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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