Just Bento

So many good ones, so hard to choose! The one I tend to use over and over is the chicken teriyaki (http://www.justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/bite-size-chicken-teriyaki-fo...). I chose this one mainly because I make the teriyaki sauce alone often. I make bentos for 2 teenage athletes (my daughter and one of her friends) so I'm always looking for protein that is portable. These chicken bites are perfect and the teriyaki is heads above any you can buy in the store.

It was one of my first forays into "Japanese" cooking. It was easy, tasted great, and made me think I could try some of the more complicated stuff.

I think my favorites are the kinpira. I make carrot kinpira almost every week, and the other ones are made often too. I like to make mine extra spicy. Keep up the great work!

While I use many of the recipes on Just Bento and Just Hungry, the recipe/techniques I honestly use the most are:

- Freezing pre-portioned rice
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/how-freezing-preportioned-ric...
and its sister
- Making Onigiri with Cling Wrap:
http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/onigiri_omusubi_revisited_an_e.html

I think my favorite has been the mini quiche/frittatas, they've been so easy to make. I've been able to put just about anything I feel like into them and even make them with egg whites instead to make them healthier.

1 egg tamagoyaki - so easy. I use it all the time.
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/1-egg-tamagoyaki-j...

Ken's right though - the carrot kinpira is full of awesome. I make that every other week and it keeps for an entire week of bentos. Mmm!

This is what I do most of the time (even if i don't cook bentos anymore, i do have lunch at home!):

Kinpira.
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-side-dishes-and-space-fillers/easy...

Chicken teriyaki.
http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/bite-size-chicken-teriyaki-for-be...

Onigiri tips.
http://www.justhungry.com/2003/12/obento.html
http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/onigiri_omusubi_revisited_an_e.html
http://www.justhungry.com/onigiri

Freezing rice tips.
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/how-freezing-preportioned-ric...

An THIS. Oh, THIS. I have it like twice or 3 times per week, lol xD
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/spring-pasta-chick...

Miso marinated pork:
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/miso-marinated-por...

Inarizushi: (although it's quite expensive for me to buy aburaage, i enjoy both cooking and eating it!)
http://www.justhungry.com/inarizushi-sushi-bean-bag-redux-cooking-your-o...

There are a lot more... but then i'd end up posting most of maki's recipes :D
I usually surf the forum when I'm out of ideas or just look around just hungry *n_n*

One of my very favorites is Potato Oyaki!

http://justbento.com/bento-no-17-potato-oyaki-bento-wakame-sunomono

The cooked to death peppers, even if I do have difficulty with forgetting and burning them. And the miso eggs. I love the way the flavour seems to concentrate in the yolks, and have discovered I can do a similar thing with purchased curry pastes too.

My number one favorite is the vegan iri dofu: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/vegan-iri-dofu-iri... . We make this a lot and it's especially great for using leftover tofu because the flavor gets better after a day or two in the refrigerator.

We also make these often:
spicy lentil snacks: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/spicy-lentil-snack... - these freeze well and can be packed frozen because they are room temperature by lunch.
glazed triple-soy loaf: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/glazed-triple-soy-...
lazy tea eggs: http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/lazy-easy-tea-eggs - I've also made these with masala chai and it is delicious!

Definitely the carrot kinpara, and "kinpara" treatment on other vegetables, notably the Broccoli Slaw from Trader Joe's. The tuna tofu burgers are a must, and the dry curry, colored onigiri, anything about onigiri really.... Part of it too, is the inspiration that just browsing the recipes provides. The use of furikake, the bento of rice, nori, and soy sauce, gosh, the whole site is so well done, as is Just Hungry when I have looked at it....

Definitely the Hambaguu recipe is one I use a lot- my Japanese husband is so grateful now that my "hambaguu`s" now taste the way they should in his mind instead of like the rissoles my mum used to make.

Also love the kinpira recipe!

The recipe I keep returning to, over and over, with minor variations, are the Very Easy Marinated Chicken Skewers (http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/very-easy-marinate...). They're easy first of all, and secondly I've discovered that when I get chicken I can cut it up before I freeze it, prep the marinade, and actually freeze the chicken in the marinade in ziplocs or something. That way everything is prepared in one or two serving bags and I can just grab them the night before and let the meat defrost/marinade. Not only that, but my husband and roommate are notoriously picky eaters and it's one thing we all love!

I also love the radish pickles - http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/sweet-sour-and-salty-instant-radi... Every time we have a party/potluck/other food related event to attend, I make huge batches up of them and garnish them with plum-flavored sesame seeds, and I get rave reviews! And naturally I munch on them at home and in my bentos.

When I have the time to worry about shaping burgers, I make the tsukune burgers mentioned here: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/chicken-tsukune-st... Everyone here loves them with a glaze of storebought teriyaki sauce, so it's basically a good way to use up leftover chicken or turkey (I have made them with ground turkey and it's not half bad).

Last on the list is another favorite around our house. Even though my roommate doesn't like mushrooms, and my husband doesn't like ginger, they both love it! The Okowa Sticky Rice is a great way to spice up rice: http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/okowa-sticky-rice-...

I love LOTS of the recipes, my current fav is http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/sweet-sour-red-win...
so easy to make and yummy - all my family love it.

Kyla

This is really tough to call! I see there is a lot of love for the kinpira, and rightly so - the brocolli stalk one has changed my life!
I think I've narrowed it down to these:

http://www.justhungry.com/2006/01/apple_crumble_c.html
I have made this loads of times; it's so easy and great for using up apples that might be past their eating best.

http://www.justhungry.com/japanese-country-style-stewed-eggplant-nasu-no...
Soooooo tasty, and so comforting, it was a revelation the first time I made this. I was worried that the eggplant might be sloppy and soggy, but it just becomes smooth melt-in-the-mouth loveliness. I could eat it every day, so have to make a concerted effort not to, as it is quite high in sugar!

http://www.justhungry.com/my-mothers-simply-braised-spring-vegetables-hi...
Finally, this recipe has been a real life-saver over the spring/summer this year. Sauteeing the veggies first really brings out their natural sweetness and umami. Thanks, Maki no okaasan! And thanks Maki, too, obviously!

I love the 1 egg tamagoyaki recipe:
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/1-egg-tamagoyaki-j...

I also like the vegetarian furikake recipes especially this one:
http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/homemade-furikake-no-2-carrot-and...

Not recipes, but really useful pages for beginners are:
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/selecting-right-bento-lunch-b...
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/essential-equipment-and-suppl...
http://justbento.com/bento-items-week-where-buy-them
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/how-freezing-preportioned-ric...
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/onigiri-on-parade-guide-onigi...

And over on Just Hungry:
http://www.justhungry.com/2003/11/japanese_basics_1.html
http://www.justhungry.com/2007/01/onigiri_omusubi_revisited_an_e.html

I have spent hours looking at these sites and have got loads of ideas from both.

Hands down these are our 2 most used recipes from JustBento!

We haven't had the tuna burgers in a while (my enormous tub of miso went past the date and hasn't been replaced) but they are so good! And the chicken nuggets are so versatile it's amazing! We usually make ours with lime juice instead of lemon but they're good either way. I also like them with tamarind paste (as mentioned in my comment on that page). I don't think there is a single recipe anywhere that I use more than the chicken one! :D

http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/tuna-tofu-miso-min...
http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-mains/pan-fried-lemon-ch...

Though one of the simplest recipes here in regards to ingredients and preparation, my favorite recipe is the panfried salted chicken thighs. I do end up sacrificing the crispy skin when I pack it in a bento, but the flavor is still divine and goes well with just-cooked rice.

There are too many to list, but my ultimate favorite is the Miso Egg recipe where you marinate boiled eggs in miso. Love them. I 've tweaked the main recipe for different flavors but always go back to original. It's great!

Maki,

Favorite? I guess... since it seems I make it all the time:

Homemade furikake no. 10: Sardines and pine nuts. EZ to make. EZ on the $$. Keeps great in the fridge. Really wakes up a light dinner of rice and veggies. Great visual in the bento box. Cures diseases. Smooths out wrinkles. Wins marathons. Improves eyesight.... [some of these claims may be slightly exaggerated]

I've found that water packed sardines also work well and a couple of weeks ago I substituted smoked salmon for sardines. It was just as good. It wouldn't make sense economically to make this substitution but I happened to have rather a lot of left-over smoked salmon from a party.

Best,
jfox

http://justbento.com/handbook/recipe-collection-side-dishes-and-space-fi...
http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/individually-frozen-shepherds-pie
http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/sweet-sour-and-salty-instant-radi... <-- #1 fave

Soboro and Hambaguu! They are my freezer staples. If you make chicken version of soboro, be sure to use leg meat because breast meat sucks.