Kim Shook

AlexusF - that is one gorgeous chicken! Ditto on the souffle. BTW - I'm pretty sure that meat-stuff is canned corned beef - the only canned meat that is actually pretty good. Especially sliced, fried and cuddled up to some eggs for breakfast. I had a very busy Sunday morning. I made three meals for this week. Mr. Kim has some surgery coming up next week. He will be recuperating for at least a month and we are going to be very busy this week trying to get things done that he'll be unable to do, so I thought that if I had some meals 'in the bag' it would make things easier. I had a huge package of kielbasa from Costco and used it two ways. The first was this: It's a white bean and kielbasa casserole. One of those things that is much, much better than the sum of it's parts. Tangy, sweet - really, really good! The other is this old family standby: My mom's family has been eating some version of this for years. My great aunt San used to make it with cabbage, ham and potatoes all steamed up in a giant stock pot. My version was potatoes, kielbasa and green beans. All we'll need is some cornbread and we'll be set. I also made this very simple, soothing and very good beef noodle casserole: Easy, but not one can of Cream of....soup was involved!

I made these CI blueberry muffins this weekend: Absolutely delicious! We all loved them and my MIL says that these are going to be her go-to muffins in the future!

I understand why it is done and it doesn't bother me to look at it - like when I'm looking at the menu to see what I might like to order that night or to convince someone we need to go to a specific restaurant over another one ! But I like to put the meals that we've enjoyed in my journal/scrapbook and it's wonderful to be able to cut and paste and print it out - rather than having to type it out or print the entire document. Silly, but there it is.

Thank you so much for the advice. I went ahead and cooked it a couple of hours ahead of time and then warmed up the slices as recommended by Marlene and JField. I wasn't happy with my results: clickety but it didn't have anything to do with this issue. I think that I just saturated the thing with butter and maybe next time I'll use more layers of phyllo.

...when you check every single day for the food blogs to come back. And every PM to other eGulleteers mentions this. WHERE ARE THEY?????

Randi - re: that eye of round roast - I, too, am roast challenged actually. I usually would rather make a pot roast so I don't have to worry about getting it perfectly done. The problem with this roast is that I don't really know how much of a temperature jump it takes after you turn the oven off - it sits in there awhile and then tented in foil awhile - so if the roast isn't exactly the same weight as the recipe calls for, its hard to adjust the timing to get a perfectly cooked roast. My first one was great, the second a little overcooked. (sorry - I know your post was way back, but I just noticed it). Dr. J - using puff pastry as a base for benedict is a great idea! And gives me an excuse to do what I always want to do with puff pastry anyway - just eat giant slabs of it ! Bruce - that Green basmati rice with pureed spinach and watercress is just making me crazy! What a lovely dish and a great picture, too. I do pretty well substituting orzo for rice most of the time, but that picture perfectly shows why sometimes rice is necessary to a dish. That fluffliness, the perfect separate grains . <Sigh> Shelby - I want all that stuff for dinner tonight. I don't care if it doesn't go together or that I hate hot tuna, I want it!!! Sunday night dinner we started out with a caprese salad made with these teeny-tiny little heirloom tomatoes: too cute to pass up at our brand new Whole Foods. Mr. Kim requested this: its a pork loin roast with an apple/bread stuffing. It was kinda hard to do since Costco decided to cut the entire thing in half and tie it up so that you couldn't tell . Instead of one big butterflied loin, I ended up with two little ones. Served with extra stuffing (I baked it in little pans, because all the stuffing wouldn't fit in my mini roasts), mash potatoes, and brussel sprouts: Boy, could this dish have used some of Marlene's gravy! It tasted really good, but it was a little dry - the pork was a little mild, next time I'll invest in the good pork from our butcher shop. Also, we have enough left for probably 4 meals each! Jessica won't eat it and I don't like leftovers (not a flavor issue, I just don't like eating the same thing over and over). This strudel (also a Mr. Kim request - this always happens when he watches the food network on weekend mornings!) was dessert and you can read of my troubles with it here:

Mary Elizabeth - your milk jam and fudge sauce are just swoony. I'm thinking big spoon, no ice cream even necessary! And your pains au chocolat - am I seeing correctly? Is the dough actually chocolate as well as bits of chocolate in there? Goodness ! DesertCulinary - the pound cake is just up our alley! What perfection! I look at your list of recipes on your site and dream of the time, ability and blood sugar to allow me to make every single recipe! dystopiandreamgirl - allow me to join in the general hosannas for those beautiful, amazing, lucious looking cakes. I am just in awe! pups224 - beautiful tart! Rob - the cake is lovely and I think that your piping looks really good. I wish mine was somewhere in the vicinity of that! I took a Wilton class, but I don't practice like I should. I'd love some help with this strudel that I made on Sunday. The filling was fabulous - tasty and rich and perfect. My phyllo, however, sucked. The recipe is here. Let me preface this by saying that I haven't worked with phyllo in a very long time. But I don't remember having much trouble with it, even as a novice cook. What I got was a flat, damp layer that barely enclosed the filling - no shatteringly thin layers. Also there was more than twice as much filling as was needed to fill one strudel. I also used much more butter than called for because when I brushed it on (using a silicone brush) it just didn't spread enough to get butter everywhere. Here are the strudels: and a slice: One thing that occured to me, besides maybe too much butter, was that the phyllo seemed to be smaller than I remember. Each sheet was maybe 8 1/2 X 14 inches. The original recipe doesn't give measurements, so I figured they were standard, but maybe not?? Anyway, if anyone has any ideas what I did wrong here, I'd welcome the help! Thank you in advance!

Just found this thread last week - I made Jaymes' caramel corn on Sunday. It was gone last night! Fantastic. I can see me making lots of this in the future, Jaymes! Just excellent. I put it on my webpage, duly credited to you, of course! Without really thinking about it I baked the caramel corn on one shelf with a big pan of Benton's bacon baking away on the bottom shelf. The corn picked up a little smokiness. Nice surprise.

Can I make this strudel a couple of hours ahead of time up to the baking part and then put it in the oven to bake as we are sitting down to dinner so that it will be warm? I know that I'll have to cover and refrigerate so that the phyllo won't dry out, but otherwise will it work and not get soggy?

Randi - that stinks. What an ugly way for someone to act. Especially when she is so new. No people skills, obviously. I've worked with people like that and I've never had one improve on aging. I hope things go better for you and that she realizes what a treasure she has in you. You have a clear record of what you've fed them and what they liked and didn't - why not show her that. I'd ignore her ugly actions and just pretend that she has the good motives that you do - feeding those folks, good, healthy food that doesn't go over budget. Assume you are on the same page and she won't have any choice but to act nice or show her true colors. If you can't work with her, it's better to know now before you agonize over it for ages. Thinking of you! <<<<hugs>>>>!

A couple of spoonsful of brown sugar are traditional in our family.

I'm getting to sound repetitive here, but where's the recipe for that? I cook for a bunch of folks that would go NUTS for something like that casserole, but I don't see it in the 'Casserole' chapter, not in the master list on your cookbook site. Give, girl! PLEASE?! ← What I did was to use this recipe (minus the beans) and add a TON of sliced, sauteed beef hot dogs and top with cheese. I made it a week ahead of time and froze it (without the cheese) - that worked just fine. Percyn - gorgeous meals! I love lettuce wraps, but most people overload them with ingredients - I really like the simplicity of yours - it looks like you can actually taste the contrast of that lovely beef and the crisp, cold lettuce. Nice sauce bowl, too! Do you know where that came from? Thanks, everyone, for all the kind comments! I am cooking so little 'fun' stuff lately that I had a blast just diving in and cooking up a storm!

I much prefer cooking bacon in the oven - both from a taste and a clean standpoint, but Mr. Kim and my punk prefer pan-fried, so I trade off the method. I use Release foil under the bacon and since its bigger than the sheet pan, I have exactly NO clean up.

Village Idiot - lovely meals and welcome! Hope to see a lot more from you! Mr. Kim's fantasy football draft party was Wednesday night and I catered it for the third year in a row. The menu included: chili dog casserole: When they used to go to a restaurant, it was at a local place that has the best chili dogs in town, so this was an homage - not nearly as good at Melito's, but enjoyed by everyone, it seemed. Vegetables and dips: The dips were a bleu cheese & caramelized shallot and Bloody Mary Dip. Mr. Kim requested the veg, but I think he was the only one that indulged - the dips were very popular on chips, though! Caramelized almonds & Cashews and spicy oyster crackers: the nuts were sensational - just gobbled up! The oyster crackers are just those ubiquitous 1980's snack that are so out of style, but we like them and I thought that if I spiced them up they might seem a little 'new'. I left out the lemon pepper and dill from the original recipe and added chili powder and cayenne. Very nice. Chicken sate: Mini reubens: These were very good and popular, but I think that next time instead of mixing all the topping stuff together, I will mix the dressing, corned beef and sauerkraut and then sprinkle the cheese on top. I think that the cheese would have more impact that way. They were good with a little splot of deli mustard! Salsa canapes: I've made these a lot and they are always scarfed up. The cheese is cojito and that's some chopped, sauteed chorizo on top The dessert buffet: Big, chewy molassas spice cookies w/ Sugar Babies, Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Crunch cereal treats and ice cream sandwiches made with toasted and smoked marshmallow ice cream and those Nabisco chocolate wafers, rolled in graham crackers and served with hot fudge. For the test run of these ice cream sandwiches, I made the cooky sheets for the sandwich and it worked great - this time they just fell to pieces and I was out of time, so I just got the wafers. The gentlemen didn't seem to mind and these disappeared - the were the only dessert item that I had to replenish! close up of the sandwiches: Sorry about some of the pictures being so crappy! Some of them were taking in my dining room which has terrible lighting: no flash - yellow, flash - white out! I somehow missed getting pictures of them, but we also had Marlene's onion rings and corn on the cob. The rings were fantastic, as always, Marlene! I cooked them the night before and reheated in the oven and they were still the best I've ever made and better than most I've ever had out! Mr. Kim and I had to really control ourselves the night before as they came out of the fryer!

Positive Vibe is a good idea that seems to be meeting it's multiple goals - providing jobs and training to folks with disabilities and serving quality food. I'd like to support that (I wouldn't if the food sucked - I'm not that altruistic), so we'll be stopping by. I don't know southside very well. Richmond is like that - everyone tends to stay on their side of the river, except for work. But I know that there are supposed to be some really good, authentic central and south american restaurants there. I can't vouch for any since I am, after all, a northsider , but some research should turn up a number of them! You can't insult me about that crappy statue - it's embarrassing that such a deserving person is commemorated with that piece of junk. When we drive by it, we always yell, "Arthur, stop beating those children and give them back their book!" clickety and the rest of your blog entry cracked me up. I love Richmond and the South, but I still have a strong sense of humor and irony (you'll find most reasonably intelligent Southerners do ). You are one sick puppy, though (Wayne Williams??? )

Dinner last night was that eye of round roast: a little overcooked - that was a tiny little sucker. Along with Marlene's crispy smashed potatoes, roasted asparagus and Marlene's yorkies: All covered with gravy! (I probably should have taken the picture pre-gravy!)

Hey, Jerry! I read this the day that you posted it and have been trying to find time to post a response. I'm glad you had fun in Richmond! I've never been to Frank's Pizzeria. It sounds like a pizza that Mr. Kim would like - I prefer a more conservative hand with the cheese than it sounds like they have! I have heard so much about Positive Vibe and haven't had a chance to go yet - I'm glad to get your review and we'll bump it up the 'must go' list. Sticky rice sounds amazing, too! I cannot do rice since the surgery and have a very tender mouth as far as spice goes - do you think that I would find something to eat there? The Cheesecake Bistro report is hilarious! Never eaten there, but we have eaten at the Cheesecake Factory. How do you have 'cheesecake' in your NAME and not know how to make a freakin' cheesecake!!!??? And is it too much to ask that it be thawed before serving? We like Full Kee a lot, but haven't been there for dim sum yet. Sounds like we need to go. RE: your list of restaurants you are thinking of going to. I've been to Croaker's Spot and Mama Zu - both very good. You should also try the Black Sheep (new) and Cafe Rustica. Of course Millie's is always great. Kuba-Kuba is fun and delicious. Karsen's in Carytown is wonderful. If you were to map all these places you would be able to see that my preference skews to the Fan and Carytown and downtown. I actually live in Glen Allen, but we mostly eat down there! And I hardly know southside at all. RE: One North Belmont. I'll look up our 'review' that is in my kitchen journal and PM it to you. Mr. Kim wrote it and he was kinda ticked off at the time, so I'm not sure it's fair to post it here. FWIW, we are the only people I've ever heard of that didn't adore the place. But just down the street is a truly special and wonderful butcher shop - Belmont Butchery. Make sure to tell your girlfriend to go see Tonya there - it is the real deal and a type of place that I haven't seen in years! Mr. Kim and I would love to meet y'all for a drink/meal next time you are in town, if you have the time.

David - thank you! I'll look for it. Megan - I brined the shrimp in a salt/water solution for about 30 minutes. The scampi part was just slivers of garlic, lightly toasted in clarified butter with parsley and lots of pepper added in at the last minute.

RAHiggins - love the turkey hash! I never think to do that with my leftover turkey, but it's a wonderful idea! Shelby - BLTs !! We never have gotten any good local tomatoes this year, so I think that I'm just going to Costco and buy those good camparis from Canada and have BLTs and cream of tomato soup next week - we have a delivery of Benton's bacon due soon! MiFi - that lobster sandwich looks wonderful and I am checking into flights to NS as I type this ! Daniel - amazing dinner! TOMA (the other Miss A) is a gem! I especially want one of those chalupitas! David - I am amazed at that fish! I am going to look for something similar in our Asian grocery store. Was the word "Silverbarb" printed on the packaging? Prawn - all that gorgeous pork! I am not sure if my favorite is the char siu (maybe my favorite Asian dish ever) or the lovely crackly piece on top of the chop! Dinner last night was salad, scampi on angel hair and broccoli w/ cheese sauce. The broccoli was that crappy frozen stuff, but it was in the freezer and I needed a quick veg - but as I look at the picture, it strikes me that with that side, the dish might qualify for the Gallery of Regrettable Foods thread:

I'm sure that it would taste great, but you are right, the consistancy might suffer. Maybe if you used Whip It?

judiu - that's because there is no recipe . We had some leftover baked potatoes from the other night. I just scooped the flesh (that's not the right word, but I can't think of what I mean right now) out, added a couple of microwaved peeled Yukon golds and dumped in cream cheese, sour cream, grated cheddar, salt, pepper and heavy cream. I crammed it all in a little casserole dish and nuked it for a few minutes. Every single thing that I used was leftover from cooking done this weekend or last week. We always have leftovers when I make baked potatoes (Jessica and I should share a potato, but never do), so a couple of days later, it's potato casserole with whatever I have in the house. Sometimes it's just freezer Swiss cheese and Parmesan (there is always Swiss and Parm in my freezer), canned cream and dried herbs. But it's best when I happen to have some cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar!

Shelby - Here's a link to the spinach salad. David - the wings and the bbq tri-tip are both things I would really like to make! I've printed out both of your descriptions to help me. (BTW, thank you for doing that! I notice that you usually do give general directions when you post a meal and it's really helpful. It gives us pointers and lets us know what level of expertise we'll need.) I'll have to go for a prowl at our Asian grocery store. Sunday dinner: eye of round roast, green beans, cheese potato casserole, biscuits. That roast is the one that someone posted about awhile back. You slice the eye of round in half lengthwise and heavily salt it and let sit. You then roast it at a very low temp and let sit in the oven awhile, then tented with foil for awhile longer. It's a CI recipe and we were so pleased with it. When I started hearing about this roast a month or so ago, I was very suspicious! I have never had any success with eye of round. My sister used to make roast beef with it and it was always, in a word, horrible. Dry, tough and tasteless and not at all helped with the Bisto that she made to go with it. She loved it because it was so 'wonderfully lean', but I hated it. This is very, very different. Mr. Kim says that he could eat it every week. I made a little pan sauce with some red wine, Better Than Bouillion beef, Worcestershire and steak sauce.

We celebrated Mr. Kim's birthday yesterday with friends and family. It ended up being a sort of late lunch. I served cheese and crackers: stilton w/ mango, 3 year cheddar, aged goat w/ rosemary and Brie and fruit I also served Crunchy Milk-Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cake and banana pudding, posted HERE.

Desserts for our family celebration of Mr. Kim's birthday this weekend: This is the Nancy Olson cake introduced to eG by DesertCulinary that I just made for Father's day. But Mr. Kim liked it so much that he requested it again for his birthday! Incredible, again. I also made banana pudding from a Paula Deen recipe. It is absolutely delicious - fluffy, light - always a favorite. It has two of my least favorite 'dessert' ingredients in it: Cool Whip and instant pudding, but it turns out great. Inexplicable:

That recipe is my 'go-to' for a loaf of very good, dependable bread. And 'white' is a bit deceiving. This is not Wonder Bread! It has good flavor and a great crumb. Just follow the directions exactly . I am absolutely not a baker, but have never had a failure with this bread. Good luck and let us know how it turns out! ←