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Category: Bento Friendly

Bagel Bear Bento

Bagel Bear Bento

Adorable bears made from half bagel, cheese, nori, and washi tape on stick.  I see sausage/hot dog cut into flower, hard boiled egg, and something i don’t recognize.  My kids would probably gag over the black rye bagel, but a single color is doable.  So cute!

Lamb in a Field Bento

Lamb in a Field Bento

Cuteobento posted back in the height of flickr and never had a blog (at least not in english) that I ever could find, so no idea whats all in there!

We can see cabbage, and cherry tomato and a nice blanket of egg sheet, but it was the color and egg sheet field decor that I liked anyway —

I love how she thinly sliced pea pod as the leaves, simple cuts in the sausage / hot dog rounds as flowers, and of course the cloud shaped cheese becomes a lamb with a few bits of nori.

Teriyaki Chicken Brown Rice Bowl

Teriyaki Chicken Brown Rice Bowl

Teriyaki Chicken Brown Rice Bowl

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

1/4 cup ginger wine

1 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs (approximately 600g)

2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 large carrot, peeled and spiralised

1 bunch Chinese broccoli, trimmed, chopped into bite sized pieces

1 cup frozen soy beans, thawed

1/4 cup pickled ginger

2 spring onions, julienned

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1 cup brown rice, cooked (to serve)

1 tsp. Japanese rice seasoning (bonito and nori furikake), optional (to serve)

 

In a medium mixing bowl, combine soy, mirin, ginger wine, sugar, sesame oil and garlic together, stirring to combine. Add chicken thighs, cover and marinate for 30 minutes. Heat a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the chicken and marinade, cover and cook for 15 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through. Remove the chicken from pan and set aside. Increase heat to medium high and reduce marinade by two-thirds until it thickens slightly. Steam Chinese broccoli for 2-3 minutes, or until tender To serve, combine cooked rice and furikake together in a small mixing bowl, stirring until combined. Divide between four serving bowls. Top each bowl of rice with one sliced chicken thigh and a ¼ of each carrot, steamed broccoli, soy beans, pickled ginger, spring onion and sesame seeds. To finish drizzle over the teriyaki sauce.

Lion Bento

Lion Bento

I used to love those little round metal tins of pastillines candies!  Seems like you could get single flavors or citrus or mixes.  They were small bits of hard candy.  Ahhhhh

Anyway…

Sandwiches, cheeses, ham, nori

mini hotdogs

Corn (looks like a quarter mini cob), broccoli

meat patties

 

Hello Kitty Chinese Dragon

Hello Kitty Chinese Dragon

This may be my favorite sherimiya bento ever.  I always love her use of color, but look at the backwards pick used for the tail.  genius!

Ravioli, cheese, nori,

strawberry, blueberries

mandarin, cucumber, sugar snap pea

Smiling Daisies Bento

Smiling Daisies Bento

Are those smiling daisies cheese or egg sheets?  I don’t know!  I found out!

Hamburger patty

Squash

broccoli, tomato.

“My lunch has one teriyaki hamburger patty cut in half, a small sprig of steamed broccoli sliced in half, a piece of simmered kabocha that I sliced up and fanned out, and a baby Roma tomato cut in half for some red.

I think I mentioned before how the baby Romas are almost gone and it seems like ever since I said that, the basket just doesn’t empty! *sigh* I think I have about six more to go. For the flowers, I cooked a bit of egg substitute on low heat, then cut out the flowers with one of my sandwich cutters. The middles are simply sliced baby carrot. I didn’t even need to use a straw, I simply cut two thin slices off a thick carrot and added the nori faces.”

Double Baked Root Vegetable Chips

Double Baked Root Vegetable Chips

Double Baked Root Vegetable Chips

Nonstick Cooking Spray

2 Sweet Potatoes, Purple Beets or Golden Beets, peeled (or a combination)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two large baking sheets with cooking spray.   Use a mandoline to slice vegetables 1/16 inch thick. If using beets, place slices between layers of paper towels and press firmly to remove excess liquid. Arrange slices in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Spray tops of vegetables with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake 10 minutes. Remove and let stand 5 minutes.

Return baking sheets to oven. Bake 4 to 8 minutes more; check for doneness every minute after 4 minutes. Chips are done when centers no longer look wet. Cool chips on paper towels 5 minutes to crisp. Store cooled chips in an airtight container up to 24 hours. If necessary, recrisp chips in a 325°F oven 3 to 4 minutes.

Teddies Bento

Teddies Bento

Here she has coated the teddy onigiri with some flakes of katsuo bushi  after tinting the rice light brown with soy sauce. Under them is some chicken for support, the rest was sliced there.

Strawberry/carrot flowers

Tamagoyaki

Broccoli, carrot stars

 

Heart “Pizza” Bento

Heart “Pizza” Bento

Looks like mini “pizzas” from puff pastry perhaps.

Grapes, strawberry, orange slices

Looks like some grape tomatoes tucked in

There are perhaps some of that pink fishy stuff in there.

Little piggy Baran piece.

She makes such uncluttered and pretty bentos.

Color Contrasts Bento

Color Contrasts Bento

I love the colors here, something about it is very striking.  I bought a pan to try and master that rolled omelet.

Tamagoyaki

Peppers stuffed with …. cheese mixture?

Greens

Rice with Grape Tomato

Teeny Grapes

Car Ride Bento

Car Ride Bento

Cherry tomatoes turned into balloon and cherries with the picks

grapes

Broccoli

Sandwich Car, sausage, cheese, nori, and perhaps ham

Smiling Egg Bento

Smiling Egg Bento

In perusing bentos, I have noticed a lot of eggs in this or similar state.  I have never contemplated sending a sunny side up egg in a lunch box.  Not even sure it felt/feels safe.  But it is an adorable little sunny face with its nori smile and crab stick cheeks!  Mushroom looks easy enough with cheese and cold cut like salami.  I also see some mushrooms, crab sticks, a dumpling, and what is that vegetable?  I thought it was okra, but now I am not sure, and I’m not sure how its cooked in that coating.

Tonkatsu Bento

Tonkatsu Bento

Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet).  You can buy tonkatsu sauce or make an approximation with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.

Rice

Salad, Broccoli, Yellow Tomato, Cherry Tomato, Radish

Dressing

Tuna Cakes

Tuna Cakes

Tuna Cakes

Roasted Red Pepper Dressing (enclose if container isn’t air /water tight)

Celery, Carrots, Tomato Chunks

Rosemary Raisin Crisps

Beefy Hand Pies

Beefy Hand Pies

Beefy Hand Pies

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 slice white bread, crusts removed

1/4 pound ground beef

1 T. ketchup

2 T. freshly grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to season

One 7.5 ounce store bought refrigerated piecrust

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

Put the oil in a small frying pan, add the onion, and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme and set aside. Put the bread in a food processor and whiz into crumbs. Add the sautéed onion, beef, ketchup, and parmesan, plus salt and pepper to taste and whiz again to combine.  Preheat the oven to 400’f. Roll out the piecrust to 1/6 inch and trim into two rectangles about 7 x 5 inches. Halve the meat mixture and roll into two 7 inch sausages. Put one in the center of each rectangle and brush the edges of the crust with the egg. Roll the pastry over the meat to enclose it, and cut each roll into two pieces with a sharp knife (wipe the knife between each cut), crimp the open ends of each with a fork to seal. Put the pies on a baking sheet, seam side down. Cut decorations, such as hearts or stars, from the left over piecrust. Brush the pies with the egg and attach the decorations, then brush the decorations with the egg.  Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Use a thin spatula to transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool. They are most delicious served warm but can be served cold. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Suitable for freezing, unbaked, for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.

 

From Top 100 Finger Foods

Beef Shiso Wraps

Beef Shiso Wraps

Beef Shiso Wraps

25-35 Korean shiso leaves

1 lb, ground beef

2 T. fresh chopped lemongrass

1/4 onion, chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

2 tsp. oyster sauce

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. flour

Some fresh ground pepper

Oil

Sweet Chili Sauce

for the sweet chili sauce: Mix 1:1:1:1 fish sauce, vinegar, water, and fish sauce with some chopped garlic cloves and a dribble of Sriracha sauce.  Set your oven to broil. Rinse the shiso leaves and pat dry with a paper towel. Snip a little bit of the steam off, but not too much. You’ll be needing some of the stem to wrap the meat. Combine beef, onions, lemongrass, curry powder, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl. Place your leaf shiny side down, and sprinkle some flour. Take about 2 T. or more the meat mixture and roll into a little sausage. Place it on the pointy end of the leaf, and carefully roll up. When you reach the end, take the stem and jab it into the leaf to seal. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Place the rolls stem side down and broil for 4 minutes. Then flip it over and broil for another 4 minutes. Wrap in sunny lettuce leaves and dip in sweet chili sauce.

Jicama Sticks

Jicama Sticks

1 red or sweet onion, finely chopped
1 C. cold water
¾ tsp. salt
¼ C. extra-virgin olive oil
2½ tsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1½ lbs. jicama, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1/3 C. finely chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps: Soak onion in water with ½ tsp. of the salt, 15 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Whisk together oil, lime juice, sugar, remaining ¼ tsp. of the salt and pepper in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Add onion, jicama and cilantro. Toss well. Nutrition information per serving: 97 calories, 62 percent of calories from fat, 7g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 222 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

Pickled Radishes (makes about 2 pints)

Pickled Radishes (makes about 2 pints)

2 lb. radishes (about 2 bunches), tops and roots removed, scrubbed and cut into 1/8 in rounds
1/4 C. plus 1/4 tsp. pure kosher salt
1 1/2 C. 5% white vinegar
1 T. salt
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds

Combine 1/4 C. salt with 2 1/2 C. water. Stir to dissolve (warm water helps). Put radish rounds into a bowl and pour salt water over. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse. In a large 6-8 quart pot, combine vinegar, sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and spices. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Add radishes and return to a boil. Remove from heat. Pack hot canning jars loosely with radishes and brine. Leave 1/2 in headspace. Process jars in water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from water bath and leave jars undisturbed for at least 12 hours. Check if jars are sealed. Label sealed jars and store.

Prosciutto and Fresh Mozzarella Crostinis with Basil Oil

Prosciutto and Fresh Mozzarella Crostinis with Basil Oil

1 baguette, sliced on the bias about 3/4″ thick
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 slices prosciutto
Basil Oil (Below)

Grill or toast the baguette slices if desired. Pour a little basil oil down on a plate. Place grilled baguette slice on plate, layer mozzarella and then prosciutto on top. Insert baguette into mouth, bite, chew, and understand what all the fuss is about.

Basil Oil

1 bunch basil, stems removed (about 1 C.?)
1/2 C. oil – this is one instance where using a canola or vegetable or other unflavored oil might be better than olive oil so that it doesn’t drown out the flavor of the basil

Boil a pot of water. Put basil in for 30 seconds. Take basil out, rinse under cold water. Pat dry (important!), add basil and oil into blender. I had to add in a little more oil than pictured below. Salt and pepper to taste while blending!

Ham & Cheese Pinwheels

Ham & Cheese Pinwheels

ham-and-cheese-pinwheels-recipe

1 package cooked deli meat ham {about 6-8 slices}
1/4 package of Cream Cheese, softened
1 T. mustard
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls (or use your own dough)
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 green onions {sliced}

Unroll crescent roll dough into 1 large sheet, use a rolling pin if needed. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and mustard. Spread mixture onto the surface of the dough. Place ham on top of the cream cheese mixture and then top with mozzarella cheese and green onions. Starting at one side of the dough, roll until you have one large log roll. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1-2 inch sections and place onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 14-18 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

The Gobbler

The Gobbler

turkey-sandwich-recipe-gobbler-11 croissant per sandwich
shaved deli turkey breast (I prefer honey roasted)
cream cheese
fresh tomato slices
avocado slices
shredded lettuce
salt and pepper, to taste

Slice the croissants in half. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese on the croissant, top with the tomatoes, turkeys, lettuce, and avocado. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bacon and Cheese Bread Quiches

Bacon and Cheese Bread Quiches

12 thin slices bread, crusts removed
butter, for spreading
12 slices ham
4 eggs, lightly whisked
½ cup (125ml) milk
1 cup (200g) ricotta
¾ cup (90g) cheddar

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Spread one side of the bread slices with butter and press into 12 x ½ cup-capacity (125ml) lightly greased muffin tins. Bake for 5–6 minutes or until just golden. Line each bread case with a slice of ham. Place the egg, milk, ricotta and cheddar in a bowl and mix well to combine. Pour the mixture into the bread cases and bake for 10–15 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Makes 12. Tip: You can freeze these quiches for up to 2 months. Place in the fridge to defrost and warm in a low oven.

Pizza Muffins

Pizza Muffins

Pizza_muffins3 cups (450g) self-raising (self-rising) flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ cups (180g) grated cheddar
150g ham, chopped
â…” cup (150g) chopped pineapple, drained
â…” cup (160ml) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 eggs
1 cup (250ml) milk
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the flour, baking powder, 1 cup (120g) cheese, ham and pineapple in a bowl and mix to combine. Place the oil, tomato paste, egg and milk in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Spoon into 12 x ½ cup-capacity (125ml) muffin tins and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Makes 12.

Yogurt Fruit Bars

Yogurt Fruit Bars

picdatokE1 1⁄2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (6 ounce) package mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped
1⁄3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt or 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 large egg
1⁄4 cup apple juice concentrate
2 tablespoons oil
nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add dried fruits and walnuts. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, egg, apple juice concentrate, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients until blended. Coat a 9 X 13-inch pan with vegetable spray, spread batter in pan. Bake 45-50 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 8 servings. Freeze in individual portions if desired.

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

3 eggs, lightly beaten 252628
1 cup vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups white sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 pint fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 4 mini-loaf pans. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gently fold in the blueberries. Transfer to the prepared mini-loaf pans. Bake 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center of a loaf comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes in pans, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Tomato Pizza Squares

Tomato Pizza Squares

2 slices soft bre4754_jpg-20150309013652~q80,dx720y432u1r1gg,c--ad
1/4 cup quick pizza sauce
2 slices fresh tomato, cut into quarters
2 slices cheese, cut into quarters (mozzarella, Monterey jack, etc)
8 small basil leaves

Preheat oven to 180°C conventional (or 160°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Remove crusts from bread. Cut each piece into 4 and spread each piece with tomato sauce. Top each piece with tomato and a square of cheese. Place onto a tray and into the oven until the cheese has melted (10-12 mins).  Add a basil leaf to each slice. Cool and wrap in foil.

How to Make Dog Bread

How to Make Dog Bread

Dog Breads

Make the dough from your favorite bread recipe, using a bread maker. Select DOUGH mode. When it’s done, push all the air out of the dough with your hands.  Divide it into 10 (if you make the dough with about 250g flour) and roll each into a ball. Cover with wet paper towels and rest for 15 minutes. Make each into an oval shape.  Cut with a knife to make the ears of the dogs, and let the dough rise until about double in size.  After the rise, make eyes and noses with black beans.  Bake for about 10 minutes at 400F.