Happy Birthday Indonesia

Hello...

It was 17 August again...and every year we celebrate our Independence day ^,^ 

This time, this is the bento that I made 

What is inside:

* Wheat bread filled with butter and rice chocolate

Decorated with kani on top, which represented our red and white national flag 

* Cheddar cheese in dark and pale yellow of flowers

* Mixed veggie salad with mayo, salt and pepper

* Pan fried sausages, with cute faces of puppy and kitty

* Colorful jellies in a cup

* Boiled quail eggs, decorated with nori, to represent our kids

Aside of jelly cup, I inserted rolled-kani, just to fill the empty gap.

We had fun in participating into some races within our neighbourhood to celebrate the event, such as eating crackers (makan kerupuk), fashion shows, running from one point to another, in a very short distance, while carrying a marble onto a spoon, catching baby eels, and others. The best part was, everyone got a prize! Well, winning the race was not as important as being together in our local community.

Catch you later!

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The excitement continues

Hello hello...

This is the post about latest bento making.

In welcoming Christmas, my bento theme is simply about the festive season

If you have Instagram account and follow mine (yennyhandoko) you will be aware that these bento-es had been uploaded to my account earlier.

The Christmas tree

The content of box:

* Blanched brocolli, formed in a tree, decorated with frozen-bought carrot, corn and peas, also from sliced zucchini and cheese star.

It put that brocolli tree unto bed of white rice, for sturdy position

* Kamaboko rose with green bean leaves

* Santa sausages

* snowman from quail eggs

* Sauteed green beans and champignon mushroom

* Strawberries

I ate this as my lunch

The snack bento

Kids like to swim in public swimming pool nearby our house.

I imagined they will be hungry, thus I made this snack bento.

Mister J helped me in preparing the sandwiches. He filled them all with lettuce, egg sheet, cheese sheet and fried ham. Completed with mayo and ketchup. 

I already prepared the ingredients while he just smeared the bread and stacked them. He is so proud that he can help out.

Aside from sandwiches, I put some fried sausages, few blanched broccoli, flower-y egg sheet and kani sheet (in white and red color). Lastly, I put some strawberries.

I intentionally did both snow man and santa from quail eggs - to get the touch of a Christmas-y box - I used the left-over kani sticks and decorated the faces with nori and ketchup.

Some friends asked me about the cute snowman
Here is a closer look

To combine two boiled eggs, I used raw angel-hair (or spaghetti) pasta.

Later on, I wrapped red kani sheet as to perform a scarf. Again, I used raw pasta to tie-in the two parts of scarf. As to make sure, the snowman will be shaken-proof, the kani sheet was secured in several points with the egg.

For facial expression, I put nori punched-out and dab few ketchup using toothpick for his rosy cheek.

For final touch, I inserted the food pics as his arms and blue hat.

Voila....does he look comfy and adorable? >,<

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Bread lately

Hello ^,^

Lately, I like to make bento with bread.

What's inside:

French toast dusted with fine sugar, potato croquet, edamame, mandarin and strawberries

What's inside:

Wheat bread filled with tuna mayo, added with heart-ham on top; rolled egg and mixed berries.

Starting today, the twins will have final exams for a week.
Hope they do well :)

Also, today is my last day in my detox program he he he
I will make a celebration bento for myself on tomorrow *wide grin*

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Mantou Bento

Hi there...

I have been eye-ing mantou for making a bento in quite some time.

The frozen mantou is easily be found in local supermarkets. We usually either steam or fried it for a while before to eat it.

#259 snack for kids

What's inside

Panko fried mantou filled with homemade teriyaki beef; a cup filled with seaweed and another cup filled with mixed berries.

It was their first time to have it ....and the kids love it.
\>o</

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bento 257 Mini Pancake

Hi there...

I have been thinking to make mini pancake for quite some time.
Kids like pancake very much (well, who doesn't?) but miss L loves it.
I made her once a pancake bento in here

Here is another version for her snacking time

Inside the box:
Mini pancakes, maple syrup in Hello Kitty bottle, quail eggs, edamame and grapes.

I just made the pancake as usual, then cut them out with mini ring. 
Then whom ate the left-overs from the cutting? little B ... *wide grin*


Have a great weekend to all of you  {^,^}

read more “bento 257 Mini Pancake”

A late post

Hi there...

A late post from past made bento

#254

What's inside:

Broccoli and lettuce salad with crispy bacon, tamagoyaki, grapes, kiwi, onigiri with chicken floss and french dressing in small bottles.

I was tempted to make each a full-packed bento, but realised that they couldn't finish the meal.

#255

What's inside:

Wheat and cheese bread, filled with peanut butter in below tier

Pears, blanched broccoli, edamame and quail egg in upper tier

I am running out of carrot >,<!

Was planning to have one to give the color

Well, I hope my girl will like it  :)

read more “A late post”

Bento 241

Hi all...

Here is a bento for today

Content of box: french toast, narutomaki, edamame, cantaloupe, grapes and quail egg.

The quail egg as usual is decorated with nori and edamame.

Today's weather looks nice. However, we a bit worry too since mid day has dark clouds and shower. We do not wish to have another flood in here.

See ya...

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Bento 235 sandwiches

Good morning...

I made sandwiches for snack during last weekend

Too bad, the photo wasn't bright. 

Off we went to my parents house bringing this box.

The sandwiches composed of lettuce, egg, ham, cheese, ketchup and mayo. Big J applied ketchup and mayo to bread. He was so proud telling everyone that "mommy made the sandwiches but I put the ketchup and mayo!" LOL

I also put some apples inside. And on top, was the bear from cheese sheet. They all love the sandwiches. I silently smiled since I aware little B is not so fond of lettuce, but he just gulped all down.

\>,</

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Bento 234 Happy thanksgiving

Well...long time no bento post.

I have been busy in taking care kids that went ill with cough and cold.

It started -in order- from handsome J, pretty L and cute B. Although I separated them during sleeping time, the virus infected them so fast, since they played together during the day. Ehm.. no surprise for that. It has been two weeks now and they slowly start to recover. However, there were moments when all of them coughing and sneezing heavily at the same time. It gave me a headache and heartache :b

I do not yet feel like making a bento under such circumstance, but miss L requested a homemade pancake for her lunch today.

She had rolled pancakes, completed with butter in hello kitty cup and pancake syrup in green cap bottle. I also added grapes on the side. Few rabbit foodpicks placed on top of pancake, just to cheer her up.

Not sure why she loves pancake so much. But I think most kids do.

She had this pancake breakfast during last weekend.

I just made it according to instruction in pancake mixed box. Combined the package with regular milk and whisked egg. For extra flavor, I also put few grated fresh apple, cinnamon powder and a pinch of vanilla extract into the batter. Yay! a yummy apple cinnamon pancake :) Smells and tastes wonderful.

End the breakfast with ginger lemon hot tea, to soothe their neck.

Happy thanksgiving to all of you  {^.^}

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Bento 233 Rudolph

Ho Ho Ho...

Is it Christmas already since Rudolph visited our home this morning?

I made them from burger bun. Filled with chopped hard boiled egg with cheese, mayo, salt and pepper to taste. On its surface, I put eyes (cheese and chocolate chip), smile (yellow and white cheddar), red nose (sugar-coated chocolate, such as M&M's) and horns (From Pocky!)

 

Don't you love him, with his red glowing nose? 

He was here too by last year

Yummy....yummy...

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Bento 223 - happy froggy

Just a quick post.

I made this bento to bid farewell for a friend whom resigning from work today.

The green frogs were made from pandan bread and filled with chicken floss.

Decorated with cheese sheet and chocolate chips for eyes.

The nose and mouth were from punched nori

Surround the frogs were halved quail eggs with black sesame seeds, grape tomato and a basket of mixed berries. 

The basket itself made from peeled-off mini mandarin, filled with mandarins, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.
I lightly sprinkled rock sugar on top of fruits, to enhance the colors.

Good luck in your future endeavors ^.^ please do keep in touch.

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Foods in Business trip - Part 2

Beberapa foto-foto di posting ini diambil dari kamera handphone..jadi harap maklum ya kalo ga gitu kinclong.

Lanjut deh....

Dari Chicago, pindah ke Harrisburg, PA

Kota ini termasuk bukan kota gede. Jadi kita agak kaget juga karena habis dateng dari airport Chicago yang rame, mendarat di airport Harrisburg yang tenang.

Ga banyak kelihatan orang ya? airport nya rapi terus ...hihi

Ladang jagung...foto dari dalam mobil...

 

Pas kebetulan di highway, lihat ada exit ke Hershey.
Jadi belok deh sebentar....

Too bad....gak sempet mampir...hiks...
Cuma lihat depannya doang, foto.. (itu juga dari mobil) trus kabur lagi...

Dinner
Kebetulan dekat hotel ada supermarket, Target dan beberapa restaurant.

Seperti biasa, aku makan salad (hihi..uda bosen blom, bayanginnya...) dan bread soup bowl berisi clam chowder.

Yang ini mungkin lebih menggugah selera....classic turkey club...

Kebetulan liat ini, barbeque apron... lucu ya..jadi inget suami, karena doyan makan daging...

Besoknya, breakfast di hotel dan lunch sedapatnya aja

Malamnya dinner di deket area hotel lagi. 

Mungkin uda kecapekan juga, ga gitu nafsu makan. Cuma pilih makan cheesecake dan lemonade.

Disana, selain porsi makan yang gede, porsi minumnya juga gede.

Kelar kerja di Harrisburg, pindah ke Tampa - Florida, pakai pesawat jam 8 pagi

Transit di Charlotte

Engga tahu kotanya kaya apa....cuma transit di airport aja

Landed di Tampa, uda sore..langsung buru-buru ketemu customer dan lanjut ke dinner meeting

Vegetarian Salad 

House greens mixture of romaine, iceberg, and mesclun with fresh, crisp vegetables of the season.

Judulnya bikin aku nyengir...uda vegetarian, salad pula... Rasa uda pasti enak.

Ada menu yang bikin aku senyum juga

Chilled Indonesian Chicken Curry Salad
Baked chicken with our special seasoning, hand shredded and blended with mild curry, celery, pecans, served on Belgian endive.

Indonesia beken juga yaaa...

Resto ini terkenal to have the largest wine list in the world. 

Habis makan, kita bisa tour ke dapur, tempat penyimpanan wine (wine cellar) dan Harry Waugh dessert room.

Buku menu untuk dessert nya saja, 65 halaman...duh sampe pusing milih mau apa ya...

Akhirnya pilih triple ice cream with macadamia on waffle bowl.

Saking enaknya, lupa foto..deuh...

Besoknya, masih di Tampa, makan di entertainment district, namanya Channelside. Letaknya di tepi Tampa Bay, tapi menurut aku, koq kurang rame ya. Padahal itu Sabtu malam. Gimana kalo hari biasa ya..

Anyway, kita uda blenger makan American foods, begitu lihat Tapas (food-resto ala Spanyol), kita pilih itu aja deh...

Mojito

Lemon rum muddled with mint leaves, simple syrup, fresh lemons, sour mix and topped with lemon-lime soda, served with a sugar cane stick

Engga bikin mabok koq, walaupun yes, itu mengandung alcohol 

Yang lucu, waktu aku order itu, waiter nya langsung tanya "can I see some ID, please.."

Bos aku langsung nyeletuk "what..! you think she's 17..? she has 3 kids already.."

Waiternya cuma berargumen, bahwa banyak orang yang suka ngaku-ngaku adult padahal masi teenager. Gue cuma nyengir sambil keluarin passport. Iyalah nyengir aja karena masih disangsikan udah adult atau belum...

Dinner...

roasted vegetable and mushrooms (sayur lagee...)

Lumayan beda ya. 

Dalam arti, porsinya pun gak sebesar porsi American foods.

Selesai di Tampa, check-out hotel dan pindah ke Monterrey, Mexico

Yep, gitu deh kerjaannya... jadi nge-pack tiap 2 hari. Begitu masuk hotel lagi, ga berani bongkar koper semua. Cuma ambil seperlunya, daripada ntar grabak-grubuk beresin koper lagi sebelum check-out.

Jalur dari Tampa, transit Houston, sampai ke Monterrey

Di Houston, ngemil dulu deh

I love this chocolate chip cookies....karena chips nya banyak dan chewy...

Di Monterrey, engga terlalu banyak foto makanan
Aku lebih banyak ngemil aja. Udah mulai home-sick.

Lunch, paella with broccoli and chicken

Lebih susah milih meatless meal di sini. 

Mana Spanish aku juga masih ter-patah-patah...

Akhirnya cuma dimakan paella (nasi ala Spanyol) dan broccoli nya aja.

Perhatiin gak, itu potongan broccoli nya aja gede-gede yak...hihihi...

Besok paginya (yep, 2 hari kemudian..) pindah ke Los Angeles...

Kali ini, pesawatnya dari Monterrey jam 6 pagi..hiks..jam 7 aja masi gelap...apalagi jam 6. Aku bangun jam 3.30 am, check out jam 4 am. Masih puyeng karena baru tidur jam 11.30pm. Melewati transit yang sama, di Houston.

Memang untuk ke Mexico, Houston ini kota paling dekat. Tapi aku sebetulnya trauma lewat Houston.

IAH ini besar banget. Pertama kali lewat ini, flight aku memang sempat agak delay dari Mexico. Sudah telat landing, antri panjang di custom, harus claim baggage dan drop-in, lewat check point....alhasil, aku ketinggalan pesawat... Di sini nih ceritanya...

Transitnya pun gak lama, cuma 1.5 jam

Alhasil, begitu berhasil beli breakfast (yes, belum breakfast sebelumnya karena jam 4 pagi, resto hotel pun belum buka..di pesawat ga dapet makan karena flightnya singkat. Paling dapet pretzel) dan sampai di gate, uda dipanggil boarding. Geezzz....

This time, bagasi aku ketinggalan....

Haiss...things happen during trip, jadi aku cuma lapor bagasi belum nongol dan pesan antar ke hotel.

Kopernya memang delay, ikut next flight karena kena random check sama custom.

Aku uda gak panik karena sering mengalami seperti itu. Asal gak hilang aja, aku masi tenang.

Malamnya, bagasi nya datang koq, tapi...rusak kuncinya!

huaaa....yang kaya gini, belum pernah kejadian nih.

Kopernya ga bisa ditutup sama sekali. Datangnya pun uda dalam keadaan diselotip di sekeliling nya.

Lah, paginya jadi balik lagi ke airport, bicara sama airline. Mereka bilang ga bisa bertanggung jawab, karena koper dirusak oleh custom. Akhirnya coba bilang ke custom, sama aja sih. Mereka cuma bilang perlu buka kopernya. Kalo koper ga bisa dibuka, kuncinya terpaksa dirusak and they hold no liability on that matter.

Wis lah...nanti urus asuransi aja.

Yang penting, tetap harus beli koper baru. Kalo gak, gimana pulangnya ... :b

Kelar urusan koper, baru deh laper

Heran lho...pagi itu, restaurant di hotel juga ga buka...yaelaa.. koq bisa-bisaan aja ya...

So, I took breakfast in Philippe's

Resto ini classic LA eatery

Yang lucu, modelnya antri di counternya untuk pesan makanan (biasanya kan di resto, we waited to be seated) dan cash only (disediain mesin ATM .. no excuse deh yaa...)

Menu yang terkenal adalah french dip sandwich (aku pesen ham sandwich), dengan macaroni, corn chowder soup, blueberry pie dan lemonade.

Haiss...semua nya enak...Jangan tanya soal ham sandwich nya ya...Aku cuma makan rotinya aja, ham nya ditinggalin.

Jangan lupa juga cobain mustard nya... pedesnya mantap, kaya makan Japanese's wasabi....

Pas lagi di sini, Arman telpon....

Haiii...so nice to hear your voice...sorry lagi, kali ini juga ga sempet kopdar. Aku ngerti kalo ga weekend, agak susah ketemuan..kan pada kerja semua ya...

blueberry pie

Engga jauh dari situ, jalan kaki sedikit, ketemu Mr. Churro in Olvera Street

Aku tadinya ga tau, apa itu Churro

A friend told me, it is a mexican snack. Kaya donat goreng gitu, tapi bentuknya pipih panjang, bertabur gula dan tengahnya bisa diisi dengan caramel, chocolate, strawberry, dll sesuai selera.

Aku coba yang pakai caramel....Rasanya legit dan manis....

Duhhh...musti perhatiin kadar gula nihhh...hahahaha....Americans ternyata suka makanan manis, minuman mereka juga manis-manis yaa...Aku mentok dengan air botolan aja. Kalo kepengen pun, minum lemonade aja sesekali.

Malamnya, ke area campus UCLA di Westwood.

Area ini ada entertainment spot seperti bioskop dan restaurants.

Temen aku ngajak ke Diddy Riese for dessert

Antrian nya selalu seperti ini...rame sampe keluar store nya

dan wanginya itu lho.....fresh baked cookies....tercium sampai tempat antriannya...

Inside...

Hayo dipilih...dipilih...

bisa pilih sandwich ice cream (ice cream 'dijepit' 2 cookies...terserah mau rasa apa untuk ice cream dan cookies nya), brownies, cookie sundae ...(sama ...pilih sendiri...)

Mine

Butter pecan ice cream in middle of double chocolate chips and white chocolate chips cookies.

Kacauuu....

enak banget.... *I am salivating while writing it now*

So...semua urusan kelar, tinggal pulang...

LAX-Narita-Singapore-Jakarta

Alrite.....

Until next trip yaaa...

Kalo ada yang ngeces, aku gak bertanggung jawab....

read more “Foods in Business trip - Part 2”

Bento 213 Back to School

Today is their first day return to school.

Their school has resume back a little bit earlier than others but since within last month they had earlier school break, I do not mind. Besides, they have been impatiently waiting to get back... (so do I ..LOL)

This week will be an orientation week thus, they will have shorter school hours.

Both miss L and mister J will start their classes on 7 am and dismiss by 10 am. Pretty quick, hm? They are now in second grade elementary (time flies, eh?)

While little mister B will be in kindergarten class from 7.30 until 9 am

A day before, I found flour tortilla wraps, so I made them a burrito

burrito bento

The burrito filled with shredded lettuce, red beans, button mushrooms, minced tomato and grated cheddar, seasoned with pepper. I deliberately put mayo and ketchup in separate cups, to avoid them having wet burritos during lunch time.

Content of box: a burrito -wrapped in wax paper- strawberries, a grape, boiled narutomaki and flower carrot.

For the sake of sweet presentation, I pinned a flower purple sweet potato on the top.

It was their first time to taste Mexican food and they loved it...!

Yay.... :)

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Bento 210 Snack

I seldom do snack bento, since I meant the bento are for their lunch.

However, on last Friday evening, I just got home and found mister J woke up upon my arrival.

Thus, he said he was hungry and wanted to eat something.

Ever wonder why kids almost 7 years old are always hungry?

Any relation with their age or is it just my kids? LOL

Well, in my opinion, something easy to do for night snack is tuna sandwich ..

inspired from @kiki1678 ....thanks for the idea

Two pieces of pandan bread, filled with tuna mayo in between. 

Decorated with cheese and nori.

Accompanied by edamame, boiled quail egg, strawberries and carrots.
I added the crown food pick to officially made him the famous king pig  :b

  

The boy in pajama, enjoying his snack. Eating piece by piece.

For this morning, I still have some pandan and wheat bread.

B's snack, inspired from bento book

The pandan bread filled with peanut butter while wheat bread filled with cream cheese. 

He also had boiled sausage, strawberries and edamame in both duck and rabbit picks.

Wish you a beautiful day :)

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