A Little Less Of The Same Old Lunch

Summer is great, but sometimes lunchtime seems a little boring.  Just as I get tired of the same old thing...so do my kids.  So, I decided to try something a little different.  I only wish I'd tried out and learned a few tips sooner.  Time for a fun bento inspired meal...at home.  So, I skipped the "box" and served it on square plates to give it a more "boxed" feel  Can't forget the chopsticks, either!  Of course, I packed the extras into a bento box for my husband to enjoy when he got home.

Of course the easiest way to make lunch more fun is with some cookie-cutters.  I love my old Pampered Chef Kids Cutters set.  I've used it so many times!  The flower is big enough that it doesn't waste much from a standard sandwich bread slice...so it's perfect for a cute sandwich minus the crust.  Of course, I cut out the lunchmeat and cheese to match.  I also use the Pampered Chef Creative Cutters Set, too....for things like meat/cheese for crackers or to cut shapes in slices of fruits/veggies.

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My kids do like hard-boiled eggs, so I thought I would make them a little more fun.  So, I bought some egg molds.  I boiled my eggs and following some recommendations, then I began getting the egg molds wet.  As I peeled each of the warm eggs, I placed them each in a mold, locking the mold, and placing it directly in a bowl of ice water to cool.  I left them in the ice-water for a bit to ensure they would hold their shape.

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I ordered a "sushezi" to make some sushi-type rolls and thought I'd give it a try.  Worked great.  Next time I will wrap my roll(s) in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a while before serving, though.  

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I wasn't so sure about this...  I have to say that it turned out better than I thought.  Sliced into thin strips, pan-fried and placed in the center of the "sushi" roll.  It was yum.

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Thanks to Costco, you can get small sheets of seaweed easily!  It's a nice and salty snack even on its own, too. I just used these little sheets to wrap my "sushi" roll.  They worked out pretty well.

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One of the tricks I learned was to make "sticky rice" you need to soak the short-grain rice for at least 30 minutes prior to turning on the rice cooker.  I have to tell you that it really worked great.  I used rice molds on some of the extra rice, too!  They held up great!  Mmm...I got to enjoy some sweet sticky rice later with sweetened coconut milk.  

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