So, what’s new? The last month has been nothing short of busy for me. I got an offer to work at one of the most prestigious fine dining restaurants that Hawaii has to offer, albeit within the office assisting with administrative work and marketing. It’s only been a couple days of working there and I’m already awestruck and in love. It’s been an honor learning about the company’s philosophies and philanthropic quests. Equally special is gaining insight into the foundation of HRC (Hawaii Regional Cuisine) and the significance in the use of locally-grown produce that bring the spotlight onto the beauty of Hawaii’s agriculture. We’re hosting this year’s Food & Wine Festival in September and I’m just beaming with pride. Despite the true city girl I am, I love that this little island has become a place I call home.
But learning and appreciating aside, what I really haven’t been doing is cooking much. I blamed it on my lack of time, on the lousy lighting I’d have if only cooking in the evenings, and on the tighter budget I’ve had to work around recently. But the truth is, the things that I assumed would be everlasting just years ago are changing. I find myself drawn to new opportunities and learning experiences like this new job and what it has to offer. I’m still driven to fuel my passion for baking and cooking, which I hope never disappears, but I’m also driven to explore other potential talents and passions that have not yet been uncovered or developed. I’ll still try to take pictures of what I create in the kitchen and blog about it when I can, but I’m also learning to accept that I’m changing and growing every single day and that it’s with an open mind and a positive attitude that unexpected opportunities are able to present themselves to help aid me in this journey of becoming everything I want to be.
Nevertheless, this blog and its readers still bring me an immense sense of pride, joy, and somehow, a sense of self. So, it’s not something I could possible say goodbye to forever anytime soon. But, for now, enjoy the last official month of summer – go outside, soak in the sun, play at the beach, and eat something that quenches your thirst and refreshes your soul. I know I will.
Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Adapted hardly from Smitten Kitchen

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sweet white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil
2 tablespoons water

1 small/medium head of lettuce or mixed greens of your choice
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, quartered

Preparation:

Combine the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped or grated. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls (or in one large one, as pictured above), add some of the onion and a quarter of the avocado. Drizzle with plenty of dressing, toss and serve.

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread, your choice
1 slice of swiss or American cheese
1 small handful of baby spinach, rinsed and dried
2 slices of deli Turkey meat (I chose oven roasted)
1 tspn Chipotle Mayo, recipe as follows
1 tspn Strawberry Jam (click to make your own homemade jam!)
1 tbspn butter, optional

Preparation:

Toast bread in toaster or melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat and toast both slices of bread, one side down, until golden brown.

Turn off stove and remove pan from heat.

Take two slices of bread and place each, browned side-down, on a cutting board or plate.  Spread one side with the strawberry jam and the other with the chipotle mayo.

Place cheese on one slice of bread. Lay small bed of spinach over cheese and assemble slices of turkey over the spinach.

Take other slice of bread and gently place atop turkey to form a sandwich.

Cut in half and enjoy.

Simple Smokey Chipotle Mayo

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 pinch black pepper

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.

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Over the course of my self-taught expedition within the realms of my kitchen, I’ve come to find that there are recipes and then, there are recipes. The former, we love and bookmark or save to use again another day in the indeterminate future. The latter, we love, post up on our fridge as a daily reminder, and get badgered by our friends for. Because, dear readers, those kinds of recipes are just that good. And, yes, you’ve guessed correctly. This is one such recipe. If you love caramel, you are in for a real treat. This is one of those true-to-saying, “taste of heaven,” kind of desserts that are over-the-top decadent but so appropriately-portioned that it feels like a fleeting memory of one of your most amazing life experiences. Just a month ago or so, I went skydiving for the very first time and for any of you that have ever partook in such an exhilarating enterprise, I’m sure you know that the mind-numbing fear and subsequent ecstasy are so very short-lived. After free-falling for a minute or so and then floating back to reality, you realize that you’re left with an adrenaline buzz (or hangover, in my case) that somehow manages to get you hooked for more. Don’t know what I mean? Make this. I swear, this salted caramel shortbread has a remarkably similar effect.
Salted Caramel Shortbread
Adapted barely from Erica’s Sweet Tooth
Makes 36 servings/cute little bite-sized squares

I can’t emphasize enough the importance of good quality flaky sea salt, or fleur de sel, in this recipe. It makes a world of difference and adds so much dimension to an otherwise simply good dessert. It’s an indispensable classic ingredient for French confectionaries that elevates them, caramel in particular, to whole new heights.

Ingredients:

I’ve recently returned from an amazing and eye-opening trip to Guatemala. And, boy, do I have lots to show and tell!

But what better way to recap than to simply show you a mass of vivid photographs and tell you a compiled version of the “7 Things You Must Know about Guatemala,” according to my own unforgettable experience. 1. Be Prepared to Make Your Liver (and Body) Hate You

You will, whether you like it or not, be drinking. Every. Single. Day. Regardless of the time of day, you will be offered (and required to take, more than likely out of common courtesy) beer, rum, vodka, tequila, and/or kusha (Guatemalan basement-sink ‘moonshine,’ if you will), if you’re lucky.

Going to be in Guatemala to celebrate a birthday? I was! Expect a shot of the strongest tequila you can imagine with your 7 a.m. coffee. I did.

Not drinking? In Guatemala, not an option.
2. Corn is King

Being the true heart of the Mayan civilization, the people of Guatemala have a deep-rooted reverence for and relationship with corn. Based on prehistoric Mayan religious beliefs, the flesh of man was said to have been created by God out of corn. This respect for its culture translates into every day Guatemalan life. Masa is used to make fresh corn tortillas, tamales, tamalitos, and more, which is served with practically each and every meal. Soft corn tortilla is to Guatemalans what crusty, hard bread is to Italians. You just don’t eat without it.
3. If Corn is King, Frijoles (Beans), Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese), and Platanos (Plantains) are Queens

Like corn, you’ll see frijoles and queso fresco at almost every single meal. Plantains will be served each day, but most often for breakfast. This combination of sides is ubiquitous in Guatemala. It’s a simple staple. It’s comfort food. Not a bean fan? Get used to it. There is no escape.

4. Guatemalan Food is Not Mexican Food

Though there are many similarities between the two, Guatemalan food is not the same as Mexican food. And both sides will repeatedly argue this case. For one thing, guacamole in Guatemala is prepared differently from that in Mexico. Instead of the typical ingredients found in Mexican guacamole, like lime juice, chopped onions, and tomatoes, you’ll find that Guatemalan guacamole is made simply of mashed or pureed avocados and oregano. Another interesting difference is that though Guatemalan chuchitos, wrapped in corn husks, closely resemble the Mexican tamales, Guatemalan tamales are typically wrapped in large green plantain leaves and there are allegedly hundreds of tamale varieties across the country. So, if ever in Guatemala, never make the mistake of calling their food (or people, God forbid) “Mexican.”

5. Everything is Fresh

Whether it be farmer’s queso fresco that is handmade from fresh milk in large bins to yield cheese, crema fresca that is unbelievably rich and buttery – almost cheesey – and completely different from our own sour cream, or pork that is tenderly raised, butchered, and cooked a mere 50 meters from the dining table, you know that in Guatemala, most everything you’re eating and tasting is fresh.

It was a near religious experience just to witness the indigenous and painstaking procedure of butchering, cleaning and separating of parts (where I should mention, nothing is wasted), to try fresh chicharones (from a pig that had been alive just hours earlier), and to enjoy a full meal that was literally from farm-to-table. I was awestruck and dumbfound. It is one thing to be a self-proclaimed “foodie,” but quite another to develop a profound appreciation for and awareness of the food you’re eating, how it got there, and where it came from.

6. In Guatemala, You’re Family

It doesn’t matter if you’re a shorter-than-average Korean girl (like me) or a buffer-than-usual Japanese guy (like the BF of mine). In Guatemala, people treat you with a special kind of hospitality and they welcome you with open arms, a smile, and a kiss. Oh, and how could I forget, more food. Everywhere. Even when you somehow find yourself at a good ol’ commercial, American McDonald’s, you’ll see that the service and genuine kindness there is unrivaled by any you’d find even here in the great Aloha state. At the end of every bill, meal, or house visit, you’ll hear people say “para servirle,” here to serve you or better yet, a pleasure to be here to serve you. In Guatemala, you’re not a stranger. You’re family. And that alone is as good as gold.

7. “Estoy Picado/a”

When all else fails and you’ve managed to learn not a single useful phrase in Spanish (which you really should since the vast majority of people in Guatemala speak almost nothing of English), just remember this: “estoy picado” (m) or “estoy picada” (f). This is a Guatemalan slang term that roughly translates to “I’m thirsty (for booze)” and “I’m getting a buzz, so keep ‘em coming.” Use it wisely as it will be followed by laughter and an incessant string of beers and shots. Just pray to God you don’t drink yourself down under. But don’t worry if you do. When you awaken from your drunken slumber, they’ll still be there. They’ll be drinking.

I wasn’t planning on even mentioning this dish. I have no expertise in the realm of authentic Latina cooking and typically leave it up to others that actually know what they’re talking about. I mostly just do the eating. Since, well, that happens to be my expertise.
But it makes no difference because these impromptu tacos and those close to the HungrytoHappy kitchen were at something of a standstill. They were dinner last Tuesday. They were lunch on Wednesday. They were a snack on Thursday. And if that isn’t a good indication of how good they were, let me tell you. They were awesome.
I’m going to Guatemala tomorrow. I don’t doubt I’ll eat food better than this, but for all I care, this counts for something. The bright and tangy flavors of cilantro and lime along with the crunch from the average packaged coleslaw are unmatched when paired with some spice-rubbed chicken, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Oh, and that chipotle cream? Absolute perfection. It adds a hot and smokey dimension to the cool and creamy zing that is sour cream. As if all of that weren’t good enough already, it’s all layered atop a toasty corn tortilla that emits a scent that takes me directly to Adela’s kitchen in Los Angeles – the cozy dining table, plates of food, ice-cold coronas with salt and lime, Adela delivering a freshly-heated stack of corn tortillas bundled in a kitchen towel. This is the type of family meal I always crave. I can’t wait to satisfy that craving tomorrow. So until then, buen provecho!
Spice-Rubbed Chicken and Vegetable Tacos with Cilantro Slaw & Chipotle Cream
Adapted loosely from Bon Appétit, June 2006
Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles* (about 2-3 chiles with adobo sauce)

2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon smoked hot Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera, or regular paprika would suffice)

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise

1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick strips

3 tablespoons canola oil

6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Buttermilk (enough to soak chicken)

12 5- to 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, warmed

Cilantro Slaw (recipe as follows)

2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges

Preparation:

Season chicken thighs in shallow pan with some salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cover and soak in buttermilk for 2 hours, or best overnight.

Whisk sour cream and chipotle chiles in small bowl; season with salt. Whisk brown sugar and next 5 ingredients in another small bowl to blend for spice rub.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Drain buttermilk and place chicken thighs on rimmed baking pan. Place zucchini and red bell pepper on separate baking pan. Drizzle with canola oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle spice rub over both sides of vegetables and chicken.

Rub thighs with prepared seasoning. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon oil in a 12″ cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking.

Nestle chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue cooking skin side dow, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Transfer skillet (or transfer chicken back to baking sheet/pan) to oven and cook 13 more minutes. Add seasoned vegetables to chicken. Flip chicken; continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Cook until vegetables are tender and browned in spots and chicken is cooked through.

Transfer to work surface; tear chicken into shreds. Cut vegetables crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Place chicken and vegetables in large bowl; toss to blend.

Place chicken and vegetables, chipotle cream, tortillas, slaw, and lime wedges on table. Allow guests to assemble their own soft tacos.

Cilantro Slaw
Adapted barely from Bon Appétit, June 2006
Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients:

12 ounces purchased shredded three-color coleslaw mix (about 7 cups)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:

Place coleslaw mix and cilantro in large bowl. Whisk canola oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin in medium bowl to blend. Add to cabbage mixture; toss to coat.

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Anyway, her and her family (practically my family) have always invited me to go with them on their annual trip to their home in Guatemala. Sadly, with school, work and all the other things that a busy life entailed, I never had the chance. That is, until now! I guess being inbetween jobs, careers, and overall lives is not so bad after all!

I’ll be gone for about 9 days in a country I’ve wanted to visit my whole life! A huge cross-off my bucket list. I’ll try to post at least once more prior to my trip, but we’ll see how that goes with all the last minute packing and enthusiastic jumping up and down (hehe).
Simple Spinach Salad
Serves 4

This salad is so refreshing and ideal for the near-summer weather. It’s super easy to prepare and could be jazzed up with some crumbled feta, bacon or soft-boiled egg. It also can work as a delicious bed or side to some buttermilk fried chicken. This weather keeps making my mind wander and rest upon thoughts of picnics at the park or beach with the most perfect picnic dishes. This would definitely be one of them.

Ingredients:

1 lb grape (or cherry) tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbspns minced shallot (or onion)
2 tbspns balsamic vinegar
1 large bundle fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed
salt & pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Mix tomatoes and next 3 ingredients together in a large bowl. Let sit to soak in flavors.
Add spinach to tomato salad and toss to combine. If desired, season with sea salt and freshly-cracked pepper, to taste.

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One of my best friends was here this past week from California and she’s just left, leaving me feeling bereft. She spent one of her first weekends home helping me prepare for the biggest baking extravaganza of my still-developing life. Not just her, but also several more of the most kindhearted and compassionate friends I have. They volunteered their time and energy to help create a success beyond my imagination. Success for me, of course, being all-inclusive of my ability to occasionally stuff their mouths with so-called mistakes or “extras” (though there really weren’t any) in addition to shoving extra jars of homemade strawberry jam or fresh ricotta cheese into their arms.

But enough about that.
Remember when I told you that I would post some strawberry recipes from that Mother’s Day catering event? Here’s one. Peach, Strawberry, and Banana Bruschetta. Yes, a dessert (or even breakfast) bruschetta that is perfectly sweet and refreshingly light. But better yet, I’ve adapted the original recipe and swapped out plain yogurt for some rich homemade ricotta. Who needs plain ol’ yogurt when you can learn how to make your own ricotta cheese!?

And though not pictured in the very first picture, the bruschetta tastes much more complete with a little bit of mint and a large side of good friends.
Peach, Strawberry, and Banana Bruschetta
Adapted loosely from Gourmet, August 1994

Ingredients:

sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices crusty Italian or French bread
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, or to taste
1 peach, peeled, pitted, and cut into fine dice
1/2 banana, cut into fine dice
8 large strawberries, cut into fine dice
3 to 4 tablespoons Homemade Ricotta (recipe as follows)
honey for drizzling
mint for each toast

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Arrange bread slices in one layer in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes. Brush toasts with butter on one side. Toasts may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container.

In a small bowl stir together 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over buttered side of each toast. Broil toast about 5 inches from heat under preheated broiler 30 seconds, or until tops are bubbling, and cool.

In a bowl stir together fruit and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Spread about 1 teaspoon ricotta on each toast and mound about 1 tablespoon of fruit mixture on each toast. Drizzle each with a little honey and top off with mint.

Rich Homemade Ricotta
Adapted hardly from Smitten Kitchen

Makes about 1 generous cup of ricotta

Ingredients:

3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:

Pour the milk, cream and salt into a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan. Attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer. Heat the milk to 190°F, stirring it occasionally to keep it from scorching on the bottom. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, then stir it once or twice, gently and slowly. Let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl (to catch the whey). Pour the curds and whey into the colander and let the curds strain for at least an hour. At an hour, you’ll have a tender, spreadable ricotta. At two hours, it will be spreadable but a bit firmer, almost like cream cheese. (It will firm as it cools, so do not judge its final texture by what you have in your cheesecloth.) Discard the whey, or, if you’re one of those crafty people who use it for other things, of course, save it. Eat the ricotta right away or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Keeps refrigerated for about 3-4 days. Use your nose to judge freshness!

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Nevertheless, some Strawberry recipes to come soon! Please feel free to contact me with any questions or catering inquiries! I can be reached via comments on this blog or via email at haeinp@ymail.com.

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However, instead of having to call for an instant pizza, I can now proudly say that I can make my own – albeit, not quite as conveniently. Pizza is a most wonderful thing. Endlessly versatile, it’s hard for anyone not to love some variation of it. Now, pair that gourmet handmade pizza of yours with a bold glass of wine or better yet, a homemade sangria and this, my friends, is what being a mature adult is all about.
So, why then the reverting to one’s childhood of instant phone order pizzas? You ask. Because…I’ve been swamped. I’ve been preoccupied out of my mind. I’ve temporarily taken on the role of an unprofessionally-trained, 23-year-old Korean version of Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker of desserts. I was approached about a month ago to create and execute a Strawberry-themed dessert spread for a brunch or lunch buffet to be held at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant on Mother’s Day this upcoming Sunday. Yup. No big deal, just 1200 servings of 14 different Strawberry Desserts all made, with love and perpetual underlying contempt joy. No, but really. On a serious note, what an honor! The spread will include items like Fresh Strawberry Tart (Tart aux Fraises), Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries, White Chocolate Pound Cake with a Strawberry Coulis, Strawberry Horchata, Strawberry-Peach-Banana Bruschetta with Mint & a Homemade Ricotta, and much much more. Unfortunately, these Mother’s Day-friendly desserts will be posted on my blog post-chaos, post-Mother’s Day.
Therefore, please grab a big glass of wine and accept this as a token resulting in my own grown-up lack of time. It’s far more rewarding than ordering take-out and it does dress-up what could be a simple pizza night into something much more impressive and chic.  That is, until I make a comeback with the most sumptuous strawberry desserts you could ever imagine; ones that could make even your most perfect pizza night (or any night, for that matter) even better.
Really Simple Pizza Dough
Adapted hardly from Smitten Kitchen

Makes enough for one small, thin crust pizza. Double it if you like your pizza thick and bready.
(I would opt for thin crust on the Lemony-Zucchini Pizza and a thicker one for the BBQ Pork Pizza).

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour (can replace up to half of this with whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 1 or 2 tablespoons more)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Some cornmeal, for dusting

Preparation:

Stir dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into as close to a ball as you can. Dump all clumps and floury bits onto a lightly floured surface and knead everything into a homogeneous ball.

If you are finding this step difficult, one of the best tricks I picked up from my bread-making class is to simply pause. Leave the dough in a lightly-floured spot, put the empty bowl upside-down on top of it and come back in 2 to 5 minutes, at which point you will find the dough a lot more lovable.

Knead it for just a minute or two. Lightly oil the bowl (a spritz of cooking spray perfectly does the trick) where you had mixed it — one-bowl recipe! — dump the dough in, turn it over so all sides are coated, cover it in plastic wrap and leave it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.

Dump it back on the floured counter (yup, I leave mine messy), and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under that plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.

Sprinkle a pizza stone or baking sheet with cornmeal and preheat your oven to its top temperature. Roll out the pizza, toss on whatever topping and seasonings you like. (I always err on the side of skimpy with toppings so to not weight down the dough too much, or if I have multiple toppings, to keep them very thinly sliced.)

Bake it for about 10 minutes until it’s lightly blistered and impossible to resist.

Lemony Zucchini Pizza with Sour Cream & Parmesan

Ingredients:

1 batch Simple Pizza Dough (above) or a store-bought pizza dough that will yield one small (approx. 11 to 12 inches across), thin pizza
1 lemon
4 ounces sour cream, at room temperature
Few leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
1/2 medium yellow zucchini, sliced as thinly as you can pull off with a knife or your mandoline (about 1/8 inch would be fine)
1/2 medium green zucchini, sliced as the same as above
Drizzle of olive oil
Freshly-grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough. Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.

Arrange your zucchini coins in concentric circles over the sour cream spread, overlapping them slightly. You can alternate their colors, if you’re feeling fancy. Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with the parmesan and some more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and the zucchini looks roasted and a little curled up at the edges. Serve with a green or even simple tomato salad and have a glass of crisp, white wine or a fragrant sangria.

BBQ Pork Pizza with Slivered Red Onions

Ingredients:

1 doubled batch Simple Pizza Dough (above) or a store-bought pizza dough that will yield one small (approx. 11 to 12 inches across), thick pizza
BBQ Sauce (recipe as follows)
8 oz ground pork
1 tbspn oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz mozzarella, shredded or sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a tray or stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

In a large pan, heat the oil and add the garlic and pork. Season the pork with salt and pepper, to taste. Once cooked through, turn off heat and set aside.

Spread BBQ sauce over dough and evenly spread the ground pork on top of the sauce. Top if off with the sliced or shredded mozzarella and finish with the slivered red onions.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and irresistibly mouth-watering.

Homemade BBQ Sauce
Adapted from Down Home with the Neelys

Yields about 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
5 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

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The outstretched tables were shrouded in heaps and heaps of food. The spread seemed infinite, beyond my wildest imagination. There was a somen salad paired with a flawless sweet and salty homemade dressing, a tangy pasta salad teeming with ham and vegetables, tender kung pao chicken, chow fun, homemade pork belly yakisoba, cucumber kimchi, various poke (Hawaiian sashimi salad), mounds and mounds of steamed rice, rich and meaty chili, oysters on the half-shell, hot dogs, chips with salsa, beer, more beer, strawberry cheesecake squares, crisp salted white chocolate oatmeal cookies, even more beer, and of course, my marinated Thai Basil & Hoisin drumsticks and Korean Kalbi that (though not pictured in action) were grilled and smoked to an unbelievably succulent perfection.
The best part about the entire event  itself (besides the food, at least) was seeing everyone leave with bulging, food-pregnant bellies and lazy but satisfied grins. At a surprisingly ripened age of 23, I can proudly say that as the years pass by, birthdays become less and less about myself and more and more about the people I love. Far beyond receiving even the best of gifts (though I did receive a wonderful pressure cooker!), my greatest joy comes from baking, cooking, and feeding those around me. This year, I was able to do just that. The frantic pre-birthday prepping, chopping, marinating, mixing, arranging, baking, and cooking paid off. And until I can literally succeed in baking and assembling my own, I guess you can say, I’m a girl who still manages to proverbially have her cake and eat it, too!
Kalbi (갈비)
A Hungry to Happy Recipe

Ingredients:

3.5 lbs Kalbi, or thinly-sliced beef short ribs
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water or mirin
1/3 cup brown sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
2 tbspns sesame oil
1 tspn black pepper
1 Korean pear
1 yellow onion
10 cloves garlic
2 in piece of ginger
1 kiwi*

Preparation:

Soak and rinse the beef in cold water to drain out and remove any excess blood or fragmented bones.

In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil and black pepper.

Combine the Korean pear, onion, garlic, ginger, and kiwi in a blender or food processor until it becomes a homogenous white paste or semi-chunky concoction. Add paste to liquid marinade and mix well.

Place rinsed ribs in a large tray/pan or rectangular casserole dish and evenly spread the marinade over the beef. I recommend marinating in layers. Assemble the beef ribs, cover evenly in marinade, add another layer of beef, and cover in another layer of marinade. Repeat until done.

Refrigerate overnight.

Grill or pan-fry the short ribs until cooked well-done (about 5-6 minutes). These thin, marinaded slices of beef taste best when cooked to their full potential, releasing all of its juices and cooking off the fragrant garlic and onion within the marinade.

Garnish with sesame seeds, optional. If desired, serve with lettuce, sliced cucumbers, garlic, jalapenos and spicy soy bean paste (all for traditional Korean lettuce wraps).

*kiwi is a personal secret ingredient passed down from my mama that proves to be a surprisingly wonderful meat tenderizer.