Tag Archives: breakfast

First Father’s Day

I think by now you realize that our family love language is cooking and baking homemade meals to share and enjoy with one another, our friends and family. Im also certain, just as you suspected, Father’s day wasn’t any exception to that statement either. Yes, Bumblebee and I decided to show our love and admiration for Mr. B and his first Father’s day through his stomach. We whipped up some extra special homemade Belgium waffles, a side of fresh fruit and a good ol’ cuppa joe.

I have to say… nothing makes me smitten more with this man than seeing how much he loves our daughter! I love watching the two of them together. It’s the one of the sweetest thing ever, haha when she isn’t HANGRY, to see a new dad with his daughter. My love cannot possibly get any deeper than that.

Here is wishing a happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there! Our dad’s are an ocean away, so we could only call to tell them just how much we love and miss them over the phone. Boy do we miss them!

Backpackbees

First Mother’s Day

Yesterday marked my very first Mother’s Day. My coffee cup and heart were filled to the brim with such good stuff! The weather was straight out of Mr. Rogers neighborhood perfect! I’m talking clear blue sky, the sun shining, birds chirping happily, and the evening sunset was one of the most beautiful we’ve seen to date in Korea! See! Perfection!

Olivia and Mr. B made my day so very special and absolutely memorable. Outside of the fact that I get to wake up every single morning to my best friend and my daughter, seriously is gift enough, but I also had a lovely prepared breakfast, freshly brewed coffee, the sweetest little message from “Olivia”, as well as two beautiful charms to add to my Pandora bracelet.

Sipping on my coffee that morning, I couldn’t help but think about the past several years, the Mother’s Days that passed, that my heart waited, ached, and longed to be a mommy. To experience life being a parent with my husband. I didn’t realize that there was a bigger plan eventually in store for us, it just wasn’t our time. It was a hard pill to swallow and I just didn’t understand why. So this very morning, like all my mornings since becoming pregnant and having our bumblebee, meant so much more to me than anything in the world. As I said on our Instagram account, my husband and daughter are the greatest gifts on this side of eternity to me!

We continued our afternoon with a stroll, snapped some fun photos and picked up potbingsu from a local cafe.

It didn’t just stop there! The Mr. continued right on spoiling and making the day special by cooking the most deliciously moist grilled chicken, Israeli shiitake mushroom flavored couscous, spicy crushed tomatoes, and bread with homemade dipping oil….. I scarfed it down, I had to grab this photo off of the Mr.’s cellphone.

These past few weeks, two months, this very morning, life as a whole has become so much more meaningful to me. There has been no greater miracle than this one to me. So many heartfelt thank yous to my husband and bumblebee for such a beautiful day.

Backpackbees

Merry Christmas!

If you follow along on our Instagram account, you’d see that we had a really quaint Christmas eve dinner at home, just the two of us. A clove ham simmered away half of the day making the home smell heavenly! When I got home from work I got right to it whipping up some sage sweet potato gratin, creamed spinach, and a nice green salad. Everything was decadent yet pretty light and healthy. Mmmmhmmmm Getting in all those greens! (Sorry all the photos are over on Instagram here..)

Christmas Morning we were pretty casual and leisurely opened our gifts. Being just the two of us here not off jet-setting our holiday, it sort of felt short this year? I can’t really explain… It was absolutely lovely, just a different sort of feeling that’s hard to put into words. Honestly, this time of year you can’t pay me to leave the living room. I LOVE the Christmasy feeling in our home, the decorations we’ve collected from our travels around the world, The tree glowing in the evening making it even more cozy. Ah! I just LOVE it! ….Now the only thing we’re missing is a roaring fireplace to cuddle up next to. Perhaps our next place/residence will have that? Wink-wink.

^^Santa dropped off a new treddy for us!

Mr. B made sure that he got the traditional Christmas B breakfast going. Anyone following along, outside of our family, that is familiar with dried beef gravy, or SOS? Mmmm it’s their family tradition that I absolutely love and have definitely become accustom to! For not having a local Pennsylvanian butcher near by, I’d say he did an awesome replication.

Christmas evening we were invited to have Christmas dinner with good friends. I took along a healthier festive peppermint brownie cake.

We had a really nice time helping cook an incredible dinner together. It’s really hard to pick a favorite, but if I HAD to give you some show stoppers… I’d have to say the ham with its excellent glaze and the British sticky toffee pudding. Mmmm but seriously, everything was delicious and made even better with the great company! Oh and we did our first Christmas crackers complete with crowns too! What fun!!

Merry Christmas dear friends!

Ps: We didn’t have a white Christmas, but did wake up this morning (the day after Christmas) to this…. Just as GOOD!

Backpackbees

Gastronomic Journey in Paris

As I stated earlier we were on a gastronomic journey while we vacationed in Paris. We couldn’t wait to get our hands on fresh bread, real cheese, and a new selection of wine. I’d be kidding you if I said that I didn’t spend a large amount of time researching where we should go and eat. You saw the books, I am hardcore and thorough when it comes to my meals. I started to become a teeny bit overwhelmed by all of the choices we had. Finally after I had made out a crazy long list of where we’d go, I asked Mr. B if he’d mind just winging it when we reached Paris. Mr. B of course was up for anything and reminded me that this was again a vacation, no need to get so wrapped up in the details. (LOVE THIS MAN!)

The best advice we can give is when you go to Paris is just explore! Let your eyes and nose lead you to your next meal.

One major difference we noticed was that the entrée is a starter in France, something we call appetizers. The main course is called the plat principal, or just the plat. Dessert is of course, dessert (THEE most important thing one to know wherever you travel).

If you are curious, we will share just a few of the restaurants we frequented/ I had my camera along during our trip below. These restaurants are in no particular order. Each place was lovely, incredibly delicious, with wonderfully attentive staff making our dining experiences in France an absolute delight.

Swoonnnn… reminiscing about these places still is making my heart flutter and my stomach roar!

1. Le 7ème Vin
ADDRESS: 68 avenue Bosquet 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

We checked into our hotel and after getting settled in we asked the front desk if they had a recommendation within walking distance. This was the place they sent us to. When we think of a cozy French restaurant this is the place that will always come to our minds. There are only about 10-13 tables inside. The place always seems busy with not only travelers like ourselves, but locals too. Upon entering we were immediately greeted and welcomed to a table. The menu is presented on handwritten chalkboards. It was fun to watch the staff move them around to anyone new that came in. The food was excellent! We ordered the rack of lamb with thyme. The dish was evenly cooked from edge to center, absolutely beautiful, tender, Ooooh so melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Thank you for setting the bar with our first meal in France.

2. Le Progrès
ADDRESS: 7 rue des Trois Frères 75018 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

After our five mile hike up and to the Sacre Coeur we popped in for a bite to eat. We sat outside enjoying the perfect views of Montmartre. The waitress was helpful with recommendations from the lunch board. The gazpacho and goat cheese Apéritifs are outstanding here, steaks were a bit overdone even after ordering them rare, and the french-fries were perfectly crisp and non-oily. All and all not a bad choice when in the area.

3. Ladurée
ADDRESS: 16 rue Royale 75008 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

I’m obsessed with macarons and now unfortunately for my husband… he is too. (SORRY) These macarons were worth every single penny when you want quality that’s outstanding with each and every bite. They had the perfect combination of texture and taste. Crispy, chewy and creamy! The staff were so helpful and kind making the entire experience that much more special for us. Go big and splurge with trying a box of all the flavors assorted. (YEP, WE DID).

4. Kozy Salon Urbain
ADDRESS: 79 ave Bosquet 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

We enjoy ADORE our coffee in the mornings so we were delighted to find a great little cafe to serve as our home away from home. The owner was incredibly helpful and explained that we could help ourselves with a plate and pick out anything that we liked while he made our coffee and cappuccino order. We felt really comfortable while we sipped on our coffee and nibbled our pastries. This cafe has free wi-fi too!

5. Crêperie du Cloître
ADDRESS: 14 rue Cloître Notre Dame 75004 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

As the old saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do…. Sooo because we’re in Paris and not Rome…A nutella crepe is a must do! We stopped in for a quick bite to eat after we did the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Everything was fast, service was friendly, and before we knew it our piping hot onion coup, croque Monsieur were just want we needed to keep going with our walk all over the city.

6. Gusto Italia
ADDRESS: 199 rue de Grenelle 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

We couldn’t help ourselves! We know we should have been taking full advantage of the fact we were in France, but our nose and belly told us we NEEDED to go here. Everyday when walking by this place had the most incredible aromas wafting out onto the streets. AH! The appetizer plate with a tasting of pickled/ sauteed veggies and breads, outstanding. We ordered a pizza and also the ravioli’s based on others recommendations. The food and service were of this world! Make sure to grab dessert too! We ordered tiramisu and were blown away! Yelp recommendations were spot on!

7. La Boulangerie des Invalides-Jocteur
ADDRESS: 14 ave Villars 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

We grabbed our breakfast sipped our cappuccino and Americano and sat outside watching the world go by. Excellent pastries and breads! Truly not a place to miss while you are in the area. I instantly fell in love with the quaintness this bakery boasted…I mean they have pink walls! The staff were friendly, patient, and very helpful with pronunciation of each item we ordered. (HEY! we certainly tried) We ordered a praline brioche, bichon framboise, and took a baguette to go. (ORDER THE BICHON FRAMBOISE!)

8. La Terrasse du 7eme
ADDRESS: 2 place Ecole Militaire 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

Convenient location just outside the Ecole Militaire Metro exit. Perfect sidewalk cafe for a late night meal or snack. We sat outside enjoying our escargot and sipped on a nice bottle of wine. Did we happen to mention we REALLY enjoyed the escargot??

9.Café de Mars
ADDRESS: 11 rue Augereau 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

WOW! It’s hard to even begin to put into words how excellent this meal was. We were incredibly pleased with everything from the service, to the wine, to the meal. A must go if you’re in the area! If you get the chance order Terrine de lapin confit, salade de carottes roses pistachio, saumon, asperges, sucrines, verveine, Filet de bœuf en croûte, Goat cheese cake with blueberries gateau au chocolat du pasteur ! WOWWWWW!!

10. Terres de Café
ADDRESS: 33 rue des Batignolles 75017 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

A teeny tiny little coffee cafe that serves excellent cappuccinos and flat whites. When we travel we are always on the hunt for the perfect beans and most enjoyable cups of jo. This place met the criteria. Make sure to carry cash with you if stopping by, as the barista will only let you use your card if you’ve got an order over a certain total. Sit outside the cafe sipping your drinks, savoring your slice of carrot/ banana bread, and people watch before getting along to start your day.

11. Au Petit Sud Ouest
ADDRESS: 46 ave de la Bourdonnais 75007 Paris, France
YELP REVIEWS: HERE

It was so nice we had to go twice! We really wanted to find a decent restaurant that foie gras while in France and out of pure luck we struck gold! We have no idea how anyone could rate Au Petit Sud Ouest anything less than 5 stars. You will meet and see both the husband and wife owners as they passionately serve food and speak with their customers. We were very luck to get a table the first time without a reservation. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation because they are always very busy. Each table has it’s own toaster so that you can toast your outstanding hearty slices of bread. From the two nights that we visited we ordered, Seared duck fois gras over apples, duck in orange sauce, Foie gras 3 ways, We also had the duck breast with mushrooms and potatoes served rare, duck cooked with green pepper corn, Trio of creme brûlée, pear sorbet. When the owner tells you that the potions are rather large…. believe her… because they are! If you order anything, order the foie gras 3 ways, or the seared fois gras over apples, they two dishes will just melt in your mouth. Now to find a place in Korea…

Backpackbees

Best Belgium Waffles

I just might be a bit bias here, but hands down, these are the most delectable homemade Belgium waffles we’ve ever had! You may just have to add these little guys into your regular weekend breakfast routine.

The waffles had the best crispy outer texture, were very flavorful and just the right balance of moistness on the inside. Bonus, there is a secret ingredient too! I’ll give you a clue….it gives off a very subtle nutty-cherry flavor… any guesses? Almond extract!

Go ahead get a little crazy, let loose on your Sunday morning and top those waffles off with your favorite maple syrup, some powdered sugar, or fresh fruit and enjoy! Don’t forget to let us know what you think.

Best Belgium Waffles
Makes roughly 8-10 waffles

2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 Teaspoons baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 Cup sugar
2 Large eggs, separated
1/2 Cup coconut oil
2 Cups lactose free whole milk
1 Tablespoon almond extract

Directions:

Sift all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl with easy to pour lip.
Separate the large eggs.
In another bowl, beat large egg whites until they are stiff.
Mix together the following: egg yolks, lactose free milk and coconut oil, almond extract and stir slightly.
Add all but egg whites to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Lastly, fold in beaten egg whites.

Backpackbees

Click, Ship & treat yourself!

Savory: Yuca Home Fries

Wait…. hold the press…. Can you really make home fries without potatoes?

Yes.

Have you ever heard of yuca root? Perhaps casssava might ring a bell? Still no?

No worries…. Me too, until recently when Mr. B and I stumbled upon some waxy yuca for sale. I’ll admit I had seen it there before, always curious and pondering as to what it was and how someone would prepare it.

We used our trusty source Google. (Go ahead Google it too). We found out that there were some surprisingly outstanding benefits to eating yuca root. For starters it’s a great source of vitamin C, phosphorous, and calcium. Yuca is also high in fiber and plays a crucial part in good intestinal health. Can’t get better than that, right? Wrong, it gets better!

My fellow followers, the tasteeeee! It was just AS GOOD as the typical American carbolicious comfort of home fries we grew up on. If it wasn’t for yuca being a tad bit starchier, I honestly don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference.

We recently bought a griddle for our teeny tiny Korean stove top. Essentially this griddle is for a grill, however it works quite nicely for us in our kitchen. Sunday morning came around and we thought how perfectly the new adventures of yuca and the new griddle would work together.

We really do not have a recipe per say. Just treat yuca like you would a potato. Get rid of the waxy exterior, process in a food processor, or chop by hand how you’d like your home fries. Next heat up some safflower oil, or your favorite oil on your griddle, or large pan and fry those babies up! Don’t forget a side of bacon and dippy eggs with cheese too.

Looking back, thinking about the incredible aromas wafting from our kitchen, it was as if we were in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Triple D!) grease splatter and all. We like to keep it rather authentic like that. HA-HA, yeah our good friends know that only 5 seconds would pass and Mrs. B would be running around like a mad woman wiping it up immediately.

Have you ever made or tried yuca? We’d love to know some recipe ideas if you’d be willing to share.

Backpackbees

Forgiving Fourways

You guys, my Amaryllis belladonna bloomed again over night! Check it out! I’m like a giddy child on Christmas when I wake up rub my sleepy eyes these past mornings and roll out to the living room and see this happy little guy in all it’s glory! I stopped by Cafe Jerry’s to see how hers was doing too…not to shabby, not to shabby. Little thing in life we cherish.

This morning I woke up and knew I wanted to do something special for Kelsey, let’s just say life hasn’t given her forgiving fourways lately. For those of you not in Korea, I know you’re wondering what this silly gal is rambling on about, so I’ll share. In S. Korea while driving if you cut someone off, make a left turn from the right lane of traffic, or do any other really outlandish driving, it’s absolutely okay! Why? Because all you need to do is hit the forgiving fourways (hazards), all is instantly made right again and all parties drive on. Oh Korea.

Anywho, when life gives you lemons make Rachael Ray’s lemon ricotta pancakes! Throw in a side of turkey bacon, fresh berries and a refreshing bubbly raspberry lemonade. Mmmmhmmm! Got your attention? Thought so. This recipe was used recently by a friend for a birthday breakfast celebration with rave reviews. Those reviews were spot on! Happy belated birthday Kara!

Oh, it doesn’t hurt when the coffee barista, Mr. B, comes right to your home and makes you a perfect caramel machattio to sip on while your whipping up your lemony goodness.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Taken directly from Rachael Ray’s Recipe Here

Ingredients:

6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup self-rising flour
4 tablespoons lemon zest
3 cups ricotta
5 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, flour, 3 tbsp. zest, 2 cups ricotta and 3 tbsp. sugar. In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter. On griddle, cook pancakes in butter over medium until golden, 3 minutes per side. In medium bowl, whisk remaining ricotta and sugar. Top pancakes with ricotta mixture and remaining zest.

Backpackbees

Quiche.

Quiche. Baked.

Google describes a quiche as a savory, open-faced pastry crust with a filling of savory custard with cheese, meat, seafood, or vegetables. Google hit the nail on the head with its description! A quiche is just so versatile!

I’m finding comfort in these delicious days where the sun is shining a little longer than the past winter months. Firing up the oven baking a quiche is just the thing you need to showcase the springtime vegetable abundance. Think fresh tomatoes, asparagus, artichokes and garlic. Mmmhmmmm…

I’m such a sucker for a savory quiche, let’s be honest the topic of brunch in general. What’s not to love? This quiche is snap to make, impressive to serve, plus isn’t it a delight to eat? Think about serving at your next brunch with your girlfriends, or eat for dinner like I did. Couldn’t resist. To reach that full springtime nirvana why not try serving with a side of fresh spring greens. Enjoy!

Zucchini Quiche

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated
1 large onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Ham or bacon, chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup of oil
5 eggs
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Combine zucchini, onion, bacon, flour and cheese in a large bowl. Add oil and lightly beaten eggs and mix. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste . Pour mixture into baking dish.

Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and set. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Vegetables options are endless with your imagination! If you are worried about vegetarian guest simply leave out the meat.

Do you have a favorite brunch recipe? Go ahead and share!

Backpackbees

Pancake Princess

Overnight we finally got a little taste of the snow I’ve been asking for. Of course you might be getting tired of the powdery white stuff wherever you are, even looking at any photos of it might be daunting, but I’m still not satisfied with the amount that we’ve had this winter. Like most things… it came to an end and has been melting as we speak. Enter sad squishy face here. Perhaps in the next few weeks we will get some record-breaking, state of emergency stuff!

I woke up snapped some photos, yep neighbors I was the crazy lady leaning out the window at 8AM giddy about the snow.

Anyways, I recently thew out some rancid coconut flour that I think I accidentally should have been keeping in the freezer or refrigerator. Oops. Luckily it was only a small amount, so I didn’t feel as guilty. I know this is record-breaking stuff folks. Just kidding, I have a reason to my madness. I was going to make pancakes. Epic fail. Then I found out that a dear friend was able to locate and pick some up for me and saved this princesses Sunday morning pancakes making! Thanks again Sarah!

I think you are really going to enjoy these! Plus check out all the different people’s dietary restrictions this recipe can cater to. Let’s get mixing! Don’t forget some awesome tunes too!

(Above photo showing non-rancid smelling coconut flour)

Coconut Flour Pancakes (Gluten Free/Grain Free/Low Carb/Low Calorie/High Protein)
Slightly altered from Foodie Fiasco

Ingredients

2 Egg whites
1/4 Cup coconut flour
1/2 Cup almond milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/8 Teaspoon salt
1/8 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 Teaspoon honey or any kind of sweetener such as stevia or agave that you prefer

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Heat a greased nonstick skillet over medium high heat with coconut oil. Pour desired amount of batter onto skillet and cook until golden or color desired. Enjoy!

Have you ever tried coconut flour? If so, what do you use it in?
Are you a pancake fan? Or princess like me? Mmmmm
Do you enjoy toppings or just straight up maple syrup?

Backpackbees

Sunday Morning Poached Eggs

You know what? Poaching an egg is very intimidating and unknown territory when it comes to a mediocre cook. Truly, I can say this from experience. Believe it or not, I never poached an egg until this morning. Boy, they are tricky little guys!

I found that using a small bowl to slowly slide the egg into the almost boiling water worked the best. Thank goodness for good old Google and some tips from Real Simple magazine to help me keep calm and cook on.

Fresh eggs are key. My eggs are fairly fresh, but not fresh-fresh, like snatched right out from under the hen fresh. When I think of fresh eggs, I instantly think of my grandparents that raise chickens. Sometimes they tell me they have so many eggs, they often run out of creative ways to use them up. Maybe after they read this post they will want to poach some eggs too?

What are your thoughts on poached eggs? Have any tips or tricks to getting them perfect?

Backpackbees