Jack-O-Lantern Musubi Bento

Jack-O-Lantern Musubi Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

I have made lots of Halloween themed bento so far this season, and I think this one is my favorite. I don't usually make onigiri because my boy doesn't love rice all that much. I think he would rather have something more interesting! But I really wanted to try to make a pumpkin riceball. Now I see why so many people like to make riceball kyaraben; their chubby faces are so cute! So I am pleased with how the "carved" pumpkin turned out, and I think the little floral touches add some charm to this otherwise "plain" bento :)

MisterMan has fish / lettuce "tacos" with homemade tartar sauce in container underneath. Roasted supersweet mini red pepper and red cherry tomato add color. Carrot rice Jack-o-lantern. Satsumaimo and Okinawan sweet potato flowers.

Fruit side has late season peaches, blackberries (kind of tart!) and black grapes.

Happy Face and Flower Bento

Happy Face and Flower Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

This is a happy and fresh one to remind us of those long-lost days of summer *sigh*
OK, it's only been 2 weeks, but still.

I made shoyu chicken with thigh meat, which the kids love. I also threw in some new potatoes, which soak up the sauce and get nice and soft and flavorful, but they ate them all up so there is none for the bento. I also roasted asparagus and red / yellow / green capsicum with olive oil and garlic powder. The broccoli is steamed plain, but it tastes very good dipped into the shoyu sauce, which is how the kids ate the whole head :) The white flowers are Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo), with purple carrot detail -- I think they look like a certain daffodil... The tomato flowers have green olive centers and peapod detail.

Fruit side has half a black plum, black and red grapes, strawberries, golden raspberries, a blackberry and a champagne grape smilie.