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Hakone (箱根) is a town of 13,000 people and is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It’s located in the mountainous far west of Kanagawa Prefecture, about 60 miles (100 km) from Tokyo. It’s a famous onsen (hot spring) resorts destination for both Japanese and international visitors because it’s relatively close to Tokyo. If you are staying in downtown Tokyo, you can get to the Hakone area from either Tokyo or Shinjuku Station, taking the express train Romancecar and it only takes about 90 minutes....

Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 cup Mountain High™ whole milk plain yoghurt 1 1/4 cups lowfat (1%) milk 1 cup fresh blueberries, if desired Preparation Grease or spray griddle or skillet. Heat over medium-high heat (375°F). In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt with whisk. In small bowl, beat eggs, yoghurt and milk with whisk....

Ingredients 1 pouch Betty Crocker™ gingerbread cookie mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 tablespoon water 1 egg 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 cups Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed Preparation Heat oven to 375°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, water and egg until soft dough forms....

Ingredients 4 Rock Cornish hens (about 2 lb each) 2 tablespoons roasted garlic-flavored vegetable oil or plain vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce 3 tablespoons sweet orange marmalade 2 teaspoons grated gingerroot 1 clementine tangerine, peeled, sectioned Thyme sprigs, if desired Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. On rack in shallow roasting pan, place hens, breast sides up....

Ingredients 1/2 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil's food cake mix (about 1 2/3 cups) 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 egg 1 cup Betty Crocker™ Whipped vanilla frosting 1/2 cup marshmallow creme 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa 6 miniature pretzel twists, broken in half Preparation Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally....

Preparation Even if you don’t have much of a green thumb, terrariums act as small, self-sustaining ecosystems all on their own. But maintaining one is as much a work of art as it is an experiment in science. To help, gardener Todd Carr shares his secret techniques for growing a garden under glass. First, choose a good container. We used kitchen canisters, which are readily available and inexpensive; their tight-fitting lids capture the condensation the plants require to thrive....

Snacks come and go, but some street snacks like Imagawayaki (今川焼き) have been enjoyed by Japanese generation after generation. A Japanese snack or dessert with sweet red bean paste filling encased on the inside, Imagawayaki is one of the popular wagashi (和菓子) that’s been around for over 300 years. What is Imagawayaki (or Obanyaki)? Imagawayaki (今川焼き) is like a stuffed pancake. The batter is poured into a special cast-iron round grilled pan and grilled until crispy on the outside, and filled with sweet red bean paste....

Whether you need just one more dish for your lacquered jubako (square bento box) to complete Osechi Ryori (Japanese New Year’s Food) or want a quick hors d’oeuvre before serving the main dish, this Kamaboko Fish Cake with Salmon Roe will definitely surprise your guests with its pretty appearance. Fragrant shiso leaves and salty salmon roe sandwiched in between the mild-flavored fish cake, the combination is delicate and flavorful....

Ingredients 1 can (11 oz) mandarin orange segments, drained 1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, drained 2 bananas, halved lengthwise, cut into 1-inch chunks 1/4 cup halved maraschino cherries, drained 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Thick and Creamy Lowfat lemon supreme yogurt Preparation In medium bowl, mix all ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time. Related Video

Ingredients 5 strips prosciutto 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes 2 eggs Salt and pepper, to taste 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese Heaping 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese (reserve some for the top) 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Preparation Crisp up prosciutto by placing on cooking parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and baking in 350°F oven 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Crumble. Set aside. Leave oven on. In large bowl, stir together mashed potatoes, eggs, salt and pepper, goat cheese and slightly less than 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese....

Ingredients 2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 bottle (1 oz) red food color (about 2 tablespoons) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 jar (7 to 7 1/2 oz) marshmallow creme 1 cup butter or margarine, softened 2...

Ingredients 1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, cut in half 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges, separated 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning 4 tilapia fillets (about 1 1/2 lb) 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted 1/2 teaspoon paprika Preparation Heat oven to 450°F. In large bowl, mix asparagus, zucchini, bell pepper, onion and oil....

Ingredients 1 lb bacon, chopped 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup) 1 cup chopped onions 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained 1 can (19 oz) Progresso™ red kidney beans, drained, rinsed 1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles 1 cup Cascadian Farm™ frozen organic sweet corn...

Ingredients 4 cups diced Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium) 3 cups frozen corn kernels 1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained 2 cans (4.5 oz each) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles 1 medium onion, diced (1 cup) 1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth (4 cups) 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces 1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix...

Ingredients 2 lb beef stew meat 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms 1 large onion, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into slices 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules 1 bag (16 oz) wide egg noodles 1 container (8 oz) sour cream 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 tablespoon Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup) Preparation In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, place beef, mushrooms, onion, pepper and bouillon granules....

Today I’m bringing you one of the tastiest and healthiest things to snack on—Spicy Edamame. Typically enjoyed with salt and pepper, these young soybeans are the next-level yumminess when spiced up with a little heat and packed with savory, umami goodness. Trust me, you’d be obsessed! What Are Edamame? Edamame beans are green soybeans, with a sweet, mild, and buttery taste. The two main ways to enjoy edamame: in pods or shelled....

Ingredients 1 box (18.3 oz) Betty Crocker™ traditional fudge brownie mix Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box for cakelike brownies 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1/2 cup more fruit cherry pie filling 1 container (12 oz) Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 boxes (3.4 oz each) Jell-O™ pistachio-flavor instant pudding & pie filling mix 3 cups cold milk...

Ingredients 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ yellow cake mix 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel 3 eggs 1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting 1/2 cup finely mashed fresh strawberries (4 to 5 large berries) 1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel...

Takoyaki (たこ焼き) is a Japanese snack in the shape of little round balls containing pieces of octopus. Tako-yaki literally translates to “octopus-grilled/fried” and some people may call it “Grilled Octopus Balls” or “Octopus Dumplings”. What is Takoyaki Here are some facts about takoyaki. It originated and became popular in Osaka around 1935 (according to wiki) and then spread to greater south-central Japan and beyond.It’s one of the most popular Japanese street foods along with Okonomiyaki....

Every year in January (for past 5 years), I take some time to reflect about blogging and share my thoughts (here’s last year’s). This past January 1st, Just One Cookbook became 5 years old. There are so many things that I’ve learned from blogging, yet I’m still constantly learning each day. Today I want to share 5 lessons which I learned from 5 years of blogging. Lesson 1: Not able to respond to every email Even though Mr....