Monday, September 22, 2008

September 22nd Bento Lunch

A note to my readers: Hi Everyone! I've been starting to feel like my blog has only been covering a small part of my kitchen adventures and as a result, it's been slipping away from its focus of bento lunches and cupcakes (muffin post, anyone?) because I want to share so much of what I create in the kitchen with all of you. So rather than fill this blog with all kinds of other stuff, I've decided to start a second blog. That way, if you want to see bento lunches and cupcakes, there's no other 'filler' here, but if you're interested in finding out about the other foods I've been exploring, it's all online for you to see.

My new blog is here: http://jacki2.blogspot.com, and there's a link to it in the right sidebar of this blog too. I'll also be linking back to it from here from time to time if I put a food in a lunch for which the recipe isn't very 'bento'.

Hopefully this works well and isn't too confusing. Basically, everything will continue as per normal on this blog, but there is a second blog if you would like to check out additional content. Enjoy!


Okay, on to today's lunch!!!

No Japanese food today! Today's bento lunch was mostly made of leftovers from last nights very North American supper.

The main component of the bento is BF's amazing chili. He makes it from scratch in the slow cooker and it has everything from sausage to lamb pieces to okra to peppers. And it's super spicy! He made a tonne, so we'll be eating it for a couple of days. The thermal bento really came in handy for this.

In the larger side container are hearts cut out of cornbread I made last night (recipe is here) and a few pieces of steamed broccoli and sugar snaps. This is one of the very few times I used a plastic food divider in a bento lunch and that is because I don't want the natural moisture of the vegetables to make the cornbread soggy in parts. Generally I don't include bread products in a bento lunch, so this usually isn't an issue.

I cut the cornbread into small hearts so that BF can easily mix them into his chili if he likes. The dark hearts are cut from the bottom of the cornbread and the light hearts are cut from the tops (right now I'm snacking on the pieces left over from where I cut out the hearts. Yummy!)

I added the veggies mainly for color this time. Because there are so many vegetables in the chili, I think the lunch would have been balanced just fine without the additional greens.

In the small container is some apple crisp, also from last night (recipe is here) and placed in a silicone muffin cup, as well as some strawberry slices and blueberries.

This is definitely a heavier lunch than I typically make, but BF is working late tonight, so I think he will appreciate it.

5 comments:

Jeannie said...

Hi! I'm a long time reader, but first time poster. Since I do stop by here often, I'd like to pass along to you the "I Love Your Blog" award that I received today.

If you're interesting, please stop by my blog and read about the award:

http://beherewhenican.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-fab-day-thanks-to-anna.html

Thanks for sharing your love of bento!

Allison said...

i think its funny that you guys had chili and apple crisp last night. whenever i get make a batch of chili, i ALWAYS end up making apple crisp to go along with it.

i've been craving it lately but trying to wait until it gets cooler and i have an excuse to make chili/apple crisp.

Dominique said...

Yay for two blogs! I always love coming home from work and seeing what you've eaten.

I made the double dulce de leche cupcakes you made a short while back and brought 2 dozen to work and they went over really well! I had to improvise because I didn't have the same ingredients but my old manager loved them so much, she's requested them for her last day at work on Wednesday. So thanks for posting about them Jacki!

Jacki said...

Thank you Jeannie! This is my first award :D

Hi Allison!
That's really funny, I guess they just go well together! I know what you mean about waiting for it to get a bit cooler before making this stuff. I think I'm getting ahead of myself, I'm just excited for hearty winter foods :)

Hi Dom!
I'm glad your cupcakes were such a big hit! They're yummy, eh? I'm trying to decide what kind I should make next. I really wanted to make pomegranate cupcakes some how, but none of the stores around here are carrying pomegranates at the moment

Jeannie said...

I make a bento myself at times, so I know the amount of work that goes into doing it. It shows that you really work hard on all of your recipes. :D