Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Waffled

Peanut Butter French Toast Waffle

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The sounds of the rustling of the newspaper, noise of blender swiveling, butter melting on toast…contentment…Saturdays mornings are my favorite time of day definitely …short but sweet. Many things are planned usually…after breakfast…the grass is getting longer, my husband noticed…perhaps I murmured it too loudly?

On weekdays, rushed breakfast of kefir or vegetable smoothies but on Saturdays my husband is all about carbohydrates. This hearty peanut butter French toast waffle is French, Belgium, international whatever.  Having one of those fills you up until 3 in the afternoon.   Read interesting facts about ‘waffles’ here.

Ingredients and Instructions for 4 waffles (Print Recipe here)

Necessary equipment – Waffle iron, blender or food processor

  • 8 slices of whole-wheat or white bread, crust removed.
  • 8oz of frozen mixed berries, thawed.
  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 Tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
  • Nonstick spray
  1. The night before - Put bread on a baking rack, let stale overnight.DSC_4902
  2. Make berry sauce- Combine the fruit and sugar in a medium sauce pan, bring to boil, stir occasionally, until berries soften about 10 minutes.DSC_4907
  3. Transfer berry mixture to a blender or food processer. Add the raspberry preserves and lemon juice blend until smooth. Note: if you have a hand held mixer, blend directly in the pan – careful for the splat!
  4. Crack eggs into a medium baking dish and whisk lightly. Add milk. sugar, vanilla and salt. Mix well.
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  5. Spread 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter on 4 slices of bread. Top with remaining slices to make 4 sandwiches, flatten slightly. Soak in egg mixture (process #4), 4-5 minutes per side.DSC_4915DSC_4919
  6. Heat waffle maker according to the manufacture’s directions. Spray top and bottom grates with nonstick spray.
  7. Remove sandwiches from the egg mixture and hold it over the baking pan for about 10 seconds so that excess liquid drips back into the  pan.
  8. Place sandwich on the grates. Press down and close completely. Cook until golden brown about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Serve immediately with Berry sauce
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More fabulous eats…

We have been trying to have a dinner at Nodoguro (means ‘ black throat’ in Japanese), for some time but our schedule prohibited it until now. A pop-up restaurant only open Fridays and Saturdays in borrowed space. IMG_1959My husband with young chef Ryan and local celebrity – Mr.Yoshida, the creator of Yoshida’s Marinade and Cooking sauce was one of the guests.

Ryan studied under some well regarded chefs also apprenticed work in Fukuoka, Japan. He speaks fluent Japanese.The restaurant offers 9 plus courses of creative Japanese cuisine. The dishes are prepared with high quality local produce, and the well developed flavor wowed us throughout the affair – we spooned out chilled charred white turnip, tofu mousse with salmon roe topped with matsutake mushroom shaving…the exciting start.IMG_1943 
Thinly sliced tender flounder. The yuzu paste enhanced the flavor. IMG_1946I adored –scallop, sea urchin and the beans, specks of red water pepper is visually effective and had nice kick.IMG_1947Matsutake clear soup…I feel so lucky!IMG_1950

Other dishes were equally fantastic but I don’t have good photos…the place had low light.

A friend shared her homemade miso paste.DSC_4967
Naturally, I made miso soup with Satsuma sweet potato and radish sprouts…the best miso paste ever!DSC_4969

My husband came through with my request – to make fruit tart for my birthday from scratch. See my other fruits tart recipe hereDSC_4952DSC_4962IMG_1965

In Karuizawa, we had a over $10 per slice fruits tart. I expected my husband to make one just like it and he did an amazing job! I think I must post the recipe in near future…Honey, can you make it again? And next time, don’t forget to take the process pictures…ok?IMG_1880
Nagano purple (tart) – name of large variety seedless grapes have thin skin.

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Having good food like that is a
huge part of our trip…At the end of our holiday, I started get melancholy…how we were fortunate to have that experience but it’s time to say good bye…I think I’m going to cry…(Totoro shop in Old Karuizawa)

 

22 comments:

  1. You have here so much scrumptious food!! Yummy!!
    I love your last photo with Tottoro-))))

    Hugs,

    Yelena

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    1. Thank you very much! You're so nice. Thank you for the hugs too.

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  2. こんなワッフルの作り方を見たのは初めて!すごーい!感激しました。とっても美味しそう!それから、あの吉田さん!へーーーオレゴン州にいらっしゃったんだ!びっくり。Costcoに売ってる大きな照り焼きソースのボトルを見て知りました。新しいレストラン、いい感じのお店ですね!私は明美さんと御一緒にお食事がしたいです。。。いつかの日か!:)

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    1. ありがとう! ブログの京料理ほんとうにおいしそうだね。日本に旅する時、京都は外せない気がする。 

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  3. A waffled French toast...how creative and delicious! That fruit cake looks heavenly!

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    1. Thank you very much. It is joy to visit your site each week. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  4. First of all, you look there like a cute teenager (at the last photo)! Is is the lifetime diet of Japanese food? You must tell us the secret to look so young and beautiful!
    The waffles made of bread... what a creative idea! They bring back my childhood memories... I used to be crazy for blueberry waffles. The dishes look fantastic, especially the starter sounds so unusual!
    The fruit tart looks like from a professional confectioner's shop! Your husband is so talented! (And he speaks Okinawan dialect too ;-) Wow!). Happy belated birthday!

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    1. Thank you so much Sissi. I had a quite busy last week, didn't have a chance to make your chawanmushi...which I'm craving for. I think you're an awesome cook!

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  5. Great idea for waffles! All your food photos look wonderful. Your husband captured your nostalgic mood in the last picture.

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    1. Thank you Jalna. Your rice cooker looks great! Can't wait to hear what you thought about it.

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  6. こんばんは。ご夫婦の仲の良さに、うっとりです。ワッフルとタルト、どちらもとても甘くて、美味しそうです。
     吉田ソース、日本でも有名ですけど、味わった事はありません。 日本料理のフルコースも素晴らしいです。
     松茸のスープ、とても美味しそうです。

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    1. ありがとうございます。 北海道では何か美味しもの食べましたか? 何でも美味しいというイメージが強いのですが、、、。 噴火している山の写真、すごいです。

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  7. That is such a great idea! I'd love to taste those waffles.

    Wonderful picture of you!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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    1. Thank you Rosa. I hope you're having a nice break. I miss you.

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  8. Looks, delicious and comforting waffle to starting a day!!!
    sure gonna try this recipe....

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    1. Thank you Chef! I hope find some good eels soon. Can't wait to try your eel recipe.

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  9. This is such a smart idea! I am definitely going to try it!

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    1. Thank you so much Katerina. Your flan post was so neat. I bet the taste wonderful!

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  10. That French toast waffle is so very clever and looks dynamite good!!! I want one! That fruit tart looks pretty awesome as well!

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  11. Aaaaah! Totoro shop! Hope I will visit it one day! :)

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    1. Thank you very much! Wow! your blog is awesome!

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