Doenjang Jjigae

A traditional Korean stew I've been living on since I could eat, I refer this soup as the, 'cure all' mother of all soups. To me, it is one of my go-to comfort foods whether I'm feeling a little under the weather or dreadfully sick, this stews is packed with protein, vitamins and other nutrients that doesn't only do a body good, but is good for the soul. And especially on a cold, end of October, Monday, what's better to warm you up than a delicious bowl of something home-cooked for dinner?

Fermented Soybean Paste Stew (Doenjang Jjigae) Recipe

Makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

2 green onions

1 (12-ounce) package of medium or soft tofu

1 onion, sliced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 (10-ounce) package of button mushrooms

2 Tbsp fermented soybean paste

Water

2 garlic gloves, minced

Preparation

Dissolve the soybean paste in 3 cups of water into a large cooking pot. Stone pot works great for this. *I use a masher to blend the paste in the water more efficiently. Add sliced onion, zucchini, tofu, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil,and then add garlic. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add green onions and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice, kimchi, and other side dishes (banchan).

There are also many variations to this dish. You can do a kimchi jjigae, one with some kind of meat like beef or pork, or instead of all the vegetables listed, you can opt for only one kind, like Napa cabbage or soybean spouts. During my childhood summers, my mother used to put in the Swiss chard she grew in from our backyard. It was amazing. Still is.

You've got to try this soup! I strongly urge you to eat this with rice though. Especially if accompanied with other tasty side dishes like kimchi. Both the soup and kimchi are on the salty side, and taste too strong without it's imperative sidekick. So don't get it twisted. Don't separate the two! They go along together just like peas & carrots! :)

What are some of your favorite, everyday comfort meals or soups? Something that's easy to make, is nutritious, and doesn't have you slaving over the stove all day long? I love to hear from other bloggers and their food testaments and recipes. Or if there's another fellow Korean blogger who's made the same soup but in a different way, holler at your girl! 🇰🇷

I hope you guys had a nice weekend and an even better Monday. Have a great week!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Friday Stir-Fry

Today on the blog, we have a super delicious, healthy meal you can make in less than 30 minutes! And that includes the marinade time! A perfect recipe for a busy Friday, whether it's lunch or dinner, or if you're planning on going out or staying in!

I make this beef stir-fry on a consistent basis, especially during the chillier seasons, and have been using this recipe for years. It is originally from the amazing Gimme Some Oven food blog, though I've adjusted a couple of items such an opting out on shiitake mushrooms and what to serve it with. You can have any type of rice, quinoa or even noodles with this dish, but being part Korean, Korean sticky rice is what I call for. It's the only rice I use in Asian cuisine. 

This is such a quick and easy recipe. I know some of you may not be a fan of kale, but don't knock it till you try it! It goes perfect with the ginger beef and none of the flavors are overpowering. They are all there and so-so good! Check out some of the photos I took of this yummy dish! Mmm...

Ginger Beef, Mushroom & Kale Stir-Fry

This delicious ginger beef, mushroom, and kale stir fry is quick to make and full of great flavor!

Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25 mins Total: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or chicken/beef broth, or water)
• 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. corn starch
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients:

• 1 lb. thinly sliced flank steak or sirloin, cut diagonally across the grain into thin strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 10 ounces baby portobello or button mushrooms, halved
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

To Make The Marinade:

Add all marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour marinade into a large bowl or ziplock bag, then add in the steak and gently toss to combine. Cover/seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

To Make The Stir-Fry:

Once steak has marinated, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade, and add to saute pan with garlic. Saute for about 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove steak with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add mushrooms, kale, and reserved marinade to saute pan, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale is wilted, the sauce has thickened, and the mushrooms have cooked, stirring regularly so that sauce does not burn. Add in the steak, and toss to combine.

Serve immediately over sticky rice, garnished with chopped green onions.

I think my favorite part after cooking is not to taste, but to relish with the idea of it while I photograph whatever dish I've just made. It makes the first bite that more enticing. I'm already salivating at the mouth just writing about it!

Alright, that's it! I have to dig in. Bon Appetit! :)

We hope everyone has a great weekend! Catch y'all on Monday, where we will be doing our first giveaway! Stay tuned to find out what it is and how to enter your chance to win! It's going to be oh so chic!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Pasta Pasta Pasta!

This week's recipe is from one of my favorite Italian chefs, Lidia Bastianich! I have cooked so many of her recipes through the years and of course, I wanted to blog about my experience with one of her pasta recipes. 

This tomato-based rigatoni dish is perfection. With its deep blend of flavors from the sausage, the basil, and cheese, the zucchini and peperoncino flakes complete its magic in the pasta, giving it texture and an extra kick.

Rigatoni with Sausage-Tomato Sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
1 cup white wine, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing the sauce
2 cups onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta pot
1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes, or to taste
1 cup zucchini, diced
6 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
1 branch fresh basil, with lots of leaves
1 pound rigatoni
1 cup Grana Padano, freshly grated, plus more for passing
 

Preparation

Remove the sausage casings, and crumble the meat into a large bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the wine over the meat and mix this in with your fingers, breaking up any big meat clumps, so the sausage is evenly moistened.

Pour the olive oil into the big skillet and set it over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Scatter the sliced garlic in the pan and season with the salt and peperoncino. When everything is sizzling, crumble in the sausage and stir with the onions. Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup wine, raise the heat a bit and cook, stirring, as the wine cooks away and the sausage becomes all browned, about 10 minutes. Add in the diced zucchini and stir to incorporate. Pour in the tomatoes and a cup of water (which you’ve used to slosh and rinse the tomato cans and bowl). Submerge the basil branch in the liquid, cover the skillet and bring to a boil. Set the cover ajar, adjust the heat to keep the sauce bubbling steadily and cook for an hour or more, until the sauce has developed good flavor and reduced to the consistency you like for dressing pasta. Remove and discard basil branch. You can use some of the sauce right away—you’ll need half of it to dress the rigatoni—or let it cool, then refrigerate or freeze for later use.

For cooking and dressing the pasta, bring a large pot of well-salted water (at least 7 quarts water with 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt) to a rolling boil. Heat half the sausage-tomato sauce, about 4 cups, to a bare simmer in a wide skillet or sauté pan (if you’ve just made the sauce, use the same pan). If the sauce has cooled and thickened, loosen it with some of the pasta water. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water, and cook until just al dente.

Lift out the pasta in big bunches with a spider, let drain for a moment, then spill them into the simmering sauce. Over low heat, toss the rigatoni and sauce together for a minute or two, until all are coated and perfectly al dente. (Thin the sauce, if necessary, with hot pasta water or thicken it quickly over higher heat.) Turn off the heat, and sprinkle the grated cheese over the rigatoni and toss well. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, toss again and heap the pasta in warm bowls. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

I love this recipe because it's quick and easy, and it's the ideal comfort food. Trust me when I say this, this pasta is really super delicious! I was salivating while shooting the photos- I couldn't stand to wait and eat it! Don't forget the wine and bread! I know some of you will think I'm bonkers for having bread with pasta, but I grew up eating like this and I love it. So extra yummy when you dip it in the sauce! ;P

Lastly, for a really adorable, entertaining video of Lidia, Rachel Ray and Nate Berkus working in the kitchen on this recipe, click here for lots of laughs and more! Seriously, Nate... you and the sausage! OMG! HA HA HA!

Until next time, have a great weekend everybody!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Let's connect!

Taco Tuesday Recipe

Hi, my name is Suz and I'm a taco junkie. What's even better? It's Taco Tuesday! Welcome to Tacos Anonymous. ;)

Today I made one of my all-time favorite recipes to share with you: Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos. This isn't time-consuming and it's such a great twist on dinner or a small get-together. You can even make it ahead of time by freezing it to use later! Oh, who am I kidding, I ate these right after making them. Oops! :X

It has a cilantro and lime base, which in my opinion, is always such a tasty combination. And how can you NOT like cilantro? Seriously! The pesto sauce on the chicken is so savory. Trust me, your taste buds will be very thankful!

Now let's talk necessities. The garnishes required on my taco are: onion, peppers, avocado (ALWAYS), shredded cheese and sour cream. If I'm feeling extra spicy I whip out the Tabasco sauce! You can garnish however you like, but I love making my tacos bright and colorful. I'm about the presentation! Can you say, 'no' to a pretty taco? Nom.

I want to hear about your favorite kind of tacos! Comment below, let's share our addiction and become taco buddies :)

Recipe is below. Go check it out --->

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

cooking spray for sauteing
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cilantro lime pesto (recipe follows)
flour or corn tortillas
preferred taco garnishes (avocado, salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc)


Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken over medium high heat and cooked through. Toss cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with preferred garnishes.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Cook chicken as directed as above and cool. Place chicken in freezer bag. Prepare cilantro lime pesto as directed below. Place a 1/2 cup of pesto in a small storage bag then place inside the freezer bag with the chicken. Freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost and heat chicken. Toss chicken with defrosted pesto. If desired, heat chicken and pesto together before filling tacos.

Cilantro Lime Pesto

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh garlic
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup shredded asiago (Parmesan or Romano can be substituted too)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chicken broth


Using a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, asiago, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes.