Bento (125) - Naruto Uzumaki

Yes . . . I am enough of a fan girl that when I saw Naruto Uzumaki (the fishcake) at Pacific Mercantile, I had to pick it up BECAUSE OF THE NAME (admittedly, I was shopping for fishcake, so it's not as bad as it could have been . . . but still). I'm halfway to the habit of buying things based on cuteness vs. taste. MU HA HA!!

Of course . . . then I started wondering if I have the spirals going the wrong way. Or if there is a wrong way. Hrm. O.o

Top level is deli pasta salad and spinach/strawberry salad (which was apparently the ingredient of the week). Sauce container has balsamic vinaigrette. Bottom level is Naruto (Uzumaki even :P) over fried yakisoba noodles with sauteed onion and carrot.

Bento (124) - Fun with Jello

Okay - the little jellies are not really the focus of this bento - but just to prove we all have our moments . . . I mostly completed this bento before realizing I had absolutely no fruit (aside from pickled plums) in the fridge. So I took an orange jelly and a clear jelly and YES . . . I took the time to dice them into small jelly cubes . . . HA HA HA ha. With a paring knife. And I didn't cut myself ^.^ I then realized the noodles were glaring white and decide to toss on some cheese toppers . . . and then I thought some folks might like a before/after comparison to see how much of a difference little details make.

End Product:

Bento before cheese stars:

Ingredients: This is my usual beef and noodles with sweet soy broth (the broth is in the sauce holder). I added a little lettuce/corn/ketchup flower to brighten up the meat . . . and oddly, the cubed jellies and zuchinni/squash ended up color coordinating. Score! Red is a pickled plum.

Bento (123) - Delightful Panko Encrusted Deep-Fried Pork Chop

Today's accomplishment was making a checkered apple. YAY! Of course - the things I think look the hardest always seem to end up being the easiest :P

Top level is apples and super nommy potato salad topped by a pickled plum. Bottom level is a radish flower, carrot flowers, and peas nestled next to a super-delicious-probably-not-so-healthy Panko-encrusted pork chop. NOMMY! Rice. Pig (filled with soy sauce).

Bento (122) - Egg Foo Yong

Alrighty! Another few months and I may be able to get the Internets at my house again - which will help with my posting consistency. Until then, please keep bearing with me!!

And now to the food (which is why you're really here . . . >.< Top level is blueberries with provolone cheese flowers and an assortment of vegetables (carrot sticks, radish flower, peas) accompanied by balsamic vinaigrette (in the orange sauce container). The bottom is rice covered with egg foo yong, topped with carrot stars and fishie filled with soy.

Bento (121) - SHEEP!!!!

In case I haven't mentioned it in a while - I was inspired to do bento by Pikko at Adventures in Bentomaking. Pikko and Maki Ogawa recently put out a bento book called Yum Yum Bento . . . from which I have learned to make SHEEP!!! SHEEP!! (Credit where credit is due.)

Top left is blueberry/grape salad. Top right is imitation crab over avacado with corn and pea flowers. Bottom is SHEEP!!!!!! (okay - you knew that) - or fluffy rice cupcakes with quail eggs stuffed in the middle, cheese horns, and nori eyes and mouths. Bottom red circle is a radish flower.

I was late to work today. Waaaaaaay late to work.

Bento (120) - Bunny Sandwiches . . . or Rather Sandwiches and Bunnies . . .

Recently my quail eggs have been dying unevenly . . . I wonder why :( Luckily, bunnies can be splotched and still be cute! Today's bento was turkey sandwiches with radish garnishes, peas with soy bunnies, and mandarin oranges with a sliced cherry.

Bento (119) - Soy Beef and Waldorf Salad

I would love to take credit for the lovely waldorf salad (which was absolutely nommy), but I'm fessing up that it was a purchase from Sam's club (and after a week and a half - I'd had enough :P). I even made two bentos!

Top right hand side is peas topped with baked zuchinni and squash around a radish flower. Bottom is beef and noodles with sweet soy sauce.

And now for the same food - slightly different arrangement.