Lunch boxin’

You say, WHAT!  Why would I need to lunch box it?  Because we field trippin’, baby!  Well, anytime we are out of the house, I consider it field trippin’.  Wait until you see the shirts I am working on.  So here is our lunch box.

More like the community lunch box, we end up feeding any kid that is in eye shot of it.  Because, our lunch box is filled with all this goodness.

Now I used to do bentos when my kid went to school for so many reasons, beyond the fact that it makes me look like a cool mom.  So let me tell you why!

1. I am SO COMPLETE lazy and there is no way I want to make sandwiches, shove them in bags.  Have spoons to clean and all that jazz.  If I can boil it or cut it, that is about all I am up for.
2. HEALTHY!  My belief is the meal should be half veggie or fruit, quarter protein and quarter starch.  When you make sandwiches, keeping that ratio is out the window.
3. I got no idea what to pack or how much, so I rummage through the kitchen to fill up all the spots.  So I start with the first thing I could find, apples.  In fact on this day, eggs and peppers were an after thought.  I enjoyed the peppers with cheese the best, while the eggs were gone before I got one for myself.
4. I am snacker and subsequently, I am raising snackers.  If you can eat it with a toothpick, it’s lunch.
5. We love to share. We have the perfect set up to share.
6. Visually appealing.  Sorry for the plastic bag, but it makes good food look boring.  The best way to eat is with all of your senses.  So it should please the eyes, nose, and tongue. And bentos do.
7. I look so cool, especially in my own mind, when I come strollin’ up with this thing.  Then I open it, and the crowds go wild.
8. Most of all, it keeps me just a bit more different from the rest.  That in itself is enough reason for me.

SO shamefully, being a cool bento packin’ momma, is more for my limited culture, but wishin’ I was more alter ego.  Pretty good job fakin’ it, huh? 
And for those of you that happen to have your kids, too close to my bento, I so got your kid to have a veggie!  Try that for pushing my beliefs on your kid!
~trish

Homemade donuts

   

My kids love donuts!  When I am shopping at midnight at Wal-mart, I will give the bakery shelf a look, but none look worthy my money.  I guess I was ruined with the Krispy Kreme at the corner of the university and going in at 9 pm for hot fresh donuts to prep me for a night of cramming.

I used to make these donuts when I was camping, but now as a mom charming my children, I make them about every 2 weeks.  I usually have everything I need; canaster of biscuits, oil, powdered sugar and milk. 

I quarter the biscuits and then fry them.  I make sure the oil is deep enough to cover the dough.  Here they are frying away. 

I then pile them on a plate.  I used to cover them in icing, but we love them warm and the icing would slide off them.  So anymore we just have the icing on the side and dip them.  This makes for a lot less mess.

And then they are gone.

~trish