The Magic of Kinako (Roasted Soy Bean Flour)

The Magic of Kinako (Roasted Soy Bean Flour)

As a kid, one of my favorite Japanese foods was sweetened kinako, or roasted soy bean flour. Of course, back then, I had no clue as to what the dry, golden brown, powdery flour-like substance called kinako was, other than the fact that my mom said it was made from soy, but to me, it was magical. It was the most delicious food ever, especially when my mom dusted fresh warm mochi with sweetened kinako. The sugary sweetness of the kinako, combined...

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Crispy Sweet Red Bean Dumplings

Crispy Sweet Red Bean Dumplings

It’s hard to believe 2014 is coming to a close and Christmas already came and went. I know it’s been awhile since I shared anything on my blog here, but believe it or not I had a post ready for Thanksgiving, and then again one for Christmas. The only problem is that I wasn’t able to find the photos I took of my food.  So those posts have been saved until my archiving (and technology), backup, and memory (laptop’s not...

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Carmel Apples & Happy Halloween!

Carmel Apples & Happy Halloween!

Caramel… oozing all over crisp sweet apples. That’s exactly how I like my caramel apples. Last year, Bebe and I made these caramel apples for a Halloween party and honestly, these were just as fun to make as they were to eat. Unfortunately, this year the “Halloween Crunch” (which can be likened to the Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year holiday crunch) really snuck up on us. Instead of making these fun caramel apples again,...

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Desserts for Japanese Childrens Day 2014

Desserts for Japanese Childrens Day 2014

Happy Japanese Children’s Day! May 5th is Kodomo No Hi, also known as Boys’ Day. It’s a day for celebrating the well-being, happiness and health of all children in our family. To celebrate Children’s Day, Bebe and I kept things simple. Since our favorite Japanese restaurant is closed on Mondays, instead we went to our local Japanese supermarket to grab a bite to eat in their amazing food court. Bebe feasted on her...

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Green Dessert for St. Patricks Day & Shamrock Craft

Green Dessert for St. Patricks Day & Shamrock Craft

For the past two months I’ve been craving my Mom’s jello cheesecake dessert. St. Patrick’s Day seemed the perfect excuse for Bebe and I to make this together and “greenify” it for a festive March 17th. I changed the original dessert recipe from a walnut crust to that which is made of graham cracker crumbs. We also added several drops of green food coloring to the creamy cheesecake filling. Finally, we chose a...

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2014 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Green Fruit Kabobs

2014 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Green Fruit Kabobs

  Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Each year, for as long as I remember, my Mom made corned beef and cabbage for our family. The tradition continues today, as my Mom is likely boiling her corned beef as I write this post. I too, have kept our March 17th tradition and went out to buy corned beef and cabbage this morning, but unlike my Mom, I like to throw the meat in my slow cooker. In a few hours, I’ll also add the vegetables. Our...

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Hinamatsuri (Girls Day) Treat and Craft

Hinamatsuri (Girls Day) Treat and Craft

  Each year, during Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day, the Japanese markets near our home sell sweets specifically for celebrating this holiday. The most popular is “Hina Arare” or sweet puffed rice. The kids really seem to like this one. This year, we had a nice variety of treats thanks to my brother and my sister-in-law so I thought I’d share a photo of all the sweets we’ve been enjoying since yesterday. My...

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2014 Happy Valentines Day!

2014 Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Wishing all of those who read and visit my Bebe Love Okazu blog , my family and friends, a heartfelt and happy February 14th! For me, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about sweet nothings for your partner, but about remembering the love and friendship in my life and appreciating what I have. ♥ This morning Bebe woke us up and we wished her a Happy Valentine’s Day. ♥ I missed a phone call from my...

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