a new nothing with a speckled handle

(picture courtesy of ThermoWorks.com ) good gracious it's been a long time since i posted on here.  oh well, no time for excuses.  straight to the point.  a few years ago my in-laws gave my husband the coolest instant read thermometer.  it's actually a thermapen .  it'll change your cooking/barbecuing world.  it's fast.  it's so accurate.  it's easy to use.  it's waterproof.  (but please don't put it in your dishwasher, mom.)  it's cute (right now there are lots of colors to choose from!)  and might i just add that the company that manufactures it is based right in good old lindon, ut (not too far from my hometown.)  i use it to test water temperature for proofing yeast.  we use it for meat on the barbecue all the time.  we used it on our thanksgiving turkey.  it's great for everything.  a perfect christmas gift for that special chef in your life.

i am really into this bento craze.  i think it's a fantastic way to incorporate all the different food groups into bite-sized pieces for children (and portion-controlled sizes for adults!) to eat.  a couple months ago while shopping at target, i came across these fun little trays.  my kids and i have loved eating off of them.  while it's not the traditional bento-type display, it's a great way to portion out all the components to a healthy meal in an uncomplicated, clean and organized way.  so go check out target's seasonal section for some fun trays!  they come in yellow, blue, red and green for only $1.99 for 2!  *i get no perks for giving a shout out to target!  i'm just a stay-at-home mom in the middle of kansas (ok, maybe not in the middle, but in the middle of the country!) trying to share good finds with my friends.*