Busy Week Last Week... Here's Some Bento's You Missed

I have no idea about dates anymore, the last 7 days are a blur
luckily Kenny helped me out when I was really tired and made some bento's for Chloe. I wish he'd taken pictures, I would of loved to seen them.

In the photo above is bistro italian sausage chunks with a cheesy filling. A side of penne pasta in vodka sauce. Green Salad and Plums for the other side.

for Miss Chloe some dinosaur ham sandwiches with pink polka dots. Penne pasta, last minute trail mix (peanuts, raisins, chocolate chips) and cottage cheese with mandarin oranges.

These last two were after my crazy week. Chloe gets a bagel ham sandwich with cream cheese spread. The face is cheese and raisin eyes, cherry tomato nose and a radish slice tongue. A radish cube is in the corner there. She also got a side of grapes, some broccoli slaw and a veggie section with tomatoes and celery and laughing cow cheese spread.

Miniture pita pockets with ham/cherry tomatoes. Carrot side, Orange section side, raisins and a wedge of Ireland Dubliner cheese (grainy, sweet cheese with strong flavor like that of parmesan)

Creativity Shortage

Lunches for my family are no doubt healthy and delicious, but I've been experiencing a creativity shortage as far as "pretty" bento boxes go. One reason is time another, is money for a larger, more interesting variety of food items. But when you get down to it, those are just excuses. I do have to say that making a few "make ahead" portions to stuff in the occasional bento is a good idea. Long time bento stars such as Biggie, at lunch in a box have been pre-preparing bento sides in order to keep bento creation down to 15 minutes or less. Perhaps a muse will visit me tonight and inspire me with beautiful bento ideas, or maybe I'll just stick with the old humdrum selections I've been giving in my plain bento rut.

Todays lunch for Chloe was a ham sandwich on whole wheat english muffin, sliced kiwi and plums, cucumber chips, radish flowers and a baby bell cheese.

Last Fridays lunches consisted of made ahead pasta sides and pizza pockets, chloe asked for cottage cheese (her favorite lunch time side) and a clementine orange. Kenny got some cucumber chips and apple chunks to eat with his pizza pockets or "sausage buns" as he claims they need to be called.

Make Ahead Pizza Pockets (for Bento)

I made some pizza pockets today for some quick bento packing in the future. If you don't like sausage you can fill them with your favorite toppings.

Mini Pizza Pockets
Pizza Dough (I used a bread machine recipe)
1/2 lb. Ground Italian Sausage
Pizza Sauce
Shreaded Cheese

Brown ground sausage.

Roll out pizza dough, I used a large glass rim to cut circles. The diameter should be about 4".

Build pockets: teaspoon of sauce in center, a tablespoon of browned sausage meat, a sprinkle of cheese. Then fold dough circles in half and seal with a fork.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10-11 minutes.

Freeze on pan for 30minutes then transfer pockets to a ziploc bag for long term storage.

Bento Resurrected

Well, I've continued to make bentos. With or without my camera my family still needs food! But behold I have a new camera to document the beautiful bentos I make and so here are the lunches I made for today.



Chloe gets mini corn dogs and bbq sauce, apple sauce with some sprinkles, dried mango slices and baby bell cheese wheel, carrot sticks and milk.



Ken gets left over green chili chicken enchiladas, grapes, dried mango slices and baby bell, green salad.