2010 New Year Resolutions Test Run

I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the year. With all that’s happening this month, I know that it’ll go by quickly. As I’m trying to procrastinate as much as I can before the new year, I’m thinking about my 2010 New Year’s resolutions.

Resolution #1: Clean a little each day. Imperfectly is OK.
At our most recent Thanksgiving dinner, I was reminded by my uncle’s snarky wife that I don’t clean very well. (She was referring to the army of guests who were kind enough to wash and put away the dishes, cooking and eating utensils for me to express their gratitude for dinner—my SIL, the speed-demon dish washer, being at the helm at the sink as her daughter and her college friends were collecting, scraping, drying, and putting things away.) What Uncle’s snarky wife’s purpose was to announce that fact, I do not know. But I hope it helped her digest her food better.

The Day After—Thanksgiving Post Mortem

Thank God, it’s over. I am exhausted. My right hand is swollen from all the knife-wielding and chopping. Vanity precluded me from buying mirepoix or using premade chicken broth—I had to make my own, damnit.

This year my legs recovered fairly quickly, thanks to yoga. I was able move without any pain after a night’s sleep. (Doing the reclining staff pose—lying on one’s back with legs against the wall—before sleeping also helped a lot, too.)

So, how did it go on T-day?

Thanksgiving Cook-off Countdown

I’m a glutton for punishment. Although the Big Meal is less than 48 hours away, I have yet to begin the actual shopping for ingredients. Right now, it’s pouring rain, the temperature is dropping, and the roads are pretty slick. I’m debating as to whether I should shop now (while most people are snug at home) or face the horde tomorrow morning. Heads, stay home; tails, go out. (Coin toss at the end of my post.)

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m having my first official playdate for the Princess and four of her friends from her first grade class. Activities include cookie decorating, crafts, and the Wii. The playdate is actually freaking me out more than cooking Thanksgiving dinner.

Somehow I let HB convince me to host the playdate on the day before Thanksgiving. At the time I was thinking, “Sure, I’ll be doing a favor for those moms who’ll need to do their shopping/food prep,” while forgetting that I could probably use the afternoon myself. D’oh [head smack].

Although I should be in some kind of catatonic state, a part of me knows that somehow my cooking/baking spirit guides will come through for me in the end. After all, I live for the stress, the adrenaline rush, and the final collapse at the finish when I say, “I’m never doing this again. Or at least I’ll plan it better next time.”

Here’s the tentative menu:

Comfort Food: Recipe for Korean Brisket (Jjang-joo-rheem)

Today seemed like the perfect day to make jjang-joo-rheem (Korean brisket). Rainy and a bit cold, the weather reminded me of winter in the Pacific Northwest. When I think of the Pacific Northwest, I think of my former college and Boston roommate, Kar-yee, who now practices family medicine at OHSU. One of her favorite comfort foods is jjang-joo-rheem.

When I was living in Boston with Kar-yee, my mom would send us jjang-joo-rheem—especially knowing that sometimes it’s just tough to motivate oneself to cook, and ordering out every night can be cost-prohibitive. Jjang-joo-rheem is a nice panchan (side dish) to have around because it lasts awhile (or not, if it’s really good) and the sauce can be used in many ways.

On a basic level, it can be eaten as a side dish with rice. Kar-yee would combine some some butter/margarine or sesame oil with her rice, shred some of the brisket, and then add a little jjang-joo-rheem sauce, and then mix it all together. Sometimes we’d make fried rice with the jjang-joo-rheem and frozen vegetables, and then wrap it up in an omelette. I later found out that it’s called “omo-rice.”

The jjang-joo-rheem flavored soy sauce can also be used in making dipping sauces for mandoo (Korean potstickers) and bin-dae-dduk (Korean bean pancakes). The brisket and garlic (and peppers, if you add that) add another dimension to the dipping sauce that you can’t get any other way. Pure heaven!

For You Kimchee Fans, Check Out November’s Saveur

The November issue of Saveur has a great feature on kimchee, “Korea’s Miracle Food” by Mei Chin. Most people would probably grab the issue for the “Ultimate Turkey” spread, with “recipes, tips, and techniques for an unforgettable feast,” but I know at least 4 non-Koreans who would be racing to their closest newstand for the kimchee article/recipes.

My mom called me “the Caucasian” while I was growing up because I generally preferred to eat non-Korean meals. It wasn’t until after I went to college that I appreciated my mom’s cooking.

In fact, my appreciation for good home-cooked Korean food became even greater after moving to Boston, because what most people considered “good” wasn’t really even Korean food per se—more like Korean-adjacent (derived from Margaret Cho’s describing Jon Gosselin as “Asian Adjacent”).

Grandma Lee’s Quick and Easy Turkey Meatball Recipe (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free)

My mom is a pro at figuring out ways to get people to eat. To leave her kitchen without having a bite is unheard of. (For those folks who are on a diet, keep away from Helen’s kitchen or prepare to feel lower than a snake’s belly for hurting her feelings.)

Both my sister and I have a child with severe food allergies. But thanks to Mom’s chicken soup and other specialties, our girls have thrived.

Yesterday, I mentioned to Mom about my concern that the Princess might be getting bored with the same old meals and her reluctance to try something new. Mom took me aside, showed me a quick and easy turkey meatball recipe, and managed to get the Princess to eat it. Hooray for Grandma Lee.

Mama Sophia’s Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (Dairy Free)

One of the best (and worst) things I was introduced to in college was Nutella. When the dining hall didn’t serve anything that tempted me, I would just carry out some of their freshly made bread and take it back to my room to have with the chocolate and hazelnut spread. And sometimes I would just eat it straight from the jar. It didn’t matter that it had palm oil and tons of sugar and fat. It was food for my soul and a balm for broken hearts and bad biochem tests. I would even go as far as saying that Nutella helped me get through college.

Some people can’t get enough of Nutella. Others can’t get enough of Marshmallow Fluff. For the Princess, it’s my Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese frosting. If given the opportunity, I’m sure she’d eat it straight out of the bowl.

Nice Like Lice

I just got off the phone with one of my dearest friends. During our conversation I was reminded of another conversation that I had with a different friend. I said, “Nice is like lice…Don’t be so nice all the time because people take advantage of you.”

Even the word “nice” is off-putting. It’s very dismissive, like when someone says, “That’s nice,” and then changes topics or directs his/her attentions elsewhere. And then there are those folks use “nice” when they can’t think of anything else to say. It’s no coincidence that “mice” and “lice” are close neighbors to “nice,” and I find myself reacting accordingly.

Eating for Love

I just finished watching a Korean drama called Phoenix (Boorl Sae)—what an emotional roller coaster that was! In one scene, one of the secondary characters tells the other, “I know you love me because you eat whatever I leave on my plate—just like how my mother would eat my leftovers.”

I hadn’t thought about eating another’s leftovers as a way to show love, but more about not letting good food go to waste. Then I remember my grandmother who would say that each grain of rice left in our bowl was a day in our life. She would insist that we finish all our rice so we wouldn’t lose a day. I can imagine some Korean moms finishing off their children’s leftover rice for that reason.

Metabolism Friends and Foes

Today I read an interesting blog posting by Lynn Harris on foods that speed up metabolism. Looks like I need to revamp my selections, especially the veggies/fruits.

Here’s a summary: