Czech Vanilla Wafer Cake

My friend, Sona, made a Czech vanilla wafer cake for me. It was very delicious and had a polka dot pattern. So adorable!
I wanted to make it, but I couldn't find Czech wafers anywhere.Of course, I can use Nilla Wafers, but they are too sweet. So, I was thinking about using ladyfingers, but ladyfingers are rectangular, not round. I wanted my cake to look like Sona's cake, but I couldn't find Czech wafers. When Sona found out she asked her sisters to send me wafers from the Czech Republic. 
Look at this! Wafers from the Czech Republic!


Ingredients:
2 packages of vanilla wafers
1 quart heavy whipping cream
16 oz sour creamPowdered sugar Fruit-canned mandarin oranges, canned apricots, etc. in light syrup (at least 2-3 cups)
Nonstick leak-proof springform pan, round, 9 inch (the one with a mechanism for side opening)
Note: I usually cover the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil.

Instructions:
Filling:In a large bowl, pour the heavy whipping cream and whip it with an electric hand mixer until fluffy and really thick. Add sour cream gradually and mix well with a wooden spoon. Taste it to suit your taste buds – I usually use between 12 to 16 oz of sour cream. Add a little powdered sugar to make it slightly sweet. Remember that the wafers and fruit are sweet enough. Cake:In a round cake form, put a layer of vanilla wafers over the entire bottom of the pan, pour a few drops of fruit juice on vanilla wafers (2-3 table spoons), then place narrow pieces of fruit in the holes among the vanilla wafers, spread a layer of cream filling on top and then continue repeating wafers, fruit and filling layers (usually 2-3 times is possible). The last layer visible on the top should be vanilla wafers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours – the best is over night/24 hours. Enjoy! 

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Korean Style Wings - Chicken Wing Boiled in Spiced Soy Sauce

I like chicken wings boiled in spiced soy sauce.  But I couldn't find a simple recipe.  

I have tried to make it several times, but the recipes were time consuming and complicated. Not easy recipes. For example, I had to make a special soy sauce (This is a boiled sauce with apple, pear, lemon, garlic, ginger, onion, scallion, peperonchino, cooking wine, rice wine and soy sauce) or a special ginger sauce (ginger with rice wine). Both of these sauces had to be boiled for an hour. The sauces are had to be made in advance. That's too much of a hassle!

Even if I don't use a special sauce, this recipe is so amazing! It is a very good dish that is made in a short amount of time.

Ingredient

2 lb                chicken wings

1/2 c              cooking wine

1 c                 water

1/2 c              soy sauce

1/2 c              sugar

1/2 Tb            minced ginger

3 tops            scallion 

dried peperonchino and pepper to taste

Directions

In a big wok, put cleaned chicken wings, water, soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine.

Add ginger and scallion.

Bring to boil, then simmer at a low heat.

Add peperonchino to taste and boil until the sauce is evaporated. 

How about Korean style chicken wings for dinner?

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Avocado Bibimbap

We've been having a few days reaching into 85, even 95℉ here in VA.  Phew!  So I try not to cook too much.  Very hot!  But this dish is super fast and easy to make and will take less than 15 minutes to put together. Sounds great!

I made a special summer bibimbap like the picture.  Bibimbap  has always been one of the most popular Korean dishes. Traditionally, it  is made with fried egg, cooked vegetables, bulgogi(beef) and steamed rice.  However this version  substitutes sliced avocado for the beef.

Ingredients

1 bowl                  steamed rice

1/2                          avocado

1                              egg

1 T                          coconut oil

(seasoning soy sauce)

1 T                        soy sauce

1 t                         wasabi

1 t                         water

Directions
Slice avocado and fry egg with coconut oil.
Mix seasoning soy sauce ingredients.
Fill a bowl with rice and top with fried egg and sliced avocado.
Serve with seasoning sauce.
If you like sprinkle with nori.


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Stir-fried Korean Chili Peppers and Pork

I made a bell pepper japchae. Japchae is a Korean dish made by stir-frying sweet potato noodles with thinly sliced carrot, onion, spinach, mushrooms and beef. But I used just a few things like bell pepper, pork and onion. Simple!  
Japchae has a chewy, sweet and salty taste. Bell pepper adds crunch and sweetness.  They are also rich in iron, calcium and vitamin A and C.

Ingredients
2/3 lb                      pork  
3                             bell pepper (red 1, green 2) 
1                             onion
1 inch                      fresh ginger

Spicy chili oil
1/2 C                      vegetable oil
3 T                         Korean dried red pepper powder
2 T                         minced garlic
2                            green onions

1 T                          oyster sauce
1 t                           soy sauce
1T                           Korean cooking wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Thinly slice the pork. 

Seed and thinly slice the bell peppers. Thinly slice the onion. 
Finely mince ginger.
Marinate sliced pork in soy sauce, Korean cooking wine and minced ginger for 20-30 minutes.
Make the spicy chili oil:  Simmer green onions, garlic, Korean chili powder in the oil for 10 minutes. Cool and set aside.
Put the pork in the pan  with 2 T spicy chili oil and stir-fry. Add sliced onions and bell peppers with the oyster sauce. Quickly stir fry so vegetables retain their crunch.
Season the dish with salt and pepper.

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Arugula Apple Salad

I made a simple arugula salad with olive oil and vinegar. I used 'Ah Love Oil and Vinegar' - Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and Peach White Vinegar. These are produced in oak barrels for more than 12 years. So, the taste is ultra rich and fresh!
I wanted something fresh, so I added sliced Fuji apples.
It was a good balance of bitterness + lovely sweetness + nice sour taste = Very good match!!

Ingredients
1/2       apple
1 C       arugula
1 T       olive oil - tuscan herb
1 T       vinegar - peach white
salt, pepper and dried minced onion to taste

Directions
Wash apple and arugula and slice Fuji apple as in the picture.
Mix olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper well.
Sprinkle salad dressing on the arugula and arrange the sliced apple.
Sprinkle with dried minced onion.


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