The Bento That Was Eaten At Home

Because Roast Meat got rather ill overnight.

Roast chicken sandwiches with noritama and grapes.

Plan-over Tuesday - Eclectic Asian Meal

Again, these were packed before dinner (barring the fruits) and left to cool before being closed up and kept overnight in the fridge.

Roast Meat's

Takoyaki's

Menu:

Rice with furikake (store-bought)

Panfried herbed chicken thighs

Stirfried Chinese greens

Fruits

Minnie's Recess - Cutout Sandwiches

Whereas this is no longer sufficient nor necessary (cute) for Takoyaki, Minnie certainly appreciates all her kawaii stuff d:)

Merciful Monday - Mini Buns For Everyone

RM's

Takoyaki's

Friday Brunch In School

I was invited by Takoyaki's Sec One class to join them for brunch this morning, and parents were asked to bring some food to share. So I made some sushi and a special onigiri for her. 

Here's the onigiri. I learnt this from my friend Maysatch, although she used ham while I used cheese. Actually I made two of these, the first one going to my neighbour who adores Totoro. Takoyaki was just lucky d:)

And I couldn't forget Roast Meat, of course, who loves sushi. He wouldn't have let me d:O

Minnie's Recess - French Toast

There would have been one more sausage flower, but while I was getting my camera ready, Mouse came and gobbled one piece up!

Thankful Tuesday - First Kimchi Soup of 2014!

Here's another from my bento food list, which Takoyaki loves. I topped her rice with the braised pork slices, some brown mushrooms and more kimchi!

Mainstay Monday - Omusubis

Takoyaki's

RM's smaller portion

Finally Friday - Yesterday's Pizza and Minnie's Recess

It's the last day of the Lunar New Year. And I still haven't eaten any bak kwa!

One each for Takoyaki and Roast meat

Minnie received two mini car buns filled with kaya, some chicken karaage and apple wedges.

Minnie's recess

Wellness Wednesday - Beef Prosperity Box

One Wednesday a month (forgive me for forgetting which Wed it is), the students in our primary school are "encouraged" to bring some fruit to eat in class, as part of the healthy eating habits they are promoting.

No issue for me as I almost always put fruits in his bento.

Meatballs, cherry tomatoes, cuke slices and clementine wedges, in supposed concentric rings. And chocolate biscuits in the other compartment.

How I wish today was Friday. I'm pooped.

Minnie's Recess - Birthday Bento!

Today is Minnie's birthday, and although I could not do any kyaraben for her, I cooked her favourite bento dish of mine - Fusili Napolitan, and gave her a chocolate treat as well as a packet of chocolate milk for her recess.

When I showed it to her, she was over the moon, and beaming from side to side as she headed off to school. Made the extra effort of preparing, cooking and washing up especially for her all worthwhile d:)

Plan-Over Tuesday - Roast Chicken Don or Sandwich

Takoyaki's with bread

RM's with rice

Recipe for Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

4 boneless skin-on chicken thighs total weight 1kg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs eg. rosemary, thyme, oregano

1 tsp garlic powder (minced garlic is good too)

Dash olive oil

Mix all ingredients together, rubbing the seasonings gently all over the chicken thighs. Let sit on counter for about 15 min. Preheat oven to 180C. 

Lightly grease a a baking dish big enough to spread the thighs out so that they are not touching each other. Lay the thighs on the dish, skin side up.

Bake about 15-20 minutes and remove immediately from oven. Let baking dish sit on counter top for at least 10-15 min before slicing and serving.

Moody Monday - Kind of Chinese New Year Box

Nothing much to prepare since everything is store-bought, except washing, cutting and peeling the fruits and veggies.

For RM (light blue box) - mini chicken pies (required toasting for about 5 min)

For Takoyaki (dark blue) - spicy dried shrimp or hae bee hiam rolls, mixed with unspicy pork floss rolls. I told her to play Russian roulette with her friends d<)

Yummy Slime Bento - Fly Lice with Natto

I used to produce horrible fried rice (in my opinion), but that all changed when I moved to my current place and met my neighbour, who is an awesome home cook. She taught me the importance of a very hot wok before adding any ingredients, especially the oil. This prevented the foods from sticking to the wok (even if it's not non-stick) and brought out the aroma of every single piece. It never made sense to me - how could foods not stick to a wok/pan which was superheated?? But it works, and that's all that matters now. 

Takoyaki's Fried Rice Bento with Natto

Natto is a fermented soybean product from Japan which is chock full of protein and good probiotics. Many people can't deal with the smell and slimy texture though, so I'm thankful all five of us do d:) Like Korean kimchi, it's suitable for putting into bentos and keeping outside for a few hours, although if I knew my kids would only eat it more than 6hrs later, I'd probably include an icepack.

Roast Meat's bento

A Lunar New Year Feast of Heatiness!

Chocolate chip and macadamia cookies, chicken karaage, pork floss rolls, clementine wedges and cuke sticks. Oooohhhhh......

The First Cold Udon Bento of 2014

Here's another bento favourite! Boiled dried udon, which has a texture somewhat more chewy than the fresh udon available in the supermarkets, is topped with blanched Chinese greens and slices hardboiled egg. Kids brought the mentsuyu (noodle dipping sauce) frozen in separate containers.