Bento love

I discovered the world of bento in my senior year of high school. I had a friend who was really into it and started making her own. I always wanted to start and thought I would be making bento lunches for myself during college. But no. I haven't been cooking at all. :/ The roommates I live with keep the kitchen full of dirty pots and pans and sink is full as well. There's not even enough room in the refrigerator for me to put any of my own food. I feel disgusted in my own kitchen.

But I can't get myself too discouraged. I must find a way!! (Just so I remember my 2 ideas: Cook at my bf's place or ask a friend to let me into the dorm kitchen.)

Anyway, my plan is to make healthy bentos instead of eat out most of the time. I need to get over the kitchen and time obstacle. So I'll be talking about bentos in future posts as well.

I didn't really get to cover what a bento is, so let me leave you with a link to my favorite bento web site:
lunchinabox.net. There are pictures of cute and creative lunches.

Photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuteobento/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

SMAGster

I haven't been around since undertaking a new venture...reviving my old magazine, SMAG.

It was a magazine that I originally started when I was bored one summer and the first issue was on plain lined sheets of paper. Now, it's gone digital! Anyway, maybe I'll find the old issues and post it up for laughs. But if you want to check out what I'm doing, visit smagmagazine.wordpress.com. My focus is food and music, but it has tech and lifestyle news as well. I've also recruited family/friends to help since I can't update it all the time. Please leave a comment on any article to let me know what you think! :D

Snow in Texas

Snowball, originally uploaded by hungry neko.

Imagine that...snowing in Texas. It's officially the first day I've seen enough snow to make a snowball! I made one as I recorded with my phone, so it turned out all lumpy. It was too cold to make, especially with no mittens on, so I had to let the snowball rest in the inside of my sleeve (the bottom part got all wet). I was freezing my hand off while I looked for my target. The friend I was meeting was somewhere inside the building in front of me. I had to go downstairs with a phone in one hand and guard a snowball with the other. My friend was on the phone telling me where he was, and there were so many turns! When I finally got to him, I revealed my snowy piece of art/weapon. There was an exit nearby and we just had to go out for a snowball fight! A bunch of other college students there (and engineers at that)--I must have looked like a little kid. ;D We had to go to a corner to get enough snow of the ground, but it was fun! I took a few more snow photos, which can be seen here.

Cold/Hot

It didn't snow today, but I was in the mood to make hot chocolate...I mean, cold hot chocolate.

My mom always makes us Abuelita during December and on New Year's day. Me and my sisters call the drink Abuelita, but that's really the brand of the chocolate tablet used to make it. Anyway, I was excited to make some on my own and I had the main ingredient on hand: Abuelta. Things were not working out for me...

Lovely Desserts

1. Hey Cupcake! Delicious Duo, 2. Two Gem's triple-trouble gelato, 3. mini cupcake, 4. Two Gem's chocolatey custom cone

I was playing around with some photos and these seemed to fit the best (off of the ones I had on my Flickr). I have loads more shots on my computer that I'll upload throughout the week! :D

First Big Battle of the New Year

The first big battle of the new year in the Kitchen Stadium pits Iron Chefs Batali and Lagassi against Iron Chef Bobby Flay and White House Executive Chef Comerford.

The secret ingredient was...

MOO...Me want mini burgers

Awhile back, I discovered Moo Moo's Mini Burgers while waiting at a bus stop. It tempted me.

Easy Gingerbread cookies

I always crave gingerbread men during the Christmas holidays, but the recipes for gingerbread cookies always include a key ingredient: molasses. I never feel like buying a whole jar because I don't think I'll finish it.  I don't even have cookie cutters! What's the fun in making regular circle-shaped gingerbread cookies?? I finally have my answer!

Portabello Panini

I finally got to try out a portabello mushroom recipe by Ellie Krieger. Instead of bread, I had one giant mushroom cut in half, sprinkled some crumbled gorgonzola (smelly but delicious)on one side, and tweaked the recipe a bit by adding some garlic pesto.
Satisfying yet filling. It’s an easy meal that I plan to make again!

See more progress on: cook more

Pumpkin Treats

I love all the pumpkin treats that popped up for Halloween, but I think it was all meant for Thanksgiving--in honor of the Pumpkin Pie. As long as the pumpkin items are available, I'm going to be eating them!

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Pumpkin Bagel & Schmear

from Einstein Bros. Bagels

Breakfast at Einstein's is the best you can get on "the drag" in Austin. If only it were a 24-hour joint like competitor Kerbey Lane, but I guess anyone who wants some yummy bfast has to get up early--it closes at 4 pm everyday. The breakfast and lunch items are available at all times I believe. The past weekend, I woke up really late but still had time for a breakfast treat:. I couldn't resist the pumpkin offerings. The Pumpkin Poppers caught my eye once I entered, but I got distracted by the Pumpkin Bagel & Schmear.

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino

from Starbucks

I pass by delicious coffee smells from Starbucks many a time during the week, but I don't usually buy myself a cup. It's like a luxury to buy coffee---so I feel like an addict recently, in October and anticipate visiting this month as well, just to buy a Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.

Do Chefs Hate Vegetarians?

On episode 10 of "Top Chef," the chefs prepare dishes in Craft Steak, Judge/Chef Tom Colicchio's restaurant, which looks like it's all about indulging in heavy meats. Before the chefs start cooking, the twist is revealed...