Bento #33 Frog bento

(Cheese for the eyes, and mouth, topped with nori..and that pink color is kamaboko..or fish cake)

Fyi, here in Saudi we have different day of weekend. The holidays fall on Friday, instead of Sunday...henceforth, when all my bento buddies might be having a bento break, me on the hand starts getting busy again.. ^_^..Yes, weekday starts on saturday.

Recently, I love making chiffon cake..cause it's so simple...and most important thing ..I dun even need to grease the loaf pan..yes, am lazy to do that. However I keep changing the flavor..like today..is pandan chiffon cake..I've been wanting to make a frog shape..that's the reason I chose this flavour..the green cake would be perfect for the frog color.

I dun put too many things today, ..tried to make it very simple. I reminded myself to buy orange yesterday, cause Zoe said she wants to eat orange with skin only! ^_^..She hates everytime I peel the skin off.

Btw, if you wonder how I make that frog shape..as I have no big oval shape, I did it freehand using knife, but the eyes, I used small round cutter. Even for the nori, I cut it free hand..that's why they're not even..a-ha!

Today's menu:

1. Frog chiffon cake

2. Apple

3. Orange with skin.. ^_^

The fruits close up..

Bento #32 Hello kitty

Kyaraben or charaben ,a shortened form of character bento ( kyarakutā bentō?), is a style of elaborately arranged bento which features food decorated to look like people, characters from popular media, animals, and plants.
(taken from wikipedia)

The work of Lia from bentolicious always put me in awe..she's very skillful in making a precise kyaraben or character bento..Drop by her blog, you'll be amazed on how beautiful her bentos are..just like I am!
How I wish I have just little of her skill ^_^.
Today I tried to make hello kitty sandwich,a special request from zoey..But I think the nose of hello kitty was to0 round instead of bit oval...but it doesnt matter.. What mattered to me was that my gal ate all those sandwiches til bits...Yayyy!!

Today's menu:
1. Hello kitty choco sandwich
2. Yogurt
3. Grapes
4. Baby carrots
5. Cheese

The sandwich close up:
(The ribbon made of kamaboko, the whisker and eyes made of nori, nose made of cheese)

Bento #31 Caterpillar

When I visited my friend at her house, she served me this yummy bitterballen. It's meatball, with a mix with cheese. Just like in a comic book, I could feel the light bulb blinking out of my head.. *Ting*, owkay...I will make a caterpillar bento with this!! That'll do!


I did the sketching..hmm I think I better not show my sketch..(only me can understand my drawing...^_^)..However, I forget the detail of caterpillar.. I dun remember whether it has antennae or not..I looked for zoe's reading book..which dissappear by the time I needed it... :(

I am too lazy to google also...so here it is..a very simple caterpillar.


Menu of the day:
1. Caterpillar bitterballen
2. Apples
3. Chocolate Jelly
4. Fruit Juice..

This is the caterpillar with the antennae...it looks like devil horn than antennae, really.. LOL





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I had to say, when I picked my gal up from school and checked her snack box, ...I was sooo dissappointed that she din eat almost anything..!! She drank only half of her fruit juice. ..


She said, she din like Jelly because it's so wibbly wobbly (^_^), and the meatball...Only God knows why she din like them...My cooking wouldnt be that bad, would it?


N the Fruit Juice, ....I think she prefers milk than fruit juice... *sigh*

Bento #30 Bear Egg

It always work best for me, if the night before I do bento sketch for the next morning bento...It gives a clear vision on how I want my bento to look like, and really..it made the work easier and faster..You know what you need to prepare... say, cut the carrot into flower..or any other works that can be done in advance, and the next morning what you need to do just boil or just placing them into the box.

But not today, ..this morning I woke up without any preparation in my head, checked out the fridge..and...found grapes, sausage, and cheese. Rumagging my cabinet, and found kit kat..well, egg, I have many..

Then, I had to think for quite some times, because I had no plan on what I want to make..

Finally, got idea..but...as I said..it took longer time...However, Am quite happy with it ...The teacher said, she likes the bear...^_^

Today's menu:

1. Bear Egg

The ears made of kamaboko. I was so curious bout kamaboko as I read many times in some bento blogs..only yesterday I found it locally in the oriental shop. The taste is so good. ^_^

2. Grapes satay

3. Flower sausages

4. Triangle cheese

Bento #29 Hamster or..err not?

The idea of my bento today is to create my gal's new pets. Zoe just received two hamsters from her dad last week that she named LALA for the female, and FLUFF for the male. Since then, she kept asking my permission to bring the hamsters to her school, which I firmly said no! She didnt cry (thankfully!), but I could feel the disappointment in her.

To cheer her up, I wanted to send 'the hamster' bento instead of the real ones...Hope that'll make her happy enuff..

Ok...say it loud..!! ^_^.My 'hamster' sandwiches don't look anything like hamster, do they?? LOL,

That's the fastest and the only thing I could think of....Well, First I was doubt about either making the hamster from the bread or eggs..but I decided to use bread instead..since my 'going to rotten soon' bread stil lay abudantly on my pantry!

Anyway, Today's menu:

1. 2 mini 'hamster' sandwiches

one filled with beef floss, and the other is milk sandwich

2. Chocolate twister

3. Grapes

Meet our new family members (Lala on the left and Fluff on the right)

Here's Zoe with Fluff

Bento #28 Piggy bento

Rite after I finish making the bento, took picture, I realized that today's bento is almost in the same tone..^_^, all almost orangey color..
I love having colorful bento.., specially mix of green and orange in the bento..but today seemed to be an exception.
Never mind...
Today, I made pretty simple piggy bento..I only used my favorite round cutter.
Even I have many of the cutter, but I noticed I only used this the most..^_^
Cut the bread, and also cut the ham with that round cutter..Place the ham on top of the sandwich..I 'glued' it with butter..so the ham will stay still.

Today's menu:
1. Piggy cheese, and milk sandwich
2. Oranges, grapes, and baby carrot
3. Yogurt drink

To make the eyes, I use the nori puncher as shown below:

Bento #27 Piano bento

Weekend has over, saturday now.. the new week has started, means it's bento time again!

I think make a piano sandwich would brighten my gal's day....

So, here we go:

1. Piano chocolate sandwich.

I did it rushly...it's not that tidy if u look at it closely..:))

2. Fruits ( Grapes, Orange )

3. Flower ham

4. Flower Sausage

5. Baby carrot ( she din like them...she said it's raw..^_^ )

P.S: I din have much things to say today, did I?? !!

Bento #26 Bear Bento

My baby boy woke me up this morning, he is my alarm clock.. ^_^
Normally, he wakes up at 6am, but today he woke up at 7am...oh no, I thot, I dun think I could make any bento today.. (did I mention earlier that am very slow person?,once I wake up late...and no chance to do any fancy thing)
However, I stil continue to make the bento as my plan..:), well, I give excuse today for her to be slightly late arrive at school...for once..:))) . Lucky her nursery is only around the corner within our compound.

Last nite, around 10pm, while I was waiting my hubby coming back from Kuwait, I baked his fave chiffon cake..If the other day, I made the green tea flavor, now I tried choco flavor. N, I had this bear donut cutter, which finally I used to shape the chiffon cake this morning. The cutter has a round hole in the middle. I cut the white bread to fit the hole.
Here you can see the picture close-up



Today's menu:
1. Bear Chiffon cake
2. Ring mini wieners
3. Baby carrot, Broccoli, Apples, oranges
4. Yogurt drink

Below is the picture of donut cutter I used, it's a bear shape ^_^, cute eh?

Bento #25 Non-cute bento..:)

Yes, rite..this is a non-cute bento I made, but I find this is the healthiest bento I have prepared so far for zoe..^_^
Remember I said that she eats lack of vegie? Yes, I want to start 'brainwashing' her...start rite from the snack box. Hoping that , if she eats together with the classmates, it would entice her to at least munch it..
I insert cucumber and baby carrots inside the box, see whether they will come back in full shape or gone..:)

Today's menu:
1. Blueberry muffin
2. Cucumber/baby carrots/steam broccoli
3. Oranges
4. Ham
5. Boiled egg (even this, i din decorate it...*Malas mood on* )

Bento #24 Butterfly

I was hesitate in either to post or not to post this. I've been keeping the picture safe and sound in my folder..:). The reason why I din want to post it because I find my message wasnt accrossed..^_^
When I showed my hubby of the bento picture, apparently he didnt think like I did..haha..Well,I was actually trying to make butterfly but he didnt think that it's butterfly at all!
However, after I think about it..I decided to post it anyway. I shouldnt have put burden on my shoulder that my bento has to be perfect at all time. Am a newbie, it's ok if it's not nice at all, it's a learning curve for me.I should have fun with it..!

Today's menu:
1. ferrero choco as the head
2 mini cupcakes as the wings
3. mini sausage as the body
4. Green apples
5. Eggroll as the small wings

what missing was the antenna...I was so blank what to use at that time.

Bento #23 Bento Zoe gal

In terms of preparing the snack bento for my gal, I have very limited choices...they are bread, sausages, yogurt, cheese, and grapes/oranges...:)
Those are the only foods that my gal would likely to eat..How I wish she would eat more variety of foods, & vegetables, like celery or carrots, and broccoli..
I guess I have to train her slowly at home..blame it to me, that I din introduce that earlier age.

Nuff said, this bento consist of:
1. Homemade Banana cake
To add the cuteness..^_^, I put a gal face with two pony tails made of cheese. I used the bear cookie cutter. Eyes and lips made of nori. I use the puncher for this..
I bought the Letters and number chocolate, I put her name of the cake..I think it looks merrier now..LOL
2. Yogurt drink
3. Grapes
4. Mini sausages.

I dresssed zoe up just like the bento, with two pony tails ..
She looked happy with the bento, pictures taken before off to school!

Bento #22 Pooh Bento

This bento I did quite sometimes ago, I thought I have posted it, which apparently not. This one of my fave simple bento I did, but am quite pleased with the outcome.
I have the pooh sandwich cutter that helped lots to make bite size pooh sandwich.
Love this cutter..!

Today's menu:
1. Chocolate butter sandwich, pooh shape
2. Mini sausages
3. Oranges
4. Ham

Pooh Sandwich close-up

Bento #21 Another bunny rabbit bento

Yesterday, I thought my camera couldnt work well because of the battery issue. HOwever, that's not the case..I have recharged the battery last nite,but when I tried to snap today's bento it stil couldnt auto focus. N, I am not that skillful with manual focus. Enuff said, I din know what went wrong..but it really spoilt my mood the whole morning..I felt some part of me missing...LOL, lil bit dramatic..:op
I finally tried to find the problem using Mr. Google...^>^..try to find some other people who has similar problem with same camera..And yes,..! I love Mr. Google, he's the answer for my problem. I managed to do the soft reset, and voilla...it's back to life!!
Too bad that It wasnt working when I snapped the bento...so, enjoy the dark, blurry picture!

Today's menu:
1. Cheese sandwich
I, again...made the bunny rabbit..perhaps, am stil in the mood of easter?
I put tiny carrot- pretending the rabbit eating a carrot..:) made from lowfat cheee, and the green color from apple skin. Well, I couldnt think what else I could use to find green color. I dun want to use eggsheet, cause that would be too much waste since I only need little.
Honestly, I think my rabbit really the ugliest rabbit ever..:), I couldnt think how to make bunny look cute..^_^..maybe next time I'll try again. Nuff with bunny this week.
2. Mini sausages
3. Grapes

Bento #20 Speedy bento

Today I found my bestfriend didnt help me as much as I needed her. When I wanted to take the bento picture today, the battery almost gone flat..it has no enuff energy to auto-focus, resulting most of the pictures blur..*sigh*,
So this is the best I could do...
I like the simple speedy bento that I made today.
Everything fits perfectly in a small size lunch box..Perfect for the tiny tummy..^_^

At first, I didnt plan to make bento. I was thinking just to prepare slices of cakes and grapes but it ended up I added lil bit this and that..LOL, I guess these days, un-pretty snack box, make my eyes sore...blame it to the bento addiction. ^@^

Today's menu:
1. Greentea chiffon cake
I made it last nite since I see the bread that I have has gotten dry. Cut the bunny rabbit shape cheese..put eyes, mouth with nori
2. Ham
3. Grapes
4. Star Boiled egg

The star boiled egg n grapes close-up

Bento #19 Tiger Bento

When I was rummaging through my folders, I just realized that I have one more bento picture not been posted.
This bento was done in the mood of celebrating the Chinese New Year 2010-which is a Tiger year. I had so much fun making it the nite before when all my kids were asleep. I had all the time, without bothered by the kids, without the rush, it was like doing a kid art craft. FUN!
The satisfaction that it gave when u're able to make the detail, couldnt be described.. ^-^

Here we go:
1. Tiger choco sandwich
I used a bear cookie cutter for the tiger, and used two different kind of cheese for the face. Nori was used for the eyes, and the tiger stripes.
2. Apples
3. Kit kat chocolate
4. Yogurt

The sandwich close-up:

Bento #18 Sea bento

The sandwich closeup:


AT last, I dun feel like owing anything now.. I've cleared up all the bento pictures in my folder..It gave me such a relief and pleasure at the same time to be able to post 17 bento posting in only few days. Nope, it doesnt mean that would be my last posting about making bento. I reckon my folder will keep piling up with some bento pictures..but, I have reduced my burden now..as I can start doing it slowly one by one, not marathon posting like now..:))

Stop the rumbling..
I had an idea about sea bento..If u're into bento, am sure you have seen many of the bento bout similar ideas. Mine would be much simpler than that..:))
Just take a look the picture:
1. It's a butter and sugar sandwich.
Just dust the cocoa powder mix with icing sugar to the top part of the bread with a whale plastic stencil plate. It's pretty easy and make it looks nice.
2. Fish shape egg.
Use the fish shape egg mold. Boil the egg, peel the skin, and put it into the mold..and voila after sometimes, it looks like fish. My egg was apparently not the rite size, so it doesnt give the nice look..Please make sure you pay attention to the size of egg you need to use for the mold. I used the medium size of egg,while the mold required a L size egg and you can tell the result not as nice. hence, I add the carrot for the tail, and put some nori for the body.
3. Octopus wieners
Hahaha..I know you dont see their legs..but believe me..it's eight each..:))
4. Fruits..grapes.

My daughter and my boy as a background..^0^

bento #17 Farm bento

Inspired by my children story book about the Farm. I dig out some idea how to create the Farm into bento snack box. In the story, the farm has chicken, cow, and pig, and horse. But, I really have no idea how to make horse...:))

The usual snack that I always give zoe are cocktail, sandwich or boiled egg with some fruits.

So, here they are...:
1. Cow Egg.
the black spots I use nori. Just cut freehand some odd circle and place it on the egg. It will easily stick there. I did it the nite before, but the seaweed turned ugly the following day due to the mist from the fridge. The ear and the mouth made from ham.
2. Chick choco sandwich
I used the penguin cookie cutter to make the shape of the chick. Accidently the leg cut off. That gave me an idea to use different color of the cheese, and it now looks more like feet..:)
3. Pig wiener
The taste is not as good as the look I think..:)) It's bit sour...I should have stick to use chicken sausage than lamb.
4. Fruits, grape and apple...and use the carrot as baran..pretending it's a fence..

My daughter reaction when she saw it in the morning is.."Where is the farmer, mom?" and..."I think you should put the hay"...HELLOWW???!! ^_^, a thank you, mommy would sound better, sweetie..LOL.

You can see the chick sandwich close up. It's made of cheese, the red thing is made from apple skin.



This is her with the bento:

Bento #16 hatched egg

My daughter, Zoey..she's such a picky eater. One of her fave food is boiled egg, or any egg..she would gobble it rite away. well..Am lucky enuff in this case, make my life easier in preparing her snack box for school.
There are so many creative way u could do with boiled egg.. such today, i made it look like a hatched chick.. However, It's not as smooth to make it as I expected it would...when i cut the white egg, my knife always scratch the yolk.
I then, put the eyes and the lil beak - made from nori.
Rest of the snack box would be flower sausages, just score the top part of the sausage and i put the tini circle carrot to it..Put some fruits, and yogurt drink (Yogurt is her fave, that's why you will notice I always put it in most of her snack box), and bite sizes of chocolate sandwich.