LetsGetCookinggg ♥ Yen

Budae JIgae - Korean Army Stew - Korean Stew Recipe

2017-04-24T15:34:00.000-06:00

Here is my Budae Jigae recipe (Army Stew)! It's a little spicy, but not too crazy. Budae Jigae was created during the Korean War when Ameican processed/canned foods were used to make stew with. You can try it with different canned foods but here is my recipe with ingredients that I like to use to make this dish.

Ingredients:
For the broth

- 1 medium yellow or sweet onion

- 3 cloves garlic

- 1 piece ginger ~3 inches

- 2 sheets dried kelp

- ¾ cups dried anchovies + a few extra

- 2.5 quartz water

- 2.5 lbs. country style pork ribs

- little salt, pepper, corn starch or tapioca starch

- 4 VERY generous cups kimchi (fermented longer than usual)

- ¾ cup kimchi juice

- ½ tsp. salt

For the seasoning paste

- 8 cloves garlic

- 2 tbsp. hot pepper paste (gochujang)

- 1.5 tbsp. hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)

- 1 tsp. soy sauce

- ½ tbsp.. rice cooking wine

- ½ tsp. juice from fresh ginger

- 2 tbsp. hot kimchi broth

Additional

- 1 link Andouille Sausage

- 1 can Spam

- oil

- 1 bunch green onion

- 1 pack tofu (soft or medium firm)

- Korean glass noodles

- rice cake (ddeok) – not shown in video

Tools, etc:
1 large stockpot
1 medium/large stockpot

1. Broth Part I

In a medium-large stock pot, boil water. Add onion, garlic, ginger, kelp, and anchovies. Cover, keep it on a low boil for 30 mins.

2. Broth Part II

- Add lightly seasoned pork ribs. Cover, keep it on a low boil for 15-20 mins or until pork is just cooked.

- Note: if space is limited, remove onion—otherwise, keep onion until pork is removed later.

- After 15-20 mins, remove pork & cut into small bite-sized pieces—set aside for later. Remove & discard the kelp, anchovies, garlic, ginger, and onion—if onion was not removed earlier.

- Tip: to get the small pieces out, use a strainer.

- Tip: the onion is quite flavorful. If you want to eat it then save it.

3. Broth Part III

- Add 4 VERY generous cups of kimchi that’s been fermented longer than usual. By very generous, I seriously mean VERY generous (see pic below). By fermented longer than usual, I mean we brought the jar from the store and let it age (unopened) 6-7 days. Very important-- do not use fresh kimchi.

- Add 3/4 cups kimchi juice & 1/2 tsp. salt.

- Cover, slow boil 10 mins.

4. Make seasoning paste

In a small/medium bowl, add and thoroughly mix all ingredients listed above for the seasoning paste (minced garlic, hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes, soy sauce, sugar, rice cooking wine, kimchi broth). Set aside.

5. Broth Part IV

- In a large stock pot with some oil, saute the Andouille Sausage and Spam on medium/high for 2 mins or until brown.
- Add the sliced pork.
- Add the seasoning paste. Saute for 30-60 secs.
- Add all the kimchi + kimchi broth from the other stock pot.
- Add the green onion.
- Turn off heat.
- If planning on eating the whole pot in one sitting, complete the next step in the same pot-- no need to transfer smaller portion to separate pot.

5. Broth Part V
- Transfer portion size to be eaten now to a smaller pot. Turn heat to high and add the following:
- Note: the below should only be added when ready to serve. Amount of each ingredient is contingent upon how much of it you want to eat now.
- Add tofu-- soft or medium firm.
- Add Korean rice cake-- ddeok.
- Add Korean glass noodles.
- Ready to serve when everything is hot.

Not sure how you feel about leftovers, but Budae Jigae is a dish that gets even more flavorful the next day, so I always make extra for leftovers!

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Seafood Boil – Crab Boil – Cajun Crab – Dungeness Crab

2017-03-23T22:15:00.000-06:00

As promised, here is my recipe for crab boil! The broth is oh, soooo flavorful from the Cajun seasoning, the natural sweet and tasty crab, and the additional element of the Better Than Bullion. This recipe uses a shhhhh ton of garlic so yes, the broth is amazing! The Andouille Sausage, corn, and potatoes are the perfect complement to the seafood. Use real butter or use dairy-free butter for a dairy-free option! The ingredients for the seasoning are so versatile; I used this for my Shrimp and Clam Boil too!

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs. Dungeness crab (I used 2 for a total of 3.5 lbs.)

1 bulb garlic, minced (~12 cloves)

2 big red skin potatoes, cut into big cubes

1 big or 2 small ears of corn, cut in thirds or quarters

½ onion, skin peeled, ends cut, cut in half parallel to the ends (yellow onion or sweet onion)

2 small Andouille Sausages, sliced at a diagonal angle

2 ½ cups water

4 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 tbsp. peppercorn

3 bay leaves

4 tbsp. butter (or diary-free butter)

1 tbsp. sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 orange, quartered

1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon (chicken)

Special Tools & more:

Large stock pot

Cut onion in half parallel to the ends

Use non-dairy butter for dairy-free option!

1. Boil potatoes. Want them to be softer than before, but not tender. After 2-3 mins, add corn. Cook potatoes & corn for ~3 mins.

2. Sauté sliced sausages on medium/high for ~2-3 or until browned.

3. Place large stock pot on the stove and turn heat on medium low. Add: water, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, peppercorn, bay leaves, butter, salt, pepper, sugar, sliced oranges, and Better Than Bouillon.

4. Turn heat to high and mix the pot.

5. When water boils, add: corn, crab, sausages, and onion. Crab does not need to be on bottom layer of everything, but ½ of the crab should touch the water.

6. Cover pot and cook 10 mins. over a medium boil.

7. Add potatoes, mix, and cover pot. Cook additional 5-8 mins. (the crab I used has a very thin and soft shell. If the crab you’re using has a thicker shell, may need to cook longer).

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Seafood Boil - Shrimp and Clam Boil

2017-03-03T17:48:00.000-07:00

Here is my recipe for shrimp and clam boil! I love the flavorful broth created from the Cajun seasoning, the natural sweet and tasty seafood, and the additional element of the Better than Bouillon. This recipe uses a shhhhh ton of garlic so yes, the broth is amazing! The Andouille Sausage and the potatoes perfectly complement the seafood. Use real butter or use dairy-free butter for a dairy-free option!

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. shrimp, deveined (~21/25)

4 lbs. clams

2 ears of corn, cut in thirds or quarters

2 big red-skin potatoes, cut into big cubes

½ onion, skin peeled, ends cut, cut in half parallel to the ends (yellow onion or sweet onion)

1 bulb garlic, minced (~12 cloves)

2 small Andouille Sausages, sliced at a diagonal angle

4 tbsp. butter (or diary-free butter)

4 tbsp. Cajun seasoning

1 orange, quartered

1 tsp. Better Than Bouillon (chicken)

2 cups water

2-3 bay leaves

1 tbsp. peppercorn

1 tbsp. sugar

Salt & Pepper to taste

Special tools, etc:

Large oven-safe roasting pan

Cut onion in half parallel to the ends

Non-dairy butter-- yes!!!

1. Boil potatoes. Want them to be a little soft, but not tender. After 2-3 mins, add corn. Cook potatoes & corn for ~3 mins.

2. Sauté sliced sausages on medium/high for ~2-3 or until browned.

3. Pre-heat oven to 430 degrees on broil.

* Not necessary, but useful: place roasting pan on top of stove for next few steps so the heat from the oven warms up the pan a little.

4. Place the following into the roasting pan: butter, browned sausages, shrimp, minced garlic, Better than Bouillon (tip: first mix it with a couple tbsp. of hot water from the potatoes to help dissolve), corn, bay leaves, peppercorn, Cajun seasoning, sliced orange, sugar, salt & pepper to taste, water, and the half-onion.

5. Mix everything together to evenly coat everything.

6. Cook in oven for 10 mins. Can add potatoes now rather than later, if potatoes are not too tender or well done.

7. After the 10 mins, potatoes and clam. Carefully mix.

8. Cook for additional ~12 mins or until shrimp & clam are cooked, and potatoes and corn are tender.

Enjoy!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

How to Cook Oysters- In the Oven

2017-01-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

What do you do when oysters are $0.58 each at your local grocery store?

You eat them on the weekly, of course!

I grew up on New England seafood and I LOVE seafood. I can't get NE seafood in Utah, so when fresh seafood is available and at a reasonable price here, I don't let them swim away :)

Here is how I prep, cook, and eat oysters in the shell. Don't be intimidated by the shell; you don't need anything you don't already have in your kitchen to prep/cook/open/eat them. It's super easy! My recipe for cooking oysters in the oven:

Ingredients & tools:

- oysters in shell (as many as you can eat!)

- oven-safe pans/sheets

- toothbrush (recommended)

- aluminum foil (optional)
- metal fork/butter knife or oyster shucking knife (http://amzn.to/2jRIPiC) * Amazon affliate link

- salt, pepper, lime, hot sauce (all optional)

1. Preheat oven

425 degrees on broil

2. Wash & scrub the oysters

Wash in water. Using a toothbrush, scrub oysters individually under water/running water to remove as much sand as possible. The more sand you remove, the less sand there will be when you open and eat them. So, scrub, scrub, scrub away.

3. Place oysters in oven-safe pan/cookie sheet(s)

My preference: cookie sheets. Tip: line cookie sheets with aluminum foil to make the aftermath easier to clean. Important: place each oyster down strategically to retain as much juice as possible. Think of oyster as a bowl filled with water. Place right-side up to keep water in; place upside down and water spills out.

4. Cook oysters 7-12 mins

If cooking with two cookie sheets, place side-by-side in oven (if possible) to ensure even cooking. Cooking time depends on how big oysters are, number of oysters, placement in oven (longer if using both racks in the oven-- add 5+ mins), and your preference for how well done you like them.

5. Open oysters
The heat naturally separates the two shells when oysters are cooked. Look for a crack between the two shells, stick oyster shucking knife (or metal butter knife/fork), and pry open. Careful not to tilt too much so the juice is retained. Some open effortlessly while some are a bit stubborn. Since they're so hot, use a paper towel to handle. Oyster shucking knife I have: http://amzn.to/2jRIPiC

6. Season/dip, and devour
My absolute fave sauce for seafood: salt, pepper, and lime. My friend introduced me to pairing hot sauce with oysters-- I'm a fan. He uses Tabasco but we are Tapatio lovers so we always have some on hand.

Watch a demo of this recipe on my YouTube channel and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

Note: Amazon links are affiliate links.

♥ Yen

Oreo Rice Krispie Treats (With Dairy-Free Option)

2016-11-27T21:55:00.002-07:00

Here is my Oreo Rice Krispie Treats recipe (with a dairy-free option) that I promised I would share in my previous video—Kitchen Hacks Ep. 2. This Oreo no-bake dessert is easy to make and doesn’t require much prep, heat, or cool-down time. The dairy-free option makes it a wonderful dairy-free dessert for those who cannot or choose not to have dairy; it’s a delightful dessert with or without dairy!

Ingredients

Ingredients:

- 7 cups rice krispies cereal

- 50 pieces of marshmallow (75% of a 16oz bag)

- 20 Oreo cookies, crème removed & finely crushed

- ¼ cup butter (vegan butter for the dairy-free option)

Tools & more:

- big pot

- rubber spatula

- 9x9 baking pan (a little bigger for shorter bars)

- butter or cooking spray

1. Put butter in pot & turn heat to medium/high to “warm up” the stove.

2. When half of the butter has melted, lower heat to low/medium and add in marshmallow.

3. Stir occasionally to assist the marshmallow in melting—also to prevent sticking/burning, which should not happen if heat is on low.

4. After marshmallow has melted, turn off stove & mix in rice krispies cereal one-third of the batch at a time (easier to work with).

5. Mix in the Oreo crumbs one-third of the batch at a time.

6. Using either butter or cooking spray, grease the sides and bottom of the baking pan.

7. Gently spread Oreo Rice Krispie Treats into the pan. Use wax paper to help level the top if needed.

8. Cover to cool & cut into smaller pieces.

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

Enjoy!

♥ Yen

Kitchen Hacks Ep. 2

2016-11-12T00:04:00.001-07:00

Hello! Hope you enjoyed Kitchen Hacks Ep. 1. If you missed it, you can see it à here ß

Today we have Kitchen Hacks Ep. 2. Enjoy!

Hack #1: How to make any dairy recipe be dairy-free (if butter is the only dairy ingredient)

I bake a lot. I have a major sweet and I like my sweet treats. The best kind of dairy-free desserts are the kind that do not taste like they are dairy-free. Want to know my secret how I turn any dairy recipe (given that butter is the only dairy ingredient) into a dairy-free recipe AND have it still taste as if there is actual butter in there? Are you ready because this is a total game changer: vegan butter.

I use the Smart Balance brand as well as the Earth Balance brand and they both work wonders. After discovering vegan butter, it has become a staple in my kitchen because, for the record, I bake a lot. If you can have dairy, but you’re just looking for a healthier alternative, this is the stuff. If you can’t have dairy, you must try this stuff! And if you know anyone who cannot have dairy, share this info with them and they will be so grateful. Examples of baked treats using vegan butter:

Ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies

Soft & chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Hack#2: How to keep brown sugar soft & fluffy

Rachael Ray uses something ~$5.00 which I have seen at Bed Bath & Beyond. I have heard a slice of bread works, but bread has a short-term expiration. I’ve got a much cheaper and yummier trick: marshmallows. Cheaper because I usually buy a big bag in 16oz because I like making rice krispy treats with them. Yummy because, well, you use marshmallows to make rice krispy treats!

This trick works so well, I’ve had this batch of brown sugar in the container for 3+ weeks now and things are looking soft and fluffy (I use 4-5 big marshmallows for this container). If and when you find that the brown sugar is hardening, simply replace the old marshmallows with new ones and it should fluff things up again within the next day.

Speaking of rice krispy treats, I have become obsessed with Oreo Rice Krispy Treats. I don’t have many baking recipes because baking is a science and I’m not a scientist, but Oreo Rice Krispy Treats do not require baking, therefore I can do my own thang. The recipe will be coming soon J

Hack #3: How to keep sliced apples from browning

Step 1- fill a big bowl with water

Step 2- 40% of the world’s population says mix in vinegar. Don’t worry, you won’t taste the vinegar, they say… perhaps if you fancy the taste of vinegar then you won’t notice it. If there’s an alternative, let’s look into that, shall we? Another 40% of the world’s population says to mix in lemon juice. I love lemons, and I love citrus, but I don’t always have either in my kitchen at all times. The remaining 20% of the world’s population (where I fall in) says mix salt into the water* Salt—now that’s a kitchen staple that I always have! Salt enhances flavor, which is why it is mixed into baking sweet desserts. I actually prefer apples with a hint of salt, so this is perfect. How much salt to mix in, you wonder? Enough so the water tastes "salty." I know this is ambiguous so for guidance, try 1 tsp of salt to 3 cups of water.

* Disclosure: the above figures are totally arbitrary.

Step 3- slice apples and let them bathe in the salty water for 1-2 mins.

Step 4- throw them in the fridge to keep longer. I like to take these as grab-and-go snacks or I’ll have it along with my breakfast, so I throw them in zip lock bags.

To show how well this trick works, the apples in the picture below have been sliced and processed by the above steps for 18+ hours. They are only a tiny, tiny, tiny bit brown but considering they were out on the counter for a while as I was filming, this trick really does the job.

Watch a demo of the hacks and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

I’m Back! Kitchen Hacks Ep. 1

2016-10-12T14:57:00.002-06:00

Hello! I am back! To fill you in on the major life events during my long hiatus:

- I got engaged (to my college sweetheart)

- I got married (to the same guy, of course)

- We brought a house (hence the new kitchen)

- We have a baby boy!

- I started a mommy/family YouTube channel (TheChoreans)

- Baby Ethan has a blog (Ethan the Chorean)

Ethan just turned three-months old recently and he has been keeping us busy but also very entertained. You can see my labor and delivery story here.

I am back to do videos and blog posts for my LetsGetCookinggg Blog and YouTube Channel. I want to do a series on kitchen hacks— tips and tricks related to cooking, baking, kitchen, and food. Here is episode 1 of the Kitchen Hacks series!

Hack #1: How to cool your whole house down after using the bake, broil, or convect feature on your oven

I bake a lot. While baking and after using the oven, the kitchen and the whole house rises 20 degrees warmer. No big deal for the winter time, but definitely a problem during the summer—ya know what I’m sayin’? To expedite the cooling process, after turning your oven off, fill an oven-safe pot, pan, or bowl with cold water and place it in the oven. Let it do its magic and absorb all the hot air. Bam!

Hack #2: How to easily loosen and open jars

Some jars you can open effortlessly and some jars feel like you need the Hulk to help. Well, worry no more. Simply take a metal utensil (spoons work best) and whack around the lid a few times. Bam!

Hack #3: How to prevent a cutting board from slipping & sliding

Some cutting boards are designed to be anti-slip; most cutting boards do slip and slide. To help keep your cutting board from moving around so much, take a paper towel or kitchen rag, wet it, and place it under your cutting board. Bam! Now you can use it worry-free to cut heavy-duty items like pineapples. Speaking of cutting pineapples, if you haven’t seen my How to Cut a Pineapple Method 1 and Method 2 posts, be sure to check those out.

Thank you to all for being patient and hanging around while I was on my break. If you are new here, please visit often—you can also subscribe to my blog with your email under the “Subscribe to Blog by Email” box on the right. Watch a demo of the hacks and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Blooper Reel: Part 2 of Many More to Come

2012-11-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Turkey Day! Hope your tummy is satisfied with a lot of yummy food-- I know mine is :)

Blooper Reel: Part 2 of Many More to Come is now up! Enjoy and subscribe :)

P.S. If you haven't seen Blooper Reel: Part 1 of Many More to Come, you can watch it here!

♥ Yen

Bok Choy Stir Fry -- Baby Bok Choy

2012-11-05T23:50:00.003-07:00

What's a simple, healthy, and delicious dish that only takes 4-5 minutes to cook? Stir-fried bok choy. Or stir-fried baby bok choy. I usually have my meals with a meat dish, and a veggie dish. It gives me the perfect balance where I can enjoy every aspect of the meal. Here's my stir-fried baby bok choy recipe!

Base: Bok choy (I had 1.15 lbs.)
Flavor: 3 gloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
2-3 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 tbsp. rice cooking wine
Mix-- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce, 2 tsp. water, 1/4 tsp. corn starch
Heat: Stir fry

1. Wash bok choy
- Thoroughly wash the bok choy and remove any bruised areas.

2. Strain bok choy
- Remove as much water as possible to prepare it for stir frying.

3. Brown garlic
- When wok/pan and oil are warm and ready, lightly brown garlic on medium heat.

4. Add bok choy
- Stir fry on medium-high heat for ~2 minutes.

5. Season
- Add salt to taste and mix well.
- Add rice cooking wine and mix well.
- Add oyster sauce, water, and corn starch mixture, and simultaneously mix bok choy.
- Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness.

* Notes: if you are using regular bok choy (not baby bok choy), it may be worth your while to cut the bok choy into smaller pieces. You may even want to separate the leaves from the stem, and cook the stem before cooking the leaves together, as the stem takes a longer time to cook. Also, during the stir-fry process, you may, or may not find it necessary to add more oil and/or water. You do want to make sure you strain the bok choy well after washing to remove as much water as possible. If you have too much water, you can add a little more corn starch (and possibly oyster sauce for more flavor). However, stir-fried bok choy is not a dish with a thick sauce, so keep that in mind. And as always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to adjust to your personal preference-- add more or less garlic if you like, add more or less oyster sauce if you like. Whatever you do, just make sure you have fun in your kitchen.

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Blooper Reel: Part 1 of Many More to Come

2012-10-31T14:55:00.003-06:00

Trick or Treat!

I don't have any treats to transport to you, and I don't want to trick you either, so I thought I would share a few bloopers. It may not be the conventional treat that you usually anticipate on Halloween, but I'm not a very conventional person either :) I shared these bloopers with my baby nephew, and boy did he get quite a kick out of it (you'll see his reaction in the video).

Hope everyone has a very fun and safe Halloween!

♥ Yen

Poor Man's Jack-O'-Lantern

2012-10-27T19:25:00.001-06:00

I had extra bell peppers in the fridge and I had no intention of using them anytime soon. They were starting to age so I knew I had to do something with them asap. I recently got two pumpkins, and juxtaposing them against the bell peppers gave me the idea to carve the bell peppers! From there, I thought what a wonderful idea it would be to use them to serve other fruits and veggies!

After washing the bell peppers, I cut off the uneven bottom so they can stand on a flat surface. I also cut the top to make the lid. I then emptied the seeds and stuffed one with carrot sticks, one with celery sticks, and one with grapes. They are super cute, fun, colorful, and decorative. It makes an impressive veggie tray to serve your guests at a Halloween party. Kids will love these because kids love cute stuff. I love cute stuff too, and when I see veggies and fruits presented in a cute serving dish, I will want to eat more fruits and veggies-- I'm totally a big kid :)

To demonstrate its versatility, I emptied the contents of the pumpkins-- I mean bell peppers, and placed a battery operated tea-light candle inside each of them. My boyfriend named them "Poor Man's Jack-O'-Lantern."

Watch a demo of this tutorial and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

How to Cut a Pineapple -- Method 2

2012-10-21T22:29:00.000-06:00

In my previous post How to Cut a Pineapple -- Method 1, I mentioned that one can "eat more vitamin C" by eating more pineapples. I shared one method that I use when I cut pineapples, and I promised to share a second method that I like to use. Well, here is method # 2!

1. Lay the pineapple on its side and cut off the top and bottom
- Tip: using the tip of your knife, pierce into the rough and thick skin, then cut through the slit.

2. Stand pineapple right-side up and cut into quarters, lengthwise

3. From each of the 4 sections, cut off core, lenghtwise

4. Cut into chunks
- Working with one section at a time (with skin facing down), cut along the middle of the length, careful not to cut through the skin.
- Next, make ~ 1/2 inch cuts (bigger or smaller if you like) along the width-- again careful not to cut through the skin.
-Next, separate meat from skin by cutting into the length horizontally.

5. (Optional) Soak in salted water
- Pineapples are super sweet but also slimy, tart, and tangy. To remove the smile, tart, and tang, soak pineapple chunks in a big bowl filled with water and ~ 1 tsp. salt for ~ 1 minute. It's that easy! You can enjoy super sweet pineapples without the excessive slime, tart, and tang :)

Plate and serve!

* Notes: this method is less time consuming compared to method one, since you don't need to put much effort into removing the spiky parts that's attached to the skin and outer meat of the pineapple. However, to make that possible and effective, you might waste a little more fruit compared to method one, since you do need to cut off more meat with the skin. Of course, there are other methods, too, including a pineapple corer. The pineapple corer is a double-duty tool that also separates the pineapple meat from the skin. Its downside: it doesn't take into consideration the different sizes of pineapples, thus wasting more fruit on bigger sized pineapples. In addition, most of us do not already own a pineapple corer, but most of us do own knives, so we don't need to purchase any new tools to cut a pineapple. I say go with whichever method you find most convenient, easiest, and comfortable. If you are interested in a pineapple corer, $9-$10 should be a sufficient investment.

Amazon.com Widgets

Disclaimer: the product link on this page is an Amazon affiliate link.

Watch a demo of this tutorial and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

How to Cut a Pineapple -- Method 1

2012-10-18T19:59:00.000-06:00

Flu season is forthcoming... uh oh. We are approaching that time of the year when everyone is advising each other to "eat more vitamin C" either because they themselves are sick, getting sick, or the people around them are sick. So, how do you "eat more vitamin C?" Well, there are many ways, and eating pineapples is one such way. Fresh pineapples are so sweet and delicious. Although they are sweet, they are also tart and tangy, but don't worry, I will show you how to treat the excessive tart and tangy so nothing is left but pure sweetness. Here is one method that I use to cut pineapples:

1. Lay the pineapple on its side and cut off the top and the bottom
- Tip: using the tip of your knife, pierce into the rough and thick skin, then cut through the slit.

2. Stand the pineapple right-side up and cut off the skin in vertical cuts
- Tip: to prevent wasting too much fruit, don't cut too thick into the skin and flesh.

3. Remove the spikes
- Tip: look for diagonal formations in the spikes and cut them out in diagonal strips.
- After locating a diagonal formation, from the bottom of that diagonal strip, cut in an upward-slanted motion.
- From the top of the same diagonal strip, cut in a downward-slanted motion.
- Repeat throughout.

4. Cut pineapple into quarters, lengthwise

5. Cut out core (lengthwise) from each quartered section

6. Cut pineapple into slices
- Cut into the slits where the diagonal cuts were made earlier.

7. (Optional) Soak pineapple in water + salt for ~ 1 minute
- Pineapples are sweet yet super tart and tangy. As you cut a pineapple, you will feel a lot of slime to it. That slime is extreme tart and tang; I like tart and tang, but not to this extreme.
- Secret: the tart and tang can be easily treated by soaking the pineapple slices in a big bowl of water and ~ 1 tsp. salt for ~ 1 minute.

* Notes: this method of cutting a pineapple is perfect if you are going for pineapple slices. If you prefer to cut pineapples differently, I will be sharing another method that I use-- blog + video up in a few days. Stay tuned, eat more pineapples, and eat more vitamin C!

Watch a demo of this tutorial and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Updated Giveaway Winner Announcement + Meet My Nephew

2012-10-18T19:43:00.001-06:00

Just a little short message...

Due to personal reasons, the winner of the giveaway has kindly informed me that she is not able to receive the giveaway prize. For this reason, a new winner has been selected. Watch the video to see who the new winner is! P.S. there's also a cute baby in the video-- it's my cute little nephew :)

♥ Yen

Coleslaw -- Easy and Delicious Coleslaw

2012-10-13T22:48:00.003-06:00

When I think coleslaw, three vital ingredients come to mind: cabbage, carrots, and mayo. The rest of the ingredients are all extra and deemed necessary or trivial depending on your personal preference. Here's my recipe for a foolproof coleslaw that goes well with anything that coleslaw goes well with :)

Base:    1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
            2 carrots, julienned
              3 heaping tbsp. mayo
Flavor: 1/2 tsp. celery seed
             1/2 lemon, juiced
   1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
   1 tbsp. sugar
salt & pepper to taste
Heat:   N/A (easy stuff!)

1. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, and celery seed

2. In a small bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper
- Mix well to combine.

3. Add coleslaw dressing from small bowl to large bowl with cabbage, carrots, and celery seeds
- Mix well to combine.
- For best results, chill at least 15 minutes before serving.

* Notes: Since I used mayo with olive oil and cracked pepper, I didn't add any extra pepper that I otherwise would have if I used regular mayo. And as always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to adjust to your personal preference. You may like to cut your cabbage into thinner or thicker slices-- both of which are totally acceptable. Whatever you do, just make sure you have fun in your kitchen.

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Announcements (Giveaway Winner Revealed)

2012-10-09T23:12:00.003-06:00

I have two announcements to share. First, the giveaway winner has been selected by random.org. Thank you to all for entering the giveaway and supporting my channel, videos, blog, etc,. I am very grateful for all of your support and I appreciate ya-- lots :) Click here to see who the lucky winner is!

I wish I could share the prizes with all of you, but that's a topic we'll have to revisit when I become a millionaire one day. In the meantime, if you want/need to stock up on some kitchen seasonings and spices, they are conveniently found in most grocery stores and health food stores. If you are searching for a storage for your spices, I recommend the super cute and practical KitchenArt Auto Measure Spice Carousel. If you are particular about precise measuring, this is perfect for you. It also makes a lovely gift :)

If you are looking for disposable kitchen gloves because for the record, they make life in the kitchen so much easier, consider stocking a box full.

If you love Hello Pandas, or if you would like to try some Hello Pandas, they can be found at most Asian supermarkets, or on Amazon.

Amazon.com Widgets

Disclaimer: the product link on this page is an Amazon affiliate link.

Second, I would like to announce something new that I will be introducing to my channel. I try to keep my cooking videos short, but in the process of achieving that goal I have to skip through a lot of crucial steps, tips, tricks, etc, that I want to share, but cannot share due to time constraints. For this reason, in addition to my regular cooking videos, I will also be filming and uploading mini-videos that share these crucial steps, tips, tricks, etc. The ambiguity might seem a little confusing, but it will all make sense once everything is in place.

Have a fabulous day, and be sure to see if you are the winner if you haven't seen the video yet.

♥ Yen

Sweet Pulled Pork -- Cafe Rio Inspired Sweet Barbacoa Pork

2012-10-08T22:34:00.000-06:00

If you live in an area where Cafe Rio is present, you may very well be familiar with its award-winning sweet barbacoa pork. I happen to be obsessed with it. A few years ago, after learning that Cafe Rio uses Coca Cola or Dr Pepper to make the sweet pork, I became so fascinated with that idea. Since that discovery, pork + Dr Pepper + crock-pot has become a popular combination in my kitchen. Here's how I do it:

Base:    7 lbs. pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 12-14 pieces
   1 liter Dr Pepper or "imitation Dr Pepper" (85% for cooking, 15% to serve on the rocks)
Flavor: 1 medium-large onion, sliced
   4-5 cloves garlic, minced
   1 jalapeno, sliced
   salt and pepper to taste
             sweet barbeque sauce for serving (recipes follows)
Heat:   slow cooker (Crock-Pot)

1. Preheat the slow cooker on high
- Tip: I like to add an inch of liquid to the pot-- in this case, an inch of soda.

2. Lightly brown all sides of pork
- Lightly season all sides of each piece of pork with salt and pepper.
- Working with 3-4 pieces of pork at a time, lightly brown all sides of the pork (3-4 mins each batch).
- Add oil as necessary, but should only need it for the first batch.
- Gently drop lightly-browned pork pieces into the crock pot.

3. Saute onions and garlic
- In the same pan, with a little oil, saute onions and garlic.

4. Add Dr Pepper or Dr Shasha or Coca Cola
- Tip: when adding a hefty amount of cold or room-temperature-warm liquid to a hot pan/pot, slowly stream liquid down along the sides of the pan. The liquid will already be warm when it reaches the bottom of the pan, thus take a shorter time to fully heat up.
- Heat on high until just boiling.

5. Add jalapenos
- Tip: after adding jalapenos, immediately turn off the heat, and immediately pour mixture into the crock-pot. Otherwise, the heat in the jalapenos will electrify and the overwhelming spicy aroma will linger and you will be breathing in jalapeno pollutants :)

6. Let the crock-pot cook on high for a minimum of 4 hours
- 5 hours is usually ideal for me.

7. Shred pork and serve with sweet barbeque sauce (recipe follows)
- Use a fork or two to shred all the pork.
- Tip: you may want to weed out any excessively fatty pieces.

This sweet pulled pork can be served in many different ways. Like Cafe Rio, you can have it in a salad, burrito, taco, enchilada, etc,. You can certainly try having it in a sandwich with home made coleslaw. It may not sound as good as it tastes, but I love it because it tastes great! Coleslaw has mayo... sandwich + mayo, great combo. The green cabbage in coleslaw is like lettuce... sandwich + mayo + lettuce, great combo. I will be posting a video & blog on my home made coleslaw soon, so stay tuned for that :)

* Notes: this recipe is very forgiving. Keeping all other variables constant, you can use 6 lbs. or 8 lbs. of pork and the end results will not be compromised. Likewise, you can use 75% or 100% of the one-liter of soda and the end results will not be compromised. As always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to adjust to your personal preferences. Just don't deviate too much-- foregoing the sweet barbeque sauce will not result in the same great taste, but that's just my opinion :) Whatever you do, just make sure you have fun in your kitchen.

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

Sweet Barbeque Sauce:

- 1 cup juice from crock pot, strained to remove garlic, onion, jalapeno, and pork bits
- 1/3 cup water
- 5 tbsp. brown sugar, not firmly packed
- 5 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. ketchup
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. yellow mustard
- a few pinches of cayenne
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2-3 tbsp. corn starch

1. Combine all ingredients over low heat in a small-medium saucepan

2. Thicken with corn starch
- Turn heat to medium-low.
- Combine corn starch with a few spoons of water.
- Slowly pour in cornstarch, a little at a time, while simultaneously stirring the sauce.
- Pour & mix until it reaches your desired level of thickness.
- Tip: avoid using too much corn starch as sauce will thicken itself a little more as it cools.

Enjoy!

♥ Yen

Stir Fried Ong Choy -- aka Rau Muong (Asian Water Spinach)

2012-10-02T22:28:00.004-06:00

In the Chinese culture, leafy greens, choy, is highly consumed and greatly appreciated. Perhaps the most widely known kind is "bok choy." Bok choy's presence in both Asian and non-Asian supermarkets gives it the most exposure to a variety of cultures. Bok choy may be the most popular kind, but it is certainly not the only kind. There are countless kinds of choy; some look a lot alike, some look vastly different. Some are stalky; some are stubby. I want to spotlight a more unfamiliar kind of choy outside of the Chinese/Asian culture: ong choy (aka rau muong in the Vietnamese culture). Ong choy is definitely one of my favorite kinds of choy. It is less bitter compared to its counterparts, which makes it an excellent candidate as an addition to various dishes, or as a side/dish on its own. When served on its own, my family and I enjoy stir frying it. It's easy to make, and tastes delicious. Here's the deal:

Base:    1 bunch of Ong Choy (found in most Chinese and Vietnamese supermarkets)

Flavor: 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
             salt and fish sauce to taste
   1-2 tbsp. rice cooking wine (white cooking wine)
             1-3 Thai Chili Peppers, sliced
             oil to stir fry
Heat:    Stir Fry

1. Cut off 1 inch from the ends of the choy stems
- Tip: to save time and energy, trim in a bundle and tackle the entire bunch in just one chop.

2. Seperate leaves from stems
- Absolutely not necessary, but highly recommended. The thick stems require a longer cooking time than the delicate leaves. Since I prefer my veggies tender, this is pretty much a necessary step for me.

- Tip: keep an eye out for browned and/or bitten areas and cut those off.

3. Soak, rinse, and dry
- To thoroughly clean choy, soak in water and change out the water 2-3 times.
- Tip: after soaking and rinsing, place content in a big colander to drip excess water.

4. Lightly brown garlic
- When oil & wok/pan is warm and ready, lightly brown garlic on medium heat.

5. Add stems
- On medium high - high heat, add stems and stir fry 1-1 1/2 minutes.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Add water if necessary (1 tbsp. throughout the stir fry process should be more than sufficient).

6. Add leaves
- It will look like an ong choy mountain, but it will shrink into the smallest bunny slope as it cooks.
- Stir fry and rotate top and bottom parts for even cooking.

7. Flavor
- After choy reduces, add rice cooking wine.
- Also add salt and fish sauce to taste.
- Stir fry an addition 1-2 minutes, more or less depending on your desired level of tenderness.
- Add Thai Chili Pepper and stir to combine.

Ta da! Ready to serve. Tastes great with rice, and makes the perfect side dish to complement other Asian dishes. Or, you can always have it as the only dish with your meal.

* Notes: as always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to reflect your personal preferences. I listed 1 - 3 Thai Chili Peppers so you can chose your level of spiciness. Fish sauce is very strong and pungent. I only add a splash of it for another dimension of flavor. You may omit it, or you may double it, all depending on your personal preferences. Enjoy and make sure you have fun in your kitchen!

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Thai Iced Tea With Boba (Thai Bubble Tea)

2012-09-27T00:09:00.003-06:00

Some things just really brighten up my day. Bubble tea's one of them (aka boba tea, aka pearl tea). They are such a fun drink, and frankly, the little black pearls serves as a big influence. They are highly overpriced, I'd say. But they are super easy to make, so let's make some Thai Bubble Tea together.

Base:    Thai Tea
              Boba (tapioca pearls)
Flavor: Condensed milk
             Sugar (optional)
Heat: Boil

1. Boil water and seep Thai tea leaves/bags
- Tip: just like any other type of iced tea, you will want to prepare a stronger brewing.

2. Let tea cool
- Tip: prepare step 1 ahead of time.

3. Cook tapioca pearls
- Refer to package instructions as a guide. Usually takes 5+ minutes to cook.

4. Drain tapioca pearls
- Tip: add sugar to the tapioca pearls, mix, and let cool.
- Tapioca pearls are bland. When sipped with sweetened tea concurrently, the sweetness in the tea will be undeniable, but it does not permeate into the pearls. By adding a little sugar to the pearls after cooking it in water, the sugar will dissolve into the pearls and give them a little lift in flavor-- not overpowering that they become candy-like, but subtle and just right.

5. Assemble iced tea
- Add tapioca pearls into glass of tea (amount contingent upon your liking).
- Add ice.
- Sweeten with condensed milk, 2-3 tbsp. more of less depending on your desired level of sweetness.
- Tip: if you want to avoid a condensed-milk heavy drink, add less condensed milk and incorporate sugar to the mixture.

6. Serve with a BIG boba appropriate straw for the full bubble tea experience!
- Oh yea, there's definitely a difference. My two-year-old nephew loves boba drinks. He loves catching boba in the big straws, and he gets so excited when he sips one in his mouth. He pauses, points to the his mouth and says "BOBA!" Fun stuff.

* Notes: this recipe is so forgiving, you can easily change any amount of the ingredients to adjust to your personal preferences. And as always, I encourage you to do so. Enjoy, and make sure you have fun in your kitchen!

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Shrimp Fried Rice

2012-09-20T21:25:00.001-06:00

Eggs are a sample in my fridge. I like to keep frozen peas and frozen shrimp on hand. Together, I can make shrimp fried rice on days when I have extra rice, or I want to make a easy and delicious meal, or just when I crave shrimp fried rice! It's a great way of always having a fall-back meal when grocery shopping is needed, but cannot be completed. Whenever I make shrimp fried rice as an impromptu meal, I may not always have onions available; although onions add more flavor, it tastes fine without it!

Base:     1/2 lb. shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
           Rice (cook 1 1/2 cups rice)
Flavor:   1/4 onion, diced
               2 large eggs, whisked
               1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
               Salt, pepper, and soy sauce to taste
               ~ 4 tbsp. oil, or as needed
Heat:    Stir Fry

1. Cook shrimp until 90% through in toaster oven
- Benefit: saves time. While the shrimp is cooking itself, work on the other stuff.

2. Saute onions in wok (or big frying pan) with ~ 3 tbsp. oil
- Medium-ish heat for ~ 1 minute is ideal.

3. Add rice
- Tip: increase heat by a notch or two to welcome the cold/room temperature rice.
- Tip: break up big clumps of rice with spatula to prevent big chucks of rice from sticking together.
- Stir fry for ~ 1-2 minutes, add oil if necessary.

4. Pour eggs into rice and stir!
- Tip: stir fry constantly if you want the eggs well incorporated into each grain of rice and achieve that "golden-rice" look.
- Stir fry until eggs are well incorporated, add oil as neccesary.

5. Add peas and shrimp
- How convenient! The shrimp is ready when everything else is ready for the shrimp! Thumbs up to multitasking :)

6. Flavor with soy sauce, salt, and pepper
- More soy sauce and salt if you like it salty; less if you don't want to be friends with sodium.
- Tip: if you are trying to achieve that "golden-rice" look, compensate extra salt for less soy sauce, as the dark color of soy sauce deters a golden finished look.
- Stir fry until flavors are all incorporated, and the peas and shrimp are cooked through.

- Optional: garnish with Sriracha (Asian hot sauce).

- Tip: if portion control is a virtue of yours, and you have leftovers for the next day, add a small splash of water over the rice before reheating. The fried rice gradually looses moisture and will become more dry the next day. Adding a small splash of water while reheating will ensure the same fresh taste as it was yesterday.

* Notes: avoid using soggy or even slightly soggy rice (it will get mushier and stickier as you stir fry). With that said, it's best to use rice cooked with just enough water (not perfect, just not remotely soggy). Left over rice is a good option, and a good way to make use of it. Freshly cooked rice is also a good option, but make sure that it has been cooled down before stir frying. Because life's not always perfect, if the rice that you are using happens to be slightly soggy, use a little extra oil while stir frying, and aim to stir fry for a shorter amount of time.

As always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to reflect your personal perferences. The amount of shrimp I use is signficantly more generous compared to the amount given when you order out-- you may add more or less to satisfy your liking. If you don't like or don't have onions, substitute a clove of minced garlic, or omit the onions and/or garlic! Just don't deviate too much-- neglecting to thaw the frozen peas will result in a hot fried rice dish with cold peas! Whatever you do, make sure you have fun in the kitchen!

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everthing is served with love.

♥ Yen

100 Subscriber Giveaway!

2012-09-16T17:46:00.001-06:00

How can I thank you enough? I started my YouTube channel (LetsGetCookinggg) to share what I know best and what I love dearly with everyone: food and cooking. I love to eat, and I love to cook. I eat a lot, and I cook a lot. Basically, my life revolves around food. I wanted to share what I have learned about food and cooking with beginner cooks to demonstrate how easy it is to cook, and hopefully help advanced cooks discover new tricks/tips/suggestions. And for those who don't cook, a chance to see how food can be cooked, or just watch me look silly on camera :)

Every time I have a new subscriber, it makes me happy and all giddily inside to know that a new person is following and supporting my videos. I also appreciate it when my viewers take the time to comment on my videos, thumbs up my videos, favorite my videos, etc,. I recently reached 100 subscribers and I feel so grateful for all of your support! It has been an incredible experience connecting with everyone from a diverse background and from all over the world! Thank you for this opportunity!

As a token of my gratitude, I would like to offer a giveaway. I want to give something thoughtful, something useful, something I love, and something everyone (or almost everyone) can relate with. A few things fit my demanding requirements:

1. Seasoning & Spices. If you are new to cooking, what a nice start up collection this would make! If you already have a collection, you can be ready to restock when the time comes. If you don't cook, you can gift this to the person who cooks for you wink * wink ;) I use all of these in my kitchen, and they are my favorites. I have a couple of other favorites but the store ran out of them. I brought these from Sprout's Farmer's Market (formerly Sunflower Farmer's Market). They have multiple sets of product ID #s for each seasoning/sprices, and I happened to guessed the wrong set. Oops! The products were in no way effected by my boo boo, except for the labels on each of the seasoning/spices-- they have 2 sets of product ID #s, one of which were crossed out by me and the cashier. It didn't look so neat or pretty anymore, so I covered the wrong product ID #s with stickers. That is why there are random stickers that say: WOW, Fantastic, Terrific, Way to Go, Cool, etc,. Just so ya know :)

2. Plastic gloves. I constantly talk about how awesome plastic gloves are around the kitchen. I thought I would throw in a pack of those too.

3. Hello Pandas. I have a super sweet tooth. My boyfriend says that's an understatement, it's more like a super sweet mouth. Anywho, I like to share what I love, and 90% of the time when I give a present, I always add a sweet treat on the side. It's like my signature gesture; a gift without sugar on the side is not a gift from Yen. So that explains the Hello Panda snacks :)

Giveaway rules:

1. Must be a subscriber to my YouTube channel. If you are not yet a subscriber, subscribe now!
2. Must be 18 or older, or have parent's permission
3. Like my facebook page: www.facebook.com/LetsGetCookinggg
- or follow my blog: LetsGetCookinggg.blogspot.com
- completing one of the two will grant you 1 entry, completing both will gain you 2 entries
4. Comment on my giveaway video and let me know if you have liked my facebook page, followed my blog, or both, and include your user name for each.
5. Giveaway is open to everyone! As long as the United States Postal Services (USPS) will ship it to you, I will have it shipped to you!
6. Giveaway ends October 8, 2012 @ 12AM EST.
7. Winner will be randomly selected by random.org.
8. Winner will be notified via personal message from my YouTube username: LetsGetCookinggg. Winner will have 1 week to respond or else a new winner will be chosen.

Good luck! I wish everyone can win, but last time I checked, I'm not a millionaire... yet. Someday? Again, thank you so much for all of your support! It means a lot to me, and I appreciate you all!

♥ Yen

Chicken Kabobs

2012-09-10T23:39:00.001-06:00

I shared my Tzatziki (White Yogurt Sauce) recipe in a previous post. You know what goes great with it? Chicken Kabobs (Chicken Skewers, Chicken Souvlaki, etc). Here's how I make it!

Base:   6 skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
              2 zucchinis, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (smaller or bigger depending on your personal perference)
              2 yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (smaller or bigger depending on your personal perference)
              1/2 onion, cut into 1/2-inch squares (smaller or bigger depending on your personal perfernece)
Flavor: 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
             1 tsp. oregano
             1/2 tsp. ground thyme
            Salt and pepper to taste
              1 tbsp. oil
Heat:   Grill

1. Soak skewers
- Tip: submerge skewers in water for 30+ minutes to prevent skewers from burning on the grill.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix
- Tip: use a plastic glove so your bare hand(s) won't have to touch the raw and slimy chicken!

3. Assemble ingredients on skewers
- Have fun with it and assemble them in whatever order you desire.

4. Grill the food
- On medium-ish heat, cook covered for 3 minutes.
- Rotate, cover, and cook 3 minutes.
- Rotate, cover, and cook an additional 3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Suggestion: serve with pita, bread, or rice.
Suggestion: must try with Tzatziki Sauce. Try my Tzatziki recipe here

Have extra veggies? Cook them on the side, and lightly season with salt, pepper, and oil. Optional: add same seasoning used in the chicken mixture (these extra veggies were not mixed into the chicken).

* Notes: pre-assembled chicken kabobs are prevalent at most grocery stores. They offer the convenience of not having to do the prep work yourself. I agree that it's much easier to buy them already prepared, and only have to take care of the grilling part at home. However, whenever I see the pre-assembled chicken kabobs at stores, the discoloration of the meat and veggies make me wonder how long they have been sitting in the refridgerated display cases. On top of that, I can't recall ever seeing a customer buy them, which makes me wonder how long it takes to cycle out each pre-assembled batch. Home made ensures freshness and the flexibility to choose your own flavors and ingredients. Picture 1 reflects freshness. This is a dish where I would choose to do the prep work myself and forgo convenience for freshness.

* More Notes: I like my veggies tender. For that reason, I cut them smaller and thinner in comparsion to the size of the chicken. As always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to reflect your personal preferences. If you fancy 3 full onions for this recipe, please fulfill your tummy's desire. Just don't deviate too much-- neglecting to soak your skewers will result in very blackened or burnt skewers. Whatever you do, make sure you have fun in your kitchen!

Watch a demo of the recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Greek Festival

2012-09-07T16:49:00.000-06:00

I like to cook, but I also like to go out to eat. A lot! I want to share one of my highly anticipated events that only comes around once a year. It's the Greek Festival in Salt Lake City! I LOVE to go for the food-- of course, but I'm not the only one (the following pics were taken last year)...

The people sitting down already have their food, and the people standing up are waiting in the ridiciously long line to get their hands on some food. The view from my camera reflects the position where I was standing in line: very far away. The cooked food is situated behind the cluster of doors which seems so far away. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to create a portal and be transported through the doors instantaneously?

Getting closer...

There we are! Side note: this is exactly what I meant in my previous blog post-- there's never enough Tzatziki (White Yogurt Sauce) with your Greek food order. I want more than just a dollop! Check out my previous blog post here to see how you can make your own Tzatziki Sauce at home.

Can't forget about dessert. My boyfriend and I asked the cashier which three were her top three choices; the recommendations became our choice of dessert. We loved them all! I especially liked the Galotopita, with the custard filling and phyllo crust. Yum!

Upon the conclusion of last year's event, I've been waiting oh so patiently, and the Greek Festival is finally here again! Admission is $3 per person, but you can get a coupon for free admission here, brought to you by Zions Bank. Coupons are awesome. Free is awesome! The event is open September 6th-9th. I have not been yet, but there's no way I'll be missing out. I might even go twice like last year :) Enjoy!

♥ Yen

Tzatziki Sauce (White Yogurt Sauce)

2012-09-05T09:38:00.003-06:00

Is it just me, or does anyone else think you never get enough white yogurt sauce with your Greek food order (gyros, dolmathes, etc,)? I always have this problem. Therefore, when I make my own white yogurt sauce at home, I make lots of it! I also flavor it accordingly to make it my favorite white yogurt sauce ever. Funny thing, I rarely eat yogurt (except frozen yogurt), but I LOVE white yogurt sauce!

Pros: with the Greek yogurt I used, 1 serving (1 cup) yields 23 grams protein, 25% calcium, also completely natural-- no artificial preservatives or addidtives! I do not feel guilty eating lots of this sauce; I feel good eating lots of this sauce!

Base:     2 cups Greek yogurt (or plain non-Greek yogurt, see * Notes on bottom)
Flavor: 1/2  cup diced cucumber, seeded (optional: peeled)
              1/2  cup diced tomatoes, seeded
              salt and pepper to taste
              1 tsp. cumin
              1medium-sized glove garlic, minced
              1/2 lime
Heat:    N/A (easy stuff)

1. Combine Greek yogurt, cucumber, tomatoes, and garlic in a bowl
- Stir with a spoon or spatula.

2. Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and lime
- Tip: add a little at a time and taste as you go (because I'm a citrus girl, I used almost one whole lime, but 1/2 lime or a little more is probably sufficient for the normal person).

3. Strain sauce until ready to serve (or for next day)
* Tip: if using plain yogurt, do step 4 as step 1 and let strain over night.
- Open up a coffee filter and place it inside of a medium-mouth tall glass.
- Pull the circumference of the coffee filter up until at least 1 inch is raised above the rim of the glass.
- Fold the coffee filter down to line the outside rim of the glass.
- Wrap a rubber band around 1/2 inch down from the rim of the glass to secure the coffee filter in place.
- Spoon the prepared white yogurt sauce (or plain yogurt) into the coffee filter.
* Alternate method: use a fine sieve strainer in place of a coffee filter.

Serve with meats and/or veggies
- For best results: chill and let the flavors marry for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Goes great with gyros, dolmathes, soulvakis, veggies, meat, etc.

* Notes: Greek yogurt is not available at all grocery stores, and it's usually more costly. Suggestion: use plain non-Greek yogurt. I always use plain yogurt, but this time, I brought my yogurt from Costco and Costco only had Greek yogurt (I guess it makes it easier for me to prepare)! If you are using plain yogurt, strain your yogurt before proceeding with the first step in this recipe. Refer to step 4 on how to strain the yogurt. And as always, I encourage you to adjust any part(s) of this recipe to flavor it according to your personal perferences. Just don't deviate too much-- neglecting to strain your yogurt will result in very watery white yogurt sauce... not a very appetizing image! Whatever you do, just make sure you have fun in the kitchen!

Watch my video to view a demo of this recipe. Join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen

Don't Judge a Plum By the Color of Its Skin

2012-09-01T15:20:00.000-06:00

Plums are totally underrated. I admit, I use to underrate them myself. Then, things changed when I first devoured a farmer's market plum-- which did not happen until last year. In a previous post, I mentioned that I have become a crazy-canning lady. So crazy, I even started canning plum jam after I experienced a farmer's market plum last year.

This year, whoa, plums have jumped up a whole big notch in my book. At a recent farmer's market trip, I visited a stand that specializes in peaches-- they were delicious. After purchasing a small bucket of peaches, I was one heel turn away from booth hopping, when I overheard a conversation between the booth owner and a customer. The booth owner told the customer to take a look at the sliced-sample plums, and then a look at the whole plums. I looked, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

This is how the exterior of the plum looks: they fall harsh on the pale side. * Note: objects on camera may appear bigger than their actual size (the plums look like the size of a racket ball here, but they more accurately reflect the size of a ping pong ball).

This is how the interior of the plums look. If oranges are labeled blood oranges when the interior is highly pigmented, then I think these should be called blood plums... Ok, maybe not. Frankly, I don't quite favor the name "blood oranges." I don't recall ever trying them, and I don't think it'll be easy to after seeing its appearance on Dexter, episode after episode.

Anywho, the booth owner explained that they are Japanese plums. He said back in the day, they did not care about the color of the skin, thus the surface color doesn't look appealing. As you can see, the inside totally looks like it came from some other kind of plum with a beautiful outside.

These plums are so delicious, they are the best plums I've ever tasted. Sometimes I like to eat the skin, sometimes I don't. With these, definitely skin! Even when they are ripe they have a nice crisp bite to them. They are very juicy, very sweet, and very good tasting! I got a small container for $3.00. The pit is very small so you get a lot of meat to work with.

See, very small, and that's not even getting to the core of it yet! Moral of the story: don't be deceived by the outside of a plum if you haven't seen or tasted the inside: don't judge a plum by the color of its skin!

♥ Yen