Bento 18

My bento-ing is still ongoing... almost daily. Just that these days, because of the rush, I've hardly time to take pics. This was today's fare for Daughter. A quickie mix of sandwich, hard boiled egg (soy sauce included in the mini strawberry container), mini sausages and cherries. Takes about 10 minutes to prepare 2 sets. There's another set for Son minus the frills. At least he's taking his breakfast to school these last couple of days.

Sandwich comes in 2 sets... butter with kaya which is my all time favourite and strawberry and chocolate spread. Anything to do with strawberry is my Lil Gal's favourite. She has a penchant for anything with that sourish taste. So, tomatoes and berries go down well with her.

It's always fun to prepare for my little girl.... and she's growing up way too fast! And she always seems so appreciative.

Bento 17.. Bread, Egg and Fruits

Been a while since I took pics of the food that I pack for my lil gal. I've moved to metal containers. Still using my plastic containers but rarely these days. Kinda worried that those stuff in the plastic will find their way to the food.

The night before I asked my Lil Gal whether she'd like to have a 'bear-egg' to school and 'car-bread'. It was an enthusiastic yay! How not to prepare with such enthusiasm? So this morning I did a quick one. Boiled egg and shaped with with my teddy bear mold. Strawberries and grapes in the silicon containers. And bread in the shape of car and bear with a heart; spread of strawberry/grape jam and butter.

It's been half a year since I made something like this for her. I still pack food for her but I do other stuff for her. And she came home that day, beaming.. telling me that even her monitor said, "Wah!" A year ago, her classmates didn't really bother what their friends bring. Now, I can see that they're beginning to pay attention to what their friends bring and have. The beginnings of the role of peer pressure. Yup!

And she asked whether I can make more 'car-bread' for her. The bear with a heart is also a hit. You can eat its heart first! And she asked whether I could make extra for her to bring to school. Her friends want also! 8) Even her soya sauce in her strawberry sauce container was popular! The things that excite a kid!

And so I did... This was today's. The rabbits came out to play among the flowers. With love from the ma! 8)

Bento 15 and New Skating Rink in Alor Star

Have been packing food for Daughter and Son but since school reopened, it's been a mad rush every morning. So no time to take pics. This is today's fare.... from my camera phone.

... ham, steamed brocolli and baby carrots, fried egg and mushrooms in teriyaki sauce.. the whole set. Daughter loves mushrooms cooked this way... there're 3 different types of mushroom in this one.

On the rice... cut the ham into stars, palm tree and heart shapes with a cookie cutter set that I got from Mustafa Centre in Little India. Today's prep time??? Prep and cooking... 20 minutes... cos I had 3 stoves running. 4 if you add the rice cooker. LOL!

The Thermos container is the set that I got for a discount from a warehouse sale in S'pore. 8) I've also used it to bring food to work and it's really nice to be able to have the food still warm after a couple of hours. Maybe I'll consider getting myself a Thermos container to pack my own food. Now poor ol' ma is using a Tupperware. And the food is cold by the time I eat it.

Incidentally, there's a new attraction... for the young... in town. A new skating rink! It's located next to Skybowl in Pacific Shopping Centre. The place was really packed the day we went. The girls thought of trying it out but in the end we didn't. It's quite expensive... RM12 but no time limit. But then again, how long can one skate?

In the end, we walked around a bit; checked out some laser printers for the girls.

And the wheel starts to crank again...

School finally begins... and the wheel starts moving again. Jumping out of the bed early in the morning and getting on the road while it's still dark.... My 'bento' is making a comeback after a 7-week hiatus. It means getting up early in the morning and going through the mad rush again... 8) But it's not really a complain.

This morning's fare..... turkey sandwich.... No time to take pics cos I'm a little rusty after 7 weeks. It was quite chaotic! Turkey is from Christmas dinner leftover, everything else from Tesco! LOL!!

My bentos probably will not have that sort of elaborate decos and arrangements cos I work within a 35 minute time frame.... so it's cook or prepare and pack....kinda limited time what with the limited brain functions at that time of the day!

Got to school early today. And one of the first things we had to do was the Akujanji. I mised the earlier one.... Had to do it like an oath thingy. I actually feel it's kinda silly! Those who missed it had to do it while the rest watched on. These days we have to keep professing our 'loyalty' and 'tekun-ness' I supposed. I wonder whatever happened to quiet conscience??

New Bento Containers...

Managed to get these from my last Singapore trip. Bro 2 took us to the Thermos Warehouse Sale...can't remember where but the Thermos stuff was supposed to be going real cheap. Got there and the place was really small. However, outside appearance can be deceiving.

Walked in and there were many Thermos products. I got this for Son. It has its own warmer bag. Real cool! Has its own blue band too... 8)

Open it up and there are 2 more smaller containers inside. Comes complete with a pair of chopstick. At SGD30, I think it's a steal.

Also got this for Daughter... Comes in its quaint little bag. There is another colour for this set - brown. But I think green is nicer. Food should be able to remain warm for some time in the round container as it's one container in another. So, there is this layer of air to insulate the inner container. The bag has pockets for tissue and spoons. Quaint! Got it for SGD30 also! 8)

After I came back, I wished I had gotten more of the Thermos stuff...

Bento 14

Usually do spaghetti for dinner but since it's Lil One and Son's favourite, decided to cook for them to bring to school. This was last Tuesday...

Seafood spaghetti, fried...always fun to cook for Lil One this particular dish cos she really, really likes it. Had to sacrifice my really big prawns that morning for this cos I found out that I had run out of my usual mid-sized prawns. Out went my baked prawns in cheese.... (sigh!!)

She had it at school and finished off the balance from the morning's after coming back for school. How's that for spaghetti crazy??

Bento 13 ...

Been a while since I posted any Bento pic...not because I've not been making but been caught up with other things as well as feeling too tired. Have started volleyball training for the PSKPPM...this Games thing for those in the MOE at national level. Not sure whether I want to go yet but have joined the training after being persuaded by friends. Then there's also badminton....but somehow, the heart is just not quite there!

This was last Thursday's. Baked bread pudding again. Felt pleased with myself cos I managed to finish everything in half an hour. (Jumping for joy!) And I actually could sit down for 5 minutes before changing into work clothes!!! Savoured every minute! Yahoo!!!

Discovered that if I whisk my egg long enough before I add in the milk, the pudding actually comes out lighter....(any expert will be able to tell you that, I supposed). Baked a tray...for Son to chomp down when he got up...(no school that day) and a few in the cups, as suggested by Hijack Queen earlier, for lil one to take to school. Green apples go very well with the pudding.

Kid and Other Half liked the sugar on top of it...says it makes the pudding taste better.

New Bento Toys...

This is Bento 12, maybe. Just got this new bread mould and tried it out last week.

Got myself a car mould for bread and some silicon trays. The trays were so small, we (my friend and I) got fooled by the pics. LOL! Anyway, my gal was happy enough with her food. I forgot about the stars, though. Should not have put it inside the baked beans which was still hot. When I asked her whether she liked the stars after school...she said, "What stars? Got spots like sun in the baked beans" Stars flew away, liao and in place they became suns! They had melted in the heat. LOL!

Last week too, we celebrated Other Half's birthday! The card is made by Daughter....she used my punchers to make it. Took her hours of painstaking work with her tiny hands. Had to do it when the papa was not around. So while I was away for my PTK exam and the papa and bro for the medical thingy at church, she completed it on her own. The aunty helped to clear also. I helped her a bit earlier with the cutting of the straight lines but I am really proud of her...not just because it is a nice card but of her thoughtfulness! That's my gal! I hope she'll be like this always!

And incidentally, I was going through my older posts. She made a drawing for me 7 months ago....and her 'work' has improved.

Of Bokeh Photography and Bento 9

This morning's Bento...not that it's something extra special but it's here cos it has become a subject of photography. Other half has been acquiring new siblings for his new baby for this purpose. Bokeh photography basically means having a blurred background - bokeh is Japanese for blur. That's what my limited knowledge of photography tells me. Hence the need for the new 50mm baby. Apparently it's easier to create a blurred background with a fast lens cos it has much more latitude on the wide end of the aperture than the slow lens.

Anyway, this bento was a quickie. Tim's mom brought some KFC chicken for the boys after our lesson yesterday night. There were a few pieces left. So I shredded the meat and kept it in the fridge. Refried it with onions in olive oil and threw in some fresh corn this morning. I don't use the frozen corn from the supermarket cos they don't taste so sweet. Then add what has been refried with 'mayo' or 'thousand island' .... made 2 flavours. So there...a quickie for this morn.

So other half has been in need of subjects for his new found passion. Else he'd be photographing this... which he did.

This is Barrels....the most photographed subject in our house. He's been with us for more than 12 years. My dad got it for Son from Jusco, Ipoh during one of our trips. And for some reason, Daughter has also taken a great liking for him too. Sometimes they still fight over him! You'd think that at his age, he'd have outgrown Barrels! Daughter has a mini mountain pile of other soft toys but this little fler has always been the first choice. Never mind that he is faded and in need of some repairs in some areas... the most loved soft toy in this family....that's our Barrels. And he's been to almost as many places as my kids.

Morning Rush...Bento 8

These are the kids' bento... was a mad scramble this morning. Got up late cos sleep was disrupted by Son's alarm clock which went off at 4++ a.m. in the morning. Kononnya, wanted to get up early to study. In the end, I laid on the bed and listened to that irritating bell for 10 minutes before getting up to switch it off. The spirit is willing...... give him that much credit. 8)

Son's

Daughter's bento.

Good thing I cooked the 'tau-yu-bak' after church yesterday night. And sis-in-law had already put in the rice to steam. Vegetables just throw in before the rice cooked. So, still managed-lah. The 'tau-yu-bak' is my mom's recipe...instead of frying the garlic in oil, I put in the sugar and garlic into the claypot. Then wait for it to caramelized (with the garlic)....the smell is fantastic. Then throw in the meat, add water....and all the other ingredients and leave the whole pot to simmer slowly. Simple and fast and has a nice smell.

Bento No 7... and other stuff

This is the end product of yesterday night's preparations...

This is what Daughter brought... steamed corn sapu with butter and cauliflower with a dash of teriyaki on top. Bacon, asparagus and enoki mushroom is broiled...I wanted it quick - that's why I used the broiler. I feel grilling them will bring out the flavour more. Egg is fried with garlic butter and herbs. I shaped it into bears...the leftovers all went into bro's bento. Strawberries is for dessert and I put in a packet of sugar just in case she wants a little sugar on it and some soya sauce in the strawberry container right at the top right hand corner. Rice is mixed with sushi rice and raisins...with some herbs, of course. Fusion of east and west. 8) All 3 (ma, bro, girl) brought the same stuff to school today.

Mine.....son took his before other half took the camera came out...

And then, when I got to school, found this on my table. My Panitia Head had prepared this for each of us.... her 'papaya bento'. Very nice of her to take the time to make for each of us, with a short note some more! 8)

And my friend (the one who went TESCO with me..) she also prepared almost the same stuff for her kids.. So, this is a morning of bentos..... LOL! Nothing like having a group of friends to spur us on... 8)

Footnote...nope I didn't sleep all that well yesterday night... I mean I did sleep like a log...but had trouble falling to sleep cos the hands were throbbing....from digging the volleyball yesterday. Today, hands are stiff...not from muscle aches but the pain from the constant pounding of the volleyball....it really hurts to play! But still want to suffer the pain...siao onot??

Today's Packed Food...Bento 6

This should be Bento 6. This is what daughter brought to school...after one week of break, this 'engine' is taking some time to crank up. Half the time in a daze at work these last two days....need coffee to perk me up so that I can stay focus....(shake, shake head!)

This is the first half of the packed food. Bread is toasted with garlic butter. This Winnie takes more work than the other one. The sausage 'terbalik' liao...flower should be on the other end. It's supposed to be a tulip but doesn't quite look like one. For dessert, apple cut in the shape of the flower and soaked a while in salt water to prevent oxidization. The green grapes are for the colour.

The other half made up of a star shape egg and some more bread...tiny pieces cut into flower and teddy bear shapes. I like the teddy bear shapes...very cute.....it has given its heart away. 8) The pineapple container is for the soya sauce...for the egg. All she'll need to do is just squeeze it gently and droplets will come out! Cute! The Penguin box contains some jam, just in case she wants to give an extra oomph to her bread!

It was a mad rush getting this ready. Left the house slightly later than usual... but worth it as she was looking forward to what she can bring to school. Yesterday I made pancakes shaped like houses and circles for her to bring. Her friends think they are bought....not likely for them to be made by the ma! LOL! Kids these days are programmed to think that nice things can only be found from the supermarket shelves!

This morning heard over the news that the Cabinet will only decide whether to reduce the petrol pump prices after the last Cabinet Meeting for the month. Whatever happened to the bi-monthly reviews? Another one of those lepas batuk di tangga statements? So what next? TNB raised the electricity tariff soon after the increase...now fuel prices on the downward slide...no reduction in tariffs???? Looks like 'lip service' is all that the politicians are good at.

More Bento-ing...

This morning's fare..

Pancakes cut into small bite pieces with cookie cutters on picks for easy eating. Maple syrup is in the container...still waiting to get some proper sauce containers. Fish-shaped egg cut into half with a dash of salt for extra taste. A small sausage cut into bite sizes also on a pick and some seedless grapes and a cherry tomato to round everything up.

Today I decided to get up extra 10 minutes earlier, which meant pushing my waking up time to 6.00 a.m. This to reduce the frantic rush to get everything ready by 6.35 a.m. cos everyone will be down for breakfast before going off. Then I will go and change while the rest sit down and eat. A quick change into work clothes and I am back in the kitchen, to pack the food. Then a quick bite and off we go.

Then drop lil girl off....dawn is still breaking then...traffic is not so heavy. They grow up way too fast.

Then another quick stop to get 'makan' for school. It's puasa month now so canteen is closed. It's either bring food to school or go out in search of food. The latter means going out to town...means less time to finish off my stuff. So the former is a more attractive option for me usually, though we still go out occasionally. I could always pack for myself but sometimes for the sake of camaraderie....This is Hokkien Mee. Some say this place has one of the best Hokkien Mee in town. The soup really packs a punch! 8)

After the 'ta-pau' stop, another 20 minutes to work. I always try to make it a leisurely drive...time for a little reflection or just simply enjoying the silence or the radio...whichever catches my fancy for the day. Today's sun ... camera not canggih enough to capture its essence! Waiting for other half to get his DSLR... 8)
So there...my usual morning on a school day.

Update 1st October 2010

The best Hokkien Mee (at least to me) stall is no longer operating there. Went there this morning and found 3 new stalls operating there. Tried their lor-mee but it wasn't spectacular. Now to find out where the original Hokkiem Mee operator has gone.

Bento again...3

I think I should start having more organized titles like Hijack Queen with her Bento Mania. This is this morning's. The bread mould is not mine....belongs to a friend. So did a simple one for Daughter, fried it with garlic butter...with a 'egg-car' and marshmallows for dessert. Other half put in two champagne grapes as eyes later and I cut the eggs into half, just in case Lil Rainbow's monitor want to share her food today...

So there....

Another morning..another Bento..

I could get used to this...but it is a real rush to get everything done with the limited time that I have in the morning as I have to leave the house early. Unless, of course, I get my sleepy head and weary body out of the bed even earlier... 8(

This is today's fare for daughter. Also packed for Son but instead of teddy bear rice, his was as a triangular shaped one. He didn't take the strawberries but replaced it with chocolate cookies.

The 'teddy bear rice' has other things stuffed inside...corn, carrot and fish sticks cut in smaller pieces. Eggs are fried with onions and bacon - the smell alone is quite appetizing. Had to remind my girl not to let the giraffe and chicken fruit picks go missing after she is done with the strawberries.

Yesterday, she ended up with the egg yolk of the 'rabbit-shaped' egg as one of her classmates asked for the egg. I think they traded food or something like that. The champagne grapes got 'plucked' by various hands... it seemed.

Bento today..

The bento for my girl this morning

Sandwich is ham with salad in between slices of bread fried with butter and garlic. Trying out my rabbit egg mould...pecah a bit but still okay. The grapes are champagne grapes. Ever since Tesco opened here, we've had a bit more choices where food is concerned. Don't have to make trips to Penang for a lot of stuff now. They are really small but lil girl likes. I put in the dried pineapple just for the colour.

Egg Mould For My Bento

Finally got my egg mould. Friend ordered online, so I 'pacat' on her order. Just to try it out. The merchandise arrived this afternoon and I got it tonight. Immediately boiled 2 eggs to try it out. 2 of these moulds for RM12...that's RM6 a piece for two pieces of plastic! Siao moms! But the eggs will surely taste nicer to the kids. ROFL!

It worked like a charm. Was worried that the eggs might pecah as we have another friend who bought some moulds a week or two back who have tried on more than a dozen egg and all of them pecah. Followed the instructions from the Net...put in some salt as the eggs boiled. Then peel it while they're hot and put them into the mould. Finally, dump them into icy cold water. After a while....ta...daaaaa!! 2 odd but cute-looking eggs. Bigger eggs would have been nicer. As it was my Teddy was missing his ears and Kitty Cat's ears and nose were a bit cacat also.

Anyway, there were two kids around, so we gave them the eggs. True enough my gal said the egg was very nice. She took the Hello Kitty egg. Said she even licked all the yolk. LOL! Next week, I will let her take to school. Already she is excited about it. 8) Also got some animal picks to 'perk' the food presentation up.

Breakfast today....

Breakfast today...packed for me and my boy. Used naan bread and stuffed it with corned beef stir fried with garlic and onions. Then baked it with cheese. Salad is made up of strawberries, yellow cherry tomatoes, grapes, salad leaves, raisins and green apples. Salad goes well with the naan...otherwise the naan on its own would be a bit dry. This would last me till I the end of my workday. I shall make myself a cup of St. Dalfour peppermint tea later.