Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

Growing up, I was fortunate enough to live overseas in Korea for a few years while my father was stationed at Osan air base.  Many of my fondest childhood memories are of the experiences while living there, especially the food.  Here is a little bit about one of my favorite Korean meals, bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef).

One of the first things you notice when you step foot in Korea is the smell of garlic. It's on everyone's breath and seeping from their pores, literally.  It's in everything.  Maybe this is why to this day I can't have enough garlic in my foods. I love the stuff!  If a recipe calls for one clove, I'll throw in two or three. My husband will remind me when I've gone overboard with the garlic ;)  I love that guy.

I remember eating bulgogi at hole in the wall restaurants all over downtown Songtan, which is just outside the gates of Osan AFB.   The server would bring out tons of little dishes of 'things'...most of the vegetable variety.  I recall most of it being pickled or super spicy so I would just skip this stuff and wait for the main course.  The garlicky soy sauce marinated beef would be brought out and cooked on a grill right on your table.  Being about 6 years old at the time, I thought it was pretty cool to cook your own food right there in front of you!

Once the meat was cooked, traditionally you're supposed to assemble it on a lettuce leaf with steamed rice, red pepper paste (gochu-jang) and any of the assorted 'things' in those little dishes.  Whole garlic cloves were sometimes served and I remember my grandfather snacking on these tasty morsels until my dad asked him what the heck he was doing.  He was under the impression they were almonds.  Geez, I hope I never lose my taste buds!  

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

From my mom, Barrie

Ingredients

·       1 lb. beef, not too lean

·       2 T soy sauce

·       1 T sugar

·       1 T sesame oil

·       1 T sesame salt (ground sesame seeds and sea or Kosher salt)

·       1/8 t. black pepper

·       4 med green onions, coarsely chopped

·       3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

·       1 t. fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

·       2 T water, rice wine or white wine

Directions

Cut beef into thin slices about 2” square x 1/8 “ thick.

Marinate beef in remaining ingredients for up to 1 ½ hours. Grill (especially good over charcoal) and serve with:  Red leaf lettuce or kkaennip (sesame leaves) http://www.evergreenseeds.com/korperlarlea.html

Rice, Garlic slices, Namul (assorted marinated veggies), Koch’ujang

Marinated beef bulgogi.  I typically use flank steak sliced on a bias.

Bulgogi tastes best grilled, but when I'm feeling lazy I use the broiler. 

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here's a great way to use an acorn squash if you've never know what to do with it.  This is one of those fall meals I looked forward to having my mom make. Comfort food for me.  I whipped this up for lunch today in about 30  minutes.  It's simply delicious.

Click to ENLARGE.

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as". 

Just a side note....In the past I have used good ole Jimmy Dean sausage, but I used Jenny-O sweet Italian turkey sausage this time and I didn't notice too much of a difference.  Change is good :) 

Cut squash in half, discard seeds, put in a microwave-safe dish with a little bit of water, cover, microwave.

Scoop out the 'meat' of the squash.

Mix the squash, browned sausage/beef, apples, raisins, salt and nutmeg.

Stuff each half of the acorn squash. Top with butter and brown sugar. Cover and microwave.

Fantastic!

Making this today was a good excuse to test out my new camera.  I'm still figuring things out since it's a lot more complicated than my point & shoot, but I think I'll get the hang of it ;) 

Lipton Cheese Steak Sandwiches

Lately I've been reading a ton of blogs. I can't believe how many talented people out there creating neat stuff!  In addition to my love of cooking, I am a lover of crafts. Lately in my spare time, I've been creating some nifty Halloween decorations that I found on some craft blogs.

Obviously, in addition to reading a lot of craft blogs, I check out a bunch of food blogs too.  I came across this simple recipe for Lipton Philly-Style Cheese Steak sandwiches the other day from fellow blogger Tidy Mom who periodically posts recipes on Unilever's The Family Dish.  I wasn't expecting these to taste like a true Philly cheese steak, but 'wit'* the Lipton Onion Soup mix, it had to be good!

*wit = the term used when ordering a cheese steak in Philadelphia that means "with onions".

Here I am at Pat's in Philadelphia last year eating the real deal.  I love how little man is eying my sandwich.  Don't worry little guy, you'll get your cheese steak soon!

Lipton Onion Soup mix makes everything taste so good!  I mix in into sour cream for a quick onion dip. I also love the recipe on the box for baked onion potatoes. Check it out sometime!

The recipe was simple enough, but I made some changes since I didn't have cube steak on hand.  I had never heard of it before, but found out it's the preferred steak for chicken fried steak, which, believe it or not I've never had despite being one of those GRITS (Girls Raised In The South).  Anyhoo, I used a piece of top sirloin that I found in the back of the freezer. I sliced it about 1/3" thick and pounded it with a meat hammer until it was as thin as it could be.

I also just left the steak in the pan and added the onion soup mix and water. Mixed. Heated for a couple minutes. Done.

My husband and I loved these sandwiches. The meat was so tender and the onion soup mix gave it a great flavor.  I served it with Trader Joe's garlic fries (and yes, wine :) ).  They tasted just like the ones served at the San Francisco Giants games. YUM!

Here's the recipes for these tasty sandwiches... (or link to the original recipe if you prefer)

 

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as". 

Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas

You may have noticed that this blog has had some changes lately.....completely new design that fits my personality a lot better and just this past weekend I started adding recipe cards to all my posts.  I still have some recipe cards to make for the older posts, which I hope to finish soon.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.  Are the recipe cards easy to use & read?  Constructive criticism is much appreciated!

Several years ago my husband came across this Chicken-Mushroom Quesadilla recipe in, I think it was, Men's Health magazine.  We love making it since it's so quick and easy, especially if you go the route I did this time.  I used pre-cooked frozen grilled chicken and frozen spinach.  I much prefer the frozen spinach that comes in a bag rather than the one in a box.  I dread thawing out that block of green, then to have to squeeze out all the water.  The bag kind is chopped up and there isn't all that extra water.  Fresh is best, but not always on hand :)

The chicken-mushroomy-spinach quesadilla filling is all ready to go.  I could eat it just like that!

Put some cheese (I used Kraft Mexican 4 Cheese blend) on the tortilla, spread on some filling, then top with more cheese.  Top with another tortilla.  

Flipping the tortilla without all the innards falling out can be tricky. So, what I do is use the cheese as my 'glue' to hold the thing together before flipping.  I press down on the whole quesadilla, focusing on the edges to 'glue' the two pieces of tortilla together as the cheese melts.  Then, with a large spatula underneath and my hand on top, I gently & quickly flip it over.  Yay, disaster adverted!  

If it doesn't work, no biggie, just eat it with a fork ;) It'll still taste the same!

All done, chicken-mushroom quesadilla perfection!

 To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".

Recipe Link: Easy Chicken-Mushroom Quesadillas

Bistro Style Burger

What fantastic burgers we had last night...and they didn't come from some fancy restaurant, but rather my kitchen.  Every month when I receive my subscription of Cooking Light magazine, I thumb through it tearing out the recipes of interest such as this one for Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts.  Burgers at our house typically consist of slapping a frozen turkey burger patty on the Foreman Grill and then top it with American cheese.  I know, boring, but that's why I shake things up periodically with new and exciting twists on an old simple favorite.

The hubby and I loved these burgers and will definitely make again.  Who knew it would be so flavorful and easy to make.   I would have to credit the porter beer for the deliciousness of the sauteed mushrooms and onions.  That got me thinking that I could probably substitute red wine for the porter to make burgundy burgers like the ones at our favorite local burger bar, Relish Burger.   OH SO GOOD!

I followed the recipe exactly other than subbing fresh ciabatta bread for the rye.

Mushroom and Provolone Patty Melts
from Cooking Light Magazine, October 2010
 
1 pound ground sirloin
cooking spray
1 T. olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. black pepper
1 (8-ounce) package sliced crimini mushrooms
1 1/2 t. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. dark beer (such as porter)
8 (1.1-ounces) slices rye bread
4 (3/4-ounce) sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Shape beef into 4 (4-inch) patties.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done.

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, salt, pepper, and mushrooms; saute 3 minutes.  Sprinkle flour over mushrooms; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in beer; cook for 30 seconds or until thick.  Remove from heat; keep warm.

When patties are done, remove from large skillet.  Wipe pan clean; heat over medium-high heat.  Coat 1 side of each bread slice with cooking spray.  Place 4 bread slices, coated sides down, in pan.  Top each with 1 patty,  1 cheese slice, and 1/4 of mushroom mixture.  Top with remaining bread slices; coat with cooking spray.  Cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

UPDATE: Want a recipe card?  Well, here you go!

To print, left click >file >print. To save file to your computer, right click on image, then "save image as".