Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Corn Beef in the Crockpot

It's almost St. Patrick's Day again!!!!!!  Time seems to be flying by and with all our crazy activities with the little BeaNs, we've been a little slow in getting our act and new recipes together for you. Here's a great repeat recipe that you can make in a crock pot.  I love recipes I can set up and cook while I'm running around all day.  I just bought corned beef today so I'm set to take out my crock pot and make this on Tuesday.

Corn Beef and Vegetables in the Crock Pot

Ingredients:
1 (4 lb.) corned beef brisket package
4 cups of water
6 oz of Japanese beer
14 baby carrots
10 baby potaotes ( whole or quartered depending on size)
1 onion cut into bite sized pieces
3 celery stalks cut at a diagonal
1/2 Napa Cabbage chopped

Directions:
1.  Place brisket in crock pot with 4 cups of water.
2.  Add 6 oz or half a bottle of beer
3.  If your brisket comes with a season packet, add the contents into crock pot
4. Cover and set crock pot on high for 6 hours
5.  Reduce to low for 1 1/2 hours
6.  Add carrots, potatoes, onion, celery and cabbage to crock pot for the last hour
7.  Plate onto platter and dig in!

Hope you all have a lucky week!!!!!!!  

I feel lucky already; just knowing Tuesday dinner plans are taken care of!!!!! 

BeaNspiration:  A little planning makes life easier.

Asian Fruit Slaw

Cold slaw is always so refreshing but this delicious slaw brings a whole new kind of refreshing.  By adding fruits to this slaw and omitting mayonnaise, Chef Azuki has made a colorful fresh spring slaw that will tantalize your eyes and mouth.  She made this special treat for a dear friend with rave reviews from all!

Asian Fruit Slaw

Ingredients:
1 head of cabbage shredded
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
2 T sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 T juice from one orange pieces
Orange pieces
Raspberries and Blueberries

Directions
1.  Shred cabbage
2.  Make the dressing by whisking together sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar,
     salt, pepper, orange juice.
3.  Toss cabbage and dressing together
3.  It would be "mottainai" (wasteful) to throw away the orange after juicing it, so cut it into small            pieces and add to the salad.
4.  Add raspberries and blueberries and gently toss


I love the mix of sweet and savory, soft and crunchy.  Try this delicious Asian Fruit Slaw today!

BeaNspiration:  The mixing of different characteristics creates interest and texture!

Fried Rice

Chef Azuki had a lot of left over rice.  Her mother always taught her not to be wasteful.  "Mottainai" is a word that means wasteful and throwing away leftovers is SO mottainai.  Well if you have left over rice what is better than making fried rice.

Fried Rice

Ingredients;

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 reaches a soft scramble, 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

Don't worry we're not wasting one kernal of rice.  The family devoured the fried rice!  No more leftovers here.

BeaNspiration:  Don't forget recipes that use up all the leftovers!

It's time for LOVE!!!!!!!

Some sweets for your sweetie!!!!!!!

Berry Café Tiramisu

½ C ground coffee beans

1 ½ cups of water

½ - 8 oz. container of 1/3 less fat cream cheese tub

1 C of light cool whip

3 tsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ carton of raspberries

1/2 carton of blackberries

Directions

1.  Make 1 ½ cups of strong coffee in coffee maker

2.  Beat light cream cheese and cool whip together on high for two minutes

3.  Put thin layer of coffee in flat pan and dip flat side of ladyfingers in for a brief

     moment to soak in cookie halfway

4.  Line the bottom of a 8 by 8 baking pan with soaked lady fingers

5.  Add  ½ cream mixture on top

7.   Dust 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder through a sifter

6.  Add berries scattered 

7.  Then another layer of coffee soaked lady fingers.

8.  The rest of the cream mixure

9.  Another dusting of cocoa powder

10. Cover the top with raspberries
11. Set overnight or at least 3 hours

Grab a big spoon and dig in.  A delicious dessert to share with your sweetie!

BeaNspirations:  Love everyday!

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 bag or container of chocolate pellets for dipping fruit

3-4 baskets of strawberries

Directions:

1.  Wash, pat dry and let strawberries continue to dry on paper towels

2.  Follow the microwave directions to melt chocolate using a microwavable bowl
       (Be careful, microwave times may vary...don't burn the chocolate!)

3.  When chocolate is perfectly smooth take it out and dip strawberries, one at a time.

4.  Place on wax paper or parchment paper to dry

5.  When it's finished you can design a platter with the strawberries, even place them in

     small cupcake cups like Chef Azuki did.

The fresh strawberries are a healthy, lighter alternative to cake.  You still get your chocolate rush.  So mix and match, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate,

satisfying everyone's cravings!

BeaNspiration: Delicious inspiration for romance comes from the simplest things!

Teriyaki Pork Loin Roast

A delicious way to end the day.  Chef Azuki and her family are enjoying a wonderful meal with this pork loin as the main attraction.  It's a great meal when you have some extra time for baking this succulent pork loin.

Teriyaki Pork Loin Roast

Ingredients:
3 cloves of crushed garlic
1 T fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp pepper
5 T teriyaki sauce
2 1/2 lb boneless pork loin

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.  Combine the first 4 ingredients together
3.  Rub mixture over pork
4.  Place pork in a foil lined baking pan with the fat side down
5.  Bake for 30 minutes
6.  Flip pork loin and bake for 25 minutes more
7. Remove from oven and it let it stand for 10 minutes
8.  If you want to add more flavor, pour any leftover sauce over the pork

It's ready to slice and serve.  Delicious!!!!!!!!!

BeaNspiration:  Sweet and Savory meals fill your heart and soul.

Egg Dipped Bean Spouts

Chef Azuki had a bag of bean sprouts and created this dish.   Here's a delightful side dish that's sure to please.  Try it tonight!!!!!

Egg Dipped Bean Sprouts

Ingredients

3 eggs
2 tsp water
Bag of bean sprouts
oil

Dipping Sauce
1/4 C memmi
1/2 C water
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp lemon

Directions: 
1.  Beat the eggs with water
2.  Use tongs and grab some bean sprouts dipping it into egg mixture
3.  Fry in oil
4.  Make the dipping sauce by mixing the memmi, water, ginger and lemon together

That's all there is to it and it's ready to eat.  It'll be gone before you know it.

BeaNspiration:  Sprout out new ideas everyday!!!!!!!