Japanese Fried Chicken #SundayFunday

Tender, white-meat chicken cutlets fried to a crispy golden brown and served with a savory, sweet-hot, onion sauce.

It is National Fried Chicken Day and the Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating......

Rice Cooker Pancake #SundayFunday

Looking for a fun, unique way to make and serve pancakes?  These Japanese pancakes are made in a rice cooker!  They turn out fluffy, delicious and serve 4-8 people, depending on their hunger and any side dishes being served.  Try a slice for breakfast this morning.  You will be glad you did.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Pancake recipes today in honor of National Pancake Week....

Japanese Rice #EattheWorld

Short grain brown rice seasoned with rice vinegar and sesame oil, then finished off with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and scallions.

We are traveling to Japan this month as we Eat the World!

Japanese Milk Bread Rolls #BreadBakers

Soft and fluffy with a shiny brown finish, these Japanese Milk Rolls stay fresh longer because they use the tangzhong method.  Not that you will have a chance to find out....they are so good you probably won't have any leftovers to test the theory.

The Bread Bakers are serving up breads made with Tangzhong today........

Spirited Away Soboro Don #FoodnFlix

This Japanese Ground Chicken Bowl is slightly sweet and completely delicious.  Rice, chicken, eggs and peas combine to make a perfect bowl that your family is sure to enjoy.

This dish was inspired by the Japanese Anime Film "Spirited Away".  That may be another thing your family will enjoy.......

Grilled Salmon Packets #FishFridayFoodies

Wild line caught salmon filet topped with a wild mushroom blend and surrounded by asparagus, wrapped in foil and grilled to perfection, topped with Japanese Ponzu Sauce.  A perfectly delicious and healthy dinner without any dirty pans.

The Fish Friday Foodies are visiting Japan today.........

Vegetable Sushi and a Book Review #LitHappens

Our Lit Happens pick for this month is The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende. Lit Happens is a Facebook Book Club started by Cam of Culinary Adventures of Camilla.  Members read the same book each month and then have an online discussion about it.

Come on in and learn more about this fun book club and how to join us.......

Christmas Around the World. Manju (Japanese Sweet Bean Paste Cookies) #ChristmasCookies

Wow...this traveling around the world can tire a girl out....Not to mention create more cookies than any one household would ever, ever need.  Phew....one more stop after today and I am done traveling. I am not, however, done baking cookies.  Evidently, these cookies I have been providing each day for 12 days are good, and Frank has eaten a ton of them, but obviously not good enough because he asked me if I were going to make "real" Christmas cookies this year!!!

Welcome to the 12 Days of Cookies, hosted by Family Around the Table and Cooking With Carlee. We are filling the season with all kinds of delicious cookies.  Be sure to check out some of the recipes below or you can follow along on Facebook or Twitter by searching #ChristmasCookies.  We also have a 12 Days of Cookies Pinterest board where you can see all of the goodness!  May your holidays be sweet!

Today, I decided to visit Asia.  Ideally, I wanted to visit China for Tingting but I have already made Bird's Nest Cookies and  Chinese Almond Cookies.  While doing a search for Asian Cookies I came across this recipe for Manju from KJLowe at Allrecipes.com.  I knew Tingting would love them as I have bought similar cookies in the past from the Asian Marketplace.

I adapted the recipe to only make half of it simply because 12 Days of Cookies is a LOT of cookies.   

These cookies are huge.  More like little tarts.  I tried to make them smaller without success so I stuck to the large cookies and must say that they are the perfect size to enjoy for breakfast with your coffee. Sweetened bean paste reminded me a bit of figs, in fact the cookies themselves were reminiscent of Fig Newtons which I absolutely adore.

The dough comes together very easily and then you need to form it into 4" rounds that are thicker in the center and thinner on the edges.

I did this by placing a 4" round cookie or biscuit cutter onto the parchment lined baking sheet and pressing the dough into it.  

Add a dollop of the bean paste in the center and then fold the dough around the filling and pinch it shut.  Turn it over so the sealed edges are on the bottom.

Spacing them 2" apart, I only had room for 6 cookies per tray.  Brush the cookies with milk and bake until the tops are lightly browned.

The dough is buttery and flaky.  The filling is sweet but with a smooth, savory feel to it.  These cookies are very good and would make a perfect ending to an Asian dinner.

Manju

slightly adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 c. sugar

1 stick butter, room temperature

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

1 (18 oz) can sweetened red bean paste (can be found on line or in Asian markets)

1/4 c. milk

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.

Combine flour and baking  powder. Gradually add to the butter mixture on low speed until combined. Increase speed and mix until dough is smooth.  

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Place a 4" round cookie cutter onto the parchment and place a handful of dough into the round.  Press the dough inside the cutter to form a circle leaving the center thicker than the edges.  Remove the cutter and place approx. 1 1/2 teaspoons of the bean paste onto the circle of dough.  Gather the edges together around the filling and pinch to seal.  Turn the sealed side down on the baking sheet.  Repeat until all dough is used.  Using a pastry brush coat the top of the cookies with milk.  Place in a preheated 375* oven for 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Print Recipe

Let's take a look at today's other #ChristmasCookies

• Cherry Pistachio Icebox Cookies from Palatable Pastime
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Snowballs from Cooking With Carlee
• Easy Cannoli Cookies from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Manju from A Day in the Life on the Farm
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