tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38709621631362378262024-03-13T08:13:25.679-05:00Kim Chee CasseroleA blog by a Korean in the midwestKimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.comBlogger251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-87856882842124285892012-01-25T07:23:00.001-06:002012-01-25T07:23:10.308-06:00HiatusAfter a year and a half, Kim Chee Casserole will be going on a (temporary, I hope!) hiatus. I love blogging and I love coming up with and posting new recipes. However, in today's economy, the price of groceries has skyrocketed, and at the moment is too expensive to continue. Hopefully in the near future I'll be able to return to the blogging world with new recipes to share. In the meantime, please keep sharing the recipes with your friends and family, and don't be afraid to pop in and say hi from time to time!<br />
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Your readership has been much appreciated!KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-7216944639828688682012-01-18T09:47:00.000-06:002012-01-18T09:47:01.603-06:00Rye BreadI've been on a bread baking kick, and I've especially been craving rye bread. I have to make my own because I can't seem to find a good loaf anywhere in the local stores. But that's okay! It's really easy to make. This recipe makes two loaves; I've often made one loaf, and stuck the second loaf in the fridge before the second rise. Then I let it proof at room temperature the next day for an hour or so, and bake it then. Super easy!<br />
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So, you'll need yeast. Because it makes two loaves, you'll need two packages. <br />
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Then pour in some warm water. Not too hot!<br />
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Molasses will be the sweetener. It'll flavor the bread, and also feed the yeast. And it'll give your bread a darker color, which I like.<br />
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Caraway seeds give the bread that distinctive rye bread flavor.<br />
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I'll admit. I've fallen in love with caraway seeds.<br />
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A slight drizzle of oil is next.<br />
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Now for the flour. You'll need both rye and white (or bread) flour.<br />
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These Bob's Red Mill bags are great. They're not big, so you don't have to commit to pounds and pounds of flour you might not use a lot of. And there are 5 cups of flour in each bag, which means there's the perfect amount for two batches of rye bread. <br />
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So, pour in the rye flour.<br />
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Mix it in completely.<br />
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Then add regular flour. Mix until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. <br />
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You'll get a nice, soft dough. Turn it out into a lightly-oiled bowl.<br />
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Cover and let it rise somewhere warm for 45 minutes-1 hour or until doubled in size.<br />
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Like so.<br />
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Divide the dough into two, and place each dough ball into a lightly-greased round cake pan. Smoosh the dough ball down a bit, and then cover and let it rise again for another 30 minutes.<br />
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When you're ready to bake brush the top with milk, water, or egg white.<br />
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Then sprinkle the top with coarse salt and more caraway seeds.<br />
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Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and delicious looking. Let it cool for another 30 minutes before cutting into it.<br />
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Slather with butter, top with sauerkraut, or make into a sandwich. Whatever you choose, you know it'll be delicious!<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Rye Bread</i></b><br />
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1 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. (or 2 packages yeast)<br />
2 c. warm water <br />
1/4 c. molasses<br />
2 tbsp. caraway seeds<br />
1 tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
2 1/2 c. rye flour<br />
3 1/4 c. white (or bread) flour<br />
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caraway seeds and coarse salt<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast and water. Add molasses, caraway seeds, vegetable oil, and flours. Mix well until dough comes together and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.<br />
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Turn dough out into lightly-greased bowl. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until doubled in size.<br />
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Divide dough into two portions. Place each portion in a lightly-greased round cake pan. Pat dough balls down slightly; cover and let rise another 30 minutes.<br />
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Brush tops of dough with milk, water, or egg white. Sprinkle with caraway seeds and salt. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 30 minutes. Let rest before serving. <br />
<br />KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-46642569165924145262012-01-13T09:24:00.003-06:002012-01-13T09:24:28.947-06:00Hollandaise Sauce/Lazy Man's Eggs BenedictOne of my favorite breakfast items is eggs benedict. If we go out to breakfast and the place has ol' eggs benny, you can be sure that I'll order them. But we don't go out to breakfast much, so I decided I'd make my own Hollandaise and Lazy Man's Eggs Benedict.<br />
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Turns out it's pretty easy. Here's all you need.<br />
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First, separate the eggs from the yolks. I saved the egg whites for some scrambled eggs for The Kid. She sure loves eggs.<br />
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Then I heated a stick of butter up in the microwave, until it was melted and bubbly.<br />
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I sloooowly poured the hot, melted butter into the egg yolks. I used my immersion blender for mixing. You could also do this with a food processor or a regular blender.<br />
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Blend until all the butter is added and the egg yolks have paled in color and have thickened.<br />
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Add a squeeze of lemon juice. The lemon juice will add a bit of zesty flavor, as well as help "cook" the eggs.<br />
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A shake of hot sauce will do the same things.<br />
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Finally, a small spoonful of mustard will help stabilize your sauce and keep it from separating. It will also add some additional flavor.<br />
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And don't forget to add a bit of salt and pepper.<br />
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Here's the finished sauce.<br />
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I stuck the container it was in in a warm water bath, to keep the sauce from separating while I finished the rest of the meal.<br />
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Now to assemble the Lazy Man's Eggs Benedict. Usually eggs benny is made with a toasted English muffin, a slice of Canadian bacon, and a poached egg.<br />
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Unfortunately, Mr. Kim Chee ate the last English muffin. So I used a piece of toast. I toasted it in a pan with some butter--like how you'd make a grilled cheese sandwich, but without the cheese.<br />
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Then I wiped out the pan and grilled a couple pieces of ham. I usually have ham in the house. Canadian bacon, not so much.<br />
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Then I topped it with a fried egg, over easy. It's a bit darker than I'd like, but I was hungry and got impatient.<br />
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Now you can pour the hollandaise over the top. So, so delicious!!<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Hollandaise Sauce</b></i><br />
4 egg yolks<br />
1 stick butter, melted and bubbly-hot<br />
1 tbsp. lemon juice <br />
1 tsp. hot sauce<br />
1 tsp. mustard <br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
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Pour the yolks into a bowl (or a food processor or blender, if using those kitchen tools). Slowly add butter, using the blender/processor the entire time to incorporate butter.<br />
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Blend until yolks are light in color and have thickened in texture.<br />
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Add lemon juice, hot sauce, and mustard. Blend well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place container of hollandaise in a warm water bath, if not serving immediately.<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Lazy Man's Eggs Benedict</i></b><br />
toast<br />
ham<br />
egg, over easy<br />
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Top toast with ham and egg. Pour hollandaise sauce over the top. Serve!KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-83533837028742529082012-01-11T07:49:00.003-06:002012-01-11T07:49:53.656-06:00Brat Sliders With Beer Braised Onions on Pretzel Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, with the Packers-Giants playoff game coming up, I thought I needed something festive to munch on. I was also craving pretzel buns. They can be hard to find here, so I decided I'd make my own.<br />
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The first thing you need is yeast.<br />
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Milk and butter are next. But you can't just toss cold milk and butter in. I like to microwave them together for about 30 seconds, then stir, then microwave more if the butter is still cold. In the end, the butter should be melted, or just about, and the milk should be just a little warmer than your body.<br />
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When you've achieved perfect milk-and-butter nirvana, pour them in with the yeast.<br />
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Brown sugar's the sweetener today.<br />
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Salt adds some flavor.<br />
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Then you can add the flour. I like to split the flour into halves or thirds, to avoid a floury mess all over the kitchen.<br />
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Eventually you'll get a really nice, soft dough.<br />
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Turn the dough into a lightly-greased bowl, and set it aside to rise for about half an hour.<br />
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After the half hour is up, you can start making little dough balls.<br />
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You could roll the dough ball out and make pretzels.<br />
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Or you could make them into small balls, for sliders.<br />
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Whatever you choose, set them on parchment-lined baking sheets and cover them lightly. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes.<br />
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While the dough is rising, you can start a pot of water. You'll want it lightly boiling.<br />
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Once the water is to a boil, pour in half a cup of baking soda.<br />
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The baking soda is what gives your pretzels that nice brown color.<br />
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Carefully lift your pretzel dough and place it in the water.<br />
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Let the dough boil on one side for 30 seconds. Then flip, and go for another 30.<br />
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Remove the dough from the water, trying to drain off some of the water. Then place back onto the parchment-covered sheets.<br />
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Once all the dough has been through the water, brush each pretzel with beaten egg.<br />
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Then top with your favorite topping. I used poppy seeds for some.<br />
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Others got sesame seeds.<br />
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Some got a mixture of salt, garlic and onion powder, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds, for an "everything" kind of flavor.<br />
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Some just got plain salt. It seems nearly impossible to find pretzel salt. So I used some coarse gray sea salt.<br />
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Plain kosher'd be fine, too.<br />
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Pop the pretzels in the oven and let them bake for 20-25 minutes until they're a lovely pretzel brown.<br />
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Kinda like this.<br />
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I forgot to slash the tops of the buns to help steam escape, so they split a little at the top. No biggie.<br />
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They'd be great if we were stopping here. But we're not!<br />
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My brat sliders are topped with beer braised onions. So, you'll need some thinly sliced onions. And a bit of butter.<br />
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Cook the onions down until the onions begin to soften.<br />
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A pinch of salt will help the onions caramelize.<br />
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So will some sugar.<br />
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Pepper's just an all-around good flavor.<br />
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And, for some flavor richness. Worcestershire can't be beat.<br />
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Now for the beer. Any beer will do. Here's what I used.<br />
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<br />You'll need the whole bottle. Minus what you drank before getting to this step.<br />
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Cook the onions over medium heat until they're caramelized and most of the liquid has evaporated out.<br />
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Kind of like this. Then turn the heat down and keep them warm. <br />
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Your kitchen will smell like the best French onion soup ever.<br />
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Woo-hoo! We're finally to the brat slider part. Buy yourself some fresh brats, and then cut the skins all the way down.<br />
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Peel the skins off. We just need the brat filling.<br />
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Form the brats into slider-sized patties. I got 5 sliders from 3 brats.<br />
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Cook the sliders in a pan or on the grill until they're done to your liking.<br />
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Now we can get to the assembly! Split a pretzel bun in half.<br />
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Grab some grainy mustard.<br />
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Smear half the bun with the mustard.<br />
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Stack a brat patty on top.<br />
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Then pile on those fabulous onions.<br />
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Smoosh the top of the bun on, and you're in business! Your football buddies will be impressed, trust me. ;)<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Pretzel Buns</i></b><br />
2 1/4 tsp. yeast (one package)<br />
3/4 c. water<br />
1/2 c. milk<br />
3/4 c. butter<br />
1/3 c. brown sugar<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
3 2/3 c. flour<br />
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6 c. water<br />
1/2 c. baking soda<br />
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egg, lightly beaten<br />
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Measure and pour yeast into large mixing bowl. Heat water, milk, and butter together until butter is melted (or just about), and liquid is just slightly warmer than your body. Add to yeast, and mix.<br />
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Add brown sugar and salt; mix until combined.<br />
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Add 1 c. of flour. Mix on high for a minute.<br />
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Add remaining flour until a soft, stretchy dough is formed. Turn dough into a lightly-greased bowl and cover. Let rise 30-45 minutes.<br />
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Shape dough into slider-sized buns. Set buns on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a clean towel and let rise another 30 minutes.<br />
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While the buns are rising, measure 6 cups of water and 1/2 c. of baking soda into a large pot, and bring to a boil.<br />
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Gently and carefully move buns into the boiling water a few at a time, top-side-down. Let boil for 20 seconds; flip. Boil for another 20 seconds. Remove buns, drain slightly, and return to the cookie sheet. . Continue until all buns have been through the boiling water.<br />
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Brush buns with beaten egg. Slash tops of buns, to allow steam to escape. Bake buns in a preheated 375F oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. <br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Brat Burgers</b></i><br />
3 fresh bratwurst<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
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Split the brat skins and remove filling. Discard skins. Form brats into slider-sized patties. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a pan (or on a grill) until cooked through.<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Beer-Braised Onions</b></i><br />
1 tbsp. butter<br />
1 large onion, thinly sliced<br />
1 bottle beer<br />
1 tsp. sugar <br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. Worcestershire<br />
freshly ground pepper<br />
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Saute onion in butter; once onion is softened, add 3/4 of the beer, and all the sugar, salt, Worcestershire, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until beer has been absorbed and the onions are caramelized. Add remaining beer and simmer until ready to use.<br />
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Place a brat burger on a pretzel bun. Top with braised onions and mustard. Serve!KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-57642401098483747632012-01-09T10:06:00.000-06:002012-01-09T10:06:04.687-06:00Hot Pepper Pork Roast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently became a fan of pepper jelly. I never knew what to make of it before. But then I was given a couple jars and I learned that it's delicious!<br />
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A buttery cracker with some cream cheese and a dollop of pepper jelly--yum. But I had more pepper jelly than crackers I wanted to eat (seriously, they're good, but it's the new year, right?) I also had a pork roast that needed cooking. So I thought, why not cover it in a pepper jelly glaze? It worked out really well, and I got another recipe for a weeknight meal.<br />
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I used the whole 4-ounce jar. I emptied the contents into a small sauce pot.<br />
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Then I used the jar to measure an equal amount of apple cider vinegar. <br />
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And again, with regular apple cider.<br />
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Great measuring tool here! I always save my jars. Even if I'm not planning on canning anything soon, they're great for storing dry goods like pastas and beans, or using for bowls or glasses for The Kid.<br />
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Pour it all into the sauce pot. Turn the heat on medium, to melt down the jelly.<br />
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Let it bubble for a few minutes, then remove it from the heat.<br />
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Once the glaze is ready, you can prepare the pork roast. These pre-seasoned ones were on sale, so I bought one.<br />
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And no, I have no idea what "roast" flavor is.<br />
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Track down a pan that will fit the pork roast, and drizzle in a little olive oil, just to prevent sticking.<br />
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Set the pork roast in the pan, and pour the glaze over the top.<br />
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Pour in all the glaze. Then put the pork in the oven.<br />
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Roast in a 350F oven for an hour and a half. Every 30 minutes, open the oven and baste the roast with the glaze.<br />
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After the cooking time is up, let the roast rest before cutting into it.<br />
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Serve with the glaze drizzled over the top. You'll find you've got a nice, tender roast, with a sweet-and-sour glaze over the top. Try it with roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables. Your family will go crazy!<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Hot Pepper Pork Roast</b></i><br />
4 oz. (1/2 c.) hot pepper jelly<br />
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar<br />
1/2 c. apple cider<br />
1 1/2 lb. pork roast<br />
olive oil<br />
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In a small sauce pot, combine pepper jelly, cider vinegar, and cider. Heat to boiling, and let boil for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.<br />
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Place pork in a lightly-greased pan. Drizzle pepper jelly mixture over the top. Roast pork in a 350F oven for an hour and a half, basting every 30 minutes. Let rest before serving.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-6751664338992450782012-01-04T07:13:00.000-06:002012-01-04T07:13:45.426-06:00Cowboy BeansMr. Kim Chee and I were trying to decide what to have for dinner one night. He suggested a lot of things (some of which, admittedly, included Kraft Mac and Cheese and takeout pizza), but what I was really craving was something meaty, hearty, and tasting of BBQ sauce. I scoured some old cookbooks and found a recipe resembling what I wanted--so I made it, with a few changes/additions of my own.<br />
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The first thing you do to make Cowboy Beans is grab some bacon. Roughly chop it, and toss it in a pan to render out the fat.<br />
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Once the bacon starts to get brown (but not real crispy), add some ground beef.<br />
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Dice an onion, and add it to the bacon and beef.<br />
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And don't forget to salt and pepper.<br />
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While the onions saute, measure some ketchup and mustard.<br />
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Or measure the ketchup and mustard while you wait for the beef to brown. I can't keep my pictures straight.<br />
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Anyhow, once the onions are softened, you can add the ketchup and mustard.<br />
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Measure and add some nice brown sugar.<br />
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Splash in some cider vinegar. I love cider vinegar so much. It makes things taste so good.<br />
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Add some Worcestershire sauce.<br />
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Finally, some cornmeal will help thicken your beans up and add some body.<br />
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Looks kind of like a mess, huh? It'll all turn out deliciously, don't you worry.<br />
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For the bean part of Cowboy Beans, I used a can of pork and beans.<br />
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Add the beans to the pan, and stir.<br />
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Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Let the beans bake at 350F for around 30 minutes.<br />
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You could also stick them in a crock pot to keep warm, if you felt so inclined.<br />
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So simple, easy, and really delicious. I served mine with a buttered hunk of Rye Bread. Best dinner ever. Try it yourself--I dare you!<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Cowboy Beans</b></i><br />
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3 strips bacon, roughly chopped<br />
1 lb. ground beef<br />
1 small onion, diced<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
1/2 c. ketchup<br />
1 tsp. yellow mustard<br />
1/2 c. brown sugar<br />
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar<br />
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 tbsp. cornmeal<br />
1 15-oz. can pork and beans<br />
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In a large pan, saute bacon until it begins to brown. Add ground beef, and cook until browned. Add onion, salt, and pepper, and saute until onions are softened.<br />
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Add ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, cornmeal, and beans. Mix gently and then pour mixture into a baking dish.<br />
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Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until everything is bubbly and your house smells like a BBQ joint.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-15906165425869985272011-12-30T07:50:00.000-06:002011-12-30T07:50:38.602-06:00Garlic and Herb Rolls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm always on the lookout for new, great bread recipes. I don't know if it's the holiday season or what, but I am just loving bread right now. (Trying to squeeze in some extra carbs before the new year?) Regardless, I made myself a batch of these Garlic and Herb rolls, and they were instant winners.<br />
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Of course, since it's bread, you'll need some yeast. One package of yeast (or 2 1/2 tsp.) will do you.<br />
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Warm some milk and butter in the microwave. My butter is usually straight from the fridge. I end up microwaving the butter and milk together for about a minute. At that point, the milk is too hot too add but the butter is still pretty firm. I stir them together until the butter melts into the milk, both softening the butter and cooling the milk.<br />
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Test the heat of the milk/butter with your finger. It should be just warmer than your body temperature. When you've achieved the right temp, pour the milk in with the yeast.<br />
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Once the milk is added, you can measure out some sugar. That's what the yeast will eat, making the rolls light and fluffy.<br />
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Two eggs will give the rolls some body and richness.<br />
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Salt is next.<br />
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Now add half the flour. Mix for at least a minute on high.<br />
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For herbs, I used a dried Italian seasoning. Mine has thyme, basil, marjoram, oregano, and rosemary, I believe.<br />
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Garlic powder brings the garlic flavor to the table.<br />
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And, because I like things that are peppery, I added some black pepper.<br />
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Add the rest of the flour. Mix until all the flour is incorporated.<br />
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Once the dough has come together, you can add the cheese. I used two kinds of cheese--mozzarella and Parmesan.<br />
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First, the grated mozzarella. <br />
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Then the Parmesan.<br />
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Mix until the cheese is incorporated and the dough pulls away from the mixing bowl. If the dough still appears sticky, slowly add flour until it becomes elastic and clings to the mixing paddle in a ball.<br />
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See? It'll be a nicely formed ball, cohesive and stretchy, but not sticky. <br />
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Pour a bit of oil into a large bowl.<br />
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Form the dough into a ball in your hands and place in the bowl, tossing once or twice to distribute the oil all around the outside.<br />
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Lightly cover the bowl and place somewhere warm.<br />
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Let the dough rise for an hour-an hour and a half, until doubled in size.<br />
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Shape the dough into balls, pinching the bottom of the dough balls. This will help them rise to their optimum shape.<br />
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Place the dough balls onto a lightly-greased pan, and let rise another 30 minutes.<br />
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Brush with a lightly-beaten egg for some shine.<br />
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Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly before slathering with butter, dipping in soup, stuffing with meat, or simply eating warm and plain.<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Garlic and Herb Rolls</b></i><br />
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1 package (2 1/2 tsp.) yeast<br />
1 c. milk<br />
1/4 c. butter<br />
1/4 c. sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
3/4 c. salt<br />
4 c. flour<br />
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning<br />
2 tsp. garlic powder<br />
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper<br />
1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
1/3 c. shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast with warmed butter and milk. Add sugar, eggs, and salt. Mix until just combined. Add half the flour; mix on high for a minute until dough is sticky. Add Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and remaining flour. Beat until herbs are well incorporated. Add cheese; mix well, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl. <br />
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Place dough in a lightly-oiled bowl; cover and let rise 60-90 minutes or until doubled in size.<br />
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Form dough into balls. Let rise, covered, in a lightly-oiled pan for 30 minutes, or until risen.<br />
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Preheat oven to 350F. Brush tops of rolls with beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-40940119586403651852011-12-28T07:27:00.000-06:002011-12-28T07:27:41.871-06:00Vanilla Malt FrostingHi there! Hope you had a great holiday! We had no snow here--I feel a bit cheated. Do you think I can get a refund on my vacation time? ;)<br />
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Here's a bit of recipe revisited. The open house for the curling club came up again, and since my <a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2010/12/eight-ender-stout-cake.html">Eight-Ender Stout Cake</a> seemed so popular last year, I decided to make it again. But this time, I frosted it with vanilla malt frosting, which really brought out the boozy qualities of this dense cake!<br />
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To make the frosting, I whipped some butter and powdered sugar.<br />
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And look! I'm using a new bowl! I got a set of new mixing bowls from an Internet Secret Santa exchange I participated in. Thanks, Secret Santa!<br />
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The butter was still a bit cool. Here's a trick if your butter's not creaming and you're supposed to add liquid later in the recipe--add the liquid a bit sooner. It will help soften the butter and make it more manageable.<br />
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Malt powder will, of course, add the malty aspect to the frosting.<br />
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Whip, whip, whip.<br />
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More whipping, with the addition of more half and half.<br />
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Vanilla will make your frosting smell like the most delicious vanilla malt ever.<br />
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A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor of the frosting.<br />
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Try not to lick too much of the frosting off the beaters.<br />
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I frosted my completely cooled <a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2010/12/eight-ender-stout-cake.html">Eight-Ender Stout Cake</a>.<br />
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And, to make it extra festive, I decorated it with Christmas sprinkles.<br />
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I'm secretly five years old.<br />
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But that's okay! Even a five year old would enjoy this moist, dense cake (I know mine did!) I didn't think it could get any better than with the <a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2010/08/tie-dye-cupcakes-with-vanilla-bean.html">Vanilla Bean Frosting</a>--but I was wrong. Malt makes all the difference! Try it yourself!<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Vanilla Malt Frosting</b></i><br />
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1 1/2 sticks butter, softened<br />
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar<br />
3/4 c. malt powder<br />
1/2 c. half and half<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1/4 tsp. salt<br />
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In a large bowl, cream butter until soft. Gradually add powdered sugar and malt powder until completely incorporated. Add half and half, vanilla, and salt; whip until combined and frosting is light and fluffy. Spread on cooled cake.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-10228759665849350332011-12-19T08:09:00.000-06:002011-12-19T08:09:53.473-06:00Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been trying to psych myself up for making these cookies for weeks now. It's not that I didn't want to make them--it was more like I wanted to make them for Christmas, and without snow here I haven't felt festive enough to do it. Finally, I buckled down and made them--and am delighted. They were much easier than I'd built them up to be in my mind, and they're so festive that I almost forget that we still don't have snow. <br />
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To begin, soften some butter.<br />
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Measure some dark brown and white sugars. The darker the brown sugar, the better.<br />
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Next you'll need some molasses. To make things a little less sticky, spray a measuring cup with cooking spray.<br />
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The molasses will come right out.<br />
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Cream the butter and the sugars together. Then crack in an egg, and mix it in well.<br />
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Chocolate will make these cookies stand out. Grab a bar of bittersweet baking chocolate.<br />
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Break it into bits, and melt it in the microwave. Stream it into the butter/sugar mixture.<br />
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In a second bowl, measure some flour.<br />
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Add salt.<br />
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Then baking soda.<br />
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For more chocolate flavor, add cocoa powder.<br />
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Now for the gingerbread flavors. Ginger first.<br />
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Then cinnamon.<br />
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Next is my personal favorite spice, nutmeg.<br />
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And, to add some sass to your cookies, cloves.<br />
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Mix the dry ingredients together, and then add them slowly (a cup or so at a time) to the butter/sugar/chocolate mixture. <br />
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You'll get a pretty dry mixture. Pat it into a ball or two and wrap in plastic wrap. Toss in the fridge for an hour or two, to make handling easier. <br />
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When you're ready to roll out the cookies, liberally flour a clean work surface, and your rolling pin as well.<br />
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Give the dough a couple quick kneads, to compress it together. Then roll it out, as thin as you like. Some people like thinner cookies. Others like them fat and fluffy. I like mine medium--thin enough where the outsides are crisp, but the insides are still just slightly soft.<br />
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When your dough is at your ideal thickness, dip your cookie cutter in flour to prevent sticking.<br />
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Then cut straight down into your dough, trying to fit as many cookie cuts into the dough as possible. The more you roll your cookies, the tougher the cookies will be. <br />
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I like to pull the outsides of the dough away from my cookie.<br />
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Then I slide a thin spatula underneath the dough to lift the cookie off and place it on a lightly-greased baking sheet.<br />
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If your work surface is well-floured and your dough cool enough, you should have no problems moving the cut-out cookies. <br />
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Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool slightly before moving to cooling racks. Then let them cool completely before decorating.<br />
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While the cookies are cooling, you can make the frosting. Some frostings call for meringue powder. I steered clear from using that, since it's expensive and also tends to go bad in my kitchen (I don't decorate cookies often.) This recipe uses egg whites. The sugar in the frosting is a natural preservative for the frosting, so you shouldn't have to worry about the raw whites. If you don't want to use raw eggs, though, I'd look for a recipe that uses meringue powder, or just use a simple frosting of powdered sugar, water, and flavoring.<br />
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I separated three eggs. I kept the yolks and used them for something else. The whites should go in a large, clean bowl. Make sure there are NO bits of yolk in with the whites, and that your bowl is very clean and there's no grease inside.<br />
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A bit of cream of tartar will help the whites whip.<br />
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Pour in a whole bag of powdered sugar.<br />
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And, for flavor, some vanilla. If you prefer another flavor (orange or almond, for example), use that instead.<br />
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Whip the frosting for 5-8 minutes, until it's well whipped and stiff.<br />
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I transferred the frosting to a squeeze bottle. If you'd rather use piping bags, that's completely up to you.<br />
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The great thing about this frosting is that it drys quickly, and hard, so you can stack your cookies. However, you don't want it to dry while you're decorating. So cover any excess frosting with a moist towel, to keep it from drying out.<br />
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Now pipe! Pipe for all you're worth! <br />
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The other great thing about this frosting is that it's so easy to manage. And it dries in about five minutes.<br />
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Here's my favorite cookie!<br />
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With just a little effort (and some fun piping!) I've got some nice, festive holiday cookies! <br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies</i></b><br />
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3/4 c. butter, room temperature<br />
1/2 c. brown sugar<br />
1/2 c. white sugar<br />
1/4 c. molasses <br />
1 egg<br />
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted<br />
3 c. flour<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/2 c. cocoa<br />
1 1/2 tbsp. ginger<br />
1 tbsp. cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp. cloves<br />
1/2 tsp. nutmeg<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Decorating Icing</b></i><br />
3 egg whites<br />
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar<br />
1 bag powdered sugar <br />
1 tsp. vanilla<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with brown sugar, white sugar, and molasses. Stir in egg. Stream in melted chocolate.<br />
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cocoa, and spices. Stir until combined. Add flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture a cup at at time, stirring just until combined. Chill dough at least 1 hour.<br />
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Turn refrigerated dough onto well-floured work surface. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll out dough to desired thickness. Cut out cookies and move to lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly before moving to cooling racks. <br />
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In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whisk on high for 5-8 minutes or until frosting is stiff and shiny. Transfer to piping bag or squeeze bottle to decorate cookies. Keep frosting covered with moist towel when not using.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-1772028013409154892011-12-16T07:32:00.000-06:002011-12-16T07:32:08.373-06:00Lazy Tomato PasteThis summer, a friend gave me buckets full of San Marzano tomatoes from her organic garden. I was trying to think of what to do with them, and settled on the easiest recipe ever--tomato paste.<br />
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This recipe can be done with any amount of tomatoes, and even with canned San Marzanos. You won't believe how easy it is to make your own tomato paste at home.<br />
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The first thing I did was rinse and dry the tomatoes, cut off any questionable-looking parts, and pop them in the freezer.<br />
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Many recipes will tell you that boiling the tomatoes for a minute and then shocking them in cold water is the best way to peel a tomato. I found that the freezing method is far superior--much less messy, and the tomatoes' freshness is preserved in case you don't have time to work with them right away.<br />
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When you're ready to make the paste, remove the tomatoes from the freezer. The heat from your hand should cause the tomato skin to come right off. If it doesn't, just run the tomato under warm water for a second or two. You should have no problems peeling the skin off.<br />
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Discard the tomato skins.<br />
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Then throw the peeled tomatoes into a crock pot. <br />
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I turned the crock pot on high and walked away for about an hour. This gave the crock pot enough time to defrost the tomatoes enough to handle.<br />
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See how much water the tomatoes are giving off? You don't want that. You're making a paste--the more liquid, the longer it will take.<br />
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I dumped the now-warmed tomatoes into a colander and drained out the liquid. Then I squeezed the liquid out of each tomato.<br />
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You could also dump the drained tomatoes in cheesecloth, crush them a bit, and let them hang out in the colander for a few hours. The cheesecloth will make it especially easy to squeeze out the liquid.<br />
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Check out how much liquid I squeezed out of the tomatoes.<br />
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If you don't want to waste the tomato water, you could save it for something else. Plenty of recipes out there for tomato water.<br />
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Here's what the squeezed tomatoes look like. Not the most appealing, eh? They were still a tad frozen here.<br />
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Now turn the crock pot on and let the tomatoes cook.<br />
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Here's what they looked like after a few hours on high. I wanted a smooth paste, so I grabbed my immersion blender.<br />
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Nice and smooth.<br />
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Then I let the pureed tomatoes cook for another couple of hours. I threw in a bay leaf and some salt.<br />
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By this time, you should have a pretty thick tomato mixture. I'm sure I could have reduced it further, but the tomato-y goodness seemed plenty concentrated at this point for my taste.<br />
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I poured it into small, 8-ounce containers and popped them in my freezer. <br />
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Now you've got nice, fresh, homemade tomato paste on hand for any number of applications! It's the perfect use for late summer tomatoes!<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Lazy Tomato Paste</i></b><br />
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1 1/2 quarts San Marzano tomatoes<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
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Peel tomatoes using the freezer method.<br />
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Squeeze as much liquid out of the tomatoes as possible. Place tomato pulp in a slow cooker, and let cook for several hours until thickened.<br />
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Using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. Add bay leaf and salt; continue to cook for 3-4 hours, until thickened.<br />
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Let cool slightly; move to storage containers.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-67328712976858321942011-12-14T07:37:00.000-06:002011-12-14T07:37:09.101-06:00Blueberry-Sour Cream Pancakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've said before how much The Kid loves pancakes. I'm a big fan of pancakes, too. They're made with stuff already on hand, take minimal effort, and are even good the next day. My Buttermilk Pancake recipe is a good one, but sometimes you've got to mix things up a bit. These pancakes are heavy-duty enough to hold up to the blueberries, but still light and fluffy.<br />
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A couple cups of flour goes into a large bowl.<br />
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Cornmeal will add some body and substance to the pancakes. <br />
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Sugar sweetens the deal. <br />
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Baking powder will help the pancakes rise. There's a fair amount of powder in these. <br />
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And of course, a little salt will enhance the flavor of the pancakes.<br />
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Now you'll need a second bowl. Measure out some sour cream. For a lower-fat option, you could use Greek yogurt. I just happened to have a fair amount of sour cream on hand--it was on sale.<br />
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Add some milk to thin things out.<br />
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Crack in a few eggs.<br />
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Whisk things together until the sour cream is completely blended and the eggs are broken up. Then add some vanilla.<br />
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.<br />
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Whisk until just combined.<br />
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You'll get a pretty thick batter. <br />
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Use a measuring cup to scoop the batter onto a hot, lightly-greased griddle.<br />
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Drop fresh or frozen blueberries onto the pancakes.<br />
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Let the pancakes cook until the middle of the pancakes start to bubble.<br />
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Then flip! <br />
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The pancakes are done when they start to rise in the middle. Check the first couple, just to make sure they've been fully cooked through. Since they're a bit thicker, and the blueberries I used were frozen, it was a minor precaution to avoid raw spots.<br />
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Serve with real maple syrup and enjoy! <br />
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These are great, hearty pancakes. You could replace the blueberries with bananas or gently-cooked apples. Or replace the sour cream with yogurt (try flavored yogurt!) These are great, filling, fresh pancakes that your family will fall for immediately.<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Blueberry-Sour Cream Pancakes</i></b><br />
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2 c. flour<br />
1/3 c. cornmeal<br />
4 tbsp. sugar<br />
3 tsp. baking powder<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
3/4 c. sour cream (or yogurt)<br />
3/4 c. milk<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 tsp. vanilla<br />
1/2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)<br />
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In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.<br />
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In a smaller bowl, combine sour cream, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.<br />
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Cook pancakes on a hot, lightly-greased griddle. Pour batter and then place blueberries on pancakes. Flip when pancakes begin to bubble in the center. Pancakes are cooked when the middle begins to puff.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-71367340251658509962011-12-12T08:07:00.000-06:002011-12-12T08:07:58.204-06:00Chap ChaeWhen I was a kid, I attended Korean camp every summer. It was a weeklong "cultural" camp. The best part about it was that we got Korean food for lunch every day. One of my favorite meals became chap chae, a dish made with these firm, clear noodles and sauteed vegetables. I love it because it's great hot or cold (and is one of those perfect foods to eat in the middle of the night when you wake up hungry.)<br />
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The thing that really makes this dish is the noodles. You have to use sweet potato noodles. You could use noodles made with rice or beans, but they're just not the same. <br />
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You should be able to find sweet potato noodles (also called dangmyeon) at Asian food stores. For some reason, my regular grocery store had half a dozen different kinds of rice noodles, half a dozen kinds of bean thread noodles, but no sweet potato noodles. They also had that many kinds of rice wine vinegar, but no mirin. Very odd and irritating. <br />
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Here are what the noodles look like up close. They're shiny and sort of clear, and they're on the thicker side. They seem to stretch out once they're cooked. And they're very, very long.<br />
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Cook the noodles like you would cook any noodles, in boiling water. The package said to boil them for 5 minutes, but they still seemed pretty chewy. Next time I'll cook them for 8-10 minutes.<br />
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Drain the noodles, and rinse with cold water.<br />
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Grab some clean scissors and cut the noodles several times, to make them shorter. I'm a little confused as to why this step is necessary--couldn't they just make the noodles shorter in the first place? One of life's mysteries, I guess.<br />
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Toss the cooled and drained noodles with some sesame oil, to keep them from sticking together. Then set the noodles aside.<br />
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Chap chae is essentially stir-fried noodles with vegetables. So you'll need to choose which vegetables you want to add.<br />
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I used traditional ingredients--onion, green onion, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and shredded carrots. I was too lazy to grate my own carrots, and couldn't find plain grated carrots at the store, so I picked up this "Sunrise Slaw", which was a blend of carrots and broccoli.<br />
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I also wanted to use more traditional mushrooms, perhaps oyster or enoki, but the post-Thanksgiving offerings at my store weren't great. So crimini it was.<br />
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I sliced the vegetables (or minced, in the garlic's case) and divided them onto two plates. The first plate was the vegetables that cook slower--the carrots, onion, and green onion.<br />
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The second plate had the fast-cooking veggies--the spinach, mushrooms, and garlic.<br />
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I heated some oil over high heat in a large pan. I have a wok--somewhere. I couldn't find it. So I used a pan.<br />
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Once the pan was smoking hot, I very carefully added the contents of my "slow cook" plate. Be extra careful, green onions pop!<br />
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Stir fry the vegetables for several minutes until they start to look softened.<br />
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Then you can add the "fast cook" plate.<br />
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Again, stir fry until the veggies look cooked. The spinach should be wilted, and the mushrooms should be picking up some nice golden brown color.<br />
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Then carefully add the noodles.<br />
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Pour in some soy, for flavor.<br />
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Sesame oil, too.<br />
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If you have mirin, add it now. I definitely missed its presence. In case you're unfamiliar with it, mirin's a sweet rice wine used in cooking. <br />
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Stir fry the noodles until they're well coated in the sauce and the vegetables are well-tossed throughout. If the noodles start to stick, add a bit more soy, or some water.<br />
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Right before serving, add the sesame seeds.<br />
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Toss, and serve! I served mine with rice, kimchi, bean sprout panchan, and store-bought dumplings. It wasn't quite the same as going out, eating chap chae prepared and served by Koreans who eat it every day, but for a first try I've got to say it was delicious!</div>
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<b><i>Recipe: Chap Chae</i></b></div>
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10 oz. bag sweet potato noodles</div>
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1 tsp. sesame oil</div>
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1 tbsp. vegetable oil</div>
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3/4 c. onions, thinly sliced</div>
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2 carrots, shredded (or about 1/2 c.)</div>
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3 green onions, roughly chopped</div>
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3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/2 c. mushrooms<br />
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1 large handful spinach</div>
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2 tbsp. soy sauce</div>
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2 tsp. sesame oil</div>
2 tsp. mirin<br />
1 tsp. sesame seeds<br />
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Cook sweet potato noodles in boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; toss with sesame oil. Set aside.<br />
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Heat oil in a large pan or wok over high heat. When oil is smoking hot, add onions, carrots, and green onions. Stir fry until vegetables are softened.<br />
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Add garlic, mushrooms, and spinach. Saute until garlic is fragrant, spinach is wilted, and mushrooms are beginning to turn golden brown. <br />
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Add sweet potato noodles. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and mirin. Toss and stir fry until noodles are well coated and vegetables are tossed throughout. Sprinkle in sesame seeds; serve.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-23142355889442220582011-12-11T08:21:00.002-06:002011-12-11T08:41:01.946-06:00Holiday Gift Idea/Giveaway #8: Cherry Walls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img2.etsystatic.com/iusb_760x100.8964010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="http://img2.etsystatic.com/iusb_760x100.8964010.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Today's holiday gift idea and giveaway features <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CherryWalls?ref=top_trail">Cherry Walls.</a><br />
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Decals are becoming a more and more popular form of decoration. They're affordable, easy to apply (and in some cases, re-apply), and can be customized to fit your personal taste.<br />
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What I didn't realize was how beautiful and colorful they can be. I thought decals could come in one color only, and be simplistic. How wrong I was! Over the past year, Cherry Walls has been beautifying peoples' homes with their unique and creative designs.<br />
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And designing decals is more about what looks neat. They also must think about how the design will look on a large surface, whether it will be easy enough to apply, and finally, what room the decal would fit in best. It's quite technical! Some of their decals are quite large, too. The one pictured, the nursery tree decal, measures more than 6 feet x 5 feet!<br />
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Some of their most popular designs are the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/65547146/tree-wall-decal-wind-blowing-wall">wind-blowing tree decal</a> and the <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/83959160/cherry-blossom-branch-wall-decal">cherry blossom branch wall decal</a>, but customers' favorites tend to change with the seasons (much like trees themselves!<br />
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All their decals are made in the US and safe for interior walls. <br />
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Want to buy one? Visit <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/CherryWalls?ref=seller_info#">Cherry Walls' Etsy page</a> and pick something out that strikes your mood--or ask them to create something special, just for you!<br />
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Want to win one instead? Check out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win an Owls on a Branch decal for yourself or a lucky friend!<br />
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<noscript><a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js">You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.</noscript>KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-54865916015599810162011-12-10T08:37:00.000-06:002011-12-10T08:37:35.373-06:00Holiday Deal #6: Personalized Computer Storage from Pentagon TechnologyI remember when I was in high school, and everyone had those Nokia phones. They were super personalized, with flashing buttons, fancy covers, and antenna charms. But in this day and age, where technology is on the simpler, sexier side, it makes a lot more sense to ditch the flash and go the simpler route with simple colors and engravings.<br />
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I've gotten at least a couple requests for USB drives for Christmas, and you probably have too. So why go with the boring stuff from the store? Check out <a href="http://www.pexagontech.com/">Pentagon Technology</a> and their wide range of personalized technological products!<br />
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They've got tons of different flash drives--including these neat drives that look like bracelets.<br />
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They also have portable flash drives. How nice would that be, to label or color code your external hard drives?<br />
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<a href="http://www.pexagontech.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Silicone_iPod_to_4eaed2990e956.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.pexagontech.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Silicone_iPod_to_4eaed2990e956.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And there are things for the Apple lover in your life, too, including iPad, iPod, and iPhone covers. <br />
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And everything can be custom colored and engraved!<br />
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The deal below lets you by $50 worth of Pentagon Technology goods for only $25--how perfect is that? Get everyone on your list a personalize stocking stuffer, for a super affordable price!<br />
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<code><iframe border="0" frameborder="0" height="315" noresize="noresize" scrolling="no" src="http://app.socialspark.com/widgets/2225?pid=266167&theme=platinum&size=small" width="350"></iframe></code>KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-48440422998037597462011-12-09T10:06:00.000-06:002011-12-09T10:06:42.324-06:00Ham 'n Tater 'n Cabbage SoupWell, I promised you a recipe that used ham leftover from the <a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2011/12/easiest-ham-ever.html">Easiest Ham Ever</a>. So here it is! This is my new favorite soup. It was really quick and easy to make, super flavorful, and actually pretty good for you! <br />
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You'll need some veggies to make this soup. I used my trusty soup starters--carrots, celery, and onion--as well as parsnips, cabbage, and potatoes.<br />
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Get the carrots, celery, onions, and parsnips all peeled and chopped, and throw them in a pot with a pat of butter. Start cooking them over medium heat, to soften them up.<br />
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Once that's started, you can work on the cabbage. Peel the icky outer leaves off. Then cut the cabbage in half. <br />
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Cutting in at an angle, remove the hard core of the cabbage.<br />
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I discovered that the cabbage core makes a great chew for dogs. They really went to town on them. Your mileage may vary.<br />
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Cut the cored cabbage halves in half.<br />
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Then shred.<br />
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When the vegetables in the pot are softened, pile the cabbage in. Don't be alarmed by the volume--the cabbage will shrink down.<br />
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Now you can add salt, which will both flavor the soup and help the cabbage wilt.<br />
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Caraway seed will add its particular flavor to the soup. It's a really nice addition, in my opinion.<br />
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A bay leaf is next, of course. Soup always needs bay leaves.<br />
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Dried parsley adds a bit of greenery.<br />
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Now you can add the potatoes.<br />
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And finally, the chicken broth. I used a box and a can. What is that, 6 cups?<br />
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While the broth cooks the potatoes, I grabbed my leftover ham.<br />
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It was bone-in, so I cut hunks of meat off around the bone. (Save the bone for something else--maybe some delicious <a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2010/12/ham-and-lentil-soup.html">Ham and Lentil Soup</a>?)<br />
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Dice the ham, and add it once the potatoes are fully cooked.<br />
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I like corn, so I added a drained can of corn, too. If you don't like canned corn, you can use frozen (or fresh, if you're lucky enough to have it.)<br />
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For a bit of richness, I added just a little half and half.<br />
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And because I wanted to, I shook in some hot sauce.<br />
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There you have it! The perfect recipe to use up your leftover ham! I'll be making ham a lot more often now that I've got this recipe! <br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Ham n' Tater 'n Cabbage Soup</b></i><br />
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1 small onion, diced<br />
2 celery stalks, diced<br />
2 parsnips, peeled and diced<br />
3 carrots, peeled and diced<br />
1 tbsp. butter<br />
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1 small head cabbage, roughly chopped<br />
1/2 tsp. salt <br />
3/4 tsp. caraway seeds <br />
1 bay leaf<br />
1 tsp. dried parsley<br />
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced <br />
1 box plus 1 can chicken broth <br />
1 lb. ham, diced<br />
1 can corn<br />
1/2 c. half and half<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
hot sauce, to taste<br />
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In a large pot, saute, onion, celery, parsnips, and carrots in butter until softened. Add cabbage, salt, caraway, bay, and parsley. Saute until cabbage is wilted.<br />
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Add potatoes and chicken broth. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through.<br />
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Add ham, corn, half and half, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Heat through and serve.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-89884253437529533352011-12-07T07:14:00.000-06:002011-12-07T10:35:21.599-06:00Holiday Gift Idea/Giveaway #5: Rescue ChocolateOkay, I know I promised a recipe that used the leftovers from<a href="http://kimcheecasserole.blogspot.com/2011/12/easiest-ham-ever.html"> Easiest Ham Ever</a>, but that will have to wait until Friday. There are too many great gifts, and not enough weekends in the month! So here's a bonus gift idea and giveaway!<br />
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<a href="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0040/7332/products/omalia_rc_shirt_dogs.jpg?100178" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0040/7332/products/omalia_rc_shirt_dogs.jpg?100178" width="187" /></a></div>
Today's bonus gift idea is <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/">Rescue Chocolate</a>. In January 2010, Sarah Gross was walking her rescued pit bull, Mocha. She wanted to combine her two loves--dogs and chocolate--while making the world a better place. So she formed <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/">Rescue Chocolate--The Sweetest Way to Save a Life</a>. The idea took off and continues to grow in popularity today.<br />
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All of the chocolates sold by <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/">Rescue Chocolate</a> are dairy-free, vegan, and certified Kosher. Every month, they choose a far-reaching animal rescue organization, and a portion of the sale price from each chocolate bar goes to that organization. Past beneficiaries have included the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, Farm Sanctuary, House Rabbit Society, and Pit Bull Rescue Central. (For a complete list of their past beneficiaries, go <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/pages/who-we-help">here</a>.)<br />
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They have great flavors of chocolates, and all are named after important animal-rescue issues. For example, <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/the-fix">The Fix</a> highlights the importance of spaying and neutering your pets, and <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/peanut-butter-pitbull">Peanut Butter Pit Bull</a> (their most popular flavor) is a counterpoint to the negative public image of pit bull-type dogs. <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/mission-feral-fig">Mission Feral Fig bars</a> come with literature offering people humane options for managing feral cat colonies.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/">Rescue Chocolate</a> sells <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/pick-me-pepper">6 kinds of chocolate bars</a> and<a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/bow-wow-bon-bons"> 2 truffle collections</a>. They also sell <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/new-rescue-chocolate-tees">T-shirts</a>, <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/found-leash">leashes</a>, and gift collections combining <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/pit-bull-bundle-of-love">chocolates and calendars</a>. They also have <a href="http://www.rescuechocolate.com/products/gift-certificate">gift certificates</a>!<br />
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Want to buy your best besties some chocolate for Christmas? Visit Rescue Chocolate's Web site and place an online order today!<br />
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Want to win some? Use the Rafflecopter form below and enter to win your choice of a $25 gift card to Rescue Chocolate, or 3 chocolate bars of your choice--pick from Peanut Butter Pit Bull, Fakin' Bacon, Mission Feral Fig, Foster-iffic Peppermint, Pick Me! Pepper, or The Fix.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180769.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>You need three ingredients--a ham, some dijon mustard, and some brown sugar. In return for your minimal effort, you get a great-tasting, fancy-looking ham that you'll be able to pull out even on a weekday. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180771.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Take your ham out of the wrapper and rinse it off. Then pat it dry. Set it in a roasting pan, preferably one with a rack to get the ham off the bottom of the pan.<br />
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Then grab some Dijon mustard.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180772.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Slather the thing with mustard. Smooth, grainy, spicy, whatever you like. Just not yellow ;)<br />
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Pat the ham all over with the brown sugar. The mustard should help it stick.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180783.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Pour a little water in the bottom of the pan, just to keep the sugar that will inevitably fall off the ham from burning.<br />
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Then serve. Seriously, was that the easiest recipe or what? And guess what--it tastes awesome, too! It also makes great leftovers--Wednesday's recipe will show you how!<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Easiest Ham Ever</i></b><br />
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1 3-4 lb. smoked ham<br />
1/3 c. Dijon mustard<br />
1/3 c. brown sugar<br />
1/4 c. water<br />
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Rub ham with mustard. Pat brown sugar over the mustard until ham is completely coated.<br />
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Place ham in roasting pan. Pour water into the bottom of the pan.<br />
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Bake ham at 325F for 45 minutes-1 hour. Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-89327790360277341392011-12-04T09:40:00.000-06:002011-12-04T09:40:34.437-06:00Holiday Gift Idea #4: The Great Family Cookbook ProjectHow many times have you wished you had Grandma's Christmas cookies recipe, or your aunt's perfect blend of ingredients for birthday cake? I know I've missed special meals made by people special to me, but not been able to recreate their exact recipes.<br />
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<code><iframe border="0" frameborder="0" height="315" noresize="noresize" scrolling="no" src="http://app.socialspark.com/widgets/1917?pid=266167&theme=platinum&size=small" width="350"></iframe></code>KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-68086034496308997812011-12-03T07:49:00.002-06:002011-12-05T07:44:43.790-06:00Holiday Gift Idea and Giveaway #3: Appaloosa Designs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img0.etsystatic.com/iusb_760x100.7797172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="83" src="http://img0.etsystatic.com/iusb_760x100.7797172.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Our third gift idea and giveaway for the 2011 holiday season is <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/appaloosadesigns">Appaloosa Designs</a>! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.214757843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.214757843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AppaloosaDesigns">Appaloosa Designs</a> has been up and running since 2010. It began as a hobby, something to do to keep busy during a hard time. It has since blossomed into an artistic expression and an Etsy shop.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.287835855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.287835855.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>She makes lovely <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AppaloosaDesigns?section_id=7440792">necklaces</a> and also offers <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/AppaloosaDesigns?section_id=7440666">photography</a>, paintings, and drawings. All her art is inspired by nature, and has a very homey, rustic feel, while still keeping a crisp and refreshing feel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.210706567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://img3.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.210706567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Her hobbies are outdoor photography, horseback riding, and aquarium-keeping--all inspirations for her art.<br />
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Want to win a brass necklace or an 8x10 print from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/appaloosadesigns">Appaloosa Designs</a>? Enter below using the Rafflecopter form!<br />
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Can't wait, and want something now? Visit <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/appaloosadesigns">Appaloosa Designs' Etsy page</a> and pick something out! Use the code KimChee15 at checkout for 15% off everything in the store!<br />
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Happy December, everyone! It's that time of year when the coffee places start bringing out their winter goods. And, for whatever reason, my favorite beverage this year is peppermint mocha! I had to make some cookies for a bake sale for The Kid's daycare, and I decided to try to recreate my favorite drink in cookie form.<br />
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Like all cookies, these start out with softened butter.<br />
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Brown and white sugars come next.<br />
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The butter and sugars get creamed together until they're nice and smooth.<br />
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Measure and add some flour.<br />
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And some cocoa powder.<br />
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To get that coffee flavor, I wanted to use some instant coffee. However, I don't drink instant coffee, and I didn't want to buy a big container for just a few tablespoons. Luckily, I had some of this!<br />
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It's Starbucks' Via coffee--a mixture of instant and finely ground coffee. You just add hot water and you have a cup of hot, strong coffee. You could use either all instant or all finely ground, though. Espresso powder would be good.<br />
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Each packet yielded a little more than a teaspoon's worth of coffee (I'd guess about a teaspoon and a third.) <br />
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I used three packets--the next time, I might add four. If I were using a weaker coffee, such as Folger's, I'd double the amount. Starbucks coffee is pretty dark. <br />
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And yes, it was pointed out to me that I'm a coffee snob. I don't even drink the coffee at work because I think it tastes like coffee water. <br />
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Baking soda will help the cookies rise.<br />
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Baking powder, too.<br />
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Salt's always important in baked goods, especially things with chocolate. Salt really helps bring out the flavor of...well, just about everything.<br />
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Mix in the dry ingredients, and then add the eggs.<br />
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And add the vanilla. I didn't photograph that step, for whatever reason. Secrecy, I guess?<br />
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You should have a nice, thick dough that smells like a mocha in a bowl.<br />
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To up the chocolate factor, what better to add than chocolate chunks?<br />
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And to add that peppermint aspect, I grabbed some candy canes. <br />
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Use a can or some other heavy thing (like an unopened bottle of sesame oil) to crush the candy canes. You may need to double-bag the plastic bags, since the candy shards are pretty sharp and will make your bag hole-y.<br />
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I crushed them up fairly fine, but not to dust.<br />
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About a dozen small candy canes will yield you about 1/3 of a cup.<br />
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Fold the chunks and candy cane bits into the dough.<br />
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Because these are going to become sandwich cookies, it's pretty important that they turn out to be roughly the same size. So I used a small ice cream scoop to measure the dough.<br />
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I rolled the dough into balls and dipped the tops into some decorating sugar.<br />
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I used some peppermint sugar that I had on hand.<br />
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This made them pretty sweet. You could skip this step, but then you won't get the pretty sprinkles on top. So, it's your choice whether to bedazzle your cookies or not.<br />
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Set the cookies on a greased cookie sheet, and pop them in the oven.<br />
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Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool completely before adding the filling.<br />
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Speaking of the filling, its delicious fatty base is butter and shortening.<br />
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And, to focus on the coffee/cocoa drink aspect again, I added some marshmallow fluff.<br />
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Whip everything together until the filling is nice and fluffy.<br />
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Looks good already!<br />
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I keep squinting at the TV in this pic. I'm pretty sure I'm either watching Miami Animal Police or something on the History Channel about mobsters.<br />
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Powdered sugar will make the filling more frostinglike.<br />
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Peppermint extract will add even more to the peppermint flavors going on.<br />
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This is a nice, manageable frosting. The marshmallow fluff saw to that.<br />
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Spread a generous amount of frosting on a (completely cooled) cookie.<br />
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Then make yourself a nice, fat sandwich.<br />
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Roll the sandwiches in more crushed candy canes. Or sprinkle/press it on, if you don't like your cookies to look like they have five o'clock shadows.<br />
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Serve these cookies with a nice tall glass of milk, coffee, cocoa, eggnog, or your favorite holiday drink. These were popular at The Kid's bake sale--and they'll be popular with your family, too!<br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Peppermint Mocha Sandwich Cookies</b></i><br />
1 c. butter, softened<br />
2/3 c. white sugar<br />
2/3 c. brown sugar<br />
2 c. flour<br />
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1 1/2 tbsp. strong instant coffee granules (or 3 tbsp. weaker coffee granules)<br />
3/4 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
2 eggs <br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 package chocolate chunks<br />
1/3 c. crushed peppermint candy<br />
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2-3 tbsp. decorating sugar (optional)<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugars, and cream together. Add flour, cocoa, coffee granules, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in eggs and vanilla.<br />
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Add chocolate chunks and peppermint candy. Stir until combined.<br />
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Roll cookies into small balls. Dip the tops of the balls in decorating sugar, and then place at least 1" apart on a well-greased sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely before adding filling.<br />
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<b><i>Filling:</i></b><br />
1/2 c. butter, softened<br />
1/2 c. shortening, softened<br />
1 jar marshmallow cream<br />
3 c. powdered sugar<br />
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract<br />
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crushed peppermint candy<br />
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Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix until light and fluffy.<br />
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Spread filling generously between two cooled cookies. Roll cookies in crushed peppermint cookies.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-28146760090433651542011-11-30T07:32:00.001-06:002011-12-05T07:44:32.701-06:00Tandoori Game Hens<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tandoori seems to be the new, hot "ethnic" flavor emerging in the food world. And while I don't own the equipment to make truly authentic tandoori, I do have the spices available. These game hens are excellent--unlike some marinades, the spices in this recipe actually are detectable in the meat, and the hens turned out moist and incredibly delicious. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180455.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">The hens do require an overnight (or at least 5-6 hour) marinade. Some plain yogurt (Greek is preferred, as it's thicker and tangier) and a blend of spices is what you need. There's paprika, garam masala, paprika, cayenne pepper, and coriander.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180457.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Scoop the yogurt into a bowl or a large plastic bag.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180459.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Add the spices. The first one is garam masala, which is actually a blend of spices. The blends vary on who makes them. Find one you like, and stick with it. It's great to have on hand.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180461.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Paprika is next.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180464.jpg" width="400" /></a>Then coriander seeds. For maximum flavor, crush them slightly before adding them, or toast in a pan over low heat until the seeds start to smell pungent.</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180466.jpg" width="400" /></a>Turmeric will add some color.</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180468.jpg" width="400" /></a>And of course cayenne will add a bit of spice.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180471.jpg" width="400" /></a>And never forget salt and pepper.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180472.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Garlic and ginger will be the final ingredients in the marinade. I used this nifty garlic and ginger paste. But if you can't find it in your store, just chop some garlic and ginger until they make a rough paste.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you've got a kid, this would be a great time for them to help. Just have them squish around the contents of the (closed) bag, to distribute the spices throughout the yogurt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180474.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Grab your game hens. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180476.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Remove them from the package, rinse them well, and then pat dry.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180478.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Then toss them into the marinade bag. I was able to fit both hens in one large bag.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180480.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Put the bag in a large bowl (to avoid cross-contaminating your fridge) and let the hens marinate at least 5 hours and ideally overnight.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180504.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">When you're ready to roast the hens, remove them from the marinade bag, and discard the bag.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180505.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Use paper towels to lightly pat them dry, and place them on a baking sheet or a roasting pan.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">To help them cook evenly (and from the bottom from becoming soggy), I roasted mine on top of a heavy-duty cooling rack set on a cookie sheet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180507.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Fold the wing tips underneath the hens. This will keep the tips from burning.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180514.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now to stuff the hens. I used lemon, ginger, garlic, and bay.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180518.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Stuff everything in the hens, dividing the stuffing ingredients equally between the two.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180512.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Squeeze the juice from the remaining half lemon over the top of the hens.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180520.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Use kitchen twine or silicone roasting bands to secure the hens' legs together. Don't bind them too tight--just enough to keep them together.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180524.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180524.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pour or brush some melted butter over the hens. Use clarified butter for more authenticity.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Pop the hens in a 425F oven for about 50 minutes-1 hour.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180531.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">They will look and smell great!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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The meat will be lightly flavored, and the yogurt marinade will ensure it's moist and delicious. If you want something different from the ordinary roasted poultry, definitely give Tandoori Game Hens a try!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Recipe: Tandoori Game Hens</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. Greek yogurt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tbsp. garam masala</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp. paprika</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. turmeric</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. coriander</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 tsp. pepper</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 heaping tablespoon garlic and ginger paste (or 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp. minced ginger)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 lemon, quartered</div><div style="text-align: left;">1-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 bay leaf, halved</div><div style="text-align: left;">4-6 garlic clobes</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/2 lemon</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tbsp. melted butter (clarified, if you've got it)</div>KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-55893051591493283702011-11-28T07:21:00.001-06:002011-12-05T07:45:12.315-06:00Night Before Pot RoastIt had been a while since we'd last had pot roast, and I was craving it. But having a day job means it's sometimes difficult to get everything together that early in the morning. So I came up with this recipe that's mostly made-ahead. All you have to do is a little prep the night before, and then throw everything in the crock pot before you leave for the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180403.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>To make things easier in the morning, get out everything you need the night before, so it's on-hand and ready to go.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180405.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> I thinly sliced an onion. <br />
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Then I added some garlic cloves, dried thyme, and a bay leaf. <br />
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I threw them all in a plastic container, since my crock pot insert barely fits in the fridge. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180407.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I added some peeled and chunked carrots on top.<br />
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And there's your night-before prep, all done!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180410.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The morning of, dump the contents of your container into the crock pot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180411.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Sprinkle some dried mushrooms over the top.<br />
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You could use fresh mushrooms, too. I just liked the idea of using dried food in a long-cooking meal. And the dried mushrooms I used were a blend--I believe there were portabella, oyster, morel, and a couple other kinds. Something kind of neat and different.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Scatter them around the crock.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180415.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Then lay the pot roast over the top.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180419.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> Liquid will help the pot roast braise. First, I added beef broth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="400" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180409.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>Then I added a bottle of beer. I used a bottle of Mr. Kim Chee's homebrewed Oktoberfest.<br />
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Pretty, right?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180423.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As always, salt and pepper came next.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180426.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And just because I like the flavor, I added a few dashes of Worcestershire.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180431.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>All ready to go! Just turn the crock pot on low (for 7-8 hours) or high (for 5-6).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you remembered to plug the crock pot in, you'll come home to a perfectly-cooked pot roast! It should be moist from the liquid, with a slight beer-y taste. The earthiness of the mushrooms should be detectable, and the onions will have melted into the flavorful sauce. And all for 10 minutes of effort!<br />
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<b><i>Recipe: Night Before Pot Roast</i></b><br />
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1 onion, thinly sliced<br />
3 garlic cloves<br />
1 tsp. dried thyme<br />
1 bay leaf<br />
3 large carrots, cut into large pieces<br />
1 oz. dried mushrooms<br />
1 3-4 lb. chuck roast<br />
1 bottle beer<br />
1 can beef broth<br />
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce<br />
salt and pepper, to taste<br />
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Combine all ingredients in a large crock pot. Cook for 5-6 hours on high or on low for any amount of time over that. Serve and enjoy!KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-12443437970040402532011-11-27T08:42:00.000-06:002011-11-27T08:42:32.348-06:00Holiday Gift Idea #2: Gourmet Gift Baskets<br />
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<a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/images/products/Christmas-Gift-Baskets/Snowflake-Tin-Gift-Basket_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/images/products/Christmas-Gift-Baskets/Snowflake-Tin-Gift-Basket_small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The second holiday gift idea for 2011 is a gift from <a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/Christmas-Gift-Baskets.asp">Gourmet Gift Baskets</a>. I've been looking around for something to get members of the family, and gift baskets have been high on my ideas list. They're already packed to ship and I can set the day they're delivered.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/images/products/Beer-Gift-Baskets/Twelve-Beer-Bucket-Gift-Basket_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/images/products/Beer-Gift-Baskets/Twelve-Beer-Bucket-Gift-Basket_small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
And they have great variety--including care packages, breakfast items, chocolates, and even beer gift baskets (maybe Mr. Kim Chee would like one...) They also have baskets with same-day delivery! Baskets range in price from $24.99 to $299, so fit everyone's budget. But the best thing about Gourmet Gift Baskets is that they're <a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/Blog/post/Give-Back-To-Soldiers-This-Veterans-Day.aspx#continue">sending baskets to our troops</a>.<br />
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Gourmet Gift Baskets has offered a <a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/Blog/post/Give-Back-To-Soldiers-This-Veterans-Day.aspx">great opportunity to bloggers</a>. For each blog entry reviewing their baskets and/or site, they will send two care packages to injured soldiers who will be spending their Christmas at Walter Reed Hospital. What a lovely gesture! So, if you're looking for an easy shopping experience from a generous company, check out <a href="http://www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com/Christmas-Gift-Baskets.asp">Gourmet Gift Baskets</a>!KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-91534082118332211392011-11-26T10:39:00.001-06:002011-12-05T07:45:24.292-06:00Holiday Gift Idea and Giveaway #1: Jen's WreathsStarting November 26 until Christmas, I will have an entry featuring a holiday gift idea, sale, or giveaway! These entries will be posted on Saturdays and Sundays. So check back on the weekends for new steals and deals!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%2042.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%2042.png" /></a></div>This first entry features <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">Jen's Wreaths</a> in Deer River, Minnesota! They make fresh <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">Christmas wreaths</a> from around October to the end of December. They sent me one last year in exchange for blogging about them, and I was impressed! It came in a nicely packaged box, and it smelled <i>amazing</i>. We hung it in our living room so we could smell it all winter. I don't think we got around to throwing it away until mid-April, and even then it looked and smelled fresh. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%2013.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%2013.png" /></a></div><a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">Christmas wreaths</a>, especially <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">Minnesota-made wreaths</a>, are something I've come to love. They're just so fresh and festive. But they don't just make wreaths. They also make <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=3&name=Door-Swags">door swags</a>, <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=2&name=Centerpieces">centerpieces</a>, <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=4&name=Cross---Candy-Cane">crosses</a>, and <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=4&name=Cross---Candy-Cane">candy canes</a>. And I'm not sure if it's new or not this year, but they also sell <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=11&name=Bows,-Cones,---Ornaments">wreath accessories and ornaments</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%201.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/2011%20-%201.png" /></a></div>Another new thing this year is <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/category.cfm?category=14&name=Thanksgiving-Decor">Thanksgiving decor</a>. If you're not quite ready for Christmas, it looks like they still have some harvest wreaths and swags available.<br />
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Their <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">fresh wreaths</a> are super affordable, and they are also offering free shipping throughout the holidays. What's not to like?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/CW.18.03.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" src="http://www.jenswreaths.com/images/store/CW.18.03.png" /></a></div>Want to win your own <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">fresh wreath</a> (pictured to the left)? Check out the Rafflecopter form below! One lucky winner will win an <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/item.cfm?id=23&name=Traditional-Wreath---18-">18-inch traditional wreath</a>, compliments of <a href="http://www.jenswreaths.com/index.cfm">Jen's Wreaths</a>!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><script id="rafl-script" type="text/javascript">
RafflecopterSettings = {
raffleID: 'ZjUzNDQ1MTU0YTM1YjMyM2FkMjA3MWFlZDkxNTc1OjM='
};
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</script> <noscript>&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;.</noscript>KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3870962163136237826.post-5576129526700922022011-11-25T16:35:00.001-06:002011-12-05T07:45:37.567-06:00Saffron RiceHappy late Turkey Day, everyone! Hope you all had a fun one! (Mr. Kim Chee spent his on the couch--the flu's going around, ouch!) My sister and I went shopping at 10 p.m. and got back at 2 a.m. My first experience at Black Friday shopping (if you can call going that early Black Friday shopping.) A midday nap seems like it's in the cards for today...!<br />
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If you're looking for interesting ways to use up your turkey, why not spice it up with some Indian flair? This quick and easy side dish will be ready with just a few minutes' prep. It's got a slightly unusual flavor, and is so good. For an extra easy entree, just add diced turkey at the end (and maybe some cranberry sauce--yum!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180485.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Pour a can of vegetable (or chicken) broth into a pot or a rice cooker.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180488.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The thing that makes this saffron rice is, obviously, saffron.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180489.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A nice generous pinch will do it.<br />
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Saffron's a great spice. It's not an overwhelming flavor, but it does have a very distinctive taste. And it turns everything a pretty amber color.<br />
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It's also the world's most expensive spice. But don't be put off. It's sold by the ounce, and it's really light. And you won't need much in each recipe. It's a nice exotic spice to have on hand, and one that you can't substitute if it's asked for in a recipe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180493.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>A short cinnamon stick will give it a bit more spice and a slightly unusual (and festive!) flavor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180498.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Add a pat of butter. Then turn your rice cooker (or pan) on warm and let the saffron steep for about half an hour.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180526.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>When time's up, add a cup of basmati rice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="300" src="http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l535/KimCheeCasserole/P1180529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Cook your rice until it's done (or until your cooker tells you it's done.) Then fluff it up and serve!<br />
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The butter will cause some of the rice to get nice and crunchy. The saffron will infuse its flavor throughout, and the cinnamon will give it a hint of spice. It's a fabulous side dish that's a bit different than plain rice, and will add a little bit of exotic flavor to your dinner. <br />
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<i><b>Recipe: Saffron Rice</b></i><br />
1 can vegetable broth<br />
1 generous pinch saffron threads<br />
1 1" cinnamon stick<br />
1 tbsp. butter<br />
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1 c. basmati rice<br />
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Combine broth, saffron, cinnamon stick, and butter. Heat on "warm" setting in rice cooker or very low on the stove, for around 30 minutes.<br />
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Add basmati rice; cook according to package directions or until rice cooker finishes cooking. Fluff and serve.KimCheehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04259081471586410323noreply@blogger.com0