Avocado Toast with Furikake and Shichimi

by Lynne on August 11, 2016

Post image for Avocado Toast with Furikake and Shichimi

 

Ah, avocado toast… what used to be a simple fast breakfast has become a trend featured in magazines and available on restaurant menus. With a fried egg on top, of course.

So I decided to give you my take on avocado toast. Drizzled with soy sauce and sprinkled with Furikake or Shichimi. Avocado and soy sauce are a match made in heaven, to my mind. Just think about California Roll Sushi.

If you have been following my recipes, you may have acquired some Nori Komi Furikake to make Hawaiian SPAM Musubi. That mixture of dried nori seaweed, salt, sugar and sesame seed is amazing with the avocado and soy sauce. Then if you want to try something a little different, a little spicy, the Shichimi Togarashi is a blend of dried red pepper, dried orange peel, black and yellow sesame seed, Japanese pepper, seaweed and ginger. Either way, really delicious, interesting and easy.

Avocado Toast with Nori Komi Furikake 2

I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the 50’s and 60’s and I don’t remember there being an avocado in sight at any time. Nope, no avocados. I experienced my first avocado after moving to Los Angeles in 1971. My then-husband and two little kids moved to Inglewood, because he worked for city hall and we were required to live in the city. We lived in a dinky 2-bedroom apartment, which had a wonderful bonus: the next-door neighbor had a massive avocado tree that hung over the wall of our driveway. They also had chickens that woke us up every morning, but it was worth it for the free produce. Massive amounts of avocados. Thus began my love of avocado toast for breakfast, although back then it was just sprinkled with salt and pepper.

After I wrote this post, I thought I would see if anybody else, on the off chance, had sprinkled their avocado with Furikake. Well, I have to laugh at myself, there is really nothing new under the sun. My google search turned up 53,400 results and a plethora of images. But it also means it’s really good and you should try it. Oh yeah.

Avocado Toast with Nori Komi Furikake 3

[click to continue…]

{ 4 comments }

Summer Party Appetizer Board

by Lynne on July 1, 2016

Post image for Summer Party Appetizer Board

 

The 4th of July is just a few days away and I am greatly looking forward to it. This is the one summer holiday where our whole family congregates, if they’re anywhere nearby, szroom, like the ends of two magnets. From babies to nonegenarians, a big jumble of folks related by love and DNA. Actually, we don’t have any nonegenarians yet, as I am the matriarch at 70; however, I am planning on being one in about 20 years. The oldsters, including me, congregate in the air-conditioning around the kitchen table, away from the youngest mob that are outside running and yelling. This appetizer board is for us old geezers to nosh on while were reminiscing about the old days, like our childhoods in the 40’s and 50’s. Yea, we go back a long way. Of course, the younger ones stop by and grab a bite, and undoubtedly get razzed about some tricks they got up to when they were kids. We know all about them, cuz we watched them grow up. Yes, I’m really looking forward to it.

[click to continue…]

{ 4 comments }

Fregola with Feta & Arugula and Sesame Sauce

Thumbnail image for Fregola with Feta & Arugula and Sesame Sauce June 1, 2016

The first time I ate fregola pasta was in 2009 at Nancy Silverton’s restaurant Mozza. My friend Michele and I had gone there for our birthday dinner, and I wrote a detailed post about it. I had a lamb dish where the fregola and sauce were hidden under the slices of meat. It is so […]

1 comment Read the full article →

Egg.Onion.Potato

Thumbnail image for Egg.Onion.Potato May 2, 2016

I whipped up this plate of food for lunch one day and had no intention of writing about or shooting it. I had served it on one of my plates I usually use as a prop, thinking this fanciness would make me feel just so special. Well, it looked so beautiful that I decided to […]

3 comments Read the full article →

Chinese Black Bean Butter Sauce

Thumbnail image for Chinese Black Bean Butter Sauce April 7, 2016

The other day I was looking around my pantry and fridge for something to make for dinner that didn’t take hours and would use up what I had on hand. I started with a bunch of celery from which I had taken one stalk for another dish. I had no plans for the rest of […]

5 comments Read the full article →

Haricot Vert & Dandelion Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries and A Spunky Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette

Thumbnail image for Haricot Vert & Dandelion Salad with Bacon & Dried Cranberries and A Spunky Pomegranate Molasses Vinaigrette March 14, 2016

If you are looking for a green salad to serve with your St. Patrick’s Day dinner this week, and by that I mean green beans and green greens, a celebration of the color green, this is the salad for you. Plus those Irish accents of bacon and Dubliner cheese. Yes, yes and yes.

0 comments Read the full article →

French Breakfast Puffs

Thumbnail image for French Breakfast Puffs February 27, 2016

I first made French Breakfast Puffs around 1959 from my Mom’s Betty Crocker Cookbook. I guess that means I have been making them regularly for 57 years. I’d say it has to be a pretty damn good recipe to be kept in a cook’s repertoire for that long, and still be thoroughly enjoyed every single […]

10 comments Read the full article →

Top 10 Recipes of 2015 ~ Your Favorites

Thumbnail image for Top 10 Recipes of 2015 ~ Your Favorites February 10, 2016

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope 2015 was as great a year for you as it was for me and Cook & Be Merry. For everyone who visited my blog, Thank You.  And to all my great commenters, you are the absolute best! You make my day and make my blog so much more interesting. […]

3 comments Read the full article →

Green Curry with Chicken & Thai Eggplant

Thumbnail image for Green Curry with Chicken & Thai Eggplant January 9, 2016

Oh my gosh! It’s January 2016! It was almost Thanksgiving ….then whoosh, it was Christmas …then whoosh, it was New Year’s Eve! And now, all the hoopla is over, and I’m smooth sailing into 2016. Whew! However, there will be no New Year’s resolutions at this time. No January grain bowls. No salads. No fruit […]

5 comments Read the full article →

Pumpkin Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Thumbnail image for Pumpkin Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling November 14, 2015

Thanksgiving is in two weeks and I am still working out my menu. But, for sure, this Pumpkin Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling will be one of the desserts. It looks cool, it has that creamy sweet middle, and it’s pumpkin-y. Oh yes. I found this recipe on the inside of the label on […]

5 comments Read the full article →

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Bacon & Hazelnuts

Thumbnail image for Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Bacon & Hazelnuts October 22, 2015

  We’re coming up on my favorite food holiday, Thanksgiving, and I for one have been looking for a new soup, salad or side to go along with the must-have traditional fare. I remembered a recipe for “Smashed Fried Sunchokes” over on Greg’s blog Sippity Sup and I became totally curious about this interesting root […]

3 comments Read the full article →

Scallion Pancakes Korean-Style with Lemon Soy Dipping Sauce

Thumbnail image for Scallion Pancakes Korean-Style with Lemon Soy Dipping Sauce September 28, 2015

I have found that sometimes I would really like to have a snack that has interesting textures and complex taste that is sweet, salty, sour and spicy. Do you ever get that craving, too? Well, scallion pancakes with lemon soy dipping sauce totally and exactly fills those requirements. Aren’t you the lucky one to find […]

3 comments Read the full article →

Nectarine & Corn Salad with Lime Ginger Cilantro Vinaigrette

Thumbnail image for Nectarine & Corn Salad with Lime Ginger Cilantro Vinaigrette August 30, 2015

Stone fruit and corn on the cob are piled high at the market now, celebrating the last soft days of summer. I wanted to create a salad using these wonderful foods with a zippy vinaigrette to complement their sweet flavors. According to my family members, I succeeded, in spades.

2 comments Read the full article →

Hawaiian SPAM Musubi

Thumbnail image for Hawaiian SPAM Musubi August 9, 2015

I am now in my 70th year and this is the first can of SPAM that I have purchased in my entire life. My Mom never fed it to me as a child growing up in Minnesota in the 1950s, even though I was born in 1945, the year World War 2 ended. It was […]

5 comments Read the full article →

Corn Pancakes with Almond Red Pepper Romesco

Thumbnail image for Corn Pancakes with Almond Red Pepper Romesco July 13, 2015

Romesco, Romesco. Wherefore art thou, Romesco? Ooops, I was getting a little silly there. I’m over it now. Continuing on…. Romesco sauce originated in Tarragona, Catalonia, in northeastern Spain. Fishermen made this sauce to eat with fish, but once made, it can be used in salads, with grilled veggies, meat, chicken, stirred into fish stews, […]

3 comments Read the full article →