Wouldn't it be nice if we could all sleep in on Saturday. Actually my fat cat sleeps in on Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday too. Can you tell...It's so difficult to move him when it's time for me to lay down. I must just be jealous. Can you roll yourself into a cotton ball?
Today's bento is full of color and different foods from the food pyramid helped along by lots of leftovers. Backed chicken breast, steamed white rice, ginger, soy/mirin glazed eggplant, clementine wedges, mixed nuts/dried fruit and mini treat. Wow a feast... 
Lunch tomorrow is a flower bed of treats. Jasmine rice with pickled ginger, tamago with furatake, spinach roll, cherry tomato and mixed nuts. I think I have included most of the colors in this balanced vegetarian bento, lowfat and full of variety. Lunch is looking up. 
Tomorrow's bento is filled with white bean chicken chili and sweet rice. I am into experimenting with my rice cooker and trying different varieties of rice. This rice is new to our family. It is very small grain and almost clear when cooked. It is called Golden Crane Premium Sweet Rice which was purchased at an oriental grocery store in Homestead, Florida. If I were more authentic I would have purchased pickled plums to top the rice but at $5.99 for a tiny jar I wasn't feeling the need to be too authentic. Instead I have topped the rice with pickled ginger which I know I love. At first my teenage girls were very suspicious of my new rice selection. Once they tried it, it was an instant success. In fact, they ate their father's portion so I had to make a new pot for his supper. 
My second take at Artesian Bread using my new Christmas cookbook (Artesian Bread in 5 Minutes a Day). This crunchy loaf just out of the oven is approximately a two pound loaf baked on my tried and true pizza stone. The bread is 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour. This was the first time I have ever used a steam pan while baking bread, it really worked. Lots of fun and it tastes good too. My first loaf was almost completely consumed before I got my camera out. 
