All posts tagged: featured

Minty Hot Chocolate

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. -Charles M. Schulz Disclaimer: This post was supposed to be published on the week before Christmas, in fact, the original name for this recipe was Christmas Morning Minty Hot Chocolate. However, I didn’t have time to actually try this hot chocolate until Christmas morning.  Consequently, the posting of this recipe was delayed until now: My 2014 New Year’s resolution was to quit coffee. I had had coffee before coming to Korea but only rarely and usually iced. The very day I arrived in Jochiwon (my current town), I started drinking Maxim Coffee and it was love at first taste. I arrived in Korea the last week of May and spent a delightful week visiting my brother in Gangwondo. On the 1st of June I lugged my huge bag to Jochiwon by train. When I arrived, the co-ordinator from the Office of Education picked me up and brought me to my school. I was so nervous that when she asked me if I was …

Tomato, Bean and Avocado Salad

Black beans and soy beans are the cornerstones of longevity diets around the world. -Bobby Darin This last week was the second week of camp for me and it’s been a busy one. Teaching camp is a lot more work than normal day-to-day as I have to prepare a lot more material and put a different “teaching cap” on to make sure the kids have a lot of fun. I know my 3rd graders are having a blast but I’m not so sure about some of the older kids! Anyway, I’ve had to bring a lot more work home with me so I haven’t had much time to prepare food for dinner and lunches. Luckily, I came up with an amazing little salad that has been a lifesaver this week; it’s healthy, tasty, and best of all, assists with lowering cholesterol and improving digestion. Yay for legumes! The idea for this salad was thanks to a trip to Costco where I picked up a large jar of oil-packed, oven-dried organic Roma tomatoes and some avocados. …

Salmon and Pesto Toasties

All sorrows are less with bread. – Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Happy New Year, everyone! I’m so sorry that this post is late! I had wanted to get it out in time for New Year’s Eve but I’ve been exhausted since Sunday and all I’ve done is work and sleep. Even on New Year’s Eve, I managed to only stay up until 11:15 before passing out. All the festivities combined with STILL being sick (5 weeks and counting!), my body gave in and cried for sleep. However, it IS a New Year! Wow, 2014 was great and weird and wonderful. 2015 seems to promise as many adventures as 2014 did: the end of somethings as well as a lot of new beginnings. For one, come June I’ll have access to a proper kitchen again! Thanks, Mam! I haven’t quite decided all my resolutions, I’ve been too tired and too busy but I’ll sit down next week and write them out. How about you? Did you make any resolutions yet? Regardless of what your resolutions are, I wish …

Maggie’s Fried Onion Bits

Banish (the onion) from the kitchen and the pleasure flies with it. Its presence lends color and enchantment to the most modest dish; its absence reduces the rarest delicacy to hopeless insipidity, and dinner to despair. – Elizabeth Robbins Pennell Onions are one of my favourite foods and, so, I completely agree with the above sentiment. It’s rare for me to make anything savoury without onions, and fried onions are a particular favourite. One of my favourite holiday dishes is Green Bean Casserole. I love the taste of the beans combined with the tang of the fried, salty, onions. I was only introduced to this dish when I moved to America in 2001. I couldn’t believe how good it was and when I would come home from college I would insist we make it. However, as mentioned previously, I have sisters who hate mushrooms which meant instead of using cream of mushroom soup, my mom made Cheesy Green Bean Casserole—which is even more tasty. When I came to Korea, I wanted to make my mom’s recipe, as I much …

Christmas Roundup

Hi all, Happy Christmas and a fantastic 2015 to you all. Here are my recipes for this season. There will be some more added for New Year’s Day but in the meantime checkout the below recipes. I will be making the mushrooms, fried onions and the refrigerator cake for Christmas. Although not technically a Christmas recipe, my refrigerator cake will be served on request from my friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as they do! Tomato, Lentil and Orange Soup Apple and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms Maggie’s Fried Onions Bits  Decadently Delicious Refrigerator Cake