Kimchi Egg Udon

Well it sure has been awhile. Sorry about that. But while I've been working on my new life it had little time for food blogging, let alone food making. I'm getting settled into my new home Prince George, BC. We've uprooted from the east coast to the west, with many adjustments. Sold everything, including all kitchen things. Now my kitchen is minimal with little appliances. I miss my food processor :( Anyways, here is a super easy delicious recipe I thought of when I had crazy kimchi cravings.



If you don't know what Kimchi is, you must go out and ask your grocery store/ find a Korean restaurant/ or go and buy some ingredients and make some now! It is very good for you! It is one of those super foods packed with dietary fiber, vitamin C, carotene, and has lactic acid bacteria aiding in digestion! The Ecology Action Center has a lovely blog and classes teaching people how to make their own kimchi. I used the one found at save on foods which is surprisingly wonderful, however expensive. Maybe later I will post my own kimchi recipe on whats for sups, but for now, here is my Kimchi Egg Udon recipe;

Makes 2 (large) servings

• 1 tbsp of sesame seed oil
• 1 block of udon
• 1/4 red onion
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of kimchi (more if you want it spicy)
• Pepper to taste
• Green onion and nori for garnish

In a frying pan heat the sesame oil in a pan (on medium - high) and lightly fry the onion for about a few minutes. Once the onion is lightly cooked add the udon noodles and fry for another 2 minutes, until oil absorbs. Add the kimchi and fry together until the onion is fully cooked.

Clear a space to crack the eggs on a clear surface of the pan. Let them cook a little then scramble into the udon kimchi mixture. Add pepper to taste.

Turn the heat on high and fry for another minute to get everything crispy.

Garnish with nori, and green onions and enjoy!

Pancake Day!

Happy pancake day, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, or whatever else today is.

Every year we celebrate pancake day for supper. This year however, celebrated a day early because we wont be home. So I had some left over pancake mix and made one for breakfast too! It's a whats for sups and breakfast blog post.

This Rogers family recipe is probably my most favorite pancake recipe I've ever tried. These pancakes are thick, and dense but still light. Also holds berry sauce and maple syrup like a champ!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)*
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) *

In a medium bowl beat eggs and add milk in one cup at a time. Set aside.

Sift flour baking powder, and cinnamon together. Add sugar and mix.

Pour in the wet ingredients (egg and milk) into the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated.

Now you have your pancake batter.

To cook set your frying pan on medium, and heat oil or butter. We used oil.

Use an 8 oz ladle, and pour two full ladles of batter onto the pan. Cook until bubbles form on top, and then flip. Cook on the other side for about 5 more minutes, or until browned.

Enjoy pancakes with any topping!

Happy pancake day!

Kimbap (Sushi)

Today Jooyoun informed me that Koreans have their own world of sushi! Called Kimbap (seaweed rice). Rolled steamed rice in sheets of dried seaweed. It looks very similar to sushi, but for Koreans it is not fancy fare but more of a picnic food, that you can eat with your hands. Like what a sandwich is for North Americans.

I was a little intimidated at first, but I must say kimbap is really easy, and so much fun to make!

What you need:
Makes 5 Kim Bap rolls (5 servings)

kimbap (sushi) bamboo roller
or can use plastic wrap for rolling kimbap

• 5 cups of Calrose Rice (sticky rice)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil
• pinch of salt
• Sesame Seed Oil and salt for frying
• 1/2 Carrot
• 2 cups Spinach
• 2 Tofu or veggie dog (optional)
• 3 Egg
• 1/2 cucumber Cucumber cut thick julienne 1/2 inch
• 5 sticks of Seasoned Burdock
• 5 sticks of Pickled Radish
• 5 slices of processed Cheese (optional)
• 5 Roasted Seaweed Sheets (Kim)

Make rice following the 2:1 (water:rice) ratio. Boil adding the vinegar, oil and salt. Let rice cool before you apply to the seaweed sheets.

While rice is cooking prep vegetables. For carrots julienne them finely. fry in some sesame oil and salt. Set aside.

Fry spinach in the same manner after you boil for 5 min. Set aside.

Cut tofu, or veggie hot dogs in our case into 1/2 inch thick julienne lengths. Fry until browned. Set aside.

Mix 3 eggs together in a bowl, until combined. Pour eggs onto frying pan and cook until browned. Remove from pan and slice into long lengths 1.2 inch thick or larger.

For cucumber remove heavily seeded middle and julienne lengthwise approx 1/2 inch thick. make one stick for each kimbap roll.

Take out 5 sticks of radish and burdock. and set aside.

If using cheese slices (which I recommend) cut them in half so they can become as long as the seaweed sheet.

Once everything is cooled, you can go ahead and start rolling! place bamboo roller on the table, with a sheet of seaweed on top. place cooled rice on 3/4 of the sheet. Place all of your ingredients on top of the rice stacked on top of each other, so the rice can completely surround the filling when you roll. I used the more flimsy ingredients first like cheese, spinach, carrot, then the stick like ingredients, cucumber, tofu, radish, burdock, and then egg.

Place a skinny strip of rice along the edge of the sheet so it can stick to the roll. And grab the side of the sheet with the ingredients on it first and tightly roll until it is all one. Use the bamboo sheet to tighten your kimbap roll. Basically rolling the sushi inside the bamboo sheet, once is all it takes.

Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch thick peices or bigger if you like. And enjoy this great party snack.

Tofu Spaghetti Balls

This blog post is dedicated to Valentines day. What better way to celebrate love then referencing the classic Lady and the Tramp movie with Spaghetti and meat balls. This recipe however is a cruelty free version, made with tofu balls!

Adopted from my favorite vegan cookbook author Sarah Kramer's Vegan A Go-Go!

Pasta enough for two people

Tofu balls: makes around 10 - 12 balls

• 1/2 cup of firm tofu crumbled by hand (approx half a package)
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 tbsp of tahini
• 1 tbsp of tamari
• 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of green onion (optional)
• 1/4 tsp of garlic (optional)
• 1 very small onion minced
• 1/4 tsp of mustard
• black pepper
• 1/4 cup of flour for coating
• 2 tbsp oil for frying

In a large bown, mix together the tofu, 1/4 cup of flour, tahini, tamari, sun dried tomatoes, green onion, garlic, onion, mustard, & pepper with hands. Form balls with approx 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into a ball, and coat with flour until all tofu mixture is used.

Set them aside, and heat or prepare homemade pasta sauce.

In a frying pan on medium heat fry tofu balls in oil until browned all over. Once the sauce is hot, you can put them into the sauce. Let them sit in there for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Serve over pasta and with Pinot Grigio.

Gingerbread Cupcakes

Happy New Year! This post is coming out very late. But the holiday sure were busy. Actually the last 3 months have been busy. I've had many plans for blogs, but with my late nights and lack of sunshine in my kitchen, pictures haven't done the food justice. And what good is a blog without pictures?

So for the first blog of 2011 I have a treat! One of the best cupcakes I've had in awhile. Adapted from Martha Stewart's 'Cupcakes' cookbook, Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cookie Cutouts! This recipe is rich with flavor that is sweet but not to sweet because of the spicy dense cake, and topped with the most lovely butter cream icing imaginable. And to boost a gingerbread cookie. It is two deserts in one!

Cupcakes (makes 22)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• *2 tablespoons ground ginger (used fresh grated ginger)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour and spices.

2. On medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the molasses and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full. Bake rotating tins halfway through. Bake for 25 minutes.

Icing

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. With an Electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.

2. Reduce speed to medium. Ass the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. After every two additions raise speed to high and beat 10 seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium. This should take 5 minutes. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy.

3.Add Vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth.

Gingerbread men (4 dozen 2 inch cookies)

• 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups unsulfured molasses

1. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. In another bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and molasses, and beat to combine. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture from other bowl, beating until just combined.

2. Divide dough into thirds, flatten each piece into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or overnight).

3. On a generously floured piece of parchment paper, roll out one disk of dough to just under 1/4" thick. Brush off excess flour and freeze until firm, about 15 min.

4. Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a cookie cutter of your choice quickly cut out shaped from dough and transfer to parchment lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart, as you work. Freeze until firm, about 15 minuted. Repeat with remaining disks of dough.

5. Bake cookies until crisp but not darkened, 8-10 min. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool before decorating.

*Note the sad faced gingies. These were made for a going away party around Christmas time. They were a cute tasty way to say bon voyage to a best friend.