Korean Scallion Pancakes

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

I know you all are eating your hearts out this Thanksgiving: green bean casserole, roasted sweet potatoes, turkey. cranberry sauce, stuffing, and galore!! My family is eating barbecue for some odd reason but I am still insanely jealous that I'm missing out.

Instead my Thanksgiving breakfast consisted of Korean Scallion Pancakes!! I know. I clearly am a couple holidays off. I woke up this morning craving Green Onion (aka Scallion) pancakes because last night I read an article about 40 Taiwanese foods we can't live without. I must have dreamt about them because they clearly were still on my mind when I woke up. If you are up for some serious drooling check out the article to educate yourself on some of the most popular Taiwanese foods.

So I hopped out of bed and started looking up recipes on how to make them. The traditional Taiwanese flaky scallion pancake requires that the dough sits for 30-60 minutes before you can even make the pancakes. AND there's this super fancy technique to roll them out for which a rolling pin is necessary. I don't have a rolling pin and my tummy was not going to wait this long, so I settled for Korean scallion pancakes!

They turned out just fine and satisfied my craving. Texture wise these pancakes are more dense and not flaky in comparison to the Taiwanese scallion pancakes. However, there is a nice crust on the outside from searing it in the pan, you get the nice brown toasty color, and the flavor of the green onion really shines.

So if your Thanksgiving is just as wacky as mine food-wise, try em out! The recipe required a few basic ingredients, required minimal prep work, and most importantly, I GOBBLED them all up :)

Also, the bottom of this pancake got a little TOO toasty, but doesn't it look like a rose? It was too pretty to not share. (Or I'm crazy and the only person who thinks this looks like a flower.)

Korean Scallion Pancake (Pa Jun)

Recipe from Naomi Imatome-Yun 
Serving Size: 5 medium pancakes


2 cups flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups water
1 bunch of scallions
1 tsp salt
Oil for cooking

Soy Sauce (for dipping)


1. Finely chop the bunch of scallions and mix them together with the flour, eggs, water and salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes and consistency should be runnier than American pancake batter.

2. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of oil.

3. Pour batter to fill pan in a thin layer.

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and golden brown on bottom.

5. Turn over with help of spatula and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add more oil if necessary, and desired color should be a toasted brown.

6. Serve warm and dip in soy sauce!

Apple Baskets

You know a little while back when I promised that I would have a series of apple dessert recipes for you? Well, I finally came through.

When I made my turnovers I had too much leftover filling, so I thought to myself (anyone else think of "A Wonderful World"??), what else can I do with these apples?

And then this happened.  Plus ten for Anika. Also to get the basket shape you need muffins pans. It's not actually an ingredient but a tool, which is why I'm awkwardly letting you know here.

Apple Baskets

Makes 12 apple baskets

1/4 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled green apples

1/4 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 phyllo sheets, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Separate each phyllo sheet and brush with the melted butter. Lay the buttered sheets on top of each other until all four sheets are stacked up evenly. Phyllo sheets dry out really easily so cover with a damp towel when you aren't attending to them.

3. Cut the phyllo sheet evenly into 12 squares/rectangles and press into the muffin cups. They don't have to fit perfectly and if there is a lot of phyllo hanging off the muffin cup, trim it down so the phyllo sheets actually fit. I also don't think I'm explaining this step clearly so check out this phyllo cup tutorial that I Googled that has step by step pictures! Also in this recipe we bake the phyllo cups with the filling at the same time, and it produces the same result.

4. To prepare the apple mixture, combine the sugar, apples, walnuts, and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl. Toss well so the apples are evenly coated.

5. Place a heaping spoonful of the apple mixture into each pastry cup.

6. And now you can bake them until light golden brown and crisp (approx. 10-15 minutes)! Serve immediately. 

TIPS:

I noticed the longer I kept them out after the baskets were baked, the soggier they became. So eat them when they pop out of the oven!! I also ate mine with vanilla ice cream because there is something about cinammon-y apples that just calls for vanilla ice cream.  You don't have to of course, but just thought I'd discretely implant the idea in your head. Don't worry the ice cream was your original idea.

Sinning Siracha & Godly Garlic Kale Chips

For those of you wondering, can kale actually become even more awesome than a potato chip? The answer is yes. My roommate who does not eat ANYTHING green, and I'm not even exaggerating here, even she LIKED the kale chips. She ate more than one. I swear it was a miracle because this girl runs away just at the sight of veggies.

A friend back home actually requested that I experiment trying kale chips, the new and improved potato chip trend. And for those of you now wondering,  I do take requests. But you have to be special enough for me to actually honor your wishes. Mhmm, that's right. I have high standards.

Of cooourse I'm kidding.

Apparently I'm feeling sassy this morning so you're going to have to excuse my behavior. I'm always open to trying new recipes so email/text/comment/facebook/yell anything you want me to try.  Forreal guys and girls.

So I put on my thinking cap and walked over to my little bureau/pantry and looked for potential suitors for my kale chips. The garlic powder and siracha were the obvious winners so I made two different batches to see which seasoning I liked better!

In conclusion, I'm not sure which seasoning I liked better. Yup, I'm super helpful. The texture reminds me of the fragility of snowflake and the crunchiness of aluminum foil. Please don't go looking for such objects to eat. I really don't recommend doing so.  Flavor-wise, I don't think you can go wrong with garlicy goodness or siracha. So I would just say pick and choose your winner, or if you're indecisive like me, make em both!

Sinning Siracha Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon siracha

Kosher salt (to taste)

Godly Garlic Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Farenheit.
2. Wash your kale thoroughly before tearing the leaves apart from the middle rib of the kale leaf.  The center stem doesn't crisp up too well, so you only want the leaves. Tear the leaves into bite size pieces, about the size of a regular potato chip!
3. Make sure to properly dry your leaves. This step is crucial so that your chips are super crisp when they come out of the oven.
4. Drizzle the kale with olive oil and sprinkle the seasoning salt. Mix well so the individual pieces are properly coated.
5. Line the kale in one single layer on a baking sheet, and make sure not to overcrowd the pieces! Bake for about 10 minutes, flip, and bake again for another 10 minutes or until the entire chip is crispy. Expect the siracha kale chips to take longer to bake (~ additional 5 minutes)

Tip:

I actually used two trays for one bunch of kale because the leaves themselves have a large surface area. Telltale signs that your kale chips are done are when they become edges shrink up and the chip becomes brown-ish.  Your chips might actually take longer to become crispy so don't freak out if they are in the oven longer than I suggested. Also, I personally finished all my kale chips within a day, so double or triple the recipe if you want to feed more than one hungry girl.

Vegetarian Bahn Mi

Yikes. It's been A WHOLE MONTH since I've posted here and I'm really really really sorry. I honestly didn't forget but who knew 18 credits, two jobs, and various clubs would be so much work?!? And yes, I'm resorting to excuses so you'll pardon my unacceptable behavior. 

Anyways, this is a post that I've been dying to write because of how awesome the end product looks and tastes. It all started out when a friend texted me that he had just eaten some delicious banh mi. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I googled the recipe to educate myself on this traditional Vietnamese sandwich. Within the next hour I was on my way to the grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients. Aaaaand the rest is history. 

Banh mi is a French-Vietnamese street-food, fusion sandwich that is made on a crisp baguette with picked veggies, cilantro, cold cuts, a Vietnamese mayo, and drizzled with soy sauce. Phew, I tried to pack a lot in that sandwich. I actually meant to type sentence, but I'm just going to leave it cause we can both chuckle at my typo together. Since I've never had an authentic bahn mi, or any type of bahn mi, I can't guarantee that my recipe is the classic. I did do some research so I know I'm not too far off, but what I can guarantee is that it is freaking awesome!!

What did I change? Well obviously I made a vegetarian version so I substituted egg instead of the most common filling, pork. I'm a huge lover of pickled things, so I pickled my carrots AND cucumber.  I actually tried pickling my carrots and cucumbers with honey and the cucumbers with sugar to add different tones of sweetness to my sandwich. Double the yummy-ness. I forgot to buy daikon, and the next time I make it, I'll definitely add pickled julienned daikon radish! I also added the cherry tomatoes and lettuce because I like my sandwiches to have a lot of filling. 

Also before you start reading the actual recipe, let's take this moment to drool over the pictures together. 

Vegetarian Banh Mi

Serving Size: Three sandwiches

1 French Baguette, halved

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced English cucumber 
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes 
2 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs 

4 romaine lettuce leaves
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Fresh cilantro

Soy Sauce

1/4 cup Mayo

1 tablespoon Siracha*
EVOO
Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Once at desired temperature, place the halved french baguette on a baking sheet to toast. Let the baguette crisup up for approx 4-5 minutes and then cool for an additional 2 minutes before adding the toppings.
2. Place 1/2 peeled and shredded carrots, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Mix well and let sit for a minimum of  20 minutes before serving. 

3. In a separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, thinly sliced cucumbers, and sugar and let the pickling begin! Once again let the cucumbers pickle for at least 20 minutes before assembling the sandwich.

4. Crack your eggs, and beat with a pinch of salt and pepper. Make three individual omelets in a small saucepan and make sure to use EVOO to coat the pan so the eggs slide right off! 

5. To make your siracha mayo, simply mix together the mayonnaise and the siracha. It's as easy as it sounds. Also if you want it less spicy don't add the full tablespoon of the siracha. 

6. Now take the toasted bread and cut the full  length of the bread into thirds. On each individual side apply the siracha mayo and drizzle the soy sauce. Lay down the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and  individual omelet on each sandwich. Now it's time to add the fancy toppings. Make sure to remove any excess liquid from the cucumbers and carrots before adding the pickled vegetables to your sandwich. Finally add fresh sprigs of cilantro before pressing the top half of baguette on the sandwich to seal the deal :)

Tip:

I would suggest doing the pickling (especially the cucumbers) several hours before serving. I did mine overnight so when it was time to assemble the sandwich, I was done in minutes.  I made note of this in the instructions as well, but if the mayo is too spicy, cut down on the amount of siracha you add. It packs a lot of heat in a small bite.

P.S. I also pickled onions with my cucumbers just for the heck of it. And you'll notice in my pictures I accidentally photographed parsley instead of the cilantro. Whoopsy daisy. At least I realized my error before it was time to eat!!

Apple Turnovers

My garden at home has a large, bountiful green apple tree and every year we get tons of fruit. We try to spread the wealth as much as possible but realistically some fruit goes to waste. Being the resourceful person I am, I decided to take the leftover fruit and cook em! This is the first in my series of apple desserts :)

I love tart apples so I didn't use too much sugar when I baked my turnovers.  The cinnamon sugar on top makes the perfect balance between tart and sweet! I also made my turnovers rectangular simply because it was easier to roll out. Thinly slice your apples because if the apples are too chunky they will not fully cook through. My final suggestion is to serve the turnovers warm with ice cream :D Cause honestly, every warm apple dessert tastes a million times better with a classic vanilla ice cream.

Apple Turnovers

Serving Size: 8 turnovers

1 package (17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed

1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled green apples

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Water & Flour

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, apples, walnuts, and cinnamon. Toss well so the apples are evenly coated.

2. On a lightly floured surface roll out eat pastry sheet to half of the original thickness. Cut each individual sheet into four squares for a total of 8 turnovers. 

3. Spoon the apple mixture  into the center of each rectangle. Dip your fingers in water and with your wet fingers trace the border of the puff pastry sheet. (The water helps seal the pastry sheet!)
4.  Fold the rectangle in half and press edges to seal. To make the edges pretty, you can use a fork to crimp corners of the pastry.
5. In a small bowl, stir the ground cinnamon and sugar. Brush the pastries with the melted butter and liberally sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture. Place turnovers on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (approx. 12-15 minutes).

Oven Baked Garlic Sweet Potato Fries with Feta Yogurt Dip

I have been experimenting all summer long to perfect oven baked sweet potato fries. And I think I might have finally come close with this recipe. The dip was inspired by my favorite food blogger and you can find her take on these fries here, but I personally like my tweaks better. Then again I may be a little biased but you really  won't go wrong with these perfectly crispy fries accompanied by the creaminess of the feta yogurt dip.

Through my experimentation I discovered several things: 

1) I'm not a huge fan of using butter on my fries and prefer to use vegetable oil to coat the potatoes. I find the butter to be a little heavier and I like to think these fries of a healthy snack. But honestly, butter does make your potatoes richer so feel free to sub in butter instead of oil!

2) Stick your cookie sheet in the oven while it's preheating. That way you will hear a nice sizzle when you put the potatoes in and you will get an awesome sear on the outside.

3) Having too little or too much oil is a bad thing when it comes to baking fries. With too little oil your fries don't get crispy, but too buttery and your fries get greasy.

4) I like to steam my potatoes so they are al dente when I stick them in the oven. Steaming them with Ziploc steam bags takes two minutes and that way you don't have to stick them in the oven for a long time.

In my opinion, my go-to college midnight snack!

Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled (if desired) and sliced into thin 1/2-inch (thick) strips
2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Feta Yogurt Dip

3 ounces crumbled feta
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place a cookie sheet in the oven while it is preheating.

2. Take the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch think strips. In a large bowl toss well with olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Make sure the sweet potatoes are evenly coated with oil.

3. Once oven is preheated, spread sweet potatoes out in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, remove and flip, and bake for another 5 minute. Depending on how well you cooked the potatoes before baking, you may have to cook for a longer or shorter amount of time. Essentially pull the fries out when they are fully cooked through.

4. Once cooked, remove the fries and add parsley tossing to coat. Serve with the creamy feta dip!

For the dip:
1. Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Ta-da!!

Hot Chocolate Brownie S'mores Pie

Extraordinary. That's what a friend told me when he took a big bite out of this pie. He showed all the symptoms of a foodgasm: his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he became weak in the knees.  Believe me, I couldn't have asked for a better reaction. 

This weekend was also apparently national s'mores week so  I decided to celebrate with brownies, hot chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers all bundled up into one. I'm not entirely sure who declares these "national holidays" but I'm not complaining. And neither should you if you decide to eat my interpretation of the classic s'more. 

I also am really, really, really sad to say that I don't have pictures of my final product. Just as I was taking my brownie s'mores pie out of the broiler till the marshmallows got nice and toasty, it fell. I stood there horrified for a good ten seconds staring at my beautiful, broken pie. But I ate it anyways because seriously, this pie was too good to just throw away. #clumsyhungrygirlprobs 

Also I feel like I should mention that it fell on my countertop, before you imagine that I'm a terrible friend for letting others eat it off the floor. 

Summary of this story: EAT SOME HOT CHOCOLATE BROWNIE S'MORES PIE. 

Hot Chocolate Brownie S'mores Pie

1 graham cookie pie crust 
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons hot chocolate
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup marshmallows


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2.  In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, hot chocolate, baking powder, and salt. Sift the ingredients if needed to remove any large lumps. 
3. To the dry ingredients beat in the eggs one at a time and add the melted butter and vanilla. 
4. Pour brownie mixture into pre-made graham cracker crust. 
4. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes(check with a toothpick or fork). 
5. Once the brownie is fully cooked through, take out of the oven and top with the marshmallows. Bake in the oven for an additional 3 minutes until marshmallows are gooey. If the marshmallows aren't toasted, stick the pie under the broiler for another minute to get the desired brown color. 

Tip:

The next time I make this pie in college, I'm not going to bother making the brownies from scratch. I plan on using a pre-packaged brownie mix and just adding in my favorite hot chocolate powder!