An ode to KIMCHEE

I love kimchee. It's becoming a (thankfully healthy) addiction. I eat it right out of the container, in soup, on rice, mixed with veggies, tofu, noodles, burritos, pretty much anything.
I've tried lots of brands, and have settled on one in particular as my favorite:


Ideally, I'd get kimchee from a Korean grocer- the unbranded/house-made ones that are good are almost rapturously good. But it can be hit or miss. Sometimes I'll end up with one so spicy, my lips go numb and I can't taste anything other than mouth-fire. Or there are some non-vegetarian ones that have really pronounced flavors of fermented shrimp or anchovies, which I don't like at all.

Sunja's brand is all natural and vegan, there are so many health benefits, it's full of live enzymes, very low sodium, high in fiber, helps digestion...there are too many to list, but you can read all about why kimchee is one of the best superfoods HERE.

I can get it at nearby markets (Whole Foods also carries it), which is excellent, as I go through TWO a week. Kimchee rules my world.

Easy BBQ jalepeno poppers

Ingredients:
jalapenos
Cream cheeae

Throw jalepenos on the highest part if the grill. Grill until they are soft but not too soft. You want them to still hold some sort of shape.

When cool carefully slice lengthwise on one side only.

With a spoon scrape out all the seeds.
Replace that with cream cheese.
Close it up!

Done!

What are your favorite BBQ recipes?

THE BEST THING I EVER ATE

I did not create the dish you see before you. I had it last late spring at Diner. It was bliss, yet it's ingredients were few.
Grilled bread.
Farm cheese.
Rhubarb.
That's it. The Rhubarb was sauteed or maybe roasted in a subtle liquor of it's own juices, not too syrupy or sweet.
Just think of all the delish variations for this simple snack!
Strawberries!
Figs!
Nectarines!
Lemons!

egg sammy

Everyone seems to be getting chickens... a friend of mine even started his own chicken coop business since they are so popular here in Portland. So, in the spirit of the chicken, here is a recipe that I just now made and ate and it was good!

EGG SAMMY
I took a few leftover tomato slices from the BBQ the other night and threw them in a hot skillet with olive oil, salt + pepper, grated garlic and a few sun-dried tomatoes from a jar.
(this would be a good time to get your bread toasting - in this case the lonely panini sitting in the fridge)
Mash down the tomato a bit and saute until some of the moisture evaporates.
Make a well in the center and crack your egg on top. I broke the yolk - up to you.
cover and turn down. cook sunny side up or flip it over and add fresh basil and parmesan.
Slap it on your toasted, buttered bread.
thanks chicken!

what's for dinner?

I'd love to ask someone else that question, but that's just not the way it is and it's late, I'm tired... what is in the fridge? What do I want to eat? I know I want/have spinach and what goes good with spinach? Cannellini beans! (at least that's what those crazy Italians call them.) I think 'round here they call them "Great Northerns" but that just sounds gross to me. And then there are the million bags of pasta that I "got on sale" (again) and the weird thing is, I don't really even like pasta that much!
I have taken to keeping parsley handy because lately, it seems to go with everything.
So: Spinach Catalan... meet Cannellini pasta mash up. I think you'll make a good couple.

SPINACH CATALAN
(roughly)
large bunch spinach. trimmed/rinsed well/drained
1/2 c golden or regular raisins
2-3 large garlic cloves sliced
1/3 c pine nuts
heavy dose of olive oil
s+p
- - - - -
steam spinach separately. set aside
heat olive oil. add garlic.
when garlic is golden, spoon it out of the pan and set aside.
turn down the heat and add the pinenuts and raisins.
when the pinenuts get a nice golden color and the raisins plump up, add the spinach/salt + pepper and garlic and heat through. you will not be sorry.

*this is a regional Catalanian dish, but I found out about it from one of the Deborah Madison cook books... so good!

CANNELLINI PASTA MASH UP
a bunch of pasta
some of the cooked garlic from the last dish that you kept aside 'cause it was alot
or some sauteed shallots
one can of cannellini beans with liquid
that 1/4 head of cabbage sitting in yr fridge - chopped
grated parmesan (apparenly, I say this word wrong... every time)
parsley
s+p
olive oil
- - - - -
So while the pasta was cooking, I literally stuck the cabbage in a mesh strainer and let it sit in the cooking pasta to wilt it.
when pasta is done - drain & set aside (with your cabbage)
If you havent, saute your garlic or shallot in a good amt of olive oil until golden.
add the cabbage.
add the beans and saute until you think it looks "good" (at least hot)
add the pasta, salt + pep to taste. add parmesan. stir stir stir.
If it seems too thick, add a tiny bit of water or liqid.
top with chopped parsley and.... done!

*sorry for the blurry photo.

Turkey Meatloaf

this has been a staple in my house since we moved to Battle Ground

1 lb lean ground turkey (you can also used chopped turkey)
1/2 cup chopped onion, i use whatever kind of onion i happen to have around
1/2 cup corn flakes
1/2 cup or just a tad more (5/8cup?) red sauce
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
a little bit of salt and black pepper to taste

optional - 1 TBSP mustard

bake for an hour at 350 degrees in a greased or no-stick loaf pan.

rice flakes or oat flakes work just as well
if you want to try a sweet variation, get the apple-juice sweetened cornflakes
i use a storebought organic mushroom and garlic red sauce, but if you have a homemade red sauce recipe, that'd work too
obviously egg replacer works in place of the egg

Red Lentil Soup with Leeks and Lemon

This is a great quick and easy soup that uses mostly cupboard staples.

1 cup red lentils
6 cups veg stock (I used two low sodium organic boullion cubes and 6 cups of water)
1 bay leaf
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch tumeric
2 T. olive oil
1 medium leek, washed thoroughly, halved and cut in thin slices
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon

Rinse lentils. Bring stock to a boil. Add lentils, bay leaf, cayenne and tumeric. Simmer 20 minutes. Sautee leeks in olive oil separate pan until soft, add to lentils. Season with salt and pepper and let cook 10 more minutes. Take off heat, add lemon juice and serve. Garnish with crispy leeks if you like!