New Year's Eve

Well, it's the end of another year. It seems that on New Year's Eve I always think how quickly the year flew by. It really did, though. Most times, I reflect. This time, I'm just looking forward. I think this coming year will be one of many changes for us, hopefully all good. For this last lunch of the year, I'm using our oldest bento box. It is the first box that I bought and used for this fun food adventure with my daughter. The one thing I will reflect on for this year is that I'm grateful to have met so many other fantastic people on the adventure with me! Happy New Year!

Toasted cheddar cheese sandwich, dill pickle (under sandwich), apples, mini marshmallows, carrots, broccoli, ranch veggie dip, Trader Joe's fried onions, and provolone cheese numbers.

Winter Wonderland

Here are a few more wintery bentos I did. Since it has hardly been a real winter this year, I figured I'd better get them in while they were still appropriate.

Red and green bell pepper, buttered sourdough toast, salami, provolone, roasted cashews, strawberry fruit leather, mini marshmallows, and a shortbread cookie.

Homemade butter croutons, yellow and white American cheese, red bell pepper, cucumber, salami, ranch in the container, and a North Pole marshmallow.

Ramen noodles, with snowflake shaped fried egg and provolone cheese, some red bell peppers, more provolone 'snow' and letters, and in the closed container under the letters, there is some applesauce.

In these lunches...

Letter Q Lunch

Wow, is 'Q' a hard letter to capture in a lunch... or at least for me, it was. I went for the CuteZCute cutter because it seems to be able to make nearly anything. I was going for porQpine, and my kiddo got hedgehog out of it, so there's that. At least it was a queen hedgehog, right?

Red bell pepper, provolone cheese, veggie dip, Chobani Champions yogurt, chocolate Quarter, and a porQpine MOMables barbeQue chicken salad sandwich.

Some of our letter Q worksheets. We even did all the painting with a Q-tip for good measure!

The Polar Express

Okay, so first of all, Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is enjoying time with family and friends, doing whatever it is you love to do! Second, I want to announce that I have met my Cookie Cutter Challenge, having used 10 of my Christmas cutters. Today? Cheating a bit .. but doing the Polar Express train. Feel free to still add your link. It will be open until midnight tonight. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Strawberry 'santa' with whipped cream, pomegranate seeds, pretzels, Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss wedge, cucumbers, carrots, and a turkey and provolone sandwich with marshmallow 'smoke'.

Love this little Rudolph! I'm thinking Laughing Cow wedges may be the new thing to play with for this mama!

If you want to still join in on the Cookie Cutter Challenge, link up your post using any Christmas or winter themed cookie cutter! Be sure to check out other contributor's links, leave comments, and share the love! To participate, please either use the button below or link back via text. Thanks for sharing and be sure to watch for the rest of the Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenges! The challenge and linky will be open until midnight tonight, so link up anytime today! Thanks for stopping by and participating!
<center> <a href="http://www.zoeslunchbox.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="150" width="150" alt="Zoe's lunchbox" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coverats/blog/cutters.jpg"/></a></center>

Starry Night

Well, it's almost that time. I am still determined to get my 10 Christmas cookie cutters used, but it might possibly be that I finish up just after Christmas. We'll see. This is number 9, so I'm doing okay! We used the star cutter today... obviously. Feel free to join me in the challenge! I'd love to see the creative ways others are using their cookie cutters, even if it's 'just' cookies!

Broccoli, cucumber, orange bell pepper, smoked turkey, 'soft' and grilled cheese with cheddar jack cheese, and pomegranate seeds.

And my favorite part... :) Little hands that just want to get in there really are the sweetest!

Now for that Cookie Cutter Challenge business... It's your turn to join the challenge by linking up your post using any Christmas or winter themed cookie cutter! Be sure to check out other contributor's links, leave comments, and share the love! To participate, please either use the button below or link back via text. Thanks for sharing and be sure to watch for the rest of the Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenges! The challenge and linky will be open until Christmas day, so link up anytime between now and then! Thanks for stopping by and participating!

<center> <a href="http://www.zoeslunchbox.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="150" width="150" alt="Zoe's lunchbox" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coverats/blog/cutters.jpg"/></a></center>

Christmas Cookie Cutouts

I love baking, so making Christmas cookies, while it can be tedious, is a natural extension of what I do. Here are a couple batches we did this year. I do a few other cookies as well, but these butter cookie cutouts are always the artsy fun ones!

Bells a' Ringing

I cannot believe that in four days, it will be Christmas. Thankfully, I'm ready.. well, nearly. I still have to menu plan and grocery shop for Christmas Eve. That day's events are typically at our house, and I never know what I'm making until the last moment. Shopping done and packages wrapped, cards mailed and cookies baked? Check! Christmas Eve meal? Not so much.. Anywho, for today's lunch, I used our bell cookie cutter, as I'm still determined to use all my cutters by Christmas. Join me in the challenge!

Orange bell pepper, fresh peas, Naturebox Far East Rice Crackers, peppermint mini marshmallows, homemade Scotch Shortbread, chocolate bell, pomegranate seeds, and a turkey, mustard, and havarti 'bell' sandwich with cucumber and pomegranate decorations.

I have to share the shortbread recipe, too. It is my grandma's recipe, and one of the simplest, most delicious cookies. We make them every year, without fail. I hope your family enjoys them too!

Scotch Shortbread 
Ingredients - 1/2 lb butter, 1/2 c sugar, 2 c flour
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add flour, and mix just until combined (will be crumbly). Press into a rectangle or circle onto an ungreased cookie sheet. The dough should be uniformly thick, even the edges, roughly 3/4" thick. Prick all over with a fork. We do it like a grid, so we have prescored lines to cut the cookies on. Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour or until just golden. Cut in squares while still warm. Let cool completely to store! Yum!

Don't forget.. there is still time to join in on the Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge linky too. Thanks for visiting and sharing!
<center> <a href="http://www.zoeslunchbox.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="150" width="150" alt="Zoe's lunchbox" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coverats/blog/cutters.jpg"/></a></center>

Ho-Ho-Hopping Christmas Trees

The Bento Bloggers and Friends are at it again with their final installment of the Holiday Ho Ho Hop!! Be sure to hop through and see all of the amazing holiday bentos this week by clicking on the Hop graphic below our lunches! Because we are working our way through some of our holiday cookie cutters, I settled on the Christmas tree shaped one for the hop. For me, the most significant symbol of the holiday season is the decorated tree. Enjoy.

Red bell pepper, cucumber, Chobani Champions orange vanilla Greek yogurt, chocolate trees, Christmas tree pasta with butter and herbs, salami, and havarti cheese.

Daddy's lunch - red bell pepper, cucumber, vanilla Greek yogurt with pomegranate seeds, Christmas tree pasta with butter and herbs, and mozzarella cheese.

Now, do the Holiday Ho-Ho-Hop and head on over to More Than Your Average Mom to see what fabulous, festive fun is happening there!

When you get done hopping and end up back here, take a moment to look at some more holiday ideas, and even submit your own, in our Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge!

<center> <a href="http://www.zoeslunchbox.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="150" width="150" alt="Zoe's lunchbox" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coverats/blog/cutters.jpg"/></a></center>

Sleigh Ride

Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go... great, now I'll have that in my head ALL day!
Another holiday cookie cutter lunch, with a sleigh this time and yummy egg salad. Sometimes, I forget how much I love egg salad, and the kiddo loves it too. I make mine with just egg, mayo, chopped dill pickle, a smidge of mustard, and a boat load of pepper.

Cucumbers, veggie dip, egg salad sandwich sleigh and present, mozzarella cheese, and some Hanukkah gelt.

Now, it's your turn to join the challenge by linking up your post using any Christmas or winter themed cookie cutter! Be sure to check out other contributor's links, leave comments, and share the love! To participate, please either use the button below or link back via text. Thanks for sharing and be sure to watch for the rest of the Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenges! The challenge and linky will be open until Christmas day, so link up anytime between now and then! Thanks for stopping by and participating!

<center> <a href="http://www.zoeslunchbox.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="150" width="150" alt="Zoe's lunchbox" src="http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/coverats/blog/cutters.jpg"/></a></center>