Whale & Star Bento

Whale & Star Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

I made cheese pastries the other day. I made a larger one for my mom. I tried to make it like a heart, but it came out like a triangle... cheese, tomatoes, grapes, and ham. There's kale, a ham whale, with a nori face and butter in the blue container. The last container is jello with pineapple.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/29/2011

School Bento for Young Women

I was looking at the other auctions on Ebay Bento4Japan, and I saw this bento/cookbook School Bento for Young Women, all in Japanese. 100% of the sale goes towards Japan, so I felt that it was a great way to support Japan and get a bento/cookbook at the same time. I may not be able to read everything at this moment in time (Taking Japanese in May.) I payed 25 dollars for it; I would have paid more. There's another one that I want to buy, but I haven't seen it for sale where it goes towards charity so... I may wait on it.

25 Dollars towards Japan, and a Japanese bento/cookbook for me. :D
Hopefully, I can make something great for everyone to enjoy, and look at as eye candy!

Seal Sunrise Bento

Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

It doesn't look that much like Mamegoma, but it was an inspirational bento...corn, peas, crackers, ham, nori cheddar cheese, provolone. I used a knife for everything but the nori and ham clouds. I used scissors for the nori and a cloud cutter for the ham clouds. There's a container of ranch under the corn.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/27/2011

Hawai'i's Bento Cookbook Review

Hawai'i's Bento 2 Review...

It's been about 6 years since I was in Hawaii, and I'm looking forward to the recipes and the directions. The book is light and spiral bound with a flimsy cover. I've never cooked from a spiral before, but I don't think it matters much. It may be easier, not that any of the cookbooks I have are bad, but you can turn the pages and lay the book out on a flat surface. I think a hard plastic cover would have been better, but it should be alright. Before the instructions there's a page of brief tips. Considering that this is a second book on bento, you shouldn't need much more than that. The Bento instructions are at the front of the book divided by decoration type. Ex: Sea life, Plants, ect. The recipes are at the back followed by a Glossary and an Index for Bentos and Recipes. The bentos do look cute, and I may not have all the ingredients or tools but it's inspiring and I'm sure that you can find something to take their place. There are some things that I consider "snacks" or cop-outs if you're critical. Like Pretzels and Goldfish; they're not that bad in moderation, but I certainly wouldn't put them in everyday. I use crackers in my bentos, with ham and cheese accompanied by fruits and veggies. The whole idea behind a bento is to fill it. To make sure that there's no space and that it's healthy. They where mainly decorated to get kids to eat them, but I personally think it's an art now. Some of the pictures seem like they could use something else in their boxes. I certainly would have added a few more veggies, or fruit. I will say that some of her ideas in using the cutters are clever. I hadn't thought of some of the ways she's been able to take a cutter and use it in multiple ways. The Bentos say what page to find the recipes, but the recipes don't say where to find the bentos. The recipes give a serving size, but they're lacking nutritional content(mainly calories) Someone who doesn't know a lot about health/nutrition may find it difficult, but being a diabetic I know it all. There are certain things that we don't buy/always buy no exceptions due to nutritional and health issues. Some of the recipes will need to be altered for ingredients that people don't like, are allergic to, or you can't find on the mainland, and certainly not in my little town. I think my favorite part of the whole book is the directions on how to make sea life bentos and bears.

My family, well my dad will love this book. He's a big fan of SPAM. I'm not sure how many people on the mainland know this, or anyone for that matter but SPAM is used a lot in Hawaii. I personally don't like Spam, but there's a Lite version which is ok, and there's a Bacon and Turkey one which I haven't tried. Anyone can make little changes like that. Another thing, I've never heard of a fish sausage, and wouldn't know where to find them so that's one thing I will be changing. All in All I think it's pretty good.

Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Bento

Bento 4 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

I made pineapple teriyaki chicken with white rice and shrimp for dinner, there wasn't much left. My family ate all the rice so my mom's lunch is peas, corn, chicken, pineapple(1 grilled, and 1 baked with the chicken,) and jello.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/26/2011

Beef Kuma Bento

Bento 3 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Beef, peas and carrots leftover from my dad's crock pot dinner. There's tomatoes, cheese, carrots and jello. Underneath the bear cracker is a container with jello. Underneath the star cracker is a container of ranch.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/25/2011

Bento4Japan Ebay Lot 1

Bento4Japan Ebay Lot 1 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Here's the first lot of items that I've put on Ebay for Japan. I have another larger one with more items that I'm going to put on Ebay after this one finishes. Some of the items are similar and I don't want them to be in competition. I'm going to start it at a dollar, and have free shipping; 100% will go towards Japan so please bid. How could you not? You're donating to Japan, and you're getting items for it. It's a good deal.

These are for sale on Ebay, 100% goes towards Japan. Free shipping in America. Support Japan, and get some new items as well. :D

Ebay Bid Here!!

Chinese Kuma Bento

Bento 2 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Chinese chicken lo mein, and rice leftovers with fruit, veggies, rackers, imitation crab and cheese with nori cutouts.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/21/2011

Bento4Japan

I'm going to put a few lots, maybe 2 or 3. I might do two small ones, or one small one and one large one. It's hard to find traditional Bento items, but I might find something. You should help too, even if it's something small or slightly used it can help.

I ♥ U Bento

Bento 1 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Mixed leftover potatoes and roast beef Bento from the night before. I laid the tortilla over it to give it an added surprise.

cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 3/15/2011

Introduction

I've decided to make a blog on cute culinary art. I cook a lot, as well as make lunches and bento. It just seemed like a good idea. The layout will look rather plain and ugly for some time. I'll upload the pictures I've taken since having this idea later.