Kimchee Fried Rice (Kimchee Bokumbap)

I am obsessed with Kimchee Fried Rice. A few months ago, before the accident that sent my bf's ex into ICU for 3 months, we all met at Tiffany's. It's a Korean Bar and Grill that makes the best food I've had on the Island. Most of the people we were with are regulars there so they ordered what they thought were the best dishes. Mochiko chicken, steak bites, cake noodle, AND KIMCHEE FRIED RICE. When I took my first bite of this, YUM! It's crunchy, spicy, tangy, fresh. I love rice... and I love kimchee.
That was the first and last time I had the dish before yesterday. Just before Memorial Day I was preparing a menu full of the dishes we had just days before, everyone was going to come swim at the pool and drink a few beers by the BBQ. Well, plans changed when everyone ended up flying to Oahu when the accident happened and Memorial Day turned into a day to distract the kids from the chaos we hoped they wouldn't learn of.
Two weeks ago Mom came home and is doing great. Yesterday was the little ones 6th birthday, a gathering planned, and food ordered. Her mom ordered the same dishes we had that night 4 months ago. I picked the order up and decided to buy a tub of kimchee. Once home, I followed a quick recipe for Kimchee Fried Rice and can I just say. . . . . I am addicted and plan of having it for dinner several days this week!
Try it... super easy, flavorful, filling and inexpensive!

Kimchee Fried Rice
Vegetable oil
2 C cooked and cooled rice
3/4 cup Kimchee and liquid, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 T soy
1/2 - 1 t Sesame oil
onion (opt)
green onion

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. If adding onion (or other vegetables) add and saute until soft. Add kimchee and cook 2 minutes. Add rice. Cook as you would in a wok tossing rice with kimchee and kimchee liquid until fully coated. Add soy and sesame oil. Stir one minute more. Remove pan from the heat, add green onions and serve.
The Korean restaurants here serve this with a fried egg on top. This is similiar to the Puerto Rican dishes of left over rice and beans I am use to, but I was happy without the egg.

YUM!!!

Vinegared beef and green beans with paprika and pine nuts

My boyfriend is not the best vegetable eater, but when I made these green beans he said he could eat them for his entire meal and be happy, that told me something! He is a hardcore meat and potatoes type of guy, but is always willing to try anything I make and is usually quite pleased.

This is a delicious and fairly simple meal to prepare. My dad is Puerto Rican and my mom is a “mix” but usually cooked Puerto Rican dishes for the family, which she learned from my dad’s brothers and sisters. Rice was most often the starch of choice eating it so many different ways.

The steak is marinated in vinegar, black peppercorns, oregano, salt and garlic. I made a pot of white rice, and green beans from a recipe I found in a Tapas book I have. DELICIOUS!

Steak with Onions

2 lbs. beef sliced thin
4 cloves of garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 T salt
6 whole peppercorns
3 T white vinegar (recipe calls for white, but use what you prefer)
2 yellow onions, sliced thin

Crush and mix in a mortar all ingredients above, except beef and onions. Once thoroughly combined, add beef to marinade. Do not marinate beef too long, as vinegar will start to cook the meat, since it is sliced so thin. Heat oil in a skillet and cook onions until soft. Remove onions from pan and add the meat to the pan, reservin liquid. Cook about 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Add onions and reserved marinade. Cook a few minutes longer. Serve with white rice and green beans.

Green Beans
2 T olive oil
scant 1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 - 1 teaspoon paprika
1 lb. green beans, blanched for 3 minutes
1 small onion, finely chopped, I use less
1 garlic clove finely chopped
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

Heat oil in pan and toast pine nuts until golden. Drain on paper towel, reserving oil in the pan, and toss with paprika. Saute onion 5-10 minutes, until softened and starts to brown. Add the garlic, cook 30 seconds. Add the green beans and cook 3-5 minutes, tossing together with the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off skillet add the zest and juice of the lemon. Add pine nuts. Serve hot.

Steak Bites from Bethenny Frankel

My friend Amy just moved into a new home. She decided to celebrate with a housewarming / birthday party. It was an intimate gathering of about 5 couples, each of us bringing an appetizer while they prepared the main dishes. I have a stack of recipes I've been dying to try and this was one of them! It was a hit!
I added a bit more horseradish, but didn't spread it on the bread so I could afford a bit stronger flavor. I also did not have low fat mayo or multi grain bread, so I used the fattening stuff!

The recipe was featured in the Rachel Ray Magazine. I'll be making LOTS of finger foods in the next few months. It is football season after all!!!!

My camera is down right now so this picture is from the website! Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Butter Bites from My Tasty Treasures

If you have not stopped over to My Tasty Treasures then you have been missing out on some delicious recipes and great humor!
Donna aka FFW (Fire Fighter Wife) was my very first follower and in honor of that I decided she'd be my first post tried from a fellow blogger. I made her Chocolate Chip Butter Bites and they were not only a snap to make, they were gone just as fast. Very good. They reminded me of a shortbread cookie. Of course these are much better having chocolate chips inside and a sweet sugary coating. How good does that sound? You can tell from my picture I did not let them cool before I dipped them in powdered sugar! You must try these!

Thanks to Donna for a great recipe! I can't wait to try another!