Playing With My Food

Jack Skellington Cupcakes

2009-11-02T18:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of the batch of Jack Skellington cupcakes I made for the Halloween party this past weekend.I made 24 in all. They were made with yellow cake mix, and I added chocolate chips just for fun.I used store-bought black whipped frosting to draw on the faces.This one below just looked like a ghost, so I decorated it accordingly.My friend Jen had given me a cardboard cupcake holder

Flaming Pumpkins 2009

2009-11-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of how my jack-o-lantern appeared last night:Inside are two kerosene soaked rolls of toilet paper. One stacked on top of the other.We actually had two flaming pumpkins last night.I love how the flame shoots out of the eyes!And my favorite pic of the pumpkin was taken by my friend Bethie:Hope your Halloween was fun and memorable. I know ours was!* Please use caution when

How to Carve a Pumpkin Simply

2009-10-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

I love holiday crafts. Especially ones that have anything to do with food. One of my favorites is pumpkin carving. Ever since I was a small child, pumpkin carving has been a big deal. This year, I carved a BIG pumpkin. Here are a few tips on carving a simple jack-o-lantern.Cut the top of your pumpkin off, angling your knife like mine is above so that when you put your top on again it won't

Test Cupcake

2009-10-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here is my first try at a Jack Skellington face on a cupcake:What do you think? Worth making up a batch for tomorrow's Halloween party??Or should I just do orange frosting and leave it at that?

Comfort Carb Bento

2009-10-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

This bento is full of comfort carbs:Can you say:PB&JTortilla chipsand aCupcake?Doesn't look much better from an angle, either. But boy did I enjoy those comfort foods after a rough day at work.Normally I wouldn't blog such a blah bento... but I am still doing NaBloPoMo, and so far I've posted every day. Yay me!Happy Bento!

Happy Cupcake Bento

2009-10-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

Told you those mini-cupcakes were the perfect size for bento:My bento lunch contains:PB&J SandwichMixed nutsTomatoesCupcakeHappy Bento!

White Frosting

2009-10-27T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, after I blogged about my cupcakes last night (and they had had some time to cool) I made up some white frostingTo keep it completely white, I did not use any margarine or soy milk.Instead (don't tell my husband) I used Crisco and water. (With lots of powdered sugar, of course!)I wanted them this white because of my plans for how I'm going to decorate them.Stay tuned for decorated cupcakes...

Cupcakes

2009-10-26T21:04:00.001-07:00

This evening, I made cupcakes for the first time of my adult life.Here are the little ones before they went in the oven:Here are the little ones after I let them get a little toasty:I'm guessing the larger ones are more the color yellow cake mix should end up?And how much cake on top of the cup is ideal for decorating?I've been looking at all sorts of fancy cupcakes on Flickr, and it had me all

The Bento Secret

2009-10-25T21:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the biggest secret to having time to pack yourself (or your spouse/kids) bentos.Shhh... not everyone knows this, but you should...USE LEFTOVERS!This is how many of my bentos get their start:When you cook dinner, make extra, and before you even put it into other containers to keep - pack some of it into your bento container. Set it on a cooling rack for a few minutes (to keep if from

Jack-O-Sandwich Bento

2009-10-24T08:30:00.000-07:00

This silly jack-o-lantern face turned out looking more like a bunny than I had originally intended, but that is okay:Contains:Ham sandwichNori accentsCandy cornMixed nutsMy sandwich was so stuffed full (mostly of lettuce) I could barely get the lid on my bento. But what a satisfying *crunch* my sandwich made come lunch time!Happy bento!

More Veggies, Please!

2009-10-23T16:00:00.000-07:00

I've always had a hard time getting the recommended daily amount of vegetables in my diet. According to MyPyramid.gov, a woman of my age and weight should be eating two and a half cups of veggies every day. (Click here to see what they recommend for you.)And so I submit to you, two cups worth for today:I also ate some hummus (which I'm counting as a veggie cause it is made of mashed up beans),

Harvest Bento

2009-10-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

This bento is being displayed by two of my favorite little fall decorations:Contents:White steamed rice (made white for my hubby this time)Teriyaki chicken sprinkled with sesame seedsCandy cornSalted peanutsI just can't resist a little candy corn this time of year, can you?Happy Bento!

The Last of the Pot Roast

2009-10-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Here is my simple (speedy) bento for today:Hot tier:Mashed potatoesRoast beefBroccoliCold tier:CarrotsBroccoliCucumberTomatoBentos are so easy to create in the morning when your foods are prepared! You just pack the food in there, and you are done!Happy bento!

Party Time!

2009-10-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

The house smells delightful, due to apple cider that has been simmering away in my slow cooker all day. I just finished putting together this relish tray:Next stop? Chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies! Yum.Gotta get baking so they are ready when the ladies arrive for our little Candle Party.Enjoy!

Nacho Bento

2009-10-19T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today's bento was actually assembled last night while I was putting away our left-overs. This morning I merely attached nori faces, photographed it, and packed some tortilla chips to scoop up all this good stuff come lunch time:My refried bean scoops have a slightly jack-o-lantern feel, don't you think?Veggies rode up top.The whole enchilada.To keep hunger at bay until lunch time, I packed a

How to Cook Rice in a Steamer

2009-10-18T14:05:00.001-07:00

There are lots of ways to make rice. Here is a look at how I steam brown rice for use in bentos and dinners.On the inside of the steamer, I pour in water until it is at the "HI" marker. This is very important. If I forget to refill the water high enough, by the end of the long cook time it will be depleted and the rice will be crunchy. Not pleasant.Next, you put the top back on the steamer.

Another Little Thing

2009-10-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Today when I made myself a snack between shifts at the theater, I couldn't help but wonder what little thing could make it better. I decided on sprinkled paprika:Suddenly, my midday snack has more class than before.I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

It's the Little Things

2009-10-16T21:10:00.000-07:00

I have learned that it is really the little things that can make a meal special. Don't underestimate the power of a tiny little garnish, for example. Or of serving the food in a way that makes it more appealing.In that vein, I give you, the frosty mug:I have had more enjoyment out of these mugs than I ever thought I would when Bryan talked me into putting them on our wedding registry. We keep

Speed Bento

2009-10-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Today's bento was quick to make - about four minutes, I'd say. But it took me another four to figure out that I needed to photograph outside today to get enough light. Oh well. Under 10 minutes total is still pretty speedy, right?Here is my lunch:Contains:Pot roastBroccoliBrown riceLettuceTomatoesGrapesNow I'm off to run the box office at the local community theater for the show Wait Until

My Little Bunny?

2009-10-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

My dog loves to chew. Sometimes when I'm making a bento, tidbits fall to the floor. This is how I learned that Dioji likes carrots. Last night, Bryan suggested I give him a whole carrot to nom on:He ate the WHOLE THING in less than 15 minutes. Too funny.No bento today for me. I am eating left over potato soup for lunch. And that just isn't really worth a picture.Have a good day!

Pink Bento

2009-10-13T15:54:00.000-07:00

Over at Bento Challenge they reminded us that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In honor of that, we were challenged to come up with a lunch that had something pink in it.I decided to do a simple pink ribbon out of ham. Here is my bento, photographed on the window-sill because it wasn't very bright out this morning:Contents:Turkey sandwich on a "Sandwich

Breakfast with Bacon

2009-10-12T19:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning I made Bryan and I a traditional breakfast. You know the kind: eggs, bacon, toast - type thing? I decided to try the bacon on the Forman Grill because the package says I'm supposed to drain the grease from the skillet as I go along. (Yeah right! Someone as prone to getting burned as I am should not be pouring oil out of a hot skillet and trying to keep the bacon inside!)It

A Foodie Flick

2009-10-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my mom took me to see Julie & Julia.For those of you who have yet to see it, it is a delightful film. It is based on the true story of Julie Powell who blogs from NY. She challenged herself to cook through all 524 recipes in Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 in 365 days.I found the movie honest and touching, and it inspires me to want to cook more.

Mead Marinade Recipe

2009-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about this, for a moment, shall we?There is nothing better than steaks on the grill.Anyone else out there agree with me that BBQ smoke is the most alluring cologne a man can wear?Any vegetarian readers I had have probably gone, with that last statement. And it is just as well, because my next photo is one of raw meat:I promised the marinade recipe we used for this year's belated

A Sandwich in Two Tiers

2009-10-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

This sandwich has it's insides out:In the smaller container I packed all the wet ingredients for my sandwich:In the larger container I packed the rest of my sandwich, with the mayo and mustard "sandwiched" between the lettuce and turkey. The bread was not soggy in the least come lunch time.The fork was for adding the wet ingredients, and worked well.Happy Bento!