ghoulish goulash

I really love easy dinners and there's nothing easier than pasta! Sometimes I do have to change things up a bit and doing Italian for every pasta dish gets a little boring. Alternative? Hungarian! American-Hungarian, that is. ^_^

---- o o o o ----

Old-Fashioned American Goulash
(Adapted from I Heart Recipes)

1.5 lbs lean ground beef
2 cups uncooked spiral macaroni
1 medium onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 tomato, chopped

1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 can mushroom, chopped

1 tbsp minced bottled garlic

1 tbsp Italian seasoning 

1 tbsp adobo seasoning 

1 tsp paprika 

3 bay leaves

2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 

2 1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cans tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 can diced tomatoes in tomato sauce

1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

parsley for garnish

Brown the ground meat with seasonings and and bay leaf over medium heat.  Drain any excess fat.

Add in vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Add in the tomato paste, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and tomatoes. Cook for 10 another minutes then add chicken broth and macaroni. Reduce heat and let simmer until pasta is just tender.

Stir in cheese then cover for 10 more minutes, garnish with parsley as needed before serving.

hello old friend: korean bbq sandwich

My poor food blog, how you've been neglected.
That's okay, sometimes life gets in the way and hobbies go to the wayside. However, one thing that I really can't stop doing is cooking. That, or make sandwiches.

Speaking of sandwiches, my favorite hot sandwich would have to be my Korean BBQ. A lot of trial and error went into them but now I have it exactly the way I want it. It's got lots of different textures, sweet, salty, and definitely tasty!

My favorite thing about it is getting to use my Mom's kimchee recipe. It's not traditional in any sense, but it's a mild kimchee without any fishiness...perfect for picky eaters who don't like that pungent taste. ^_^

---- o o o o ---- Bulgogi Beef Sandwich with Crispy Leeks and Mom's Kimchi
(adapted from Tasty)

For the Bulgogi:
3 tbsp bottled garlic
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp Healthy Boy Brand sweet black soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp fresh squeezed juice from an Asian pear or sweet apple

1 tbsp Japanese mirin
1 tbsp sesame oil
5 to 6 green onions, finely chopped (including white part)
1 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp minced ginger
2 to 3 lbs extra thin carne picada or stir-fry beef

Mix marinade together until sugar and honey are dissolved/distributed. Add beef and marinate overnight or up to 2 days. Cook over medium high/high heat on an iron skillet. Serve immediately.

Mom's Kimchee:
4 cups Napa cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 cup matchstick carrots 

1/4 cup sliced green onions, green parts only
1 to 1.5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 bottle Lee Kum Kee chili garlic sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup matchstick carrots

Blanche cabbage and carrots in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain well then toss with salt. Let stand in a strainer for 1.5 to 2 hours until excess liquid has drained. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss, seasoning with additional salt as needed. Refrigerate, keeping up to 2 weeks.

Seasoned Japanese-Style Mayo:
1/2 cup Duke's mayonnaise
1 to 2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Whisk together and adjust proportions as needed, to taste.

Crispy Fried Leeks:
1 leek, thinly sliced to 2-inch slivers
vegetable oil

Heat enough oil to fry leeks. Fry until leeks are golden brown around the edges. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.

Bulgogi Sandwiches:
bulgogi beef
kimchee
crispy leeks
shredded romaine lettuce
seasoned Japanese-style mayo
toasted French rolls

To assemble sandwiches, spread some Mayo on the rolls. Add a good portion of bulgogi on one side of the bun, shredded lettuce on the other. Drizzle with mayo, top with crispy leeks, then drizzle with mayo again to taste, then serve.