Berry Good French Toast

The lazy days of summer have hit me, just when I need to punch it into gear and get the kids ready for the upcoming school year.  Here's a quick easy way to jazz up french toast and energize us all to get us going for back to school shopping.

 Good French Toast

Ingredients:
1.  5 slices of country potato bread
2.  Butter Pam
3.  2-3 eggs
4.  Mixed berries
5.  Powdered sugar
6.  1-2 sprigs of mint
7.  lemon juice (optional)
8.  maple syrup (optional)
9.  brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
1.  Scramble eggs in a flat pie pan or other pan that fits bread flat
2.  Heat pan
3.  Spray on Pam
4.  Dip bread into eggs
5.  Place in pan and heat until both sides are golden brown
6.  Add mixed berries and dust with powdered sugar with a sprig of mint to garnish
7.  (optional endings)  If your berries are not that sweet you can make a glaze with lemon juice and      powdered sugar or use maple syrup on top of berries.  Another good way to top this is to mix berries and brown sugar in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in thirty seconds intervals mixing gently, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Anyway you top it, it's delicious!  My mint plant that I bought in the beginning of the summer is still alive.  So I add a sprig to the french toast and make berry infused water with berries and mint.  All summer long I've been putting fruit and mint into my lemonade and water.  A delicious touch to a delicious meal.  If you make bacon in the microwave you can save time and mess also.  Breakfast is ready in minutes.

BeaNspirations:  Enjoy beautiful simplicity!

Funnel Cake

Chef Azuki and her little BeaNs went to the Fair!  They had fun and enjoyed the funnel cake so much that they decided they would try to make some at home.  The older brother likes Almond Milk so they tweaked out a recipe using almond milk for flavoring.  Try it, you'll like it!!!!!!

Funnel Cake

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vanilla flavored almond milk
3 T sugar
1 1/4 cup pancake mix
vegetable oil

Direction:
1.  Whisk together all the ingredients
2.  Heat oil to medium in large pan.  About 1" of oil but not more than half up pan.
3.  Put in round circular open ended metal pan into oil
     (Chef Azuki used a pie edge protector that she had)
4.  Drizzle into the metal tube pan in oil
     (If not using a funnel it's best to pour from measuring cup or something with a spout)
5.  Pour in around the edge then lattice it inside the circle
5.  Let it fry
6.  When it's golden brown turn it over and fry the other side.
7.  Take out and cool a little then top with your favorite topping.  Whip cream, powdered sugar, or fruit.

Now it's ready to eat.  Delicious!

BeaNspirations:  Find inspiration wherever you go!

Asian Yellowtail Ceviche

Our husbands went fishing and brought us back some yellowtail tuna.  Yummy!  Here's a new recipe that Chef Azuki created to enjoy the fresh tuna!

Asian Yellowtail Ceviche

1 package of small pastry shells
1 cup yellowtail cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups thinly slice cucumber
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 of an avocado cut into cubes
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1.  Heat pastry shells according to directions and cool
2.  Cut yellowtail into cubes
3.  Use a mandolin and slice cucumbers very thin
4.  Mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes together.
5.  Squeeze out water from cucumber then combine it with the sauce
6.  Add avocado, cilantro and sea salt and gently toss together
7.  Spoon into cool pastry shells and serve immediately

This delightfully light and refreshing appetizer is such a treat.   If you're serving it raw you need to eat it immediately.  But it's so good there won't be any left over.

BeaNspirations:  What a miraculous world we live in!   Everything we need is right here.

Crock-pot Pork Shoulder

Here's a crock-pot recipe that will be ready for you when you come home from your summer adventures.  Just set up the crock pot and head out to your day trip!  Go, go, go!

Crock-pot Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:
1.  3 lbs pork shoulder
2.  1 1/2 C teriyaki Sauce
3.  1/2 C orange juice
4.  2 peeled garlic cloves, crushed
5.  1/2 onion chopped

Directions
1.  Place pork in crock pot top side down
2.  Pour all other ingredients in bowl and then mix
3.  Pour this sauce on pork
4  Set crock pot on low for 5-6 hours

When you come home, at least some delicious meat is ready to slice and serve.  Just add rice and a salad or use as taco meat.

BeaNspirations:  Don't let any adventures slip by!

Edamame Brown Rice

Oh boy!  I guess I was really busy last Monday prepping for our trip.  We went camping and just got home yesterday.  I had last week's  blog in draft form and forgot to hit send.  Sorry it's a week late.  Hope you enjoy Edamame Brown Rice.

Here's a delicious quick recipe for busy mamas that goes well with any of the Azuki BeaN main dish.  Try it with Hawaiian chicken or shrimp lettuce wraps.  I love anything that can be put into a rice cooker, you press the start button and it is warm and ready when you are.

Edamame Brown Rice

Ingredients:
2 C Brown Rice
2 1/2 C Water
1 Cup Edamame
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1.  Wash Rice
2.  Put in rice, water, edamame and salt in the rice cooker
3.  Soak for 20 minutes (or use hot water if you don't have time to soak)
4.  Press start button
5.  It will be ready in about 20 minutes
6.  If you don't have a rice cooker, place ingredients in a pot and cook on medium heat for about
     20 minutes.

It is so easy and delicious!  I just gobbled my rice up with roast chicken from the grocery store.  Perfect side for a busy day.

BeaNspiration:  Adding a little something extra can make an ordinary day, extraordinary.

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Dressing

Are you ready for a taste sensation that everyone can prepare for themselves?   Have these vegetables cut and ready to go in the morning and you're ready for a delicious meal or snack anytime of the day.  It's a great light meal or a wonderful side and the dressing is outstanding.  We all need some extra vegetables on the menu.  Thank you Chef Azuki for a delightful healthy lunch today!

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Dressing

Ingredients:

Somen noodles-2 bundles
1 head butter lettuce
2 C  bean sprouts
2 medium carrots shredded
3 green onions cut into 1 1/2" sticks
1 cucumber partially peeled and sliced into thin 3" long sticks
8 oz.  medium size cooked frozen shrimp
1 Tbsp oil
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Cilantro Soy Dressing
1 C cilantro
1/4 C green onion
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinagar
1 Tbsp Mirin (cooking rice wine)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp lemon

Directions:

1.  Prepare somen according to package and rinse with water and cool
2.  Shred the carrots, cut green onions, and slice cucumber
3.  Rinse shrimp in water to defrost and cook shrimp in skillet with 1 Tbsp Oil
4.  Season with 1/4 tsp garlic salt
5.  Display vegetables, shrimp and somen on platter

Dressing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated
1.  Use a food processor and process cilantro and green onion
2.  Add soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, and lemon
3.  Process again

Putting it together:
1.  Everyone can get one butter leaf lettuce
2.  Fill with noodles, vegetables and shrimp
3.  Then drizzle the sauce on top
4.  garnish with a little shredded carrot
5.  Enjoy your Lettuce Wrap

I love the texture and flavor.  It would be great to bring to a tapas party or perfect for when your college-age baby BeaN is home and wants a snack.  It's so pretty and everyone can prepare their own with whatever ingredients they like!  You may just need to double the recipe.

BeaNspirations : Love the food from the earth!

Red, White and Blueberry Fruit Skewers

It's been so hot lately.  I hope you all found a way to keep comfortable during this hot spell.  For me, nothing spells refreshing like cold fruits.  Here's a recipe that's sure to be a 4th of July hit with the whole family!  Chef Azuki prepared these beautiful fruit skewers with a delicious cream cheese flavored spread. You can use the spread on fruits, graham crackers and more!

Red, White and Blueberry Fruit Skewers

1/4 Cup mixed berry flavored cream cheese

1 C Cool Whip
Watermelon cut in cubes
Apples sliced
Blueberries


Directions
1.  Prepare the spread by mixing together Cool whip and cream cheese,
     either by hand or with a mixer
2.  Chill the spread
3.  Cut the watermelon and slice the apples
4.  Put the fruits on skewers
5.  Chill the fruit skewers also until you're ready to serve

These fruit skewers are the perfect compliment to whatever you have on your grill.  You can also bring these along for a picnic or concert in the park.  However you choose to celebrate Independence Day, please be safe and enjoy your family and friends!

BeaNspirations:  There's something special about being outside on warm summer nights!