For the 4th year in a row, I made gingerbread for the Eastman Museum’sSweet 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.
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 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
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.)
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.
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.)
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
Top Right: Mushrooms – apple cut with cookie cutters, dipped in water with lemon juice to prevent browning, then sprinkled with cinnamon, frozen blueberries
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!
Top Right: Dinosaur – apple cut with an imprint cookie cutter, dipped in water with lemon to prevent browning then sprinkled with cinnamon, blackberries
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Fresh “cake” made entirely from fruit is delicious, healthy, and fun to eat. Other years I made one from watermelon and honeydew. This year I made a beautiful “cake” with fresh cantaloupe. It was a tasty and beautiful dessert for my parents and myself at their Lake House.
Cake – fresh cantaloupe (slice off the top and bottom and cut off the skin with a knife), remove the seeds and then fill the melon with fresh blueberries
Decorations – fresh blueberries (giant and normal sized), cantaloupe flowers (cut with a cookie cutter), ricotta cheese. I attached the cantaloupe flowers and blueberries with toothpicks and warned the eaters that there were toothpicks in the food.
Left Side: Smile Emoji – Niishiki rice shaped with plastic wrap in a cookie cutter, Chrddar broiled on top (before putting in this box), Eyes – peas, Nose – hazelnut skin, Mouth – raspberry, frozen peas
I made this meal for myself. Recently I am fascinated with my potato vegetable salad series. I keep thinking about new ways to present this theme. Fresh cantaloupe makes cute crabs and is especially delicious this time of year.
Left Side: Crabs – Cheese (cut with a cookie cutter), paprika put on with a toothpick, roasted potatoes (cut with a cookie cutter), red bell pepper (cut with a cookie cutter), ricotta with dried basil and garlic powder
Top Right: Hazelnuts
Bottom Right: Crabs – melon with mini chocolate chip eyes
I made this lunch for my Dad. He did not know what it was supposed to be. I tried to make it look like the flag of Italy. Regardless, I was told that it was tasty.
Today is my birthday and I took the day off from work. My parents came to visit me today. They arrived in time for lunch and I made this for us. The flowers are birthday flowers from my parents.
My critique of the meal: This easy meal looked impressive and was delicious. All 3 of us enjoyed this meal. My Dad joked that the chocolate looked so good he thought it was plastic but he knew I would not serve something non-edible. The only thing I would change about this meal is the vinaigrette. I did not measure and my splash of vinegar was too much.
Butterflies – tortilla chips – flour tortillas cut with cookie cutters, (place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, brush with olive oil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp)
Butterfly – cucumber cut with a cookie cutter, hummus,
Butterfly – cantaloupe cut with a cookie cutter, watermelon,
I made this simple lunch for my Mom at her Lake House. It delighted her since it had been a long time since she had cream cheese and jam. I was not sure if she would like it since I don’t remember her giving it to me. I thought my Aunt made it when I was a kid.
I made this dragon themed meal at the request of my 18 year old niece. I am always asking people what theme or food they want and it makes me happy when they give requests.
Dragon – cheddar mashed potato with Kerrygold butter, milk, heavy cream, salt, cooled then cut with a cookie cutter, peas
Fire – carrot cut with a knife
Balls – cheddar mashed potato cooled then shaped into balls
I made this meal for myself. I like this potato salad recipe since it uses cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise. Green olives always remind me of my Grandfather. He loved them.
Hedgehogs – tortilla chips – flour tortillas cut with cookie cutters, (place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, brush with olive oil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp)
Moose – cantaloupe cut with a cookie cutter, watermelon
Today is my 9 year blogiversary! 9 years ago, I could not have imagined how much Eclectic Lamb would impact my life. Creating and sharing my creative food brings me so much joy! I look forward to many more years.
Container: Wooden box purchased in Kyoto at Bento&co.
Contents: 9 Years – carrot cut with cookie cutters, broccoli and cheese mashed potatoes, strawberries (from my CSA), blackberries, lettuce (from my CSA)
I made this gorilla themed lunch for my Dad. I questioned if it looked like a gorilla. When I gave this to my Dad I asked him if he knew the theme. He hesitantly said, elephant. I asked my Mom and 18 year old niece who were nearby and they said it did not look like a gorilla.
I was excited to find the baby bananas! In 2013 when I made this Jungle meal, I wanted to use baby bananas but could not find them. This was my first time buying them. My Dad did not want to try them at first but when he tried it he said it was slightly sweeter than normal size bananas. My Mom agreed. My 18 year old niece and I don’t eat bananas so we did not try but they looked adorable.
Left Side: Gorilla – cheddar mashed potatoes cut with a cookie cutter, smoked paprika, peas
Top Right: Palm trees – cucumber, carrot, over romaine
Bottom Right: Baby bananas
I made and photographed this meal at my parents Lake House. I think that this is the first time to take and share a behind the scenes photo of a photo shoot. It was such a beautiful day and location!
Left Side: Daisies – cheddar cheese, orange and yellow bell pepper, roasted potato (cut with cookie cutter), over a homemade pesto with fresh lemon juice
Top Right: Daisy – yellow bell pepper cut with a cookie cutter, celery with hummus
Bottom Right: Daisies – apple cut with a cookie cutter dipped in lemon juice and water to prevent browning with food coloring marker details, blackberries
Contents: Fish – carrot cut with cookie cutter, Fish – cantaloupe cut with a cookie cutter, watermelon, Turtles – tortilla chips – flour tortillas cut with cookie cutters, (place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, brush with olive oil and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp), Turtle – cucumber cut with a cookie cutter, hummus
My Mom, Dad, 18 year old niece, and I enjoyed a Red, White, and Blue themed meal at my parents Lake House on the 4th of July. Each of us contributed to the meal in some way. My Mom made the tomato sauce and decorated the table. My Dad cooked on the grill. My niece made the breadsticks. I made the white pesto and ice cream sundae’s.
Red, White & Blue Platter – tomato, fresh Mozzarella, grilled eggplant
Red, White & Blue Sundae – raspberry sauce, vanilla ice cream, blueberry sauce, fresh whipped cream, red and blue sanding sugar (berry sauce – frozen blueberries and raspberries each cooked with a little simple syrup – cornstarch to thicken)
My critique of the meal:
My Mom had paper American flags and as a last minute idea I stuck them in radishes. They were easy and looked cute. After the meal my Dad ate all of the radishes. It is already well-known that my Dad loves radishes. My Mom decorated the rest of the table. I would not make the white pesto again. It was not special enough for me. My 18 year old niece’s breadsticks were amazing. I shaped them (since I love working with bread dough) but she did everything else, including making and applying the delicious topping. It was my first time making a fruit sauce sundae. My Mom, Dad, and I loved it. The niece had chocolate which is her favorite.
In full disclosure, I am the only one that ate the meal as pictured. The others also had grilled hot dogs.
Eclectic Lamb 
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