cutter, Snow Pea and Tomato Pasta salad
Top Right: Dinosaur – apple cut with an imprint cookie cutter, dipped in water with lemon to prevent browning then sprinkled with cinnamon, blackberries
Bottom Right: French bread
I made this tortellini lunch for myself. The cute cloud boxes and cloud shaped cheese elevated the meal to make it more special. I often think that I should make more cute food for myself but most of the time the fun meals I make are for special people in my life.
Container: Cloud box from Japan (set of 3)
Large Box: Clouds – cheddar cut with cookie cutters, tortellini, cherry tomatoes, spinach, black olives, olive oil and red wine vinegar
Medium Box: Green grapes
I made this hands and feet themed lunch for myself in my quest to to use some cookie cutters for the first time.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Hand and Foot – polenta, pesto
Top Right: Almonds, Walnuts
Bottom Right: Hand and Foot – melon, frozen blackberries
I made this meal for my friend Deborah on an evening we ate dinner in her garden. When I asked for theme ideas, she said planets/space. I enjoyed using my Saturn cookie cutter for the first time.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Saturn – sweet potato cut with a cookie cutter then roasted, black beans, corn, tomato, lime vinaigrette
Top Right: Stars – radish cut with a mini cutter, olive tapenade (I didn’t use the capers and used ordinary black olives)
Bottom Right: Blackberries and pistachios
Mini Dippers: Stars – flour tortilla cut with a cookie cutter, brush tortilla stars with olive oil, place on cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
I made this spaceship meal for myself with the same ingredients as the planet bento for Deborah. Most of the friends I showed this photo to did not know what it is supposed to be.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Spaceship – sweet potato cut with a cookie cutter then roasted, black beans, corn, tomato, lime vinaigrette
Top Right: Stars – radish cut with a mini cutter, olive tapenade (I didn’t use the capers and used ordinary black olives)
Bottom Right: Blackberries and pistachios
Mini Dippers: Stars – flour tortilla cut with a cookie cutter, brush tortilla stars with olive oil, place on cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp.
I made this for my friend Carol on an evening when we ate in her garden. It is pizza that is supposed to look like watermelon. Another friend and my Mom both said that it does not look like watermelon, it looks like pizza.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Left Side: Watermelon – homemade pizza dough, pesto, Asiago, tomato sauce, black olives
Top Right: Pistachios
Bottom Right: Watermelon
I made this cheesy moose for my Mom to enjoy at her Lake House. As usual she smiled when I gave it to her.
Container: EasyLunchBoxes
Top: Moose – hot cooked Nishiki rice press into a cookie cutter with plastic wrap, carefully push rice out of cookie cutter, cheddar cheese broiled on top in toaster oven, eye – hazelnut skin, peas
Bottom Left: Cherries
Bottom Right: Hazelnuts
