Store bought Korean dinner

When I was at the Asian Market the other day, I saw some Kalbi and Bulgogi in the frozen food section.  I thought I'd give it a try, not expecting too much but we both thought they were good and worth trying again.  Notice the last picture about cooking Directions.  Very informative. LOL

Daeji Kalbi (spicy pork baby back ribs

Daeji Kalbi  Spicy Pork Loin Back Ribs

Charlie showed me this recipe in Koreatown and asked if I would make it. He said he had it at a restaurant once and it was really good.  He said it was perfect and so we put in on the KEEPER list. It does make a mess of the grill though.

A friend posted a sourdough starter made with potato water, flour and sugar.  I gave it a try and decided to leave out the sugar after the second feeding because I felt the sugar speeded up the action of the yeast and it was done too quickly.  I was going to make potato bread but when I looked up the recipe, it used two packets of yeast and I was afraid that sourdough would not be up to doing it when a double batch of commercial yeast was needed.

1/2 Asian pear, peeled, cored. ( used an Asian plum)

1 Gala or Fuji apple, peeled and cored

1/2 white onion, roughly chopped

1 C. gochujang

1 T. black pepper

2 T. mirin

1/4 C. soy sauce

1/4 C. Korean rice or corn syrup

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C. finely gochugaru (dried red chili powder)

2 T. sugar

2 full racks baby back ribs (5 to 7 lbs total) silver skin removed

Sesame seeds, for garnish

1 combine all ingr. except ribs and sesame seeds in blender and process until smooth.

2. cut ribs into individual bones and marinate 4 hours or overnight. (recipe suggests letting marinade set in refrigerator overnight before using to let the flavors blend

3. Grill over charcoal or gas on medium.  Shake excess off ribs and grill about 15 minutes, turning often until well browned, about 15 -20 minutes.

or Pat ribs dry and roast @ 350º on top rack for 45 min. or until tender and cooked through.

4. After cooking lent meat rest 5 min. garnish with sesame seeds.

Spiced baby eggplant

• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or sweet smoked paprika, plus more for serving
• 1½ pounds Indian eggplants (about 12)
• Kosher salt

• Mix ginger, garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1 tsp. chili powder in a small bowl.
  
• Quarter eggplants lengthwise through rounded bottom, stopping ½" short of the stem. Gently pry quarters open without detaching flesh from stem; season with salt. Spoon spice mix into each eggplant, making sure inside flesh is coated.
  
• Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high. Cook eggplants in a single layer, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, 8–10 minutes total. Reduce heat to low and add ¼ cup water. Cover and cook, turning eggplants halfway through, until tender, 12–16 minutes.
  
• Spoon raita on a platter. Arrange eggplants over, then top with cilantro. Sprinkle with more chili powder and drizzle with oil.

POTATO YEAST STARTER  Boil a potato in enough water to have a cup of potato water when done. Cool to room themperature, add a cup of flour and a tablespoon of sugar, stir and let set overnight.  It was active before the end of the first day but done and not expanding the second. After five feedings without sugar it became very active.  It took longer to rise than with regular dry yeast but it always does.  I usually use the starter for flavor and add some rapid rise yeast to speed things up but didn't this time as I wanted to see how well it performed by itself.

Corn cooked on the grill until grill marked. Cut off the cob and put in a pot with about a Tablesp. of butter, two or three Tbsp of cream and about a teaspoon of honey + salt to taste.

Thai Salmon with coconut milk sauce

 Chef Bao Thai Salmon

21 oz skin on salmon, sliced and cut into three filets

oil and salt on both sides and in the slits.

set aside

0.5 oz lemon grass light green parts cut 1/2” on diagonal

1 T. ginger cut thin strips and minced

3 cl. garlic minced

set aside

Heat oil in cast iron skillet, rub salmon with oil and salt

cook salmon , remove to plate

add to skilled lemongrass, garlic and ginger,  sauce a few minutes

add 

1T. chili paste

11.8 oz coconut milk

1 T. brown sugar

1 T. fish sauce

salt and pepper

   simmer, add

1/4 tsp.lemon zest and

juice one lemon.

return salmon to sauce, spoon sauce over, garnish with lemons and serve

Pork Chops

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

I left out the parsley and added a tablespoon of oregano, 1/2 tsp sage, 1 tsp rosemary salt and pepper. I made this with two thick pork chops instead of 4.

Prep:25 minsCook:35 minsTotal:1 hrServings:4

Ingredients
3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons milk

1 ½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

4 pork chops

Directions

Step 1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
Step 2 In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
Step 3 Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses.
Step 4 Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side.
Step 5 Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes, or to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Cornbread was Zatarain and it was good.  Spinach seasoned with salt, vinegar and sesame oil.

Tacos

When I make the meat for tacos, I cook about 1/4 of an onion in a little oil until soft, then I add 80/20 hamburger meat and stir until browned.  At this point I add taco seasoning until it looks like taco meat,,, darker and tastes good. I add about three or four heaping tablespoons of refried beans.  Most taco seasonings say to add water and cook it out. I add salsa and simmer it until the liquid is gone. I used to add some guacamole at the very end but Charlie has taken a dislike to it so if we have it, I just add it to my tacos.  I serve some more refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, Restaurant style- medium salsa, lettuce and chopped radish- which I left out this time.  If  tomatoes are in season, I'll add a couple of those skinned, seeded and chopped.

Cornish hens.

This is a variation of one I have used before but this one is simpler, fewer ingredients, and quicker to put together.I did not marinate these hens. I roasted them according to package directions then thickened the marinade with cornstarch and poured some over the chicken and served the rest on the side.  I also added a few drops of sesame oil to the marinade and strained it before serving.  I strained it to remove solid pieces of garlic and ginger and orange zest.  I made the marinade a day ahead and refrigerated it but that was because the hens were not thawed out enough to roast them yesterday.  We both think it is a good recipe and other ingredients are not needed.

2 Cornish game hens

4 Garlic cloves, peeled

1 1" piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 c Soy sauce

1/2 c Light honey

2 tb Peanut oil

2 tb Fresh orange juice

1 tb Finely minced orange zest  + I added a few drops of sesame oil. 

Here's a new and exciting dish that's easily prepared. It's especially delicious served with sesame noodles or your favorite rice pilaf. For an ideal meal without much effort, simply steam up some fresh snow peas to serve on the side. 

1. Rinse game hens and pat dry. Place in a bowl. Trim off wing tips, necks and any excess fat from the neck cavities. 

2. Place garlic and ginger in the bowl of a food processor; process until nearly smooth. Reserve. 

3. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, peanut oil, orange juice and orange zest. Add the reserved garlic and ginger. Pour mixture over game hens to coat well. 

4. Let rest at room temperature for 4 hours, or refrigerate overnight, turning game hens in marinade 3 or 4 times. 

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place game hens in a shallow roasting pan to fit. Pour marinade on top. 

6. Bake game hens 1 hour or until cooked through, basting every 15 minutes. 

7. Remove hens to a serving platter. Pour cooking juices into a small, heavy saucepan and boil over high heat for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Pour over the hens just before serving. 

NOTE: These birds can be served whole or, for smaller portions, are lovely split in half. Just be sure to remove the backbones and wing tips before preparing. 

Hummingbird Cake

Charlie gave this recipe to me a couple months ago and I tried it today.  I never have much patience with cake making but still try once in a while.  The recipe called for three cake pans all the same size. I only had two of one size and one smaller one and all the stores that have cake pans are not open now so I put a smaller layer on the top so it looks like a dome.  I left the pecan topping off.  I think there are enough in the cake itself.

Hummingbird Cake 

Active Time20 MinsTotal Time2 HoursYieldServes 12

By PAM LOLLEY January 2018

When the Hummingbird Cake was first submitted to Southern Living in 1978 by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina, we had no idea the cake would become our most popular and beloved Southern cake recipe ever. Without a doubt, the cake is a beauty with its three moist layers topped with cream cheese frosting and pecans; but it’s the taste that really keeps us coming back. There are a few rules for success in this recipe that make it truly stand out. First, vegetable oil is used instead of butter to get the moist, quick-bread-like texture of the layers. The original recipe, as printed below, calls for 1 1/2 cups of oil. Over the years we reprinted the recipe several times and, in keeping with cooking trends of the time, altered the amount of oil and sodium called for in the ingredient list. The quality of the finished product was never altered, however. Second, you need a can of crushed pineapple in its juices (such as Publix Crushed Pineapple in Pineapple Juice), which you will NOT drain. The juices add so much flavor to the cake batter and keeps it incredibly moist. Lastly, always take the time the toast your pecans. It’s a game-changer. Forty years may have passed since we discovered this Southern gem, but we keep making it year after year!

Ingredients

CAKE LAYERS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans 
• •2 cups granulated sugar
• • 1 teaspoon salt
• • 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• •3 large eggs, beaten •1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
•  •1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• •1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained (such as Publix Crushed Pineapple in Pineapple Juice)
•  •2 cups chopped ripe bananas (about 3 bananas) 
• •1 cup chopped pecans, toasted Vegetable shortening 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 
• •1 cup salted butter or margarine, softened
• • 2 (16-oz.) pkg. powdered sugar 
• •2 teaspoons vanilla extract

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT

• 3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted

How to Make It

Step 1

Prepare the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in vanilla, pineapple, bananas, and toasted pecans.

Step 2

Divide batter evenly among 3 well-greased (with shortening) and floured 9-inch round cake pans.

Step 3

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 5  Assemble Cake: Place 1 Cake Layer on a serving platter; spread top with 1 cup of the frosting. Top with second layer, and spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with third layer, and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange pecan halves on top of cake.

Ribs in the smoker

Yesterday  Charlie asked if I could make some ribs in the smoker today so i did. I also made some sourdough using rye flour as the starter. Ribs smoked with apple wood for 5 hours.  I misread a clock and left them in an hour longer that I meant to.   Deviled egg potato salad and slaw were deli bought.