Chamchi Kim bap (Korean tuna rolls)

One of the only foods I was confident enough to order by myself in Korea as chamchi kim bap (that's a hard ch, sort of rhyming with chomp). I could walk into any kim bap restaurant and order this with a relatively straight face and walk out knowing what I was carrying. Adam even made me do this a couple of times while he waited outside. (He knows what sissy I am when it comes to even ordering a pizza over the phone here in the States!)

This is really easy to make, tastes amazing and the only thing you'll have to go out and buy specially is the sushi paper. (Here after called kim paper, as that's what we called it in Korea. It's made from roasted seaweed and isn't very strong tasting.) A rice cooker is extremely nice to have, but it's not a necessity (although I want to get one very badly!) A sushi mat is also nice, but, again, not necessary.

One more note worth mentioning: this is not traditional kim bap. You won't find kim bap with pickles in it. Instead you'll get a pickled radish. I prefer actual pickles, and I couldn't find pickled radishes anyway. Also, a traditional kim bap will have a few more ingredients I can't get here. For a more detailed and traditional recipe, click here. Her pictures are wonderful and she's got a ton more recipes that look amazing!

I made 2 rolls today. If you make the amount of food I prepared, you'll have leftovers.

What you need

Carrots, julliened (about the length of your kim paper)
Pickles, quartered length-wise (these are mini's)
Tuna (buy the better quality stuff. In Korea we used tuna packed in olive oil. Man, it was good! But I couldn't find it here. Such a bummer. Ironic, actually.)


1 or 2 eggs, fried (1 egg for 2 rolls, 2 eggs for 4)


1-2 Tbs. Mayo (mixed in with tuna in bowl)

Cut up your egg into skinny strips.


Kim paper (a.k.a. sushi paper).
Lay it out on your mat, or just on a clean surface if you don't have a mat.


1 1/2 cups cooked sushi rice, per roll (Korean rice is the best, in my opinion, but Vail is not the place to find it. Korean rice is stickier, but sushi rice makes do just fine here. )
Flatten it out onto your kim paper. I didn't use enough here, I haven't made this in about 2 years. It turned out fine, just the ends weren't stuffed enough. So, in yours, press the rice all the way to the edge. That look on Owen's face is only concern that there won't be enough. He loves kim bap!


Lay your strips of veggies on the rice. Don't use more than 2 strips each. It doesn't take much to fill up a roll.


Put about 1/4 cup tuna onto veggies. It may not even take that much. Just experiment with what looks right.


Roll it up! I wasn't talented enough to take a picture of me rolling. But here it is.


Using a very sharp knife, slice into 6-8 pieces. Wipe your knife clean with a damp cloth in between cuts. Remember, sushi is meant to be stuffed into your mouth all in one bite--kim bap is the same way. So, make your slices accordingly.

Find some hungry kids willing to experiment and SERVE!
It's delicious dipped in soy sauce mixed in with some wasabi.

Vietnamese Sour Soup

Holy Guacamole, Bat Man! Did I take a lot of pictures this time, or what?!

Our friend, Vinh, was here this past weekend. Last time he was here, we made Vietnamese Spring Rolls. And I took pictures. Lots. But I think I outdid myself this time. Adam was even annoyed (hee hee). This time, it's sour soup. It's definitely a sweet and sour soup, though. There is a lot of prep, but the actual making of this soup is souper easy. We did our prep in the morning so all we had to do was boil water and throw it all in. The amounts below made enough for a small army, so if you decide to try this at your home, I would most definitely half all the amounts, except for the shrimp and fish. Keep those the same. Otherwise, you'll be eating this every day for the next two weeks. I'm just not kidding about this one.

Let's get down to business!

What you need and what to do

Bring 10-15 cups water to boil in a very large pot. I don't have a picture of this one. Imagine me boiling water. It's not hard. Although the altitude does challenge one's patience in the area of boiling time.

Also, prepare several cups of Jasmine rice. We made about 8 cups.

6 medium Malanga (I really wanted a link to this vegetable, but looked high and low for it. No go. I found something that resembled a potato, but this is most definitely not a potato. It's most like celery, and Vinh says you can use celery in it's place. That's what it sort of tasted like, anyway.) If you do go to an Asian food store and find these babies, peel the outer layer using your fingers. It's sort of like if you peeled the entire outside surface of a stalk of celery. The peel is very stringy and tough. Get it all off. Also, cut off any brown you might find.

Look! This one's pregnant!

I was sous chef Sunday evening, and Emma was sous' sous chef. Isn't she cute?
Chop up the Malanga into bite size pieces. You can slice, then half if it's too big.

4 ripe tomatoes. Cut these into wedges.

One or two onions, peeled, halved and sliced.

3 cups fresh okra, stems removed and halved, if large.

One large, or two small pineapple, peeled (is that the word?), cored and chopped into bite-size pieces. Did you know you can suck on the core of the pineapple and get really good flavor and juice as a fun snack? Don't let it go to waste.
See, now you're learning two new things today. Aren't you the lucky one?

Here's the Malanga and okra cut up, sitting in bowls. Waiting.
I'm not sure why I have this picture, but I do.
And I'm not going to waste it.

Next, you need 2 packages of Tamarind Soup base mix. Clearly, you're going to need a trip to the Asian food store for this recipe. I don't know what you'd use in place, but there's a chance your local market might have this, so just go see. I personally haven't checked.
This is a very distinct flavor. It's the sour part of the soup. Very good, mild, not pucker-your-lips tart, just subtle.

Pour the two packages into about 15 cups of boiling water. You're going to need the large pot for this recipe. Did I mention that?

Rinse 6-8 cups bean sprouts in cool water. You want to get off any dirt that might be clinging to them.
I love bean sprouts. Try just dipping raw sprouts in hoisin sauce. Mmmm. I love hoisin sauce.

Clean and chop a big handful of fresh Thai basil.
The basil we had was super sandy, so wash this very well. There's nothing worse than biting down on a nice grain of sand.
Place chopped basil in a small serving bowl. It's a garnish for the soup.

Rinse 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shells on. These are tiger shrimp. Aren't the beautiful? Really, even raw, beautiful.

Throw these in a smaller separate pot with boiling water. Cook until they're this bright orange/pink color. Even prettier!
Did you know leaving the shell on decreases the amount of shrinkage when cooked? I did not know that. Now I do.
(We've all seen the Seinfeld shrinkage episode, right? No need to say more.)

Rinse the cooked shrimp under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool them down.

Time to shell 'em!
(Side note: Notice my raised left index finger? Yeah, I almost chopped off the tip last week. Nice.)

Now, you need 1 1/2 pounds fresh catfish, about 3 fillets. Usually, Vinh uses bone-in because it tends to hold up better when cooked, but he could only find boneless here. It worked fine.
Rinse this well under cold water before cooking.

Remember that humongo pot of boiling tamarind soup broth you've got going on the stove top? Carefully lower your catfish into it and cook until tender. Remove from pot and place on serving dish.

This is what it will look like when done. I realize it's not really very appetizing looking, but it's very tasty and tender. You're just going to have to trust me with this one. Until you try it at home.

After you've removed your catfish, toss the okra and onion into the soup broth. Let them cook for about 5-7 minutes. Maybe 10. I really can't remember this step. I must have been hustling a dog out of the kitchen at this point. The seafood smell was making her go crazy bonkers.

Next, add in the Malanga.
Then, add the tomatoes, pineapple and bean sprouts. You're really just going to flash-cook these, about 30 seconds, don't boil them to death. They should still be very fresh, just not cold still.

Using a large strainer, strain the broth into a separate bowl.
Now, you don't really need to do this step, but since most household don't have an extra-huge humongo soup pot, this is the next best thing.

The table spread. See how we placed the shrimp and fish together?
The basil is behind it.
The veggies are all in a bowl with the broth in the background.

Here's how you serve yourself:
First, place some rice in your bowl, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Next, spoon in some veggies.

Place however many shrimp and pieces of fish in your bowl.

Pour on some broth.

Sprinkle in some basil, give a squirt or two of both hot sauce and fish sauce (not pictured, oops!), and dish up!
Caution: the contents of your bowl will be extremely hot!

Soup for you!!!
(I know, again, with the Seinfeld.)


If anybody decides to venture into this dish, please let me know how it goes!
Whew! I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it with all her pictures, recipes, photos and posts. I'm exhausted!

Thanks guys, and happy cooking!

Cashew Chicken and Edamame Risotto Wraps

No clue, really, how to pronounce edamame, I just know I love it! Buy it frozen in the pods, thaw by running under cold water for a few minutes, and you've got a great snack or veggie for dinner.

This meal was found in my Real Simple magazine, but I changed a few things, added a few things, and put it together as one meal (it came as two separate meals), so I'm officially calling it mine! It was really easy and quick, too, which is always a bonus in my world. It actually looks a little complicated, it's not. Don't be fooled. Adam and I weren't the only happy eaters. All of my kids liked this, even Emma, Miss Picky, and Owen and Addison couldn't seem to get enough. Have your kids shelling the edamame while you're in the kitchen. It's best to prep things before getting started (cut the chicken, measure out ingredients, chop the scallions, etc.), it makes the whole thing go fast.

What you need

Risotto:
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 an onion, red or yellow, chopped fine
2 cups Arborio rice (risotto)
1 cup dry white wine
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shelled edamame (thawed)
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup grated Parmesan (As always, get a big block of fresh and grate it yourself. It lasts forever and tastes way better than the stuff in the green can!)
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute till slightly opaque (2-3 min.). Add rice and cook 2 minutes, stir constantly. Add wine and cook till absorbed, stir frequently. Stir in broth, 3/4 cup at a time and wait each time till broth is absorbed before adding more, till all broth has been used. Stir every now and then. This will take from 15-25 minutes (depending on if you half this recipe). Take off heat and stir in edamame, lemon zest, Parmesan, salt and pepper (to taste, cheese adds saltiness so go easy).

Chicken:
Equal parts soy sauce and honey (about 1/4 cup each)
2 Tbs olive oil
4 chicken breasts, chopped small into true bite sized pieces
salt and pepper
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 Tbs grated ginger
scallions, chopped
water chestnuts
1/4 to 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
Boston or Bibb lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Combine soy and honey, set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté in oil for about 3 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and scallions and cook for a minute. Add water chestnuts and half soy mixture to pan. Cook for about 4 more minutes till chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and add cashews.

To serve:
Take a lettuce leaf in the palm of your hand, pop in some risotto, some chicken, add a splash of the soy/honey mixture, wrap up and shove in your mouth. Messy? Yes. Delicious? Yes!

Slow Cooker Chipotle-Lime Chicken Thighs Jamaican Rice and Beans

I love my crock pot, but I often get tired of the usual crock pot recipes because they all tend to be so similar: chicken with potatoes and carrots; beef with potatoes and carrots, pork with potatoes and carrots. You get the picture. If you also feel this way, you will LOVE this new recipe! It is a great dish, easy, easy, easy and so pretty on the plate. It's so great looking and tasting I would easily feel comfortable serving this to guests. As a bonus, my kids even liked this. I have to give credit where credit is due, so a big thank you to Robin Miller from foodnetwork.com! for this great recipe! I halved this recipe, but I would really recommend doing the whole thing. It would warm up great, and chicken thighs are so small that we could have had more. Note: there are two recipes here, one for chicken and one for rice, which is not in the slow cooker, but is really easy and quick. *I added some notes at the bottom from when I cooked this dish.*

What you need:

For the chicken

1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbs minced chipotle chilies in adobo sauce with 1 tsp of the sauce from the can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
cilantro, chopped and stems for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish

Put the onion, celery, and carrots on the bottom of your crock pot. Season the thighs with salt and pepper and place on top of veggies.

In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chilies with sauce, and garlic. Pour over chicken.

Cover crock pot, cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4. Serve topped with avocados and cilantro.


Jamaican Rice with Beans:

2 cups instant white rice
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15 oz) can red beans, drained
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ok, my notes:

I did all it said for the chicken. But with the time range, I think done on low for 6 hours would be the best and make the thighs really tender and flavorful. If I wasn't feeding a baby, I could have used more chipotle chilies. It would have kicked it up a nice bit.

Some of the ingredients are a bit pricey (ie coconut milk, chipotle chilies), so I poured the rest of the chilies and their sauce into a freezer bag. They're all ready to go for next time. Oh, and there will be a next time. The coconut milk? I tell myself it's ok to splurge a little sometimes.

For the rice, I used jasmine rice instead of instant. I think it has better flavor. But, if you do this, you need to increase your cooking time up to about 15-20 minutes (follow your package directions). Be sure and season it very well. Salt and pepper just seem to be absorbed back into this dish with not a lot of flavor remaining, so season well. Last thing, I love cilantro in almost anything, so I added cilantro to my rice on my own plate (my hubby and kids aren't as nutzo about cilantro as I am). Oh yeah, dish all that yummy sauce left over in your crock pot into a bowl and serve it on the table. It's awesome poured over the rice.