Fall Inspired | Korean Beef Stew

I call them daily miracles; miracles that lift the spirit and fill my head with wonderful thoughts.

Outside my window I hear the leaves rustling  in the crisp morning breeze.  Green leaves slowly turning into soft  amber beneath the clouds that look like giant mounds of marshmallow on a regal blue canvass. 

This morning, while hubs and I walk to the park he tells me what's taking me so long?  Well, I can't help it.  I just need to stop and capture the dramatic scenery the season brings.  They are like post its of love notes that serve as daily reminders that will cheer you on throughout the day.   

And with the changing of the colors and crisp autumn air, there's nothing more satisfying than the smell of your favorite stew permeating from the kitchen. The sound of a simmering pot blend perfectly like a symphony so soothing to the soul.  Now tell me how else can you not FALL in love with autumn?

Now, while I am immersing myself and enjoying God's gift of nature,  I hope you are enjoying the moment too wherever you are.  And if you need a pick upper,  let me share with you a family favorite that will surely lift you up.

Happy Monday!


Korean Beef Stew

Ingredients

1-2 lbs of beef chuck cut into cubes (ribs is also preferred for this dish)

7 tbsps soy sauce
6 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp chinese coooking wine
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 bundle of green oinons chopped
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 thumb size ginger, peeled and pressed
1 serrano pepper
1/2 c beef stock (add more if the beef is not tender)

Procedure

Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Add cooking oil in a heavy pan.
Sear the beef on all sides (a light layer of golden crisp forms around its sides)
In a bowl mix all the ingredients together. (Except serrano pepper) Make sure to dissolve the sugar.
Once the beef is seared, pour over the soy sauce mixture.
Let it boil. Once it's boiling, lower the heat and let  it simmer.
You may need to add water if it's necessary. Cook until completely tender.  Add the serrano pepper and cook for about 3 more minutes.
If you want the sauce to be thicker you may mix conrstarch with a little water and add to thicken the sauce.  But we prefer the sauce as is... so it's all up to you. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds...  Enjoy

And oh btw, best served with those crunchy, spicy Kimchi... nom nom nom!

Out of Focus | Inihaw na Liempo (Grilled Pork Belly)

"Oh no, we can't show this!"

My husband and I chorused upon seeing the video that we just shot. "But maybe I could work on it" I said, trying to convince my husband and for not making him feel bad about his camera work.

"No, you can't show it, it's out of focus - the camera was on the wrong setting.", he said firmly.

As much as I want to share a video blog today, I am unable to. Apparently, the pocket camera's setting was set to outdoor, the whole video was hazy, which he didn't notice because of the small screen. "No worries" was my reply as I reviewed the whole segment. I saw that I wasn't fully prepared. My lines looked too rehearsed, I talked like a robot... I realized I was the one who was not focused.

So here my friends is the dish that was supposed to be on video. Even though the video was out of focus, I'm quite pleased that it came out nicely in my photos. 

Inihaw na Baboy (Grilled Pork Belly)

6 pcs. pork belly slices (around 1/2 inch thick)

3/4 cup vinegar

1/2 cup cooking oil

1 tbsp minced thyme

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together the vinegar, cooking oil, thyme and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Soak the pork slices in the mixture.  Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.  

Heat a charcoal grill.  Grill the pork slices for 10 to 12 minutes.  Let it cool.  Slice into strips. Best served with a side of mango ensalada.

Mango Ensalada

Ingredients

1 green mango, cubed

1 medium tomato cubed

1 small onion, chopped

Dip:

1 tbsp shrimp paste (bagoong alamang) or fish sauce if shrimp paste is unavailable

1 freshly squeezed lime

1 tsp sugar

hot sauce (according to taste)

Mix all the ingredients together.  Pour the dip onto the salad and mix well.  Best served chilled.

Reboot| Pork Chops in Hoisin and Fish Sauce

I awaken this morning in an unfamiliar setting... Hubs not beside me, window by my side, I thought I had slept somewhere else.  Before your suspicious minds wander and eyebrows start to rise, let me explain. I slept on a spare bed because my husband is not feeling well so he isolated himself from me.  He is in quarantine.

However, the sun has barely risen and I already hear and smell familiar Saturday morning rituals.  The tv is on blaring the morning news... the coffee is brewing... ahhh, it must be Saturday I said.  Hubs is definitely feeling better as he is up doing his regular routine.  The familiar voices of  our local morning hosts on KSDK, Kelly and Chester made me recall that it's been a week since I guested at their show... as my thoughts regaled the recent guesting, I jumped out of bed (literally) as I panicked... Oh no, it's been a week too since my last post.

Talk about wanting to be more current with the news (yes I wanted to do a post about the Olympics). I thought of sharing with you our dinner last night.  No matter how much I try to be "in", I always go back to one of the goals of this blog, which is to share with you simple recipes from our dinner table.

I realize it has only been a few seconds since I opened my eyes.  My thoughts are going 100 mph, so I logged on to my laptop... I panic again because one, wi-fi wasn't working, and two, I remember my initial reason to panic - it's been a week since my last post.  Hubby comes in and says to me "relax, I'll reboot the modem, it's a beautiful Saturday morning...".  Indeed, all I had to do was calm down and to resolve the last dilemma by sharing with you last night's dinner.  Life is simple... life is good.  Good Morning!

Porkchop in Hoisin and Fish Sauce

(I just love the hoisin and fish sauce that I used in my cabbage rolls a few posts ago. Now I use it in almost every thing that I serve...haha.  But trust me, this simple recipe will be a winner too..  This dish is served best with steamed veggies  on the side.  With this marinade, you could cook the pork any way you want it: bake or grill is fine.)

Ingredients:

6-8 pcs pork chops

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1/2 cup soup stock

1 lime - add the lime juice

4 clove garlic - minced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Marinade the pork chops by mixing all the ingredients together.  Leave it for 30 minutes or at best overnight.

Pour the marinated pork chops (together with the marinade) in a pan.  Cook over medium fire.  Cook until sauce is reduced.  If pork is not cooked yet, add another 1/2 cup of soup stock and cook until done.  Sauce should be reduced but there should be enough to coat the chops.

celebrate | vegetable and tofu in chili ginger sauce

"This looks amazing" says my husband as he sees the plate of  arranged vegetables in a block of tofu.

"Do I hear sarcasm?" I retort back.

"No for real, it is a compliment" says he.

I look at him in disbelief.  Earlier while I was plating the veggies, I'd imagine him say something like: "have you gone nuts?" coupled with his usual rolling of the eyes.

"Someone is inspired" he says again.

Inspired? Well maybe yes and I giggle. I couldn't wait for us to sit down to tell him how I got an email from Yahoo! You see I am now a regular contributor for Yahoo! Voice.  This is an opportunity I welcome... and I celebrate as a food blogger.  I feel my heart is applauding the moment. (I'm sure my foodblogger friends know what I mean).

I take the celebration and inspiration to heart, and look how this simple side dish turn out to be the piece de resistance of our dinner.

"But wait a minute", he says.  "How come the tofu does not taste like anything?"

"Well the secret is in the sauce."  I reply.

"Hmm I love the crunch of the veggies and that sauce, wow you have your stamp on it.  But make sure to tell your readers that the secret is in the sauce ok?"

I smile back... so let me share with you Vegetables and Tofu with Chili Ginger Sauce and remember the "secret is in the sauce!"

Vegetable and Tofu in Chili Ginger Sauce

1 bag of mixed vegetables
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp of water or soup stock
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (add more if you want it spicy)
1 clove garlic, minced
green onions, sliced

Pour a cup of water in a stock pot.  Add a teaspoon of baking powder.  Let it boil.  Drop the veggies and remove it 1-2 minutes after boiling.  Drain the excess water.

For the sauce:  Mix soy sauce, soup stock, sugar, sesame oil, ginger, chili garlic sauce, minced garlic and green onions in a bowl.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Adjust to taste.  Serve veggies with the sauce on the side.  But remember to tell your family and friends that the "secret is in the sauce" haha!  I like this dish spicy.  Enjoy!

seafood weekend

I've never had Singaporean chili crabs before.  My default recipe for blue crabs is one of my family's favorite seafood dishes, crabs with sweet chili sauce. But the way my aunt Nangnang described it compelled me to try her recipe for crabs.  She reminisced about living in Singapore, the vibrant city-state in the middle of Southeast Asia.  Singapore has been described as a gourmet's paradise.  Nangnang tried this crab dish in a restaurant and she later on created her own recipe.  While she promised that she was going to cook it for us when we were together a few months ago, she was too busy to give us a taste of her recipe.  So I called her when I got back to St. Louis and got her recipe for Singaporean chili crabs.

My husband and I have have found a good seafood grocery here in St. Louis.  Seafood City on Olive Boulevard flies in fresh blue crabs every weekend.  And ever since we tried Nangnang's recipe, my husband would always request for it.  We had it for two consecutive weekends... but now we have to abstain from eating it, as we had enough crabs for the whole month.  So let me pass on the obsession to you... here's my Nangnang's Singaporean Chili Crabs but hey let me warn you... it is so finger-licking addicting!

Singaporean Chili Crabs ala Nangnang
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs of blue crabs
5 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 sriracha
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cooking oil

Clean crabs thouroughly.  Boil the crabs for a few minutes, just enough for the color to change to orange/light red.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drain the crabs.

In a big wok, melt the butter.  Saute the garlic and onions.  Add oyster sauce, ketchup, sriracha and brown sugar.  When the sauce is mixed thoroughly, add the crabs.  Cook for another 10 minutes.  Break one crab to add more flavor to the sauce.

Let cool for a few minutes then serve.  Enjoy!

Super Bowl Grub 2: Spicy Meatballs

When my friend Jenny saw my previous post: Crispy Chicken Bites with Wasabi Mayo, she immediately called me to ask for more Asian inspired appetizers to serve this Sunday.   She asked me to make another "simple yet creative" plate to wow her friends.  Her call prompted me to post a sequel (lol!)  so here's my Super Bowl Grub 2: Spicy Meatball.

Guided by Jenny's special request, I wanted to make it as simple as possible.  So if you don't have the luxury of time to make those meatballs, a bag of meatballs from your favorite grocery store should do the work for you.  All you need now is to prepare the sauce or the glaze and you are ready to enjoy the game with your friends.

Spicy Meatballs
(As I've mentioned, you could use ready made meatballs but in case you love to prepare everything from scracth, get the recipe from my previous post ).

So now that you have the meatballs all you need to do is to make the sauce.  so we need:
3 tbsp ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp siracha (you could adjust this amount accdg to your "hot" preference)
1tsp pepper flakes
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp pepper flakes

Procedure:
Saute garlic and onions in a pan.  Add the ketchup, siracha, oyster suace.  Let it simmer.  Add brown sugar and pepper flakes.  Allow a few more minutes to simmer.  Add the cooked meatballs and let it simmer until sauce is thick and sticky.

Arrange the meatballs on a platter and garnish with onion leeks on a toothpick.

I hope Jenny wins big with this plate  and the crispy chicken bites when she makes them for her friends on Game Day...  Go Jenny!

Super Bowl Grub: Crispy Chicken Bites with Wasabi Mayo

Are you ready for your gameday grub?  Yeah it's Super Bowl Sunday this weekend, I'm sure you already know that.  I bet you are ready for a nice thick and sticky glazed hot buffalo wings. Or those platters of chips and salsa maybe?   How about those thick and creamy, cheesy dip... yum!

But if you are tired of the usual spread and you are looking for something new to add to your Super Bowl Sunday repertoire, honey you're in the right place.  I am  so excited to share with you something new and refreshing, my Asian inspired  : Crispy Chicken Bites with Wasabi Mayo ta-dah!

Crispy  Chicken  Bites with Wasabi Mayo

(note: you have two options on how to make the crispy chicken: bake or fry)

Ingredients:

4 pcs. chichen breasts (or you could have boneless chicken thighs too)

2 pc Cucumber 

For the breading

1/2 c flour

1/2 c cornstarch

4 tbsp five spice

salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Fill a large skillet (cast iron is best) about half full with cooking oil.  Heat until very hot.  Meanwhile roll the chicken pieces into the breading. Shake off excess flour.  Drop the pieces into the hot oil.  Make sure there is enough space to stir the chicken pieces.  Deep fry until golden brown.  Drain the fried chicken and let it rest.  Slice them into bite sizes.  

Now if you  prefer to bake.  Place the breaded chicken on a greased pan.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees.  Bake until the chicken is golden brown and until the liquid from the chicken runs clear.  Slice them into bite sizes.

Wasabi Mayo

1/2 cup mayo

2 tbsp wasabi paste

Mix wasabi paste with mayo.  You could add more wasabi paste if you want a bolder kick.

Arrange chicken slices on cucumber and add a dollop of wasabi paste.    

So are you ready for some football?   I am... GO GIANTS!  (in case my son reads this haha!)

This post is on Top 9 Super Bowl Eats at Daily Buzz Moms.  Thank you DBM for the feasture!

A plate for Joey: pan seared salmon with green tea and lemongrass sauce

The sound of him playing the guitar resonates through the whole house.  Never mind if the projects that we had planned, which included hanging picture frames on the wall, were left undone.  The music coming from the frets of the guitar was so soothing and beautiful, but I sensed that it would stop soon.

When his luggage was all packed, I knew that I had little time left with him.  Soon he will be back in college, soaked with school work and surrounded by his friends.  His time with me could wait... well at least until the next school break.

I cherished the extra two weeks my son Joey spent here at home while his sisters had all returned to California after the holidays.  His stay was highlighted by the good times we had, the silly giggles, the games and the great food.  Sometimes our games sounded moronic, but it is very touching for me to know he is still my unica hijo.  

The dish I made for him for his last lunch home before he heads back to Cornell was pan seared salmon with green tea.  I spiked it with lemongrass, ginger and honey sauce.  This salmon recipe was inspired by his healthy eating options and the tea time we had every night (started by my eldest daughter during the winter break).  This is the perfect way for me to express how much I treasured the time he spent here at home - by preparing this special plated dish for him.

Pan Seared Salmon with Green Tea-Lemongrass- Ginger sauce


Salmon slices
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Drizzle some olive oil on both sides as well.  Let it stand for 5 minutes.

On a hot skillet (use a non stick pan) sear the salmon slices on both sides.  It took me 3 minutes each side since my salmon slices are thin, if it's thicker allow 5 minutes of cooking time each side.

Sauce
brew 1/2 cup of tea together with lemon grass
1 tbsp agave or honey
freshly grated ginger root
2 cloves garlic, minced
soy sauce
salt and pepper

Mix all the ingredients together.  Season with soy sauce and pepper.  Adjust the taste according to your preference.  Sprinkle sesame seeds and enjoy!

Before you leave,  I'd like to share with you 2 great news.  Last Monday,  Foodbuzz picked my Monay post as one of the top blogs featured in their baking buzz for a week. And if you notice a new badge on the right, that's because Foodista picked my post It warms my heart: Turkey ala Pho as the blog of the day,  Also my Steamed Tamarind Chicken  was featured as Featured blog. on Foodbuzz FB page I could have not done it without your constant support.  Maraming Salamat! (Thank you very much!)

xoxo,
Malou

it warms my heart (turkey soup ala Pho)

I woke up early one morning and wondered why it seemed brighter than usual. It was chilly so I tiptoed to my kitchen to make myself a cup of hot tea. A few minutes later, I received a call from my husband, who was out of town, and he asked me if it was snowing.

"There's a chance of snow today," he said. And as soon as I heard those words, I ran towards my window and realized that that was the reason the morning looked brighter: the immaculate white snow glistened as it  blanketed the area around my home. Of course it was cold... but that could not stop my excitement. I immediately grabbed my camera and ran out to my porch to take snapshots of the beautiful white morning. I watched as the snowflakes descended from the grey skies like tiny angels twirling with each gust of wind. It warmed my heart as I raised my face towards the sky and one of the snowflakes gently landed on my tongue. It was indescribably soothing and uplifting.

Inspired by the morning's miracle, I instinctively made a pot of soup; something that would simmer for hours, but also something that I haven't cooked before. And sure enough, I surprised even myself to make a pot of turkey soup ala Pho.  I put "ala Pho" as a disclaimer because I only used the spices I had available in my pantry. Also, I don't like putting mint and other vegetables in my Pho, so this is just my take on the Vietnamese dish. Nevertheless, the long hours of simmering lent a comforting feeling, and it certainly hits the spot like an authentic bowl of Pho would.

Turkey Soup ala Pho

Ingredients:

bone-in whole turkey breast (4 1/2 to 5 pounds), thawed if frozen 
1 medium onion   quartered
1 2 inch unpeeled ginger, smashed or pound to release the flavor
3 cloves of garlic minced
3/4 tsp five star spice
2 pcs star anise
1 tbsp annatto seeds
1/3 tsp red bell pepper flakes
3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp peppercorn
8-10 cloves
3 stalk celery
1 package of sotanghon noodles (vermicelli)

Roast  all spices together except celery,garlic and onions.  Put the spices in a pouch.
Fill the stockpot with water.  Put the pouch and celery, garlic, and onions and let it boil.  Now put the left over turkey in the boiling pot.  Let it boil for two hours.  Remove turkey and shred the turkey breasts and the rest of the meaty section.   Strain the soup.  Add sotanghon noodles and let it simmer for a few minutes until the noodles are soft... and you will be slurping the soup in no time... enjoy!

Here are some snapshots i took from my window

Kimchi Fried Rice

My daughter promised to guest blog... well that was the plan but  then again school, work and yes life got in the way.

So I was writing my post this morning when I came across a folder in my file called GUEST BLOG.  Curious, I opened the file and I saw pictures of my daughter in my kitchen!

Oh my, I thought, she really intended to guest blog!

And so I'm foregoing my scheduled post today to feature my daughter's guest post... well kind of guest post.  (Heather you still have to write me another one just as you promised right?). I'm sure you don't mind that I'm posting yet another rice recipe topped with fried egg just like my previous post.. right? I hope the answer is yes  haha.

So let me share with you the steps on how to make Kimchi Fried Rice as revealed by the photos I found.

I found it amusing that she prepared her ingredients in those tiny cups hehehe.. So for ingredients she used: She used SPAM and cubed it.  (When you're in college, Spam is your best friend) 2 tbsp vegetable oil, garlic, onions, Kimchi marinade (she squeezed the kimchi to get its juices out) salt (oh my that 's  a lot of salt but sue it in caution as the spam  is already salty).

In a pan, saute garlic and onions.  Add spam cubes, kimchi cabbage. Add soy sauce and kimchi sauce.

Add cooked rice (left-over rice is better.)

 She used around 3 cups.

Mix them together...and you may add more kimchi sauce to get a well coated plateful of rice... top it with fried eggs... and enjoy!

This was the first time kimchi fried rice was served at home... and it was actually the start of kimchi fried rice obsession.    The flavors will explode in your mouth... as in literally because of the heat... Happy cooking!

The "Secret"

I was fixing lunch while I was talking on the phone with my friend Cathy.  She is my dear friend from Melbourne, FL who I sorely miss.  She was preparing spaghetti for lunch while I was making Pad Thai.

"You are making  Pad Thai?" she asked suddenly.  "I haven't made that dish and it's too bad since it's Danny's (her hubs) favorite", she added.

"Oh this is my foolproof easy Pad Thai recipe.  And I will share with you my secret.",  I told her.

The funny thing is that it was in Melbourne, FL where I had started my own cooking Pad-Thai madness.   I used to shop at an Asian store whose owner is Thai.  I mentioned to him that my family loves to go to a local Thai Restaurant and how much we love Pad-Thai.

"Ahh, Pad-Thai..." he mumbled.  He then said he will tell me the secret ingredient and that I can make it whenever I want to.  He came back with the "secret" in his hand... ta-dah!

Yes, this golden sauce bottle is all I needed to discover that I could whip up Pad-Thai in 10 minutes. Just saute the desired topping or meat (i.e. chicken, shrimp, or beef) and add the sauce. Pour it over Thai noodles and you can now create your own Pad-Thai at home.

I used to make this for my parties, for a lot of dinners, special occasions, you name it and my Pad-Thai dish was sure to show up. And I am not exaggerating, I was that obsessed in serving this noodle dish. In fact my son recently told me that up to now, he no longer eats Pad-Thai because of the crazy cooking madness I was hooked on years ago.

While I was in San Diego, I couldn't find this "secret" ingredient.  So my Pad-Thai madness was no more.  And so it was quite a surprise when I saw this bottle on the shelf of an Asian store here in St. Louis.  Now we're reunited, and you bet, I'm back on another Pad-Thai cooking frenzy.

Another important thing to remember in making good Pad-Thai is to properly prepare the noodles.  Although I don't have a specific brand to recommend,  I make sure that it's flat rice noodles made in Thailand. (It's usually in a plastic bag with green Thai inscribed letters) Simply soak the noodles until it becomes pliable but still firm, usually for about 15-20 minutes.  Make sure not to over soak it. You don't want to have mushy noodles.  Once soft, drain the water and you're ready to toss it together with the sauce.

It is very simple to prepare.  Just saute with garlic and onions and shrimp, add green onions, bean sprouts and tofu. Add the sauce and toss in your pre soaked noodles.  Cook it for a few minutes and add a drop of oil to get that shimmering look and you have magically transported yourself to Thailand...  Enjoy!

P.S.  Now if only I can find a good Pad See Ew recipe which I can prepare for my son when he visits.  Any suggestions from my readers?  Thanks.

Hoisin Garlic Beef Roast

A few days ago, I got an email from my friend Ann, asking me how to make a beef roast using Asian ingredients.  I sent  her my Hoisin Garlic Beef Roast, a recipe  which I developed for a client  a few months ago.

So today she called back telling me how the roast "sealed her fate".  She said her boyfriend thinks she's a keeper...LOL!

"Why don't you have that posted in your blog" she asked.

"Because I still have to take a better picture" I said.

"No, you must post that today"  she insisted.    I will attest that it's a roast to impress"

So upon Ann's suggestion, I am posting this "roast to impress"...  The picture may not say so, but I was compelled to post it anyway as she suggested.  I hope you give it a try  and tell me if it does  the same magic as it did to my friend Ann.

Hoisin Garlic Beef Roast

Ingredients:

7 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2-3 lbs. sirloin roast

Directions:

Wash the roast and pat to dry.

Make a slit on the sides of the roast, and insert garlic cloves.

Mix  the first three ingredients and rub a generous amount around the roast.

Refrigerate for an hour or at best, overnight.

To cook evenly, the roast must be at room temperature. Let it stand for about 3 to 4 hours at room temperature. This is a great way to cook the roast evenly.You don't want your roast to be well done on the sides then raw in the middle. Another valuable tip is to tie the roast around.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Use a heavy stainless steel roasting pan and place the roast. 

Put the oven temperature at 450 degrees F to sear the rib roast. This will take about 15-20 minutes.

Then turn the oven to 325 degrees F for the rest of the cooking time,

Cook until  roast reaches an internal temperature of 130-140 degrees F. Make sure to check the internal temperature by inserting the thermometer right in the center of the rib.

Remove from oven and let the roast sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes covered with foil before serving.

Slice the meat across the grain with  your desired thickness.  Serve with blanced bok choy on the side.  No dipping is necessary as the beef is succulent and very flavorful. 

Bacon-Covered Lamb Musubi

I love being in an airport. To me, the airport is like a big space of live entertainment. Nothing beats the real-time drama of a son hugging his mom goodbye. Nothing beats the real-time thrill of passengers running to catch their flights, or the excitement of a little girl with her own backpack marching towards her plane along the tarmac, or the joy of seeing an elderly couple holding hands while waiting to board.

During a recent trip, my flight was delayed due to bad weather in the northeast. With less than 20 minutes to spare, I had to run from Concourse A to Concourse C to catch my connecting flight. Now if you've been to the Detroit Metro Airport, you know that bridging that gap is a tight close right? But the stewardess repeatedly announced that our connecting flight was informed of the delay and so the passengers who were supposed to be on that flight were likely to make it to the gate. Taking her lead, I grabbed my carry-on bag, and amidst all the passengers who were all cheering for us to run and make our flight in the background, dashed to the next concourse like I've never run in my life before! In between breaths, my head was spinning, my back aching, but my feet took me away! Driven by my fellow passengers' cheers of "yes, we can make this flight," I really believed that we were going to arrive on time and that the plane would wait.

But alas, the three other passengers and I never made it to our connecting flight. Supposedly, the plane took off even before the gates from my plane opened. Thankfully, I was given a hotel accommodation and meal vouchers for the night. Instead of getting angry at the airline, I focused on the positives. In my experience, airlines don't offer perks like free food and housing for your inconveniences anymore. So for me, I had no complaints.

For this long Labor Day weekend, I imagine that there are a lot of people traveling. As you encounter roadblocks or delays (or maybe you won't; let's stay hopeful here, after all!), treat your travels as an exciting experience. Have a warm bath, enjoy the fresh white linens in your room, and drink a margarita! Happy long weekend, everybody!

For this long weekend, I'm going to share with you my Bacon-Covered Lamb Musubi, my take on the famous Spam Musubi that is popular in Hawaii.  This is a part of my lamb series that I made for Meat Livestock Australia. But unlike the salt-saturated spam, the star of this dish is quite the quality meat. Enjoy!

Bacon Covered Lamb Musubi

8 strips Turkey Bacon
1 lb ground Lamb
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Nori Wrapper

Mix all the ingredients gently in a bowl.  Form rectangular shaped patties.
Wrap patties with 2 strips of bacon

Prepare two pans. Put the first pan on high heat, and the other on medium.  Grill patties on the high heat pan for 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer it on the second pan for another 2 minutes.  The first pan sears off the patty but prolonging it there will burn the surface of your patty therefore the second pan is needed to further cook the meat.  Repeat the process on all patties. Set aside.

Press rice together and mold it into a rectangular shape.  Set aside.

Cut the nori wrapper according to desired size. I divided mine into 3 and used a corrugated knife to cut it. Place the nori wrapper on a flat surface. Add the patty and  molded rice. Wrap the nori wrapper around it. Enjoy!

Another tip: Keep your hands wet while wrapping the musubi.  This will make it easier to handle the rice and the nori wrapper from sticking to your hands.

Sesame meatBalls

With the end of August upon us, a lot of kids are back to school.  Some are starting a new phase in their lives and it could be a daunting challenge for them.  Our role as parents is to make this transition smooth for them.  And the best way to make this happen is by serving them hot meals when they get home.

A better way to do this is to welcome them with a savory dish. Its aroma will meet them as soon as they open the door, as they throw their bags to the ground and come running to the kitchen.  Soon you will hear them say: "that smells good mom"

Beef is a good source of iron.  I like serving it to my kids as it gives them energy and makes them alert.  Kids love meatballs so it's a fun way to give them essential minerals, well at least in meatball form.

Sesame Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 lb Australian ground beef
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 medium egg
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
sesame seeds
cooking oil for frying

Combine oyster sauce, garlic salt , carcked egg pepper and sesame oil.  Mix it well until all ingredients are fused in together.  Now add the ground beef.  I do it this way so that the ground beef will not be mushy and won't lose its  ground texture.

Shape into small meatballs about a tbsp spoon full. Roll the meatballs on a pan of sesame seeds.

Put 2 tbsp oil on a wok.  Cook the meatballs until they are brown on all  sides.

Set aside the cooked meatballs.

For the  sweet and sour sauce:
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
3/4 c vinegar
1/3 c sugar
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices of ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
2 stalks carrots, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper.sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced

Using the same wok saute  garlic and onions.  Add the ginger.  Pour vinegar, ketchup and sugar.  Let it simmet.  Add meatballs and allow the sauce to coat all the meatballs.  Add vegetables.  Cook for about 4 minutes or when vegies are cooked.  Word of caution though, do not overcook the veggies.

This is another dish I developed as part of a series of recipes for home cooked Filipino food for Meat Livestock Australia

Guest Post Wednesdays: Korean Beef ala Lilly

I can't believe it's been a month since I started this new feature on my blog. As you've noticed, most of the past guest bloggers were children. And so when I invited Lilly to guest blog, she said that she wasn't a suitable candidate for the assignment. I, of course, reassured her that I do not have an age bracket for my guest bloggers. I just love the idea of kids cooking and baking, but for the next posts let's hear from "mature" guest bloggers.

For this week we have Lilly. She's a retired pediatrician who I met almost 4 years ago. She travels from coast to coast to visit her grandchildren. She's funny, sweet and so full of life. When I asked her for a picture to go with this post she declined, saying she doesn't want the paparazzis to spot her. LOL!  And so since she told me not to divulge too much about herself, without further adieu, I present Lilly.

Friendship On A Plate

Friendship knows no boundaries. Case in point, my friendship with Malou. We meet only a few times a year but every time we do meet, we feel like we see each other everyday. So how on Earth did I come to know her? So here's our story.

We met almost 3 years ago at a nail salon. She was busy reading a magazine and dozing off to sleep when I asked her if she is a Filipina. She answered me with a question. "Did you think I was a Filipina because of my accent?" she asked.
 
"How could I tell your accent? All you did was smile," I replied.

"No I am an Italian," she said.  But then  she giggled. "No I'm just kidding. Yes I'm a Filipina. How about you? Are you Korean?" she asked back.

"No I'm French" I  joked. "Ok darling, let's do the usual introduction," I said. "My name is Lilly and you?"

"My name is Malou."

"Ma what?" I asked.

"Malou. As in Skip to Malou," she said.

A week after, we bumped into each other at Macy's. She came up to me and said, "Hey I know you. You are the French woman I met at the nail salon." And we laughed. I said, "you are Skip to Malou," because that honestly stayed in my mind.

She asked me what perfume I used because she was looking for one for her grandma. She asked me, "how old are you, Lilly?"

To which I replied, "hey you young lady, never ask a wrinkled woman her age. And she laughed so loudly.  We stood there chatting and chatting like old friends but mostly we talked about food and our family.

The sales clerk asked us how long we have been friends and couldn't believe that we just met. "You might as well be friends now," the clerk suggested. And we took that advice to a tee.

Our friendship bloomed through a series of lunches and recipe exchanges. A year later, she tells me she came up with a blog. I wasn't surprised at all that she named it Skip to Malou.

I am honored that she invited me to guest blog. I think that Malou and I hit it off well because we both love our food. We talked about food while eating food. We come from different ages and different cultures; different, yet we still share the same joy in cooking for our families. We started off sharing food with one another, and now on our plate is a friendship that will last forever.

As a requirement for this guest post, I was asked to share a recipe so here's my Korean Beef

Korean Beef

We need:

Beef, cut into pieces
5 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp sugar
1/2 c sprite
asian pear
green onion
garlic
sesame seeds
sesame oil

Method:
First, chop garlic, green onion and asian pear together in a chopper or blender.  If you want a smooth texture go ahead, chop until smooth.  But if you want some texture just a little pulse will do.
Add soy sauce, sugar and sprite into the mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Marinate the beef overnight.
The following day you are ready to cook in a pan.  Make sure to get the pan really hot so it gives the beef a good sear.
Add sesame oil and sprinkle sesame oil and green onions on top.

If you noticed I tried to make my beef look the way Malou plates her food. But sorry Malou, this is the best I can.

Thank you Lilly for a wonderful guest post.  You said you will scare my readers away but I don't think so. Right guys?  I truly enjoyed reading it.  What do you think guys?


Til next week's Geust Post Wednesdays!!!