tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60740790304855843662026-03-10T03:55:18.079-07:00This blog is all about FOOD! Recipes I've tried, bento lunches I've created, links to where you can learn more. Join me on this tasty journey!Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.comBlogger275125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-19639664195909922852025-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:002025-11-30T15:56:37.144-08:00

 Last night we were at the mall doing some Christmas shopping.  My son wanted to buy a soft pretzel.  It cost more than a week allowance.  I told him if he wanted, we could bake some when we got home.  "That's a thing?!" he was incredulous that we didn't bake them on the regular if this was in fact a thing that could be done.When we got home I searched up an easy recipe

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-13315442338074872722024-01-20T21:19:00.000-08:002024-01-20T21:19:10.010-08:00

Sometimes you just need a good cookie.  Whether you go crazy over chocolate drop cookies, like my husband does, or are more of a chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookie guy or gal (which my dad claims are clearly a breakfast food) there is just something about a cookie that hits the spot.  Nine times out of ten, I prefer a plain old chocolate chip cookie.I have been making

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-88249775993517195262024-01-19T08:43:00.000-08:002024-01-19T08:43:00.500-08:00

For whatever reason, I got it in my head that I wanted to make a chicken pot pie from scratch.I have only done this one other time that I could remember.  But I had seen what looked like a good recipe for a butter-free pie crust.  (Please be warned that Ben Starr uses language that is a bit salty in his videos on occasion.  His recipes, from what I have tried, are excellent.)I used

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-68478489135954482522024-01-18T10:13:00.000-08:002024-01-18T10:13:52.709-08:00

For a while now I have been on the hunt for a protein filled breakfast that my son would enjoy. His current favorite breakfast is a single pancake. I felt that we could do better for this growing boy. So I was elated when he tried a breakfast sandwich made from my homemade sourdough english muffins and pronounced it a winner. Awhile back, I had purchased this little doohicky in the

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-77596177641911324972024-01-17T11:23:00.000-08:002024-01-17T11:25:28.324-08:00

 This morning I awoke thinking of the lovely, complimentary omelette breakfasts we would have when we were traveling on points across Europe and Japan.  I've not made enough omelettes to really master it, so I looked up a recipe (which has much prettier pictures than mine, incidentally, if you are interested) and started chopping up ingredients.I placed three eggs in the bowl,added

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-13619911221476267722024-01-15T20:17:00.000-08:002024-01-15T20:17:22.495-08:00

Today I went back and made a recipe I think I only made one other time before: Sourdough English Muffins.  I printed out a hard copy of the original recipe I had gotten from another person's food blog.  And I pulled up my own last blog entry about this particular recipe.  I got out my starter and mixed up the dough. I placed a post-it note on there so I knew when it would be

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-26439779946481825252024-01-15T16:28:00.000-08:002024-01-15T16:28:17.557-08:00

One of my favorite meals is BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. I used to get them all the time when we would go to a restaurant.  Then I learned to make them at home using a dead simple recipe I found on AllRecipes.com. In 2009 I served this for Christmas and my brother Tony raved about it and kept going back for extra helpings. We have enjoyed this meal time and again since then, and today I am

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-55225634495309692482024-01-15T15:33:00.000-08:002024-01-15T16:37:27.125-08:00

Yesterday for dinner we had BBQ pulled pork on homemade Hawaiian Rolls.  I found the recipe for the rolls at I HEART eating.  Head over there for a printable version of the recipe, and instructions.Here are the ingredients I used:1 cup pineapple juice (plus 1/2 cup water - use 1 1/2 cup pineapple juice if you have it)4 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (original recipe calls for active dry)2/

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-60996598809313000102024-01-14T23:10:00.000-08:002024-01-15T16:54:36.547-08:00

Goodness, it's been a while. A few days ago I looked up my food blog and read through it again looking for a roll recipe I remembered enjoying. As I did, I felt both inspired to try some recipes again I haven't made in a long time, and also pleased at the progress I've made on my kitchen skills over the years. I am, it would seem, still "playing with my food." With no promises that I will be

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-63460116977862384912015-01-18T11:49:00.000-08:002015-01-18T11:49:01.056-08:00

Hey, look!  I still have a food blog.   Just sitting here on the Internet like a handy recipe book.  I got a comment on one of my posts recently and it got me thinking.  I still cook, people.  And I now have a nicer camera to take mouth-watering snapshots of my food.  Hmmm...  I should post something.   So here it is: Cinnamon Almonds. Have you

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-58925549755637988092013-11-11T16:11:00.000-08:002013-11-11T16:11:15.113-08:00

It is not very often that food makes it on to my "bucket list."  But I have always wanted to recreate the bean sprout-y, water chestnutty goodness of what I always think of as "chow mein."  Now, I have since learned that what that refers to is actually the noodles (fried in this case) but that is not the bit I like the best.  I like the vegetable goop that goes on top!  I love

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-74317077483186445912012-11-24T11:21:00.001-08:002012-11-24T11:21:57.573-08:00

This was a revelation to me.  I had never roasted a chicken before.  I started this post back in September when I actually cooked this particular bird, but I have done it since then too.  It is so easy!  I got my recipe off of The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog.  (Sometimes I think I would like to be Ree Drummond when I grow up - she cooks the most amazing things, takes

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-21944199350423760572012-10-13T10:07:00.002-07:002012-10-13T10:07:38.826-07:00

Making homemade pizza is a lot of fun.  If you haven't ever tried it, you should! First you make the dough, knead it, let it rise, punch it down and roll it out.  Here is what I put in this crust: 2 cups of all-purpose flour 2/3 cup very warm water 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp active dry yeast herbs and black pepper to taste I got that recipe here and the

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-16679188022456459962012-09-23T14:20:00.001-07:002012-09-23T14:20:33.668-07:00

Have I mentioned how I love this time of year?  Fresh veggies from my friend's and family member's gardens are pouring in to my kitchen.  The little tomatoes below are compliments of my sister-in-law.  Thanks! This bento contains: white steamed rice grilled chicken mini cookie cup BBQ dipping sauce black & white sesame seeds (garnish)  The little "cookie

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-32891646288110987262012-09-22T14:06:00.000-07:002012-09-23T14:09:12.733-07:00

You ever have those mornings where nothing sounds good?  Yeah.  Thursday was one of those mornings. I told myself, "You don't have to pack a bento.  Just grab whatever sounds appetizing."  The only thing I could come up with was waffles.  So I stuck two in a plastic bag.  But then, how was I going to bring my toppings? This is the resulting mini bento:

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-8923900608159445632012-09-19T21:44:00.001-07:002012-09-19T21:46:45.203-07:00

If you haven't jumped on the bento bandwagon yet, I am guessing you don't want to eat rice everyday. Or, you run through fast food for dinner on a regular basis, and don't have any extra McNuggets to make into a cute bento.  Fear not!  There are other options. I present for your consideration, today's bento: No leftovers, no rice.  A ham sandwich, some veggies and a little

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-21539641077695209862012-09-19T07:50:00.000-07:002012-09-23T14:22:21.424-07:00

So, last week I went to a Damarle at Home party at my friend Triann's house.  We ate the most delicious tacos, and saw how easy the product is to use, and how there is virtually no clean up.  I took the catalog home, and kept seeing this picture. I am at a very impressionable age.  So this is what we had for dinner.  I even borrowed a Damarle cupcake tray from my

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-77163216116336671952012-09-18T21:12:00.000-07:002012-09-18T21:12:12.889-07:00

Now that you know how to pack a bento lunch, I'd like to convince you how simple it really is.   Repeat after me:  Bento is easy! It really is.  If you are a person who  eats dinner    -and- owns a container to store leftovers in You can make a bento lunch! First step, eat dinner.  I went with Pineapple Pork Chops and rice:

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-23357625076292127332012-09-17T18:41:00.001-07:002012-09-23T14:24:41.787-07:00

After a number of my Facebook friends teasing me that I should come over and pack lunches for their children, and one indicating she was interested in starting to do this herself, I figured I would put together a simple "how to." Now, please know that you can use whatever foods appeal to you and your children.  For this little demo, I will try to stick pretty closely to the 1/3 carbs, 1/

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-41360756246084580512012-09-15T08:35:00.000-07:002012-09-15T08:42:03.115-07:00

If you have been around my blog for a while, you may remember the post I did about Porcupine Balls.  These are a quick meatball you can whip up on a school night, and they are sure to be a crowd pleaser. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce (BBQ or ketchup, perhaps) or just eat them plain. I love to cook with a blog right in front of me showing step by step, so here are a few

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-58880517768704811462012-09-14T21:30:00.000-07:002012-09-14T21:30:00.250-07:00

Not sure what it was about my lunch this morning, but I really just wasn't liking the way it turned out.  But I am trying to post consistently, so I will show it to you anyway: This is one of those things where I have to wonder what made this lunch different than the past few.  I am using pretty much the same colors/ingredients - so why am I not thrilled? Looking at the

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-52353991509634580702012-09-13T20:00:00.000-07:002012-09-23T14:23:05.954-07:00

Today's bento looks like this: A little less childish, but still kinda whimsical. This bento contains: brown rice porcupine meat balls roast chicken lettuce red pepper black pepper sprinkles grape tomatoes carrots Here it is all packed up and ready to go. Happy bento!

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-71499346468901592242012-09-12T20:25:00.000-07:002012-09-12T20:26:10.622-07:00

This morning, my lunch looked like this: This bento contains: roast chicken fresh rosemary brown rice onigiri cajun spices & nori accents carrots grape tomatoes broccoli a plum red grapes a strawberry I felt that yesterday's strawberry was a missed opportunity for a big grin, so I made that happen today.  Oh, and that plum is out of my co-worker Janelle's garden.  

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-1157807494270005152012-09-11T23:47:00.000-07:002012-09-12T16:13:45.964-07:00

Call it childish if you will, but I love having a lunch that smiles at me when I open it.   My windowsill is certainly getting more attention lately than it has for a while. This bento contains: porcupine meatballs tater tots red pepper broccoli grape tomatoes carrots lettuce/spinach red grapes a strawberry black sesame seeds nori This is a large strawberry and huge

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6074079030485584366.post-11263205154168119892012-09-10T22:34:00.000-07:002012-09-10T22:34:05.073-07:00

For those of you who read my blog way back when, you may remember my dog, Dioji: This bento was made with him in mind.  The lower tier has a dog and the upper tier, a squirrel. This bento contains: brown rice onigiri turkey slices egg broccoli almonds red pepper & sunflower seed "collar"  food coloring / sesame seeds accents brownie mixed nuts Here is the dog:

Merhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00815589455558971673noreply@blogger.com0