Miyeok Gook {미역국} - Korean Seaweed Soup

I think my mum is tired of setting up the table and then having me take half an hour to snap photos.. haha just like my poor bf. But it's mah birthday so my way or the high way!

Anyhoo, it's a tradition to have this soup on your birthday and lots of other delicious noms. I also got money from my relatives, although my mother said I'm way too old to be receiving anything. Boo.. :(

Miyeok Gook - Korean Seaweed Soup

makes 4-6 servings

100g flank steak
5g dried seaweed (Miyeok), rehydrated in water for 1 hour
6 cups water
2 tsp youndoo (or 2 tbsp soysauce)
salt
1 tsp sesame oil (optional addition at the end)

• Boil the 6 cups of water, add some salt, put in flank steak and simmer for 1 hour 
• Keep simmering the soup, but take out the steak (should be fully cooked) and shred with 2 forks 
• Cut rehydrated seaweed into 2 inch squares, rinse under cold water
• Place seaweed and shredded steak back into the soup. Add salt and youndoo (or soysauce 2 tbsp) to taste
• Boil another 10 minutes and serve

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Fig Walnut Dark Chocolate Cookies

Merry Christmas everyone! I've been doing so much baking, sometimes I feel like throwing my spatula on the floor. My mum is working me like a slave elf, baking cookies and cupcakes to give as gifts to everyone we know. If I have to whip anymore butter, I might flip a... flip some baking sheets ;) I really miss my stand mixer I left in Richmond!! My withered arms are too weak for vigorous stirring :(

Anyhoo, my high school friend is visiting and she has been helping me bake! Here's one of our lovely creations.

Fig Walnut Dark Chocolate Cookies

makes 50-60 cookies

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup dried figs, cut into raisin size
1 cup semisweet/dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

• Preheat oven to 350F
• In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt)
• With a electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add sugars and beat for 1 min. Beat in eggs 1 at a time and then beat in vanilla.
• Add the dry mix and stir until just blended. Fold in the figs, chocolate and walnuts. Scoop 2 tbsp sized balls onto lined baking tray
• Bake for 12-15 mins, or until just golden. May be soft to touch on the top, but will harden when it cools

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Matcha Green Tea Shortbread Cookies

Done with my last exam for the semester. Only 999999 more exams in my life to go (yipee). I'm going to go run, relax and de-stress. Have my mum cook for me, go snowboarding, and then hibernate for 2 weeks. Yes!! I hope everyone has a wonderfully lazy Christmas too!

Here are some cookies I made to give to my bf's parents for xmas. Gawd, I am such a parent pleaser :)
These are mildly sweet cookies, with a buttery green tea aroma. Perfect for fancy gift giving.

Matcha Green Tea Shortbread Cookies

makes 2 dozen cookies

1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cup into pieces
1.5 tbsp matcha powder (good quality makes greener cookies)
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tbsp raw sugar

• Beat butter ~3 min on medium high speed (used my mixer) until creamy. Add matcha and sugar gradually on high until fluffy
• Stir in flour and salt on low or by hand. Don't overmix! Just until blended
• Gather into a ball with your hand. The dough may seem dry but if you work at it and knead it a few times it will come together
• Roll out onto lightly floured parchment to 1/4" and cut out desired shape. Sprinkle sugar over the tops and press in lightly
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour - overnight
• Preheat oven to 325F and bake 17-22 mins. Watch carefully because you don't want them turning brown!

*If cutting out is too much work, you can also roll the dough into a cylinder, roll it in some raw sugar to coat it. Seran wrap and refrigerate. When you're ready to bake, slice it into 1/4" rounds and bake!

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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

One more exam and then I'm feeling the ocean breeze from the Pacific, and the warm warm sunshine... I'm sure you've heard enough about In 'n' Out burgers and our incredible sunshine! But, seriously. West coast, best coast :D

Just finishing an exam makes me feel like I have time to cook, but I really don't because I have a cumulative exam next Thursday *cue for little kids popping balloons* Although, I just baked a batch of muffins in literally 5 mins with my new kitchenaid mixer. Yay! I love that beast.

Here's something I made last week. It doesn't taste strongly of pumpkin, but it makes the cheesy sauce super smooth and creamy.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

serves 4-5
Ingredients
2 cups dried elbow pasta
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup half and half
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
seasoned bread crumbs (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package (with salt), drain and set aside
2. Preheat oven to 400F
3. Make the roux: In a large pot, melt butter and toss in the garlic for 1 min. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary for 1 min.
4. Pour in half and half, pumpkin puree and cream cheese. Stir until well blended and thickened ~5-8 mins
5. Remove from heat and stir in 1.5 cups cheddar cheese. Add pasta and mix. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Place in a baking dish or individual ramekins. Top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs (and more pepper if you like)
7. Bake until heated through and cheese is nice and crusty!

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Christmas Coconut Mochi

Sometimes, I wish my birthday and Christmas wasn't lumped together. It means half the amount of presents and balloons you receive, and half the amount of cake that you get to eat every year! December babies, am I right?? Although, I got a Kitchen Aid mixer from my bf, so no excuses there... Yay! I finally have the excuse to make bread, sticky buns and more buns :D

Sooo, a friend at school gave out some deliciously soft and chewy mochi for Christmas. What a great idea. Asian girls can't get enough of mochi ;) These are sooo good though. I totally forgive him for being Japanese and not like sushi...seriously. Even people as white as wonder-bread love sushi. Kidding! We love you!

Anyhoo, his mum was so kind to share the recipe.

Christmas Coconut Mochi

makes 76 one inch squares

Ingredients
16 oz box mochiko (sweet rice flour)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
12oz can coconut milk
1.5 - 2 cups water (depending on how firm you want your mochi to be)
1 tsp vanilla

red and green food color
potato starch (for dusting)

1. Preheat oven 350F, grease and place parchment paper on a 9 X 13 pan
2. In a large bowl, combine mochiko, sugar and baking powder. In another bowl mix water, coconut milk and vanilla. Add wet to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly
3. Take 2 cups of the mix and add 3-5 drops of green food coloring. Pour into prepared pan and place the pan on top of a cookie sheet (so bottom doesn't harden/bake too quickly), cover pan with foil and bake for 15 mins.
4. Take another 2 cups of the mix and add red food coloring. Set aside and pour the rest of the mix (white layer) over the baked green layer, cover with foil and baking for 30 mins.
5. Final layer, pour red mochi mix, cover with foil again and bake for 30 min. Let it rest with the foil cover for 15 mins
6. Stick it in the fridge for several hours or overnight (best) before trying to cut it. Seriously too sticky to cut and handle if it is still warm.
7. Using kitchen scissors, cut into desired sizes (my friend did then in mini 1/4" squares). Remember to coat fingers with potato starch so you don't stick to the mochi. You can trim the hard side off.
8. Dust lightly with potato starch and put them into cute baggies to share!

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Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich

I can already hear Christmas music! So excited to go home, see family and do outdoorsy things! Seriously, my roommate and I stayed at home from Thursday night until Monday morning. Didn't even get past the front door. That's bad :/

But, we had a fully stocked fridge and some leftover thanksgiving goodies. And so this sandwich was born!

Roasted Yam, Cranberry Sauce and Feta Sandwich

Makes 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp paprika
thyme (optional)
salt and pepper

4 slices of bread, toasted
4-5 tbsps cranberry sauce
handful of spinach or arugula

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lay sweet potato rounds in a single layer on a baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil and season with garlic salt, paprika, fresh thyme and pepper. Roast for 5-10mins
2. Assemble sandwich: place spinach  on a slice of toasted bread and layer with the roasted potatoes, 2 tbsps of cranberry sauce and chunks of feta. Add your other slice of toasted bread and you are ready to noms!

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