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!
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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>

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>

A Wreath Lunch & Crispy Mint Bark

Today's Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge for me was the wreath cutter. This happens to be one of those cookie cutters that hangs out in the back of the drawer year after year, but I think I have a new found respect for it. Turned out pretty cute, I think, and it definitely has cookie possibilities.. for next year..

Red bell pepper, green olives, carrots, strawberry jello, kiwi 'wreaths', kale, and a grilled ham and swiss sandwich w/ provolone bow.

We also made some crispy peppermint bark, from the blog, Everybody Likes Sandwiches. We pulverized our candy canes in the food processor, though, which made for a pink bark. Still yummy, pink or not! Melt 500g GOOD white chocolate, then add 12 crushed candy canes and 2 cups of crisp rice cereal. Spread it on a wax lined cookie sheet and refrigerate to set. Break into pieces and you have some airy, sweet, crispy, minty goodness to enjoy!

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>

Candy Canes

Peppermint is one of the kiddo's favorites. We actually try to keep candy canes on hand as a special treat year round. With that in mind, we tweaked one of our regular lunch staples, Chobani Champions yogurt! In this lunch, we added some finely crushed candy cane (we nearly powdered them in  the food processor) to the Vanilla Chocolate Chunk flavor. Wow.. was that fabulous! I officially think Chobani needs a mint chocolate chunk! I'm sure you could achieve the same taste with peppermint extract or even fresh mint leaves.. I might have to try that next. In addition to that fun, this fulfills another shape in my Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge!

Peanut butter and cherry preserves sandwiches, mozzarella cheese, Trader Joe's candy cane cookie, Naturebox dried fig, red bell peppers, capers, green olive, cherry jello, Chobani Champions vanilla chocolate chunk (modified - see above), and mini candy cane.

Now, it's your turn! 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>

Gingerbread Men

I have never made gingerbread. Frankly, it scares me. Every dough recipe I've seen seems difficult to work with, and who needs to add difficulty to cookie baking? Anyways, I will manage to do a premade gingerbread house, and then, there's gingerbread men sandwich. That I can handle! Plus, it is one more cutter down on my Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge! Oh, and some of my bento blogging buddies did another Ho Ho Holiday Hop today, so be sure and jump in on it and check out all the wonderful holiday ideas they had to offer!

Cucumbers, red bell pepper, apples, Chobani Champions vanilla chocolate chunk Greek yogurt, grilled Swiss and American on whole wheat toast, and white chocolate peppermint candies.

Now, it's your turn! 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>

Cookie Cutter Challenge (Part 2)

Two down, and too many more to go on this Christmas Cookie Cutter Challenge. But, I'm looking forward to using my cutters and seeing what everyone else has in store too! Today, I chose my stocking cutter. I also used a mini mitten cutter, so bonus!

Cucumber, red bell pepper, Brown Cow apricot mango yogurt, mini peppermint marshmallows, and a salami and Swiss cheese sandwich.

Now, it's your turn! 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>

The Cookie Cutter Challenge

Today, I found myself staring at a pile of Christmas cookie cutters, thinking what ones I should use for lunches, what ones I'd need for cookies this year, and which ones I would hide back in the basement pantry. That's when I realized that I should let each cutter have its day to shine. Why not? So, I issued myself a Christmas cookie cutter challenge! I have 10 cutters, and I WILL use them all! To keep me motivated, I thought why not challenge others and have them join in and share their creations too? So, that's what I'm doing. I want to see how YOU use your Christmas and winter cookie cutters too. Do you have favorites you use all the time? Have some rusting away that haven't been used for years? I'd love for you to share anything you do with those cutters.. lunches, snacks, cookies, crafts, etc. If you used a Christmas cookie cutter, share your link below! The only thing I ask is that you link back to me with either a text link to Zoe's Lunchbox or use the button you see below.

Today, my cutter of choice was a snowman! Even though there isn't a lick of snow on the ground (surprising for Michigan), he was calling my name to be picked first!

Grilled cheese with Swiss on top, black olives, blueberries, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and Chobani Champions Vanilla Chocolate Chunk yogurt with extra shaved bittersweet chocolate 'snow' on top.

Now, it's your turn! 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! Thanks for participating 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>