Tag Archives: beef

Importance of sorts

Thursday evening I prepared THIS meal with Bumblebee.

Okayyyy it’s pretty obvious that she realllly can’t jump in and assist me just yet, BUT I feel that she does truly enjoy hearing and watching us bounce around our kitchen space chattering and singing to her in silly little voices and making funny facial expressions. Most of the time she sits smiling watching us, or chews on her Very Hungry Caterpillar or hands (hehehe).

We try to explain what we’re making and the importance of fresh healthy ingredients.

We want her to grow up knowing how to cook and not be afraid or shy away from wild ingredients like foie gras, pink peppercorns, Korean or Thai peppers, or even smoked sea salt. (wait…are those ingredients considered wild??)

Together we’re striving to impress upon her the importance of good locally grown food, pairing a nice glass of wine with a meal, taking and making time with family and friends as we do Thursday evenings to relax, enjoy and eat together. Most of all to savor this short sweet life we’re all so blessed to live.

This dinner was almost too good for words! Seriously! It was SO simple and has to be one of the best weeknight meals that’s been served at our table. Oh boy, the gravy was so savory! The meat literally melts in your mouth and also makes your entire home smell all homey and delicious!

Slow cooker Balsamic Rosemary Beef Chuck Roast

(Should serve 4 comfortably with other sides of course)

Ingredients:
4 lb Beef Chuck Roast
1/2 Tsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base
4 oz Hot water
1/2 Cup Balsamic vinegar
2 Fresh rosemary sprigs
2 Bay leaves
1/2 Yellow onion, cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Large cloves of garlic, minced

Gravy:
All purpose flour to get a thick gravy consistency
2 Tbls Balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste (you’ll need it if you’re salt and pepper hounds like we are)

Instructions:

Slice the chuck roast meat into nice stew-like cuts.

In slow cooker combine the sliced meat, beef stock, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, onion and minced garlic and stir/ mix by hands to coat everything nicely.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or if in a pinch on high for 4-6 hours. (The goal is to slow cook the meat until it melts in your mouth)

Once meat is cooked, use tongs to remove the meat into a separate bowl. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and the bay leaves.

In another separate bowl, add flour and slowly mix in about 2 1/2 Cups of the cooking liquid from the slow cooker until it’s smooth. (Be cautious because hot liquid and flour like to make lumpy gravy).

Next microwave until the flour mixture thickens, it’s about 1 minute. Once it’s a nice thick looking paste, whisk that into the remaining slow cooker liquid to create the gravy.

Taste and adjust any seasonings / add in another 2 Tbls of balsamic vinegar if desired, or needed for more flavor.

Return beef back to the slow cooker and stir to coat everything.

This pairs wonderfully with baked potatoes or rice. Don’t forget a nice tall glass of red too!

We served with baked potatoes, creamed spinach, freshly baked homemade pesto pine nut bread and garden salads. Mmmm!

Backpackbees

Pork Shells, Libs, and Convertible Tops

Friday night we went out on the town for date night. We met up with some of our good friends, and their sweet baby boy. We enjoyed a wonderful meal at a newly discovered restaurant very close to our house.

We stumbled upon this place while on one of our weeknight walks downtown. We both said that we’d have to go back sometime and try the place out. Ohhh goodness folks, we were so glad we did!

The Korean ladies loved baby G to pieces, they fussed over him the entire time we were there. Anytime the adults were talking and looking away they would immediately gush all over him picking up his sunglasses that he’d drop onto the floor, removing any rice he might have stuck to himself, wiping his nose or face. It was so entertaining plus baby G milked it for all it was worth. What a little ham!

I can tell…you are curious and wondering what exactly a pork shell and lib is.

Well, I just cannot help myself, I just have to share with all of you how my sweet little Korean co-worker translated the menu for me. She was explaining each dish, doing a fantastic job too! She started to lose me towards the middle of the menu when she started to use the term lib and shell. I just wasn’t understanding what a shell ย or lib could possibly be on a pig. After talking some more and using some gestures we realized that shell was skin to me and lib was really a rib. We giggled, it was just to cute!

Mr. B Getting schooled in the art of meat grilling. (again) HA-HA!

A success of a date night if i don’t say so myself. Three cheers for pork shell and libs ๐Ÿ™‚

Saturday I buzzed solo. I was in dire need of some hair attention. I walked down to the train station, caught the train and headed towards Seoul at 7:15AM. The sun was already out, our Korean neighbors already had their peppers out drying in the morning sun. Whew… the month of August doesn’t mess around in Korea…hot….muggy… I just cannot remember being this hot last year here. Perhaps I don’t want to remember?

After my hair appointment I walked throughout Itaewon. I knew there were two places that I wanted to check out while it was nice and I had the time to dawdle. Life is just a cup of cake, and the High Street Deli. Luckily these two places were fairly close to one another and I wasn’t out in the heat that much.

Life is just a cup of cake, is the most darling little cupcakory that is nestled back in off of the hustle and bustle of Itaewon’s main street. The outside of the place was just so inviting with its birdcage and cottage like feel. Who wouldn’t want to get sucked into this place?!

Once I got inside my nose immediately picked up on the cupcake aroma in the air and my eyes instantly fixated on all of the beautiful little cupcakes lined neatly under the countertop glass. So many important decisions to make…mind you these are the most delicious life decisions I really don’t mind having to make.

Mmmm…Blueberry Cream Cheese, Earl Grey White Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Almond Macaron, Double Green Tea, Mango Mango, Original Vanilla, All About Chocolate, Carrot.
(5,000 won each).
I got there fairly early in the day so I had a chance to sit down, relax, and indulge in the cuteness of the cupcakory. The interior was just perfect in size. There were two tables where you could enjoy sip your tea and please your taste buds with your delectable sweets.
The service was great! The women behind the counter spoke excellent English and was really lovely all around.
The taste… YUM-O! I’m such a plain Jane sometimes. I was torn between the vanilla and the earl grey cupcake. I ended up with the vanilla. Divine! I had to take one for Mr. B too. I ordered a Red velvet, his favorite, to go. They packaged it up in a cute plastic cupcake container and on my way I went.

Next stop, High Street Deli. I knew I had to swing by this place because of Mipa! I wanted to support her awesome vegan baking business that she works so hard at. This little lady has serious talent! I ordered a veggie on wheat sandwich because the heat was starting to get to me and I figured something light would hold me over on the train ride back home.

What a fun little deli! It’s located on the second floor of the building on the main Itaewon drag. High Street Deli had lots of foreign goods, of course a bit more expensive than what I was used to when we live stateside and had access to a plethora of products. However the prices are not that outlandish, nice!
You can pick up jams, frozen goodies, can goods, coffee, teas, muesli, deli meats, an assortment of cheese, candy, wines, pastas, etc. check out their website if you are curious

While I was getting ready to leave I was paying and chatting with the Korean worker there. Of course the topic of the sun and heat made its way into the conversation. The man was very kind and said, “I hope that you have your sunblock on or a sunbrella”, you’ve got a convertible top going on there. Of course I had a nervous giggle not quite sure what to make of the convertible top comment. I scooted out the door and checked out my almost covered shoulders, Cotton-knit, knee-length sundress….Hmmmmphh.. he-he-he, convertible top ๐Ÿ˜‰

Interesting in checking these two places out? Do it! They won’t disappoint, I promise!

For the restaurant in Dongducheon click here

For the Life is like a cup of cake location click here

For the High Street Location click here