One of the bento groups that I follow is Bento Challenge over at livejournal.  Every Saturday (in theory, sometimes she misses one), she posts a theme for the week, and the community of posters puts up pictures of thier bentos in that theme.  So far I have only posted one, which was for the “Under the Sea” theme back before the trip to California.

The mermaid on the tinted rice in the left tier came out very pretty, but her components aren’t exactly in keeping with the rest of the flavors (she is bologna, cheeses and snow peas).  The coral is bell peppers.  On the right is a spinach salad, a grape tomato skewer, and shrimp and clams (in keeping with the under the sea theme).  The sea stars are from a recipe I picked up at Family Fun.

Crispy Cheese Stars

 

Flour tortillas 

Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or mozzarella) 

Chili powder or paprika 

2 Star Cookie Cutters, in graduated size

 

Heat the oven to 350°. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out stars from flour tortillas (about 5 per 10-inch tortilla). It’s easy for kids to do if you use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cutter. Bake the stars on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes.  Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of cheese stars from the sliced cheese and place them atop the tortilla ones. Bake the stars for 2 more minutes or so until the cheese melts.  Sprinkle the stars with chili powder or paprika and let them cool before serving.

 

Instead of chili powder or paprika, I used a furikake seasoning on some of the stars.  It gave them a more rugged-y appearance, I thought.  Plus, the seaweed fit with the theme. 😉

 

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”  ~Abraham Lincoln


Posted by in Bento, Cooking