Ozoni for the New Year!!!!!

Happy New Year from the Azuki BeaN Mamas!!!!!!!!!
Chef Azuki and Blogger BeaN love sharing recipes with you all year long.  Can't believe
another year has flown by.  Wishing you all magical adventures in 2015!!!!!!!!

Here's a recipe for Ozoni Soup.  It's sure to help you start an incredible year!!!!!!!

Ozoni Soup

Ingredients:
5 C water (for broth)
1/3 C sake
2 tsp hondashi
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
2-3 C water (for mochi)
Mochi
Carrots & mitsuba leaves (Japanese wild parsley)- for garnish


Directions:
1.  Add water, sake, hondashi, salt and soy sauce in a pot
2.  Boil all together
3.  Meanwhile in a separate pot boil 2-3 C of water (this separate step keeps the soup base from
      getting cloudy)
4.  Add mochi and remove when soft
5.  Add the delicious mochi in serving bowls
6.  Pour the broth over it
7.  Garnish with cooked carrots shaped like flowers (can cut them out with cookie cutters or by hand)
8.  Add some mitsuba leaves (spinach or napa cabbage can be used in place of the mitsuba.
    Try mitsuba from the Japanese market if you have the time though.)


It's so beautiful, delicious and good luck too!  Eat the mochi in small bites and chew carefully. Maybe we're supposed to eat this soup to start our year out being careful and aware ; )  Our elders and young children should be especially careful or avoid the mochi and just have the broth.

BeaNspiration: Bringing back traditions to your holidays can be informational and fun!!!!!!

Snowman Cupcakes

Merry Christmas from the Azuki BeaN Mamas!!!!!!!!

We wish you all a fun-filled day with family and friends!!!!!!!!!

Chef Azuki is busy using fondant to make make fun 'n fancy cupcakes!!!!!!!!  

She even used mini marshmallows for snow, so even here in Southern California we can pretend there's a chill in the air!!!!!

Snowman Cupcakes

BeaNspiration:  Create your own fun this holiday in a way that tickles your heart!!!!!!!!

Soup's on!

My Little BeaN is feeling a little under the weather so I'm getting out all of Chef Azuki's Soup Recipes and making something warm on these cooler nights.  Let's gather with some comfort food and sit by the fire.  It's time to enjoy the season and keep up our resistance to those cold bugs trying to get in.  

Roasted Chicken Soup

Leftover chicken from the supermarket

8 Cups water

2  zucchini chopped

2  carrots chopped

2 potatoes chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1.  Put chicken carcass and shredded chicken meat into a pot of water

2.  Boil it for about 20-30 minutes

3.  Remove carcass and remove any meat left on carcass and add this meat to the pot

4.  Add vegetables and bring to a boil again

5.  Reduce heat, add salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender

Pumkin Miso Soup

14.5 oz. can of Chicken Broth

15 oz. can of pumpkin

1 C water

2 Tbsp White Miso

1/8-1/4  tsp pepper

2 potatoes diced

8 peeled baby carrots or 1 large carrot diced

1 medium zucchini diced

Directions:

Get out your soup pot and mix Chicken Broth, pumpkin, water, and pepper together.  When the soup begins to boil, add the white miso paste.  Stir it in until it melts completely.  Add the diced vegetables and return to boiling.  Cover and lower heat to a simmer until the vegetable are tender. 

Stay warm and dry friends!  Eat some Satsuma tangerines and have some hearty soups.
You need to stay healthy for the holidays!  Christmas is only ten days away!  Enjoy!!!!!!

BeaNspiration:  Don't forget to comfort yourself on these chilly winter nights!