Hi everyone!

Happy Monday. I hope you all are having a fabulous day. I just wanted to write a quick note and let you know that I have launched a new blog called “Heart Mind & Seoul” It’s mostly about Korea where I was born – their food, culture, people, and everything else in between. I’ll be posting many delicious recipes – not only Korean, but Asian and other favorite recipes as well. Please check it out and be sure to follow via Facebook to get updates.

HEART MIND & SEOUL

http://heartmindandseoul.com

Thank you,

Sook

Yesterday, I shared a graham cracker crust recipe for any types of cheesecakes. I had a chance to make a cheesecake for the first time for my husband’s birthday. It was a fun experience and I was surprised by how “easy” it was to make one. I was nervous because I hadn’t made it before and I thought I was going to mess it up. Making a cheesecake is a little time consuming, yes, but it was not too complicated and it was rather easy and simple to make it at home.

My husband said that he wanted something chocolaty with his favorite homemade caramel. I thought about how I could combine them two together… and then I thought, maybe I will layer the caramel on the bottom!

The caramel hardened just right on the bottom and it was seriously the highlight of the chocolate cheesecake. It went so wonderfully with the chocolate layer. My husband was a happy man when he tried his “birthday cake”.

I am a big fan of cheesecake… And yet, I had never made my own until my husband’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. My husband requested that I make a cheesecake for his birthday since he doesn’t like normal cakes much. I was a little nervous but it worked out well in the end. Today, I’d like to share a recipe for simple graham cracker crust. I think it is a great recipe to keep. Instead of buying a premade graham cracker crust at a store, make it at home. More fun. And tastier for sure.

Simple Graham Cracker Crust

What you will need:

1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

What you will do:

An easier way to grind graham crackers is to put the whole crackers in a ziplock bag and use a kitchen hammer to smash them finely. I used about 2 bags of whole graham crackers to make 1 1/2 cups.

See? The graham crackers are now finely ground.

Transfer the ground graham crackers in to a medium bowl.

Add the sugar and the melted butter and mix until well blended.

Butter a round pie pan or cake pan (depending on what you’re making with the crust) well using about a tablespoon butter.

Press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes. Cool. (If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for an hour.)

I started gardening shortly after we moved in to our new house. I planted several different kinds of veggies in my garden, including zucchini, bell pepeprs, chili peppers, tomatoes, basil, etc. It’s been a good year and I’ve been blessed with lots of good looking veggies. I’ve been picking a lot of zucchini lately. So I have been trying to make lots of zucchini dishes.

{Check out this huge zucchini from my garden!}

This recipe has been a favorite of mine for years now. It’s healthy, delicious, and filling. I dice my zucchini small, but if you prefer, you can grate it as well so the pancakes will be smooth. I like mine chunky.

I also like to make a dipping sauce for the pancakes. In Korea (where I’m from), we always make a dipping sauce for this type of vegetable pancakes. It’s just some soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds mixed together in a small bowl. I just love the combination. The recipe makes about 3-4 pancakes, so if you’re making it for a crowd, double or triple the recipe accordingly.

Shrimp is one of my favorite food in the world. I wish I could have shrimp more often – seriously, I do. I wish they weren’t so expensive. Where I grew up in Korea, fish and seafood weren’t so expensive… actually pretty cheap. We used to buy freshly caught fish all the time. I wish it was that easy to get fresh fish here in America. But oh well, for now, I am grateful for the seafood section at Costco. :)

This recipe is very simple – and only takes 20 minutes (or maybe even less) to cook it. I love the combination of garlic and butter. You can’t go wrong with that combo, really. I used about 2 tablespoons butter but you can use up to 1/4 cup. The shrimp was amazing with little pasta dish I made. I usually make the pasta dish with orzo but this time, I used Acini Di Pepe. Acini Di Pepe is very tiny and I usually use it in soups but I wanted to try and see if they would make a good substitute for orzo. And yes, they do! I am so excited to try more recipes with this type of pasta.

As many of you might already know, I adore slow cooker recipes. I usually get my crockpot out during winters, but this time, I got it out early… because my husband requested that I make some pulled chicken again. I made this pulled chicken last year and it was a hit! It tasted great and yes, it’s got significantly lower calories than pulled pork. Since my husband liked it enough to request another pulled chicken dinner again, I decided to try a new slow cooker pulled chicken recipe.

This recipe was another tasty recipe that I made using chicken instead of pork. You can definitely replace chicken with pork, if you prefer. I actually prefer chicken to pork. I’ve never been a pork person, really. I mean, I do eat pork occasionally if it’s cooked in certain ways. I love that chicken falls apart when you cook it in slow cooker. So easy to pull it apart. All you need is a fork (maybe two but one is just fine, it’s that easy to pull it apart). The chicken literally falls apart at the touch of a fork. The bbq sauce went really well with the chicken. Grill the buns and enjoy the yummy flavors!

Hello! So last night when I was out with my husband and kids, I said, “Oh man, this week is going so slow… It’s only Wednesday!” Then my husband said, “It’s not Wednesday… It’s Thursday!” Oh how happy I felt. This week has been a bit boring for me, especially since I just got back from taking a week long vacation to Southern California. We had so much fun there at the beach, bonfires, horseback riding, etc. Now, we’re back at our place, “enjoying” the heat.

Today, I just wanted to share a healthy lunch (or dinner) idea with you all. I’ve been trying to lose weight lately. It all started about 8 weeks ago when I decided that I really needed to do it. I’ve been eating healthy, trying to eat 1200-1300 calories/day. I don’t count calories exactly but I try to eat more veggies and less fat and less carbs. I didn’t cut down on them completely, though, because I don’t believe in “NO-fat” or “NO-carb” diets. I don’t really believe in any kinds of special diets. I do, however, believe in good nutrition and having balanced meals. So in about 8 weeks, I’ve lost 17 lbs. And I have about 13 more pounds to go to get to my goal. I’m so happy with what I’ve accomplished so far. It’s definitely not over. I will keep going until I get to my goal.

Ok, I couldn’t really find any good “before” photos… But the one on the left was taken on my baby’s first birthday back in April. And the one on the left taken a few days ago on vacation. That’s me about 15 lbs lighter. I’ve lost two more lbs since then and now have 13 more lbs to go!

Alright, so here’s a simple recipe for flatbread pizza. I love using flatbreads for sandwiches or pizza. I have been trying to use more veggies in my diet. Fresh tomatoes and artichoke heats… with some fresh basil leaves that I’ve been growing in my garden and feta cheese… It was a delicious combo.

You can make flatbread pizza with any toppings you like – if you want some meat, try and use low fat turkey bacon or maybe chicken. You can try pesto instead of tomato sauce. Anything, really, don’t give up flavors in the name of diet. Not worth it. You’re more likely to stick to your diet if you’re happy with what you eat. :)

So I don’t usually claim my recipes to be the “best” but this one, I have to say is the best cinnamon recipe I’ve tried. I’ve been making these for years now and people who try them always request that I make these rolls for special occasions or just for kicks. First I found the recipe at the Pioneer Woman and I had to change a little bit to make it more of my own. She uses a lot.. I mean, A LOT of butter for her rolls… and frankly I cannot digest that much butter so I reduce the amount of butter used for the rolls.

These rolls are seriously the best; they literally melt in your mouth. The dough is soft and buttery… And they stay soft for a long time, even the day after you bake them. I made the frosting using powdered sugar but I usually make cream cheese frosting which is my husband’s very favorite. I didn’t have cream cheese when I made these, so I decided to make maple frosting instead. If you like cream cheese frosting, however, feel free to make some for these rolls. I’m telling you. It’s the best!

Best “Melt in your mouth” Cinnamon Rolls

Read the instructions for ingredients and directions for these rolls

Step 1:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar

Mix whole milk, oil, and sugar in a saucepan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Remove from heat and let cool for about 40 minutes to an hour or until the mixture is lukewarm (about 120-130 degrees F)

Step 2:

1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

When the mixture is lukewarm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in the yeast. Let sit for a minute.

Step 3:

4 + 1/2 cup all purpose flour (or bread flour)

Add 4 cups flour and stir in together. The mixture will be moist. Don’t add more than 4 cups of flour. Cover and let rise for an hour.

Step 4:

1/2 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1/2 scant teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon salt

Add 1/2 more cup flour, then the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the mixture well. (At this point, you could cover the dough and refrigerate it until you need it, up to two days. Just make sure to punch down the dough if the dough rises.)

Step 5:

1 1/2 cubes melted butter
1 cup sugar
generous sprinkling of ground cinnamon

Sprinkle surface generously with flour.

Place the dough on the floured surface.

Divide the dough in two equal parts.

Shape each dough into smooth rounds or rectangles.

Roll each dough into thin rectangles.

Like this.

Drizzle half of the 1 and a half melted butter onto each dough (or add more butter if desired).

Then 1/2 cup sugar and ground cinnamon.

Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go.

Pinch the seam to the roll to seal it.

Like this.

Spread 1 tablespoon butter in 3-4 round cake or pie pans or in 2 medium sized baking pans, the choice is yours. If you’re using baking pans, you might need more butter to coat the bottom. Make sure that the pans are foiled before buttered if they aren’t already foiled. Beging cutting rolls 3/4 to 1 inch thick.

Lay the rolls in buttered pans. Repeat this process with the other half dough. Let the rolls rise for 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes.

Maple Frosting

1 bag (1 lb) powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or 1-2 teaspoons maple flavoring)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, and pour it over the baked cinnamon rolls while they are warm.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 cup confectioners sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese

Mix confectioners sugar, vanilla, butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Drizzle the frosting over baked cinnamon rolls while warm.

Oh my. Oh my. My kitchen smelled like heaven tonight. Why? Because I decided to make some WAFFLES for dinner! My family is crazy about waffles… We don’t just eat them for breakfast. We eat them for lunch. For dinner. We love waffles, you get it. :) When we went grocery shopping last weekend, my husband grabbed some buttermilk. I asked him what he was doing since I’ve been on a diet. He said he wanted some homemade pancakes or waffles. I thought about it. I thought about the consequences it may bring… Then I thought, I will just eat one waffle (or two) with some strawberries, maple syrup and nuts… And that’s exactly what I did tonight. It’s 10 PM and I’m starving! (Which is a good thing because it means I didn’t eat too much at dinner)

I used whole grain flour instead of white flour… Don’t mistake it with whole wheat, however. The whole grain flour I used is a mixture of whole wheat and white flour, I think, but whole grain. Lighter in texture than regular whole wheat flour… a little heavier than white flour… but not too much. The texture was still fluffy and soft enough for me to fall in love with it. This recipe is super simple and easy.. And lower calories than normal waffles that use a lot of butter or oil. I really enjoyed the waffles with my favorite strawberries, chopped almonds, a little bit of powder sugar, and maple syrup. Maple syrup is a lot thinner than normal syrup… which is why I love it so much. But my husband sticks to regular syrup like Mrs. Butterworth or Aunt Jemina. Top the waffles with your favorite fruits or maybe even jams. My husband used to put a little bit of peanut butter on his waffles. He didn’t do that this time, thank goodness!

I have been eating a lot healthier lately in an attempt to lose weight. And I’ve been succeeding. I’ve lost 15 lbs so far… It’s impressive if you consider I’ve been trying only for a month. No worries, though. I am eating. Just healthier and nutritious foods. I should share some of the things I eat for breakfast and lunch to give you some ideas on how to eat healthier. I will do a post about it, I promise. Now I have about 15 more lbs to go to get to my goal. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to follow through with my diet plan. I haven’t been to the gym, either. Just going for walks with my little kids for about an hour every other day.

I’ve been eating more vegetables, avoiding red meat, even too much chicken. I cook meat maybe once a week. We rarely go out but we do go out about once a week so we don’t go crazy. My husband has lost about 10 lbs, too. I’m so proud of him. We will continue doing well with our food choices and exercise plans until… I mean, even after we reach our goal. We’ve been eating a lot of fish lately, too, especially tilapia. We just get them at Costco, since they are pretty much the cheapest fish they sell. Tilapia is pretty good, tender and flavorful, too. I usually panfry them in little oil and seasonings, but one night, I wanted to be a little more creative and decided to dust them in whole wheat flour and grated parmesan cheese. And the result was wonderful! No eggs, either. Pretty low calories, too. I’d definitely try them again.

I adore pasta. I love pasta noodles with simple sauce. Without meat. Without so many ingredients. Just a simple tomato sauce over noodles. This is a very simple yet delicious recipe that I love to make often. If you don’t feel like spending too much time cooking dinner, prepare this quick and easy meal with simple but lovely pasta dish.

I am a huge fan of homemade salsa! However, I’ve always struggled with making my own. I used to eat a lot of salsa in Mesa years ago when a lot of my Hispanic friends used to make it from scratch. I used to devour their salsa and chips whenever opportunities arose. I attempted to making my own every once in a while but mine never tasted quite like theirs… But then I found this recipe… So simple, quick and super easy! I never thought to make salsa using canned tomatoes. It really made a huge difference. I used to make salsa using fresh tomatoes.. and they work great, too. But I really enjoyed the taste of the salsa made with canned tomatoes. And of course, fresh cilantro and garlic were fabulous additions to this easy salsa recipe. With this salsa, I couldn’t stay away from chips. Yikes.

Oh it’s Thursday! Which means tomorrow is Friday! I so need this week to come to an end… It’s been so hot here in Northern California, hitting almost 90 degrees but it sure feels like 100 degrees outside. I don’t endure heat very well. But due to electricity cost, I’ve been trying to hold off on turning on our AC.. until last night. I had to turn it on for a little while. I’ve always thought it was a little ironic how people call summer the best season to grill things. I mean, it’s already so hot out and don’t you think grilling outside with hot fire would make you even hotter? But I guess I’ve been exposed to the summer grilling culture because as soon as it got sunny and warm, I took out my grilling utensils and started grilling like a maniac. Chicken, ribs, fish, vegetables, you name it.

Today, I’d like to share a great grilled Salmon recipe that you might find interesting. I love salmon. I’ve been losing weight lately since I started eating healthier, watching how many calories I take. I figured one of the greatest ways to lose weight is by eating good and healthy food. And fish is definitely one of the best health food out there. As much as I love plain salmon dishes with just salt and pepper, this time I added more flavors to it. The combination of garlic and chili sauce was just perfect. I apologize about the quality of the picture. I was having a bad picture day, lol. But seriously, I loved the flavors with the salmon and I can’t wait to make some again!

I know what it says in the title… but no, it’s not mashed potatoes. It’s cauliflower! Have you ever tried whipped cauliflower? It’s so good. My husband is all about mashed potatoes. He always asks if he can make some on every holiday. Me? I’m not a huge fan. I don’t know. Something about the gravy that goes on top of mashed potatoes. Never have been a big fan of thickened meaty juice over mushy potatoes. But then I found this. Mashed Cauliflower… I don’t want you to think that the texture of this dish is going to be exactly like the traditional mashed potatoes, but I have to admit, it is one of my new favorites. I actually prefer the texture of whipped cauliflower. It’s lighter but it’s delicious and creamy enough. It has a fantastic flavor, of course, the unique flavor of cauliflower. It goes perfectly well with any meals as well. How about replacing your mashed potatoes with this healthy mashed cauliflower next time?

When we moved to this new house, we bought a couple of garden boxes for our backyard. We planted lots of vegetables and herbs and we are so excited to see them grow. Our basil is doing really well and I finally got to use some in my cooking the other night. I love the smell of fresh basil… and this basil was really, really fresh!

This pasta dish is pretty simple and easy to make – only a few ingredients  but I love clean pasta dishes like this. It’s great that it’s got lower calories than most other pasta dishes, too. Feel free to use your favorite pasta noodles. We had some garden pasta noodles with different colors. Also added a little bit of pepper flakes to spice it up a little. But of course, you can skip it if you don’t handle the heat very well.

I am a huge fan of Philly Cheesesteak! I wish I could eat more of that more often. I was looking for a good philly cheesesteak recipe one day then I found this one. As soon as I saw the recipe, I knew I had to try it. Make sure to get extra lean ground beef… and yes, I think that regular cream cheese would have made this dish even more fantastic… However, I decided to use cheddar cheese instead, which was pretty good in my opinion. Either kind of cheese would work, but if you want this dish extra creamy, use cream cheese instead. If you want it to be more cheesy, use cheddar. Oh and I almost forgot to tell you… I added some broccoli to this recipe… because I love broccoli. It just sounded really good at the time and it was good. But of course, you can omit broccoli if you want! :)

I. Heart. Orzo. I love the texture and I love how well it goes with melted cheese. It’s so easy and quick to make orzo dishes, too. One of my favorite ways to prepare orzo is with garlic and parmesan. This time, however, I did a little experiment. With spinach. And it turned out delicious! Orzo is one of pasta noodles that I enjoy cooking without any meat. Just simple vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, or even asparagus or artichoke are perfect with orzo.

This is a pretty quick homemade mac and cheese recipe. I used a different type of pasta noodles instead of macaroni. But of course, you can use macaroni for the traditional look of the dish. I like to bake cheesy pasta to get the nice, perfect texture of the pasta and melted cheese!

I. love. banana bread. I love that it’s called bread and it still takes very little time to make it. We buy bananas pretty often and some of them don’t get eaten by the time they start to turn black… and there is only one way to enjoy those very ripe bananas. Make a banana bread! My husband was craving it a while back and he asked me if he could make some. I thought, “are you really asking for my permission to make a delicious bread?” I was secretly excited that he was making some because I hadn’t had a banana bread in a long time. It turned out so sweet and delicious, too, so moist, so rich in flavor. If you see some ripe bananas lying around in your fruit bowl, this recipe may just be perfect for you.

There’s really nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread… I used to work at a small bakery in Korea and man, did I love going to work every morning, just to be able to smell bread freshly out of the oven. For Easter dinner, I baked this simple and delicious bread for dinner. It was delicious and the crust was perfectly “crusty”. The dough makes a large, crusty loaf and it’s even better when dusted with flour before baking. This lovely loaf goes with just about anything. Enjoy it with your favorite steak and potatoes or maybe even some pasta.