Party Panko Chicken

Here’s a chicken recipe that works well for dinner or holiday parties.  The Azuki BeaN Mamas are preparing some today! 

Party Panko Chicken

3 lbs of chicken breasts

1½ C of flour

¼ C of oil (enough to cover chicken halfway up sides when frying)

3 eggs

3 C of Panko – Japanese style bread crumbs

1 C teriyaki sauce

Directions: 

1.     Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise.  This way you get thin filets so they will cook faster

2.     Get 3 pie tins or baking pan.  Set up one with flour, one with egg, one with panko

3.     Have a large skillet for oil and a smaller pan to heat teriyaki sauce

4.     Then assembly line style, the chicken goes from flour to egg bath to panko and into the oil

5.     The chicken should sizzle when it goes into the oil pan

6.     When it is golden brown move it to the simmering teriyaki sauce coating both sides, then on to a platter

7.     Add more flour, egg, panko, oil or teriyaki sauce as needed

8.     Let cool a little, and slice onto platter

9.     It’s ready to be served hot or at room temperature

This is yummy for a special occasion.  If we're just having dinner with our family we let the little BeaNs dip it in the sauce by themselves, sometimes using tonkatsu dipping sauce or just salt and pepper.   

We hope you enjoyed the recipes we’ve shared with you in 2012.  We’re taking time off until January 7^th to be with our families and enjoy the holiday season.  Our hearts go out to those who may not have the chance to be their families this holiday or who may have lost someone this season.  The Azuki BeaN Mamas dream of peace and love for 2013!

Azuki Bean Tea Cakes

          The season is in full swing and we need to be ready for unexpected holiday guests.  Chef Azuki always has something baking in her oven.  Today I enjoyed her delectable creation that mixed a hint of green tea with a shot of azuki bean sweetness.  These tea cakes are light, fluffy and simply the perfect snack to have with your favorite tea.

Azuki Bean Tea Cakes

2 tea bags of your favorite green tea
3/4 cups hot water
3 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 egg whites stiffly beaten
1/2 tsp. azuki bean paste for each tea cake

Directions
1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2.  Put tea bags in hot water and steep for ten minutes
3.  Cool tea
4.  Add cool tea and egg yolks to bowl and lightly mix
5.  Mix in vanilla, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt
6.  Mix egg whites for about 3 minutes to get stiff peaks
7.  Fold in the stiffly beaten egg into the batter
8.  Pour the mixture into round or square cupcake tins lined with paper baking cups
9.  Fill each paper cup 1/2 full
10.  Add 1/2 tsp of azuki bean paste on top
11.  Cover with remaining batter until each cup is 3/4 full
12.  Bake for 17 minutes ( Time may vary depending on oven)
13.  Cool in pan for ten minutes

          These azuki bean tea cakes are now ready to serve.  Maybe you can even leave Santa a couple of these tea cakes with green tea this year.  I'm sure Santa enjoys a little variety!

BeaNspiration:  Try something new this holiday!

Go Go Go Fried Rice

        ‘Tis the season to enjoy holiday cheer with our friends and also to shop, shop, shop!  Here’s an easy recipe you can make with left over rice from a Chinese take out get together.  White jasmine rice gets a little hard when you try to save it for leftovers, but by adding a few ingredients you can magically transform it into delicious fried rice. 

Go Go Go Fried Rice

5 strips of bacon slice into 3/4” pieces (Reserve 2 Tbsp. bacon oil)

5 Cups of Rice

5 small stalks of green onion

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. Shoyu (soy sauce)

¼ tsp. salt (optional)

1/8 tsp. pepper (optional)

Directions:

1.     Grab a pan or wok and fry up bacon!

2.     Remove bacon and discard all but 2 Tbsp of oil

3.     Heat oil on medium heat

4.     Add rice

5.     Add bacon and green onions

6.     Gently stir

7.     Open up a hole in the center of the rice so you can see the bottom of the pan

8.     Lightly scramble two eggs and put it in the center

9.     Continue scrambling while cooking

10. When it is barely starting to cook and still a little runny start mixing the rice into the egg.

11. Add shoyu (soy sauce) and mix in

12. Taste it 

13. If you think it needs a little more flavor add salt and pepper to taste

The fried rice is ready.  Don’t forget to turn off the stove, and then EAT!   The rice also lasts better in the refrigerator fried up this way.  But if you have Little BeaNs (kids) at home they will probably devour it for their afternoon snack.  

Chef Azuki came up with the name Go Go Go Fried Rice because we added 5 strips of bacon, 5 cups of rice & 5 stalks of green onions to this.  “Go” is the word for the #5 in Japanese.  It’s easy to remember this quick 5 ingredient recipe, just think Go, Go, Go!  You’re ready with the fried rice and now go out and shop, shop, shop!

BeanSpirations-Make time for magical moments this holiday season!