Chicken Soup, for the soul and body

 Okay, It is November 8th and I am very happy to announce the winner of my first giveaway. It is Rebecca from Indecisive baker. Congratulations, Rebecca! and thanks to all of you who enter. I wish I could choose all of you as a winner...

It is quite cold outside these days. I hear my piano man coughing often. He has been sick for a few days with cold. Life is busy with lots things happening everyday and I felt bad that I didn't pay him much attention when he got sick.  For being a such a good wife (?) I decide to make him some good  soup from scratch. 

When you think of making a soup for your loved ones, what ingredients comes to your mind first?
For me, it is this guy...

The headless whole chicken!

Finally...

Having lived in Hong Kong for 3 years,

where many chickens came with head and feet as a whole set,
I am so happy to see the headless chicken.

Ahhhhh...

Look at this beauty!

I can hear him singing,

♪♪♪ I believe I can fly... ♪♪♪

Making chicken soup from scratch is not difficult but takes some time.

So make the chicken stock ahead of time.
Then,

You can put the soup together 30 minutes before serving.

To make home-made chicken stock;

 whole HEADLESS chicken, celery, garlic, leak (or onion),

and the whole peppercorn.

 Clean your chicken inside out first.

Let him bath in a big pot of water with other ingredients.

Boil and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hour.

 When his bath time is over, 

you will see his legs are nearly falling off.

 Take him out and let him cool off.

Oh, no!  He lost his wings...

♪♪♪ I believe I can't fly... ♪♪♪

 Drain the stock, reserving the liquid.

Discard all the other stuff.

 You will see a layer of fat floating on top. 

I don't think you want that.

I usually let the stock to cool down and put it in the fridge

 Shred your chicken into bite size.  

I keep them in the fridge until ready to use.

 After a few hours later the fat layer has been hardened in the fridge.

It scoops off easily with a spoon.

 Here is the beautiful homemade chicken stock.

Now, let's get down to business.

 These are what I used to make the soup.

frozen corn nibblers, frozen collard greens, onion, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, limes, cilantro,

and of course, the chicken pieces.

 Slice, dice, chop the vegetables.

 In a pot with a little bit of olive oil over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, and carrot for 2 minutes.
Add stock and let them boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add corn,

chicken,

and collard green to the pot. 

Simmer until all the vegetables are tender to taste, about 10-15 minutes.

Add some salt and pepper (Remember the stock had no salt in it).

You soup is almost ready to eat. 

But at this stage, it is tad boring without any spice. 

So I like to add my personal touch.

 I like to add fresh toppings on my soup.

Chop some tomatoes and cilantro,

cut some limes, and green chili or whatever chili you have.

I put them in a serving platter so people can add what they like.
You can add fresh avocado, chili flakes, green onions, etc on the soup.
Spice up with some cumin or nutmeg, or fresh herbs if you wish.
Be creative with flavor.

You can serve with a crusty bread but in my house...

I serve on top of hot rice, just a little bit.

Pour the soup over rice.
Garnish with whatever topping you like.

This is hearty and 100% home-made.

Just what your body needs.

Need a chicken soup for your soul?

I have one for you.

"What we do for ourselves dies with us.

What we do for others and the world remains, and is immortal"

by Albert pine

Make a batch of chicken soup this week,

and share with someone who needs...

Chicken Soup

makes 6-8 servings

For the chicken stock

3 1/2-4 lb whole chicken cleaned

1 large leek or 1 large onion cut up

2-3 celery cut up

1 head garlic break apart

1 Tbsp whole peppercorn

10 C water 

For the soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion chopped

1 carrot sliced

2 garlic cloves chopped

6-8 frozen corn nibbler

3/4 lb frozen chopped collard green

reserved shredded chicken pieces

salt and pepper to season

4 C hot rice

For the Toppings (choose from)

Tomato, cilantro, green or red chili, chili flakes, lime, green onion, avocado, cumin, nutmeg, parsley, dill, oregano, etc.

To make stock, combine all ingredients in a big pot over high heat. Add water, cover the lid, and let it boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for at least 1 hr until the chicken legs are falling off from the body. Take the chicken out, let it rest.  Shred chicken into bite size. Drain the stock in a mesh to reserve, and discard all the vegetables. Let the stock to cool down and chill for couple of hours. You can easily remove the fat floating on top with a spoon when chilled.

To make the soup, saute onion, garlic, and carrot with olive oil in a big pot for 2 minutes over medium high heat. Add the chicken stock, let it boil and reduce he heat to medium-low. Add corn, chicken and collard green. Let it boil first and reduce the heat to low, cover the lid and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Season with some salt and pepper.

To serve, place some hot cooked rice (about 1/2 cup or less for each serving) in a serving bowl, pour the hot soup over rice. Top with some tomatoes, cilantro, lime wedge, chili, fresh herbs etc. Serve immediately. 

printable recipe

Korean Pumpkin Porridge, just right for Goldilocks

One week left for $50 CSN Stores gift certificate giveaway. Don't miss the chance to win!

We all know the story, "Goldilocks and the three bears". Too big, too small..., too hot, too cold...,  after all the ordeal Goldilocks finally finds her perfect "just right" things in the bear family house, and gets comfy. The story sometimes makes me compare Goldilocks as my own image in life. Yes, there is some lesson we learn from the story, though. Respecting other people's possessions or importance of having a good manner...

I realize that I often find myself becoming like Goldilocks, looking for my "just right" everything around the house. Dress, shoes, mattress, food, house, marriage, kids, friends, camera, lenses, pots and pans..., and even spatulas. I am not a picky person but I do have my "just right" taste on everything, not too much of this or not too little of that...

I learned that finding the ultimate "just right"of everything in life really depends on how you handle it. Life is not perfect and it is not supposed to be. To gain the "just right" on everything we seek for, we just have to get it to work.

Today's recipe, "Korean pumpkin porridge, 호박죽(Hobaak Jook)", is your Goldilocks challenge. Not too sweet and not too bland. But the good side is; this is perhaps the simplest Korean porridge you will find. All you need is a slice of aged pumpkin, rice, some sugars, and salt to taste.
The hardest part? Finding your "just right" sweetness...
It really depends on your personal taste.

What kind of pumpkin to use? Well, any kind that has deep bright orange color in the flesh. Pumpkins are in season now. So grab one that you like and let's make some good old porridge, in Korean style!

You will need;

Look at this gorgeous pumpkin slice.

 

I use sweet rice, which is glutenous short grain rice.

We call it "찹쌀(Chapssal)"

You can use regular short grain instead if you can't find the sweet kind.

Rinse the rice several times, and soak them in the water for at least 1 hour.

Not too long and not too short...

 Scrape off all the fibers and the seeds out of the pumpkin with a spoon. 

Cut into chunks and slice them

 Boil the pumpkin slices in the water until they get very tender and soft.

If you are lucky to have a hand blender,

that will be the "just right" tool for pureeing these pumpkin in the pot.

 If you are the unfortunate one like myself,

either mash with fork or use regular blender to puree them.

Keep the pumpkin broth in the pot.

Drain the rice and put them in a food processor or blender with a little bit of water.

Puree until foamy and the rice gets granulated.

Mix pumpkin puree and the broth over medium heat, add the pureed rice. 

 Stirring often with whisk so that the rice granules won't stick to the bottom of pan.

Continue to cook for 5 minutes in gentle boil over medium heat. 

Add more water if your porridge seems too thick. 

 Add sugars, both white and light brown.
You can use all brown sugar if you prefer...

(Brown sugar gives nice flavor but can darken the color of the soup)

Find your "just right" sweetness according to your taste. 

You can add more sugars but I wouldn't make it too sweet.
Remember! not too sweet, not too bland...

 

Cook for 5 more minutes until the rice granules feels "just right" soft with a little body. 

Season with some salt. 

Do not overcook the porridge.

 It can develop weird smell. 

That's all!

Serve with some chopped walnuts or pine nuts on top as garnish.

This porridge reheats beautifully in the microwave.

So make a batch and keep them in the fridge.

Perfect for mid-night snack or quick breakfast.

Or simply when you need "just right" comfort...

 I had my bowl of pumpkin porridge.

It was not too hot, or not too cold,

not too sweet, not too bland,

 ...just right for me.

Now,
I need to find my "just right" bed to take a nap... 

z z z z...

Korean Pumpkin Porridge
(호박죽, Hobaak Jook)
makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 -2 lb pumpkin, seeded and peeled

3/4 C sweet rice or short grain rice

4-5 C water

3-4 Tbsp white sugar

3-4 Tbsp light brown sugar

salt to taste

chopped walnuts or pine nuts for garnish, optional

Rinse the rice a few times and soak in a big bowl for at least 1 hour (overnight is even better).

Slice the pumpkin and put them in a big pot with 4 cup of water. Boil and cook until the pumpkin gets very soft and tender. Puree them with hand blender or in a food processor (Do not discard the broth).

When the rice is fully soaked and hydrated, drain them. Put rice in a blender or food processor with a little bit of water and puree them until they get finely granulated.

Combine the rice puree, pumpkin puree with its broth in a big pot over medium heat, Keep stirring so the rice won't stick to the bottom of the pot, cook for about 5 minutes.  Add more broth(water) if the porridge feels too thick. Add sugars and salt to taste, cook for 5-7 more minutes stirring often until the rice granules feels soft.

Taste the porridge and adjust sweetness according to your taste. Do not overcook the porridge.

Garnish with some chopped nuts and serve warm.

Printable recipe

 

Halloween Cupcakes, and a surprise

Guess what? CSN Stores contacted me about hosting giveaway on my blog. This will be my first ever giveaway.

CSN Stores has over 200 online stores where you can find anything you need whether it be a stylish handbag, a chic barstool or even cute cookware! And most importantly,... Free Shipping!

Someone will get $50 gift certificate to spend but he/she has to reside in U.S or Canada. 

So, what do you need to do to win?

1) Be my follower.

2) Leave a comment about your favorite Korean food.

3) You may blog about this event, leave me another comment. It makes another entry to notice.

I will announce the winner on Nov. 8th.

I am not much of cake decorator but I do enjoy making fun cupcakes with my kids.
Halloween is coming near, and this year I made some easy cupcakes with my Sous-Chefs (?) to celebrate the fun tradition of this country.

I am not going to add tutorial on the cupcake part because you can use your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe and chocolate frosting. You can even use store bought cake mix and frosting to make your life easier. All you need to do is bake some meringues to make cute ghosts.

Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in a high speed until soft peak forms.

Add vanilla. 

Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp at a time until...

the steep peak forms like this.

 I put the mixture in a zip lock bag and cut the ends about 1/2" wide.

If you have a pastry bag with 1/2" round tip, that would work the best.

Just swirl around to make a base and build to the top ending with a slanted tip.

 Bake at 200ºF for 75minutes. 

Turn off the heat and keep the meringue for another 1 hr until they dry completely.

They can be kept in a airtight container for 1 week as long as the climate is dry.

For the Ghost face, I put some frosting in a small zip lock bag, 

cut a tiny slit, and dot eyes and mouth.

 Crush some Oreo cookies without the white filling.

(I used the store brand, copycat of Oreo, since they were much cheaper)

 Frost cupcakes with your frosting.

So nice to have a Sous-Chef in the house, isn't it?

Sprinkle the cookie crumbs on top.

 Put a little bit of frosting on the bottom of ghost and stick it on top of the crumbed cupcake.

For the tomb stones, use any rectangular shaped cookies.
(I used back side of coconut cookies)

Use the same frosting in a bag and just drizzle to write the words you like.

While one is busy making, the other is chowing down.

"Mommy, I ate the ghost!"


Have a Happy Halloween!
and
Don't forget to enter to win the giveaway.

Halloween Meringue Ghosts

makes about 24 ghosts

3 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 C granulated sugar 

chocolate frosting for eyes and mouth

Preheat your oven to 200ºF.

In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment whip egg whites and cream of tartar until well mixed on high speed. Add vanilla and whip.
Add sugar 1 Tbsp at a time, continue to whip until the steep peak forms.
Put the mixture in a pastry bag with 1/2" round tip, or put in a zip lock bag and cut 1/2" slit on the corner. 

Place parchment paper on the baking sheet. Squeeze out the filling, swirling around to make 2" circle to form a base, and build to make ghost shape with a slanted tip on top. 

Bake for 75 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the meringue in the closed oven for another 1 hr until they dry completely.

You can store them in a airtight container for up to 1 week.

Printable recipe