< Insert Clever Line About Kimchi Here >

I am no good at this blogging thing. I really need a secretary. Who wants to be my personal food blog slave?

I will pay you in food :)

Cucumber Kimchi

3-4 large English cucumbers

2 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. salt

5 cloves garlic

1 1/2 in. piece fresh ginger, peeled

1 dried red Thai chili

1/2 cup chili powder

2 tbs. soy sauce

1/4 cup water

Wash and dry the cucumbers. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch quarter pieces. Toss cucumber with the sugar and the salt. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, strain the cucumbers and set aside. Place the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth. Toss with cucumbers. Cover and let sit in refrigerator 6 hours before eating.

Eat it up, bitches. 

How Do You Make an Apple Turnover?

Push it down a hill! Get it?! Heh.

Apparently I'm a slacker. Pffffft. Happy Birthday to my Butcher!! If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even be doing this. 

Also, I don't even like apple pie. But, my Daddy does. I got to spend last Christmas with him and I hadn't done that in almost 10 years. So, as the the good daughter I am, I made him one for Christmas.

BEST.DAUGHTER.EVER.

Apple Pie

2 rolled out frozen pie dough rounds

2 lbs. granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 lbs. honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 tsp. cornstarch

2 tbs. butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 egg, beaten with 1 tbs. milk

2 tsp. sugar

1 tbs. orange juice

Fold on pis dough round in half and carefully transfer to a pie dish. Unfold and ease into pan. Using kitchen scissors, trim the edge, leaving 3/4 of an inch to overhang. Set aside with other dough round. In a large dutch oven or stock pot, stir together apples, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch. Set over medium heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid has thickened and becomes glossy. Remove from heat, stir in orange juice and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, transfer to the dough lined pan. Dot with butter. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out second pie dough round to 12 inches. Cut the dough into 10 strips about 3/4 inch wide. Place five strips and weave the other five into the first five. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. To keep crust from browning too fast, spray tin foil with non-stick spray and wrap edges. Bake for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake another 35.

I had a bite, and it was pretty darn good even I do say so myself. I didn't get fancy with though. Maybe next time. 

OMGWTFBBQ

I had to buy tortillas for a work luncheon. They didn't even get touched. I bought 50. Sigh. What to do with them? Taquitos like a mug...

BBQ Chicken Taquitos

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or processed

1 cup shredded  cheddar cheese (I used a triple cheddar mix)

3/4 cups bottled bbq sauce

1/4 cups finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

10 corn tortillas

vegetable oil for frying

toothpicks

Heat about 3 inches of vegetable oil in a large stock pot, or heat up your Fry Daddy ;) In a large bowl, combine chicken, cheese, bbq sauce, red onion and cilantro. Mix well. Heat corn tortillas in microwave for a few seconds to make them easier to handle. Lay out corn tortilla and spoon about 2 tbs. worth of chicken mixture on, roll up as tight as you can without tearing. secure with a toothpick. Repeat with all tortillas or until mixture is used up. Drop in hot oil 2 at a time, fry until golden brown. Let drain on a wire rack lined cookie sheet to keep crunchy. Let cool slightly and eat immediately. I don't see you being able to resist anyway.

I don't even have any recommendations on dipping sauce. I think that would just ruin these little delicious taquitos, but of course you can do what you want. Whatever. 

Your Moms a flaming Hibachi...

I heart me some Asian food. I heart me some wasabi, almost to a point of ridiculousness. I don't feel that you have really ever had wasabi unless it has burned your nose hairs from your nostrils. I heart me some coconut milk also. I usually have both these ingredients in my house at all times. Let's put them together!! :)

Shrimp with Tangy Coconut Sauce

1 lb. shrimp

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 tsp. cornstarch

4 tsp. wasabi paste

1 tsp. grated ginger

2 tbs. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. wok oil

1 1/2 tbs. soy sauce

6 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

In a small saucepan, stir together the coconut milk and the cornstarch. Cook and stir over low heat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine the wasabi paste, ginger and lime juice. In a wok over high heat, cook shrimp for 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, garlic and red pepper. Cook for 30 seconds more. Pour in coconut mixture and wasabi mixture and cook until thickened. Serve over rice.

Skadoosh. Awesomeness. Yum.

Basil, Goat Cheese and Fresh Corn Souffle

Sarah bought me 4 small souffle dishes like a good friend, because she be loving me and all that mushy stuff. 

So, on a day that (shamefully enough) I didn't have any kind of culinary inspiration, I saw these little dishes of amazingness and decided I needed to make souffle, but a savory one.

BEHOLD!!!

Basil, Goat Cheese and Fresh Corn Souffle

2 ears fresh corn, shucked

1/4 cup roughly chopped basil

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

2 tbs. melted butter

2 eggs

2 tbs. flour

1 tbs. sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, cut the corn kernels right off the cob and into the bowl. Once all kernals are off, turn your knife around to the dull side and "milk" the cob. Get as much yummy corn goodness off as possible. In another bowl, Beat eggs slightly, add corn, flour and the rest of the ingredients. Pour equal amounts of mixture into dishes. In a shallow baking dish, add about 2 cups of hot water and set dishes in water. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before stuffing into your face.

My Brother's Favorite Spaghetti

I have been asked to make this for him, package it and send it to him up in Washington state.When I visit, I have 2 lbs of ground beef waiting for me. When I make it, I swear he calls or texts. I think he just senses it.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

16 oz. package of spaghetti noodles ( I use Rigati )

1 lb. ground beef (80/20)

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

salt for pasta water and sauce

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1 tbs. sugar

1 big can of traditional sauce (24 oz.?, 32?)

olive oil

In a large pot of water, add salt, as much as you like, and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook as directed on the package, making to stir pasta to keep from sticking. In the meantime, in a large skillet, heat about 2 tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add onions first, saute for 2 or 3 minutes, then add garlic, mushrooms, tsp. and a half of salt and Italian seasoning. Add meat and saute together until no longer pink. It will be nice and juicy, but do not, by any means drain the mixture. This is what makes this sauce so good. FAT. Add sauce and let  simmer together for at least 30 minutes to let all of the flavors combine. Serve hot over noodles.

Now I miss my little brother. I think I will call him. If you read this Randy, I love and miss you very much. Love, Your Favorite Sister. (Shutup Carrie)

Get Stuffed!

I felt the need to stuff things. (giggle)

So, I did. A few things. It was very fulfilling. Get it? Filling. Moving on.

Mexican Stuffed Tomatoes

4 tomatoes, cut in half horizontally

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbs. chopped onion

1 cup diced avocado

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (i use gluten-free of course)

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp. chopped serrano 

1 tbs. chopped cilantro

olive oil

Start by scooping out some of the flesh in the halved tomatoes. Set aside what you scoop out. In a medium skillet, cook all ingredients breadcrumbs, egg and cilantro. Let the filling cool down, then mix with the rest of the ingredients. Top with more breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Set on a foil lined cookie sheet and broil in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until breadcrumb are browned and heated through. Let cool for a few minutes before you cut. Eat. So hard.

Greek Stuffed Eggplant

1 eggplant, halved legnthwise

1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1/2 cup kalamta olives, chopped

1/4 cup leftover tomato, chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg, beaten

olive oil

You know the deal, scoop out insides, leaving about 1/2 an inch of shell. Set insides aside. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Spoon into eggplant halves, top with more breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Awesome Stuffed Red Bell Pepper

4 red bell peppers

1/2 cup eggplant

1 cup crumbled goat cheese

1 cup cooked, diced chicken

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

olive oil

Cut off the top of the bell pepper and hollow out. In a medium bow;, mix together rest of ingredients until well combined.. Spoon into peppers, top with more breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. 

What are you waiting for? Get stuffed!