Spicy Pork Bulgogi

A few weeks ago I (Liz) introduced Laur to this delicious Korean restaurant in Provo called Sam Hawk (for anyone in this area, it is right by honks on Freedom Blvd.).  Well it turns out the Bailey girls are big fans of Korean food.  We were anxious to re-make this popular dish, Bulgogi.  It can be made with chicken, pork, or beef and is fantastic! Enjoy! 

Spicy Pork Bulgogi 

adapted from here 

1 lb pork loin (cut into thin, wide slices)

5 Tbs soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 sprigs green onions  (chopped)

1 yellow onion  (sliced)

2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

1 pinch black pepper

1 Tbs sugar or 1 tablespoon honey

2 Tbs red pepper paste or chili and garlic paste 

2 Tbs red pepper flakes 

Mix all ingredients, refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.

Cook over medium-high heat in frying pan, stirring occasionally until well done and browned.
Serve with white rice or in lettuce cups. (I would also recomend serving it with Kimchi- a spicy cabbage dish you can find at the grocery store in a jar, or make homemade!)

Homemade, Potato Chips

These baked chips are fun and easy to make, and taste delicious! (Not too mention how much better for you they are then packaged potato chips!)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 Russet Potatoes, cleaned, skin on, cut into 1/8 inch thick

Large Bowl of cold water

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Cooking Spray

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Make sure you thinly slice the potatoes. Once the potatoes are sliced, add them to the bowl of cold water and let them sit in the water for 15 min.  Drain and place them on a large towel. Pat dry very well. 

Add the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Toss the potatoes making sure you evenly coat them with the seasonings.

Layer the potatoes on a cooling rack, making sure they are not overlapping, then set the cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet (this will allow the cookie sheet to catch any mess that my fall!

Bake until  nice golden brown, about  20-25 minutes in the oven. You may want to flip them half way through the cooking process.

When the potatoes are done, add them to another bowl and toss with a pinch of salt. Serve warm or place them in a brown paper bag for later use.

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

These could easily be the best homemade pancakes ever!  And that's saying something because I looooove homemade pancakes!

adapted from the lovely Pioneer Woman

1-1/2 cup Flour

1 Tablespoon (additional) Flour

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 Tbs Baking Powder

3 Tbs Sugar

1 3/4 cup Evaporated Milk

Juice and zest of 1 Lemon (more If Needed)

1 Large Egg

1-1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 Tbs Butter, Melted

1 cup  Blueberries

Heat heavy skillet or grill over medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix evaporated milk, juice of 1 lemon (more if lemon isn't very juicy), and lemon zest. Allow to sit for five minutes, then add egg, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix to combine.

Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir gently to combine. Splash in more evaporated milk if mixture is overly thick. Stir in blueberries. Again, check to make sure mixture isn't overly thick.

Melt butter in heated skillet. Drop batter by 1/4 cup measures and fry pancakes on both sides until golden.

Serve with softened butter and warm syrup.

*Fun Facts 
Blueberries are high in vitamin C, potassium, and fiber!  The antioxidants found in blueberries help fight cancer, lower blood pressure, and raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol).

Chilaquiles

This was a favorite of ours in Mexico--you can also serve it for breakfast by adding some easy-over eggs, and sausage instead of chicken!

Tortilla chips
Homemade Salsa Verde, or red salsa
Sour Cream
Onion
Cooked and shredded Chicken
Cilantro
Cheese (queso fresco, or mozzerella)

Place tortillas in a large skillet on low-medium heat. Pour salsa over tortillas. Cook until bubbly.
Add cheese and chicken. Garnish with thinly sliced onions, sour cream and cilantro.

Salsa Verde

I'm soo excited to share all of the amazing and mexican recipes I learned from locals while living there.  Let's just say, when I post a Mexican recipe on my blog, you know it's legit!  Green salsa is soo easy to make and well worth it!

1 lb. Tomatillos- green tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/4 cup water

1-2 whole jalepeños
salt
1 Avocado

Wash all ingredients 3 times. Place tomatoes, jalpeños, cilantro, and garlic in a the food processor with garlic on top. Add 1/2 cup water and salt.  Blend, just until no large chunks remain.
Pour into salsa bowl. Chop avocado and add pieces to the salsa.
Serve with chips, on quesadillas, burritos, chilaquiles and more!

Mini Eclair Footballs

This is such a fun treat for a football party.  They're a little time consuming to make but super easy, and always impressive. Not to mention these are the yummiest treat--I guarantee they'll be gone in a flash!

Choux Pastry (from here)
Yields about 20 small eclairs
1 cup water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup flour
3 eggs, plus 1 extra, if needed

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat.
Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer). Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, add 3 eggs, 1 egg at a time. Stop mixing after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining 1 egg and mix until incorporated.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe lengths of dough about 2-3 inches long and 1/2 in. thick (or about the size and shape of a jumbo hot dog for regular eclairs) onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches of space between them.

Egg Wash: In a bowl, whisk the egg and water together. Brush the surface of each eclair with the egg wash. Use your fingers to smooth out any bumps of points of dough that remain on the surface.

For mini Eclairs bake 7 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until puffed up and light golden brown, about 7 minutes more.  Let cool on the baking sheet.

Pudding Filling:
Large package instant Vanilla Pudding
1 cup Cream
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix pudding with milk as directed on package.  Beat the cream, adding powdered sugar and vanilla as you mix, until fluffy.  Fold into pudding mixture.

Fit a medium-size plain pastry tip over your index finger and use it to make a hole in the end of each eclair (or just use your fingertip). Using a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip, gently pipe the pudding into the eclairs, using only just enough to fill the inside (don't stuff them full).

 Refrigerate or freeze the eclairs until ready to dip in the frosting.

Ganache Frosting
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.


Dip the tops of the eclairs in the warm chocolate ganache and allow to cool.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Football stripes:
Make a small batch of vanilla frosting and pipe football lines on with pastry bag fitted with a small circle tip.

 

ENJOY!

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie

This is the best quick and healthy breakfast when you're on the go. I LOVE a good smoothie!

You can easily substitute the fruits of your choice.

Ingredients:

2 Bananas

1 large can canned peaches and juice (or use fresh and add a little water or milk)

1/2 cup Raspberries

1/2 cup Blueberries

1/2 cup Blackberries

1/2 cup Whole Grain Oats

Ice

*Optional-small carton of yogurt

Mix in blender.  Add peach juice, milk or water if it's too thick.

*Fun Facts
Berries are full of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.  They also contain antioxidants that help fight off disease. Bananas are one of the healthiest foods on the planet.  They are full of potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6. Bananas can help your body regulate stress and anxiety levels.  Pay attention to how you feel after eating one!

The Best Texas Sheet Cake

This recipe comes from my sweet Mother-in-law, Brooke, and trust me, there's no better recipe out there. I've tried several, and this one definitely surpasses them all! This is by far Jeff's favorite dessert!

Texas Sheet Cake
In a saucepan, bring to boil:
1 cup water
2 sticks butter or margarine
3 large tablespoons cocoa

In a separate bowl mix together:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon soad
1/2 teaspoon salt

In another bowl, mix together and add to flour mixture:
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Add chocolate mixture from saucepan, mix and pour into jelly roll pan (15" x 11").
Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes.

Pour hot icing over hot cake.

ICING
In sauce pan bring to boil:
6 tablespoons milk
3 large tablespoons cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine

Add 1 box powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups) and mix with beaters to get rid of lumps.

Optional: and 1 cup walnuts or pecans

Authentic Mexican Rice

Today I'm posting a top-secret recipe.  I can't even beleive I'm sharing this one!Here's the thing--my husband and I spent 4 months living in the heart of Mexico and one of my top priorities while we were there was to master Mexican cooking.  Lucky for me, we became great friends with a man who worked as a chef and he gave us a Mexican cooking lesson! Most importantly, he taught us how to make true, 100% authentic Mexican Rice. This rice brings us right back to Mexico, every time! I treasure this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. white rice
1/4 cup oil
2 small cloves garlic
1/4 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes (or 1/4 cup tomato sauce)
2 tomato bullion cubes
2 jalepeño peppers (whole, NOT chopped)
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup peas
4 cups water

Directions:
In a large saucepan over medium/high heat, saute the rice in the oil, stirring frequently, until the rice is golden brown (about 10 minutes).
In a blender or food processor blend the onion, garlic, and tomato (or tomato sauce). 
Add the tomato mixture to the rice. Stir.  Add the carrots, peas, whole jalepeños, tomato bullion cubes, and 4 cups of water.  Stir until bullion cubes are dissolved. Heat until boiling, stirring occasionaly.
When the water is boiling, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until water is completely absorbed.  

If you like Mexican Rice you may also like:

Baked Spinach & Chicken Flautas

Taco Bell's Double Decker Tacos (Copycat)

Chicken Chimichangas