Monday Night Bapsang

My favorite blogger's postings on ojinguh jut reminded me I had a jar of it in the fridge.  Yipee. :-)

Spaghetti with Eggs and Bacon/SPAM! (Spaghetti Alla Carbonara)

Recipe from "Italian, the essence of mediterranean cuisine"

serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup bacon, cut into matchsticks (I used SPAM instead)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lb spaghetti

3 eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

sale & pepper

Dirctions

1. Bring a large pan of water to a boil. In a medium pan, heat the oil and saute the bacon and garlic until the bacon renders its fat and starts to brown.

2.  Add salt and spaghetti to the boiling water, and cook until it's al dente.

3. Warm a large serving bowl and break the eggs into it.  Beat in the cheese with a fork.  Season with salt and pepper.

4. As soon as the pasta is done, drain it quickly, and mix it into the egg mixture.  Pour on the hot bacon and its fat. (love it!) The heat from the pasta and bacon will cook the eggs. 

짜장면 (Jjajang-myun)

Recipe to follow..

Orange, Roasted Beet, and Arugula Salad

Made this salad for my parents on Sunday.  
IM message from my super cheezy dad :-)Ahppa: we arrived home. thanks for dinner and your smile (followed by 3 smiley faces)                             

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients

1 large beet  (I used 1 medium golden beet and 1 medium red beet)
2 navel oranges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bunches arugula, washed well and dried
5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in parchment paper-lined aluminum foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 45 to 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub off skins, using paper towels to keep your hands from staining. Cut into wedges.

2.Meanwhile, prepare oranges; Slice off both ends of each with a paring knife. Cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut along membranes to release whole segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into another bowl, and add any accumulated juice from the segments.

3.Add oil, vinegar, and mustard to orange juice; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add arugula, and toss to coat with dressing. Divide arugula among four plates. Top with beet wedges, orange segments, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Bell Pepper Egg-In-A-Hole

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 bell pepper, cut into two 1/2 inch-thick rings

2 large eggs

salt & pepper

2 slices of whole wheat english muffin, toasted

Directions

In a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add bell pepper, then crack 1 egg into the middle of each pepper ring. Season with salt and pepper and cook until egg whites are mostly set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip and cook 1 minute more for over easy. Place each egg on a slice of english muffin.  Sprinkle grated parm cheese before serving (optional).

C H I C A G O!

 

 

Stella & Chi

 

Richard oppa took me on a scooter ride.  Had a blast riding around the city.  I want a Vespa NOW!

 

Dinner @ HB - Tuan and I shared a whole fish.

Bloody Mary with bacon flavored vodka

  

BBQ @ Tuan's - kalbi, Tuan's yummilicious wings, pulled pork sandwich (Vietnamese style), bloody mary shrimp cocktail

 

Tuan's Yummilicious Wings.  I'm so getting the recipe.

Mixa Little Suga In Ma Tea

Quick dinner @ Emmy's Spaghetti Shack in Bernal Height, SF.  This place looks like a total dive bar when you walk in...but man, their spaghetti & meatballs is pretty damn tasty.

 **Alex Sheh Band @ Mission Coffee**

Off to the windy city tomorrow.  Woot!

Birthday Bapsang

Me: Hey D, it's your birthday this wknd?

D: Yes

Me:  Pick one - #1 dinner at a resto or  #2 dinner at my place

D: #2

Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop

Saw Landon Pigg @ Cafe Du Nord tonight, one of my favorite venues in SF.  I was completely mesmerized by his ghostly sounding voice.  One funny thought Cyn and I had was that he sorta reminded us of Ashton Kutcher. Tee hee. 

*Pix taken with my new iPhone app, Hisptamatic. :-)

Spicy Pork (고추장 돼지불고기)

Marinated pork for a friend's birthday dinner this Wednesday.

Ingredients

1 lb thinly sliced pork loin

3 tablespoon gochujang (chili paste)

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)

3-4 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 onion, sliced 

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1 tablespoon mirin 

1 tablespoon fresh apple sauce/juice

1/2 tablespoon sesame seed oil

1 teaspoon pepper 

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients above and mix well.

2. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

3. Grill or cook in a frying pan over high heat until well done.

Crown & Crumpet

Tea time at Crown and Crumpet in San Francisco.  It was a beautiful and semi windy day in the city.   :-)

Black Pepper Chicken

Recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients

8 oz chicken breast (I used thigh meat)

1 onion, sliced

1 red or green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoon soy sauce, use 1 tablespoon to marinate the chicken
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon Maggi seasoning (I used 1/2 cup of chicken stock instead)
1 tablespoon veggie oil

Directions
1. Marinate the chicken strips with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of mirin for 10 minutes.
2. Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot, add the sliced onions and minced garlic.  Cook for 2-3 mintues.  Add the bell pepper and black pepper.
3. Cook for 1 minute and add in the chicken strips. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is cooked.
4. Add in soy sauce, Maggi sauce, sugar, and continue to stir-fry until the onions are caramelized.  I added a dash of white pepper to kick it up a notch! BAM!

해바라기 - 행복을 주는 사람 (1983年)

내가 가는 길이 험하고 멀지라도
그대 함께 간다면 좋겠네
우리 가는 길에 아침햇살 비치면
행복하다고 말해 주겠네
이리저리 둘러봐도 제일 좋은건
그대와 함께 있는거
그대 내게 행복을 주는 사람

내가 가는 길이 험하고 멀지라도
그대 내게 행복을 주는 사람
때론 지루하고 외로운 길이라도
그대 함께 간다면 좋겠네
때론 즐거움에 웃음짓는 나날이어서
행복하다고 말해주겠네

Squid with Oyster + Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients

1 squid, cut into rings and cooked in boiling water for about 10 seconds

1 tablespoon veggie oil

1/3 cup carrots

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/3 cup bamboo shoots

2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1/4 onion, sliced

1 green onion, thinly sliced

3 Thai peppers

Sauce- mix the following ingredients in a bowl

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon black bean sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1-2 teaspoon fish sauce

Directions

1. Heat a wok or pan over high heat.  Add oil and garlic slices, onions and carrots.  Cook for 3 minutes.

2. Add squid, green onions, Thai peppers, bamboo shoots, and the sauce.  Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and serve over rice.  I also added a few drops of sesame seed oil.

                                              

Lavender Honey

Bought 3 different pepper plants -  Cayenne, Jalapeno, and Thai peppers.

Happy Sriracha sauce for my big bowl of beef pho.