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The Osechi (Japanese New Year’s food) menu is about preserving traditional recipes and celebrating the essence of food. Whether it’s for prosperity or good health, every dish plays a role in welcoming the new year. You’ll find simmered dishes such as Nishime (煮しめ) or sometimes called Chikuzenni (筑前煮), being served for its many auspicious significance. In this one-pot colorful stew, root vegetables and chicken are simmered in dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and mirin....

Ingredients 8 medium leeks with tops (3 lb) 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 1/3 cups milk 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (4 oz) 1/4 cup Progresso™ dry bread crumbs (any flavor) 2 teaspoons butter or margarine, melted Preparation Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and side of shallow 2-quart casserole. Cut leeks into 1/2-inch pieces....

Our family took a trip to southern Japan last year and had an amazing time. Even though it’s still Japan, the food, the scenery, and the culture are very different from large cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka. We’ll share a travel guide for each location we visited once a week. If you missed our first post for the Hiroshima/Kyushu trip, here are the links to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Hiroshima Castle....

Ingredients 1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ peanut butter cookie mix 1 tablespoon water 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg 1/2 cup candy-coated peanut butter pieces 1/4 cup miniature marshmallows 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Preparation Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, water, 3 tablespoons oil and the egg until soft dough forms. Stir in peanut butter pieces. Drop dough with ice cream scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet....

Ingredients 1 lb pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/2 cup apple cider 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves Fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired Preparation Sprinkle pork slices evenly with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper....

Preparation Many of us have been taught to grab a cat by the scruff when we need to restrain them, including myself. In fact, this is exactly what I was taught to do in my veterinary technician program. Although long believed to be a harmless way to provide restraint and mimic how a mother cat picks up her kittens, scruffing is actually not a secure way to restrain a cat, and it’s also a forceful technique that induces fear and anxiety in most pets....

Ingredients 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup) 1 Anaheim chili, chopped, or 1/4 cup canned chopped green chilies 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tablespoon grated lime peel 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup) 2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed 2 cans (5 oz each) white tuna in water, rinsed, drained Preparation Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat....

Ingredients 3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 cups half-and-half 4 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 cup) 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Preparation Heat oven to 375°F. Butter 2-quart baking dish or gratin dish. Layer sweet potato slices to fill dish. In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper....

Japanese sweet rice, glutinous rice, or mochi rice (mochi gome もち米) is a short-grain Japonica rice cultivar. The rice grains are opaque, shorter, and rounder than regular Japanese short-grain rice. It’s used to make mochi, sekihan, and osenbei (お煎餅 rice crackers). What is Japanese Sweet Rice (Glutinous Rice) Japanese sweet rice, glutinous rice, or mochi rice (mochi gome もち米) is a short-grain rice cultivar grown in Japan. It’s used for sweet and savory dishes....

Tofu (豆腐), the jiggly block of bean curd has been long touted as a superfood. High in protein, gluten-free, low-calorie, and versatile in cooking, what’s not to love? Often described as ‘the meat of the fields’ (畑の肉), tofu is an ancient food that has been eaten in many Asian countries. Tofu comes in a vast array of variety; fresh, frozen, fried, or dried, in blocks, cubes, or tubes! And each can be eaten in all sorts of ways....

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ chocolate fudge cake mix 1 1/4 cups chocolate milk 1/2 cup butter, melted 4 eggs 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 1 cup chocolate milk 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Chocolate curls, if desired Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray....

Preparation My fiancé’s mom asked me what she should wear. What do I tell her? Because the mother of the groom isn’t part of the bridal party, she should avoid choosing a dress in the same color as the bridesmaids’ attire, the mother of the bride’s dress, or the wedding gown. Instead, she should pick a shade that both flatters her and won’t clash with the other women’s clothing in the photographs....

Ingredients 20 thin chocolate wafer cookies, crushed (1 1/4 cups) 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs 1 package (6 oz) white chocolate baking bars, chopped (1 cup) 1 tablespoon Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour Fresh raspberries and mint leaves, if desired Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8-inch square pan with shortening or cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crushed cookies and butter....

Set as a trendy flavor at the forefront of the culinary scene, matcha (抹茶), or green tea powder, has taken the world by storm in recent years. Trendy or not, matcha is a long-standing staple in Japan that never goes out of style. Made from whole green tea leaves that have been pulverized into a fine powder, matcha is the embodiment of Japanese tradition and it’s best known for its beneficial antioxidants....

Ingredients 2 cups Cheerios™ cereal 1 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium) 2/3 cup fat-free (skim) milk 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 egg white Preparation Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray, or grease bottoms only of muffin cups. Crush cereal. In large bowl, stir together cereal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda....

Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds (about 60) cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen 1/2 cup tomato juice 1/4 cup vodka, if desired 1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon celery salt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 cup cocktail sauce 1/4 cup finely chopped green olives Preparation Arrange shrimp in single layer in rectangular glass or plastic dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches. Heat tomato juice, vodka and pepper sauce to boiling in 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat....

Ingredients 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 medium celery stalk, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 small carrot, shredded (1/2 cup) 1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (4 ounces) 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 6 pork rib chops, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick (4 pounds)...

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker™ SuperMoist™ vanilla cake mix 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling 1 cup shortening 6 cups powdered sugar 3 tablespoons milk 24 maraschino cherries, well drained Preparation Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. For each cupcake, spoon 3 tablespoons batter into muffin cup, then spoon 2 teaspoons pie filling onto center of batter....

Ingredients 2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow-tie) pasta (4 ounces) 1 pound asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces (3 cups) 2 medium onions, sliced 1 1/2 cups ready-to-serve chicken broth 2 cups cubed chicken 3 tablespoons chopped fresh or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves 3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) 1/4 teaspoon pepper Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired Preparation Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat....

Ingredients 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup margarine, melted 1 cup corn syrup 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 4 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup chopped pecans Preparation In medium bowl, mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas....