Soybean Noodle Soup - Kong Gooksu

On a hot summer day, this cold noodle soup is a nutritious meal for you.

It is one of the most popular summer dishes made with soybean broth.  

It is called Kong-Gooksu in S Korea(Kong means soybean and Gooksu means noodle)

How to make a Soybean Noodle Soup?

Soak soybeans in water for 6-8 hours.

Drain soybeans, put them in a pot, bring to a boil.

Once the water boils cook the soybeans for 5-7 minutes then rinse them in cold water.

Rub the soybeans between your fingers to remove their skins.

Place skinned soybeans in a blender. Add an equal amount of water and blend it until you get a creamy broth.

Put the soybean broth in the refrigerator to cool.

Boil water in a pot and add the dried noodles. When the noodles float,they are done.

Rinse and drain the noodles in cold water several times.

Serve cooked noodles with cold soybean broth. 

If you want, garnish with cucumber, watermelon and black sesame seeds.

Season to taste with salt.

This is refreshing and delicious!! It is a healthy vegan Korean food.

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Homegrown Tomato Salad with Toasted Green Rice

These are my homegrown tomatoes - I have a green thumb!

In a medium bowl toss together the tomatoes, spring mix with olive oil and green apple vinegar.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with toasted green rice.

Toasted Green Rice - Product of Korea

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Seafood Stir-fried Noodle

This is a Korean-Japanese style stir-fried noodle.

I got the recipe from my friend who is a good cook.

Boil udon noodles according to package directions, rinse under cold water and drain.

Prepare some seafood, your favorite vegetables, garlic, oil and the  udon noodles with oyster sauce.

First, stir fry the garlic with oil for 1-2 minutes.

Then add seafood like shrimp and mussels.

Finally, add the vegetables, oyster sauce and drained noodles. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar.

If you want to add some heat toss in some crushed chili peppers.

Enjoy!

Oyster sauce

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Panda-Brand-Oyster-Sauce/dp/B0001DMTJG/ref=sr_1_3?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1376873804&sr=1-3&keywords=oyster+sauces

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NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Baked after 24-36 hours of refrigerating the cookie dough.

It was the most perfect chocolate chip cookies I'd ever eaten.

Nothing super special though.

on February 14, 2011

Recipe slightly adapted from New York Times

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Truffle Butter Pasta

It was the first time I used Truffle Butter 

and was pleasantly surprised. Absolutely one of the best things to come out of my kitchen in years. It is easy and one of the most flavorful pasta I've ever made.

I had a hard time finding a truffle butter. But I bought it  at Wegmans. yeah!

Recipe from Ina Garten

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Pompom and Shaggy Mum Cupcake

Tah-dah!  These are my first flower cupcakes.

Pompom & Shaggy mum

I got the Wilton Cake Decorating Class every Friday last summer. So,It took me the whole afternoon to bake cupcakes, make icings and I also had to pack tons of stuff I needed to bring to the class. 

Especially, I had such a hard time making a good consistency icing. phew-. I needed special skill and concentration when I piped two type of flowers. 

It was very helpful and fun fun fun.

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My First Rose Cake

Last year around this time, 

I registered the Wilton Cake Class.

This cake I made was my first rose cake in the Class.

I learned how to apply icing & decorate cake.

I felt really great about my cake even though it was not perfect. Don't look at this closely, rose looks like earthquake. And it was funny icing :)

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Lemon Mint Ice Cubes

I used a really easy simple syrup for lemonade.

It looks so cool and fresh.

Take an Ice Cube Tray and place  fresh sweet mint in each section.  Fill with  homemade lemonade.

and freeze.  Really easy!

Once frozen just toss the ice cubes in a Zip Lock Bag to store in the freezer. 

It will be very easy to store lemon mint ice cubes.

I chose Lemon and Fresh Mint, but just think of all the fun things you could come up with using mint, basil, lemon, lime, orange, and other herbs or berries. 

You can change  the ingredients.

I used this vido clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tWaycPEUEjA

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Watermelon Salad

Let's stay cool this summer with 

Delicious Watermelon. 

After all, there is nothing like a slice of cold watermelon on a hot day!!!

Use watermelon with your dinner.

I made a simple salad with olive oil and vinegar.

The vinegar I used is Ah Love Oil and Vinegar- 

Green Apple White Vinegar.

It was produced in oak barrel for more than 12 years. The taste is ultra rich and fresh.

Two bottles of vinegar for my birthday are from 'Ah Love Oil and Vinegar'. Lisa gave me them, Thank you!

I am excited to try the White Peach and the Lemongrass Mint Vinegar.

Ah Love Oil and Vinegar

http://www.ahloveoilandvinegar.com

The Village at Shirlington

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(703) 992-7000

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Baguette Pizza

I decided to make baguette pizzas, which is a great way to use bread that is not fresh and makes even stale loaves taste freshly baked.

Now you can have all the fun of eating a simple pizza.

I used tomatoes, onions, toasted garlic, olive oil, chopped basil, and some cheeses in my refrigerator.

I can't wait to try this again, but I'm definitely going to expand on it. I will use other vegetables and cheeses...

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Green Thumbs

Everyday I wake up, and go outside and look at my vegetable garden growing on the deck.

For the first time in my life I retired my'brown thumbs' and I can say " I grew this chili pepper."

I have Green Thumbs now.

Ta-Da--! These are my peppers.

Looks so fresh.

My husband and I ate them with Korean sauce, red paste and soybean paste.

Yummy.

Look at this,,

My chili peppers are Always Refreshing.

I celebrated my first picking of my small garden by pictures.

hahaha...

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Kimbap - Korean Rice Roll

Gimbap(or Kimbap) is a Korean dish made from steamed rice and various vegetables and meat rolled in a seaweed paper.

The Gimbap's name can change by ingredients like a Vegetable Gimbap, Tuna Gimbap, Beef Gimbap and Ham Gimbap.

 Korean Watercress - Minari

Watercress

I like to use Korean watercress. So I made a Watercress gimbap with my friends. 

She demonstrated how to make it...  (One of my friends is good at cooking)

She looked like a professional chef!

Gimbap is often eaten during school field trips and picnics. 

So, it brings back old memories.

I wish I could go back to my childhood.

My Green Things

Gimbap(or Kimbap) is a Korean dish made from steamed rice and various vegetables and meat rolled in a seaweed paper.

The Gimbap's name can change by ingredients like a Vegetable Gimbap, Tuna Gimbap, Beef Gimbap and Ham Gimbap.

 Korean Watercress - Minari

Watercress

I like to use Korean watercress. So I made a Watercress gimbap with my friends. 

She demonstrated how to make it...  (One of my friends is good at cooking)

She looked like a professional chef!

Gimbap is often eaten during school field trips and picnics. 

So, it brings back old memories.

I wish I could go back to my childhood.

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