Bento Boxes

[spork]

I've worn clean scrubs as PJ's (I'm surprised that DC doesn't have a sign-off smilie in night-cap snoring zzz's).

You can pickle press in the frig with 2 stacking tupperware plus 1 heavy can of beans.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I've worn clean scrubs as PJ's (I'm surprised that DC doesn't have a sign-off smilie in night-cap snoring zzz's).

You can pickle press in the frig with 2 stacking tupperware plus 1 heavy can of beans.

I've worn my scrubs as PJ's on accident...on the couch.

 

[Kathleen]

I forgot to pack a lunch yesterday. My Bento-fans at work seemed sad but not as sad as I was when lunch time approached.

 

[spork]

I think it's good not to pack a lunch every day, it makes them all that much more satisfying when you do.

This is a sampler plate of some tsukemono in my frig today.

1. pickle of random veggies
2. cooked green beans in sweet sesame paste
3. eggplant in mustard miso
4. homemade umeboshi from a friend in Japan
5. kimchee of napa cabbage
6. wakame nori seaweed paste

Nothing fancy, all pretty much standard fare. I make them in small batches to last maybe five days. A repertoire of maybe a dozen recipes, one made every other day keeps the rotation and frig stocked with a varied selection to complement any given meal. I also experiment, but am not very good with improvised tsukemono. A spoonful of whichever one I fancy will go into my lunch box as well as my dinner plate.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I think it's good not to pack a lunch every day, it makes them all that much more satisfying when you do.

This is a sampler plate of some tsukemono in my frig today.

1. pickle of random veggies
2. cooked green beans in sweet sesame paste
3. eggplant in mustard miso
4. homemade umeboshi from a friend in Japan
5. kimchee of napa cabbage
6. wakame nori seaweed paste

Nothing fancy, all pretty much standard fare. I make them in small batches to last maybe five days. A repertoire of maybe a dozen recipes, one made every other day keeps the rotation and frig stocked with a varied selection to complement any given meal. I also experiment, but am not very good with improvised tsukemono. A spoonful of whichever one I fancy will go into my lunch box as well as my dinner plate.

Beautiful! Now I'm having all kinds of ideas. Love the eggplant! And the plate is gorgeous!

Green bean pickles...

 

[spork]

Eggplant doesn't need much salt to leech out its liquid. Mine is usually raw, sliced, skin-on, salted and massaged until it looks like a tired apple. The one in the pic was an experiment that turned out even better than the traditional.

Poke a few holes into a Japanese or Chinese eggplant. Wrap in cellophane and microwave for 1 minute. Peel. Chop. Season. Toss in 1:3 ratio of hot mustard to white miso. Add horseradish or mirin if needed. Good to go, 30 minutes is even better. At a market, you might find this in refrigerated cup-size containers of miniature whole eggplants.

 

[Damien]

Damn you guys again! You're draining my bank account.. lol. Just purchased a Japanese pickle press and a recipe book..

-Damien

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Eggplant doesn't need much salt to leech out its liquid. Mine is usually raw, sliced, skin-on, salted and massaged until it looks like a tired apple. The one in the pic was an experiment that turned out even better than the traditional.

Poke a few holes into a Japanese or Chinese eggplant. Wrap in cellophane and microwave for 1 minute. Peel. Chop. Season. Toss in 1:3 ratio of hot mustard to white miso. Add horseradish or mirin if needed. Good to go, 30 minutes is even better. At a market, you might find this in refrigerated cup-size containers of miniature whole eggplants.

Eggplant - on the Chopin Liszt!

Another use for horseradish doesn't hurt!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Damn you guys again! You're draining my bank account.. lol. Just purchased a Japanese pickle press and a recipe book..

-Damien

Glad to be of service, do you need more ideas on how to spend money? I've got lots of them!

 

[Damien]

Glad to be of service, do you need more ideas on how to spend money? I've got lots of them!

There are a few things I have to pick up for the baozi cooking day I posted about... Speaking of which, Baozi may be good handy meals for Bento lunch as well. they microwave well on a plate covered in saran wrap.

-Damien

 

[PrincessFiona60]

There are a few things I have to pick up for the baozi cooking day I posted about... Speaking of which, Baozi may be good handy meals for Bento lunch as well. they microwave well on a plate covered in saran wrap.

-Damien

I have a nice steamer insert now...I would like to learn to make the buns.

 

[Kathleen]

I have a nice steamer insert now...I would like to learn to make the buns.

You must post recipes when you do!!! I've never made them where they are good.

 

[Damien]

got my steamer insert the other day.. made the buns but forgot to let them rise after stuffing them.. they were sadly flat..oh yeah.. What happened to this thread? so quiet.. *crickets*

-Damien

 

[PrincessFiona60]

got my steamer insert the other day.. made the buns but forgot to let them rise after stuffing them.. they were sadly flat..oh yeah.. What happened to this thread? so quiet.. *crickets*

-Damien

I am just now being able to spend any time in the kitchen because of health problems. Yesterday, I was able to do my Convenieince store challenge and today I am wiped out again. I need to get my strength back...again.

However, I wasn't so sick I couldn't order a couple more Bento Boxes.

 

[Saphellae]

LOL
Did I see a Deathstar Cookie Jar in someones picture???

 

[PrincessFiona60]

LOL
Did I see a Deathstar Cookie Jar in someones picture???

Yes, and it's a seat for Cthulu...Star Trek is represented, too...

 

[Kathleen]

I have a fever and sniffles. It's ruining all of my plans and cooking.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I have a fever and sniffles. It's ruining all of my plans and cooking.

I'm sorry! I hope you feel better soon. You need to print yourself out a fun calendar http://www.sanrio.com/downloads/calendars/2011_04_calendar.pdf

 

[PrincessFiona60]

More Bento Boxes, I ordered from a site donating 5% of their March profits to Relief in Japan.

 

[spork]

This time of year is always crazy busy for me. Tough to stay caught up with everything.

How fun, Fi, and for a good cause!

Damien, I have to postpone my project to learn how to make steam buns. For filling, you're using the same mixture that goes into your gyoza dumplings, right? I also have an unused can of sweet red bean in my cupboard, so I'll eventually get around to it and post pics.

Kath, you have a lot on your plate, don't push to hard. You mentioned quail eggs in an earlier post. Although they are available at several local asian markets, I don't buy them often. I wish there was greater general demand for it, and quail. Then, I would feel more confident that what's on the refrigerated shelf is as fresh as can be. If you order chilled buckwheat noodles at a Japanese restaurant, you'll be asked whether you want a quail egg, for cracking open and mixed raw into your dipping sauce.

Here's a simple tsukemono of quail egg that's fun for bento.
1. hard boil (maybe five minutes) and peel
2. refrigerate at least an hour in marinade
3. miso paste, and sweet mirin, maybe 6:1 ratio
Little savory-sweet candy poppers!