Christmas Cookies 2015

Christmas is a wonderful day to bake special cookies.
I enjoy baking cookies while I am waiting for Christmas. But it is better if I listen to Christmas carols.  :-)   Actually, I remembered after I finished baking cookies. OMG.
But, I was very happy while I was  baking cookies, because entire house was full of sweet and buttery smell.  I think it's a sign of holidays.  It means that I am close upon Christmas time. Also, it's a good way to enjoy the Christmas spirit.
I bake Christmas cookies for the people I love every year.  And... I baked Christmas cookies this year, in other words, Christmas is just around the corner. Yeah!!

I made earl grey cookies & coffee cookies this year.
And I  I stamped their name on each cookies. It will be personalized cookies for them!  Ha ha ha.

Earl Grey Cookies...   
http://yhj95sm.blogspot.com/2014/01/butter-cookies-earl-grey-tea-cookies.html

Coffee Cookies........   
http://yhj95sm.blogspot.com/2015/12/mocha-icebox-cookies_2.html

Happy Holidays to all!

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Cod Steak with Garlic Butter

It's a simple fish dinner.

If you have garlic, butter and fish, it is easy to cook in short time.
Perhaps you can make a restaurant style dinner without having a lot of time and special ingredients. Trust me  :)
Even though I used frozen cod and edamame, it looks good.  Am I alone?

Ingredients
2 pieces         cod                                      
1 Tb               minced garlic                       
1 Tb               butter (room temperatur)      
to taste           salt                                     
to taste           pepper                            
to taste           herb (basil or parsley)
for garnish      sliced mushoom                     

Directions
Marinated cod with salt, pepper and herb for 30 minutes.
Melt butter and mix minced garlic.
Brush garlic butter on the cod and mushrooms and bake to oven 360'F for 22 minutes.

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

On a chilly and gloomy day, a bowl of hot soup is the perfect way to get warm - chilly days and soup go hand in hand :)
Stir-fry vegetables to enhance their flavors and to add a delicious, caramelized richness to the soup. Also, homemade beef broth and cream give you a rich texture. It will satisfy you and fill you up!

Ingredients
400 g       mushroom - choose any mushroom variety
1 C          beef broth
1/2           onion, minced
1 t            minced garlic
200 ml      milk
200 ml      cream
40 g          potato
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions
Slice mushrooms, peel and slice potatoes.
Heat and add oil to your pan and stir fry onion, garlic and mushroom.
Add the beef broth, milk, cream and potatoes and cook until the potatoes are soft.
Then process mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain the soup back into the pan.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Decorate with a swirl of cream or a dollop of yogurt.

It's sure to be delicious!

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Butternut Squash Porridge - Hobakjuk

If I want to eat a butternut squash porridge, It means that winter is coming.
Why does butternut squash porridge? Because butternut squash porridge - Hobakjuk is one of my favorite Korean winter foods.
Actually, it was not easy to find a Korean sweet pumpkin in grocery store, but I heard that butternut squash is similar to Korean sweet pumpkin. Korean sweet pumpkin is sweeter than butternut squash. But these are almost same.
Also, If you mix sweet rice powder it become a butternut squash porridge. If you mix roux it become a butternut squash soup. It's flexible!
Finally, you need a dried jujube as a garnish onto porridge. Red jujube is ultimate accomplishment!
For your information....  How to make a dried jujube garnish?
Take off the seeds, roll it back tightly and slice.  It looks like flowers.


Refer to here....  http://www.dramafever.com/news/how-to-make-korean-pumpkin-porridge-hobak-jook-/


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Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

Moist lemon & poppy seed loaf! 

Here is a little treat for a cold day. This moist lemon poppy seed pound cake is wonderful sweet combination that works well. The lemon and butter flavor combination is fantastic! 

If you serve it with hot tea, you will feel cozy and comfortable in the cold weather.

Baking seemed like the perfect way to enjoy the cozy night at home.

Also, The Greek yogurt gives the loaf a subtle tang, lovely dense crumble. The tender texture comes from Greek yogurt, too. It contributes moisture without excess fat and calories.

If you follow the directions exactly the cake will be wonderful.

In my case, I followed the suggestion of making in it in mini paper molds -good idea- they were so cute.

Enjoy the buttery and lemony taste.

Refer to here...

http://bakingbites.com/2014/08/greek-yogurt-lemon-poppyseed-loaf-cake/

I just used vanilla extract instead of almond extract.

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Mocha Icebox Cookies

Mocha cookies hold a lot of nostalgia for me. It reminds me of when I was in NC. 

I always loved coffee, sweet treats  and chatting with friends. Especially, the smell of coffee brings me all of good memories of NC.

Mocha cookies are a great choice for coffee lovers and a perfect for late fall when the cookies can also be made ahead for holiday. These are superior cookies.

Furthermore, I like keeping cookies in my freezer. At any time I could have dozens of different cookie varieties all ready to be baked. You can keep a roll of  this dough in the freezer for several weeks and use it as needed.

You will love Icebox cookies~.

Ingredients

110 g    unsalted butter (room temperature)

180 g    cake flour 

70 g      sugar

1           egg

3 g        instant coffee (Starbucks VIA® Instant)

2 t         milk

45 g      dark chocolate chip

1/2 t      baking powder

1/4 t      salt

1 t       coffee extract

Directions

Combine butter, sugar and coffee extract and beat until fluffy.

Mix instant coffee and warm milk, put aside. 

And then the add egg and coffee milk mixture to butter mixture.

While the mixture is beating, add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until incorporated.

Finally, add chocolate chips.

Form dough into a 2-inch-round log or square log - wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm.

Preheat oven to 360 degrees, cut the dough 1/3-inch-thick-slices.

Bake until cookies are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheet.

Obviously, they are best served alongside a coffee. 

Mmm...yummy ^^

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Korean rice roll - Kimbab

Kimbab is very popular as a picnic meal in Korea.  So whenever I went on a school field trip my mother would send me off with Kimbab. Of course, I love Kimbab as a meal, also.
Sometimes I receive some questions about Korean Kimbab and sushi roll. Many of you might know this as a Korean sushi. I think Kimbab is similar to sushi roll, especially vegetable
Kimbab tastes similar to California roll.  But, it depends on the ingredients and sauce. For examples...  If inside are crab stick, avocado, salmon and  flying fish roe with dipping soy sauce, it is California roll (sushi roll).  And if inside are seasoned spinach, pickled radish, fried egg and braised burdock root, it is Korean Kimbab. It is very different in terms of the variation of fillings and dipping sauce.
Essentially, Kimbab is made from white rice and various other yummies of your choice, which are then all rolled up in roasted seaweed (nori).
Today, I will show my favorite version Kimbab - I chose vegetables, egg and ham.

Refer to here.....
http://aeriskitchen.com/2008/11/beef-kimbap-%EC%87%A0%EA%B3%A0%EA%B8%B0-%EA%B9%80%EB%B0%A5/

I just used ham instead of beef.

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Beef Boiled Down in Soy Sauce - Jangjorim

Look at this!  It's a Jangjorim - beef boiled down in soy sauce.

Jangjorim is one of the most loved Korean side dishes. It's also a popular item for home packed lunch boxes. When I was growing up, it was very interesting thing to eat Jangjorim for my lunch at school, too.

So, if I make a Jangjorim I eat it as a side dish and make a lunch box for my husband.

Above all, he likes to eat Jangjorim with hard boiled eggs. He always says "Jangjorim and hard boiled eggs are forever entangled."

Also, I enjoy not only the beef taste but also the sauce. Mix your warm rice with Jangjorim and the sauce. Eat it or wrap it in crispy seaweed (nori) and put it into your mouth. Mouth will be watery. It makes me happy even to think of it!

Refer to this link... 

http://busychopsticks.blogspot.com/2011/01/jang-jorim.html

I just added sliced shiitake mushrooms... and I did it in a pressure cooker to speed things up. 

If you don't have a pressure cooker, simmer it covered.

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California Roll

California roll is a creative American twist on sushi. It is simple and it tastes sublime, so I love it.

Every time I saw a California roll in a Japanese restaurant I wanted to try it. But I have not learned how to make it.

Look at my pictures! My foods photograph well. This picture is one of my photogenic foods.

Actually, I made many mistakes when I made a California roll. It was hard to make it.

There were grains of steamed rice stuck on my fingers while I was making the roll.

The rice was very sticky, so I made a lot of adjustments as necessary and covered it with two types of sauce.

It looks like a good shape but there were many mistakes. I have no talent to make a California roll.

Refer to here... how to make it. Click 

I made my own sauce.

Mix my special soy sauce, mayonnaise and Balsamic Glaze  from Trader Joe's.

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Simple Breakfast

I am enjoying my own breakfast.
Today, I will show my simple breakfast.
When I opened my refrigerator, I saw a fully ripe avocado. 
It looked like saying "Look at me, I am ripe! why don't you try to use me for your breakfast today?"
I had heard avocado can be used instead of butter. It has the texture of butter, but is healthier. So I started to wash the avocado.
My breakfast was very simple.
Toast sandwich bread.
Slice the avocado.
Fry an egg - I made a sunny side up egg.
On the plate, put the toasted sandwich bread, sliced avocado and sunny side-up egg  in order.
Enjoy your breakfast with your favorite music  :)


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Potato Gnocchi with Creamy Sauce

I wanted to try gnocchi in a cream sauce, but gnocchi was unfamiliar to me.

I know gnocchi is composed of potato, cheese, flour and egg... sounds so delicious.
But I didn't have the courage to try it. 
Meanwhile, I found a box of potato gnocchi at Wegmans. Eureka!! 
I could reduced the burden a lot  :)
So I will show how to make a cream sauce for gnocchi today.
This is a pretty easy and different way to enjoy potato gnocchi. I even have used leftover mashed potatoes! 
It was absolutely delicious.

Directions
At first, make a white roux (white sauce) Click here...
Cook the potato gnocchi according to the product's directions - I just parboiled them slightly.
In a pan, pour white roux, add parmesan cheese to taste and stir well.
Add precooked potato gnocchi and toss slightly.
Sprinkle  with parmesan cheese and parsley.


***

absolute
This is a pretty easy and different way to enjoy potatoes. I even have used left over mashed potatoes!!This is a pretty easy and different way to enjoy potatoes. I even have used left over mashed potatoes!
This is a pretty easy and different way to enjoy potatoes. I even have used left over mashed potat

Mixed Rice with Baby Sprout - Bibimbab

Wegmans  is one of my favorite grocery stores in the U.S.

It was opened a few weeks ago near my town, so my husband and I went there.

It was a great store. 

I found baby bean sprouts while I looked around the vegetable section. Hit the jackpot!

I sometimes need baby bean sprouts, but most of the baby bean sprouts are expensive or not fresh.

It was not particularly fresh in H mart - I don't recommend this store for vegetables. Most of the vegetables are not fresh. 

I was happy to get it at a reasonable price and fresh condition.

So, I used it in Korean Bibimbab.

Actually, bibimbab is popular and can be made many different ways - bean sprout bibimbab, mushroom bibmbab, bulgogi bibimbab, seasoned raw beef bibimbab, stone pot bibimbam...

So, I can say this baby bean sprouts bibimbab is one of them.

Ingredients

steamed white rice

1 egg cooked over easy

1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

pinch of sesame seeds

your favorite fresh vegetables (I prepared carrot, arugula and sesame leaves)

handful of baby bean sprouts

bulgogi (marinated beef with Korean soy sauce)

gochuchang paste to taste (red pepper paste)

Directions

In a bowl, put cooked white rice and prepared vegetables, bulgogi and egg.

Sprinkle sesame seeds and oil.

If you like spicy, add gochuchang paste.

How to make a bibimbab's gochuchang paste?

2 tablespoons gochuchang (Korean red pepper paste)

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon vinegar

Mix together well.

***

Korean Potato Pancakes - Gamja jeon

I like to use potatoes in a variety of ways - boiled, steamed, mashed, baked, fried... possibilities  are endless. 

Among them, my favorite is potato pancake.

Potato pancake(Gamja jeon) is an amazingly simple but delicious snack, appetizer... to eat.

These are called gamja jeon - gamja means potato and jeon refers to pancake-like dishes.
Jeon is usually eaten as an appetizer, banchan (small side dish) or anju (food to eat while drinking).
Especially, Potato pancakes always bring good memories to me. 
I remember my mother making potato pancakes for me on rainy days and... the first dish that I made for my husband was potato pancakes. 
That time, it was raining,,,  I made it and gave it to him. 
He was very happy, but he had no time to eat. So he hid the potato pancakes in the deep freezer, because he was worried that his father would eat it while he was out. Ha ha ha...


Ingredients
Pancake
2 Potatoes
salt to taste
oil

Soy dipping sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
sesame seeds to taste


Directions
Peel and grate potatoes.
Place mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the grated potatoes into the strainer and let sit for 15 minutes.  
Put the grated potatoes aside.
About 15 minutes later the potato starch will be in the bottom of the bowl and water will be on the top.
Remove water and only use the potato starch.
Add the potato starch to the grated potatoes.
Mix well with salt.
In a pan over medium heat, add a few drops of vegetable oil and then add some of the potato mix, 
Fill your pan with these discs.
Turn the discs over when they get brown on the bottom.
Serve potato pancakes with dipping sauce.

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Korean Side Dishes - Banchan

I always have some side dishes(banchan) with a Korean meal.
So, banchan often translated as "side dishes" are an essential part of any Korean meal. 
It refers to small side dishes of food served with cooked rice in Korean cuisine. 
They are not just decoration or appetizers: they are the meal, along with soup and rice.
Today, I made 3 types of Korean side dishes.
Eggplant stir-fry, bean sprout stir-fry and summer cucumber kimchi.
These are my favorites Korean side dishes!

Eggplant stir-fry (Gaji Bokkeum).
Ingredients
2 medium size eggplants
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
pinch of pepper
pinch of pepper powder or crushed chili peppers

Directions
Cut the eggplant and heat the pan with oil over medium high heat.
Stir fry the eggplants quickly until outside starts to get soft.
Add all the remaining ingredients.
Stir until eggplants are coated well with seasonings.
Sprinkle sesame seeds, oil and serve.

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Soybean Sprout stir-fry (Kongnamul Bokkem)
Ingredients
1 bag of soybean sprout about 1 1/2 lb
chopped green onions to taste
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3-4 tablespoons soy sauce to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Korean chili powder to taste
1/2 tablespoon sugar
toasted sesame seeds, to taste

Directions
Wash soybean sprouts and drain water.
Heat  the pan with vegetable oil over medium high heat.
Add minced garlic and saute until golden brown about 2 minutes-it's a garlic oil.
Stir-fry soybean sprouts briefly, don't let them wilt.
Add soy sauce, sugar and chili powder and stir until seasonings are mixed well and cover with a lid until sprouts are wilted.
Turn off the heat and sprinkle with sesame oil and  stir well. 
Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving.

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Summer Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)
Ingredients
1 bag of mini cucumbers (from Costco)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons fish sauce
4 tablespoons oligosaccharide
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno

Directions
Wash cucumber and drain water and cut it into 8 pieces.
Put them it in a bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt and mix well.
Let them sit for 15 minutes and rinse and drain quickly.
Mix cucumber, fish sauce, minced garlic, jalapeno and oligosaccharide.
Put it in a container and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours then keep in the refrigerator.
Serve it cold.

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