Makes 1 quart Do you know a picky eater? Are you a picky eater? Even I have my moments… I’m here to warn you that kimchi is one of those dishes – a Mount Everest for some culinary Adventurers and a potential moon landing for our beloved but stubbornly picky eaters. Here’s why: Kimchi is fermented, pickled, fishy, spicy, and totally funky. It can take months and months to make, fermented in large vats with such delicacies as raw oysters or fish chunks. Astonishingly, the end result shouldn’t be overly fishy but mildly sweet and sometimes spicy, although there’s a little residual zing from the fermenting. Lest you run away in fear, let me assure you – two entire countries – North and South Korea – eat kimchi with giddy enthusiasm some people reserve for birthday cake… so I say go for it. Expand your mind. Buckle up. Enjoy the ride. This Kimchi recipe is quick and simple. It’ll get your feet wet in the world of fermented cabbage. The entire process takes no more than …
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This recipe is for those times when an airplane ticket isn’t in the budget… … When a two week’s vacation won’t fit into the schedule. … When the daydream only gets you halfway to the dream. Splash a little of this sauce in your frying pan – let it dance and sizzle and pop. Serve with bibimbap, if you dare! Welcome to Korea. Makes 3/4 cup Ingredients: 1/2 cup sesame oil soy sauce, to taste 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 inch ginger, grated 1 green onion, chopped 2 Tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp black pepper salt, to taste Method: Are you ready? Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Chop the ingredients, give them all a whisk and use as needed. Ta-dah! Enjoy – live the dream! Korean Saute Sauce & Marinade Votes: 0 Rating: 0 You: Rate this recipe! Print Recipe Splash a little of this sauce in your frying pan – let it dance and sizzle and pop. Serve with bibimbap, if you dare! Welcome to Korea. LifestyleGrilling, Quick Food TypeSauces & Dressings Servings Prep …
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Serves 4 Hello, sky. Have you been outside lately? It’s amazing. The sky wants to swallow me up into a great big smile. Go ahead – check it out – take a look. See if it does the same thing to you, too. And the coolest part? That same sky you’re looking at – I’m looking at it, too. We’re all looking at it. Together. Over here, in Oklahoma-land, we’re tiptoeing into fall. I know because I recently felt the first chill of winter – the one that hits you upon walking outside in flip flops and a t-shirt. The chill that sends you straight back into the house for sneakers and a coat, even though you’re already ten minutes late. In this sudden shift, memories of Oklahoma’s outrageously scorching summer already seem vague and distant – replaced by fresh, cool air. And here’s the deal: I can’t stop eating stews. Today’s meaty stewed goodness greets us all the way from Kenya. It’s all about hearty love and fall flavor. Or fall love and hearty flavor. Or …
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Serves 4 Are you in need of some revitalization? A breath of fresh air? Are you worn out, tired, or just plain sad? Are you cold? I’m with you. I’m all of the above. When I feel like this I just don’t know what I want. I want everything. And nothing. All at once. I want to sleep. I want to watch movie after movie. I want soup. I want lots and lots of noodles. And then I feel guilty and want some veggies. But not the crunchy, raw kind. Nope, the cozy cooked kind. Kazakhstan has the answer. Lagman Shurpa, a.k.a. noodle stew. According to the old Kazakh saying “Meat brings strength, shurpa brings beauty” (from Please to the Table), it sounds like it will help just about every ailment. It is also the perfect dish if you can’t decide what continent you’d like to eat from. It acts like a stir-fry, a stew, and a hot pot all at once. And it has turnips in it. Great for lifting you out of a heavy day. …
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Makes about 3 cups Are you in need of a lil’ pep in your step? Do you want to go beyond your comfort zone? Would you like to make your taste buds burn with the fire of Jamaican delight? I am. I do. I would. Also, a friend’s birthday is coming up, and she loves spicy food. In a pretty bottle, with a cute recipe card, jerk seasoning makes quite the fabulous gift. So, join me friends. Let’s go on a stovetop journey to the clear waters of Jamaica, where we can heat things up for ourselves and a friend or two. Ingredients: Liquid: 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup orange juice Produce: 3 habenerno (scotch bonnet) peppers 1 green bell pepper 4 green onions 1 onion 4 cloves garlic 1 hunk ginger – about 1 inch, peeled and cut 5 sprigs fresh thyme – leaves stripped from the stem 3 fresh basil leaves 3 sprigs parsley leaves Spices: 1 Tbsp whole allspice 1 Tbsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp nutmeg 1 Tbsp black pepper 1 Tbsp salt Method: …
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As far as I’m concerned there’s only one way to enjoy a movie: cuddled up to a plate of stuffed artichokes. I’ve already managed to brainwash the rest of the clan into agreement. I started young with Ava – at 10 months old she became enamored when I found one the size of her head. Today – at just two years old – she’s an artichoke eatin’ pro. To enjoy your next movie with an artichoke, you just need three accessories: a giant bowl for the discarded leaves, napkins, and a small bowl of melted butter with fresh lemon juice squeezed in, if you like that sort of thing. My husband doesn’t…I do… So we have separate dipping bowls. This recipe has been passed down in my family for generations – although everyone makes it different. Mom actually never wrote her version down, so I had to watch and try to memorize her steps. Lucky for me, it’s really easy – just stir everything together, pile onto the trimmed artichoke, steam for 45 minutes-1 hour and enjoy. …
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Makes 2+ cups You know how you think you know something…. Like the earth is round. Or flowers bloom. Or hummus goes into a bowl? … only to have your vision shattered? Your dreams crushed? Yeah. Turns out not everything is as it seems. The earth is not perfectly round. It’s a “bumpy spheroid” according to Scientific American. And flowers don’t always bloom. Especially when it’s over 100F for well over a month. My crispy garden is testament to that. And hummus doesn’t go in a bowl. It goes on a plate. I learned that from the Israelis. How’s that for blowing your mind? Ingredients: 2 cans chickpeas, drained (reserve 1/4 cup whole chickpeas for garnish) 3 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon, juiced and strained) parsley, small palmful – plus extra for garnish 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp tahini, or more to taste 1/3 cup olive oil salt Grilled pita bread, for dipping Method: First step, find a nice spot to make the hummus. Perhaps while perched in the middle of a chickpea field. Mmm. Imagine all the …
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Serves 2-4 Ava’s my little alarm clock. Most days we get up about 8 am (bless her). On the mornings that I wake up before Ava, I like to sit in the drowsy quiet, by the window. I’m not really asleep. I’m not really awake. I’m just glad for a few minutes to stare into the stillness and daydream. Often my thoughts turn to people in other countries. Slowly, I sip my tea and wonder … what are they doing, right now? Are they sleeping? Awake? Are they happy? Sad? Do they Tweet? Are they obsessively checking their Facebook? Are they sitting by a window wondering about me? Hello? Is any body out there? And then Ava wakes up and the excitement of the day begins. I can tell you one thing for sure – right now, somewhere in Israel, someone is eating Shakshouka, breaking their bread and dipping it in the rich sauce. This simple one-pot dish was once considered the working man’s food and is balanced – loaded up with protein, veggies, and …
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There’s no quicker way to beat the blues than to dig into a slice of pizza. Irish pizza. I know what you’re thinking. I thought the same thing. But, trust me – while pizza may not sound very Irish, it is, in fact, much beloved on the Emerald Isle. They simply add a little something special, to make it their own. Let’s zoom in for a close up, shall we? Did you see the secret ingredient? When you bite in, it’ll be tingly. Creamy. Almost spicy. For cheese lover’s everywhere it is oh-so-familiar. Blue cheese. Cashel blue, to be exact. This cheese has been winning awards, pretty much since the first batch, and I can see why. It’s fabulous. When its young, it is firm and crumbly (and more mild); and when it’s aged, it’s soft and creamy (and extra stinky). The one pictured above was definitely soft and creamy. And extra stinky. So, next time you want to make a pizza Irish, simply crumble on Cashel blue cheese and bake as normal. You can find it …
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Makes 3 cups If you’re wilting and melting and generally crying for a reprieve from the heat, try Muhummara. This Middle Eastern roasted pepper dip takes the heat out of summer in the most fingerlicking way. The walnuts add body, but you don’t taste them. The pomegranate syrup gives a slightly tart tang and the cumin gives earthy warmth, but the ingredients are so balanced and subtle you’ll be seduced before you know it – and you won’t exactly know why. Just like falling in love with the most wonderful person you know. NOTE: Some like to add hot paprika or cayenne to this recipe. I liked the mellow sweetness without the spice, but feel free to punch it up a notch. Ingredients: 4 red peppers, roasted or grilled until blackened 2 cloves garlic 1 cup walnuts 1/8 cup pomegranate syrup (available at health stores and Middle Eastern markets – or you can reduce your own juice) 1/8 cup olive oil 1 tsp cumin salt pepper Method: First step? Let’s go to the market and pick …
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Serves 2-4 Do you get hungry late, late, late – in the dark corners of the night? Does your stomach growl? Your mind race? Do you ever feel like you need a big bite of goodness before you can roll over and snooze? Me, too. Indonesian Beef Satay is just the ticket. Believe me when I say I would turn on my grill at midnight to eat this satay. Here’s the truth: I’ve never simply sat and eaten a half pound of meat in my entire life. I’m just not that into meat. Until today. Completely, and without remorse, I ate an entire half pound and would have continued on to eat more skewers, if I could have weaseled some away from Keith and Ava. The Satay are rich and sweet from the kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), wonderfully fragrant, and incredibly addictive. Apparently I’m not alone because many Indonesians are known to eat up to 6 skewers in one sitting. Ingredients: 1 small onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 1/2 tsp minced ginger …
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Makes 2 1/2 cups I’ve discovered the secret to a happy belly. Indonesian Peanut Sauce. This is not just any peanut sauce. This is the kind of peanut sauce that leaves you wondering. Hoping. Dreaming. Wishing for more. This sauce is complex. Interesting. Mysterious – full of wonderful flavors you can’t quite identify. Flavors that’ll make you nibble and nibble – until, eventually, you give up trying to figure everything out all the time and simply enjoy. NOTE: Vegetarians and vegans can also enjoy this sauce by simply leaving out the shrimp paste. Ingredients: 1 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil 1 candle nut*, grated 1 large shallot, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped chili pepper (to taste), seeded 1 tsp shrimp paste (sweet or hot)*, optional 5.5 oz can of coconut milk 1 tsp ground coriander 1 cup roasted peanuts 2/3 cup water salt Season with: 2 Tbsp kecap manis* 1-2 limes juiced *available at most Asian markets. Method: There are so many ways to make this peanut sauce. Your best bet is to pull up …
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