Korean Tacos

Thank GOD it's Friday! I'm so happy it's the weekend. This week has been frantic with so much work, I'm ready to kick back and relax! So what's a girl to cook on the happiest day of all? Tacos. And even better? KOREAN tacos. Slow cooker tacos.

I especially love the slaw! It's mixed coleslaw with kale! Healthy and delicious, it gives an extra crunch. Bringing added texture, the slaw goes perfectly with the pork combining a sweet and tangy experience in your mouth.

Slow Cooker Korean Tacos

Serves 6-8, recipe from Table for Two Blog

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup hoisin sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus extra for garnish

3 tsp ground ginger

1 16-ounce package of coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

Small tortillas or hot cooked white (or brown) rice, for serving

Instructions:

  1. Add the pieces of pork in the insert/bowl of your slow cooker. Add hoisin sauce, garlic, green onions, and ground ginger.

  2. Toss each piece of pork a few times to fully coat with the sauce and spices.

  3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

  4. Prior to serving, in a bowl, toss coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix with rice wine vinegar and brown sugar.

  5. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred. (Best trick I learned to shred meat in a slow cooker is to use an electric hand mixer. Easy peasy!)

  6. Serve in warmed tortillas with slaw on top or spoon pork onto a bed of rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

  7. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to five days.

Like it hot? Try it with some Sriracha sauce or Tabasco sauce. This will definitely elevate the other flavors, giving it a full kick of spiciness... to which, I can never ever get enough of the hottest, most spicy food. Proof: My first night living in New York, I took a dare with a girlfriend and ate a whole Jalapeno pepper while downing it with a shot of Crown Royal. It felt like I had smoke coming out of my ears! It was bad, but oh so fun. Such a great memory.

If you do not eat pork, you can easily substitute with beef or poultry. It'd be just as tasty! I definitely want to mix it up and come up with different kinds of Korean tacos. Perhaps Korean shrimp tacos? Mmmm! Be on the lookout for more! :P

I also have some really exciting upcoming stories for my readers next week! Stay tuned for more!

Have a great weekend! 

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Doenjang Jjigae

A traditional Korean stew I've been living on since I could eat, I refer this soup as the, 'cure all' mother of all soups. To me, it is one of my go-to comfort foods whether I'm feeling a little under the weather or dreadfully sick, this stews is packed with protein, vitamins and other nutrients that doesn't only do a body good, but is good for the soul. And especially on a cold, end of October, Monday, what's better to warm you up than a delicious bowl of something home-cooked for dinner?

 

Fermented Soybean Paste Stew (Doenjang Jjigae) Recipe

Makes 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients

2 green onions

1 (12-ounce) package of medium or soft tofu

1 onion, sliced

1 zucchini, quartered

1 (10-ounce) package of button mushrooms

2 Tbsp fermented soybean paste

Water

2 garlic gloves, minced

Preparation

Dissolve the soybean paste in 3 cups of water into a large cooking pot. Stone pot works great for this. *I use a masher to blend the paste in the water more efficiently. Add sliced onion, zucchini, tofu, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil,and then add garlic. Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add green onions and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice, kimchi, and other side dishes (banchan).

There are also many variations to this dish. You can do a kimchi jjigae, one with some kind of meat like beef or pork, or instead of all the vegetables listed, you can opt for only one kind, like Napa cabbage or soybean spouts. During my childhood summers, my mother used to put in the Swiss chard she grew in from our backyard. It was amazing. Still is.

You've got to try this soup! I strongly urge you to eat this with rice though. Especially if accompanied with other tasty side dishes like kimchi. Both the soup and kimchi are on the salty side, and taste too strong without it's imperative sidekick. So don't get it twisted. Don't separate the two! They go along together just like peas & carrots! :)

What are some of your favorite, everyday comfort meals or soups? Something that's easy to make, is nutritious, and doesn't have you slaving over the stove all day long? I love to hear from other bloggers and their food testaments and recipes. Or if there's another fellow Korean blogger who's made the same soup but in a different way, holler at your girl! 🇰🇷

I hope you guys had a nice weekend and an even better Monday. Have a great week!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Happy Birthday, MaQ!

It's my boy's birthday today! In honor of turning '3', I made him 3 doggy burger sliders with a few unseasoned french fries! I know, I know. Say all you want, but my boy is only turning 3 once, so you betcha he got spoiled! :)

I made the burgers as healthy as possible for my pooch. No seasoning on the ground beef, and because he does eat raw meat in his diet, I just grilled them in a cast iron on each side for a couple of minutes, then layering those bad boys with sharp cheddar cheese. The buns are potato rolls and the only addition to his dinner is lettuce (which was of course his least favorite.) LOL! And he loves french fries so I threw in a couple as a side. Oh my goodness, am I something else or what? Whatever, I love my dog!

IMG_3738.JPG

Don't worry. My boy did not have any Stella Artois. Even though he is technically 21 years old in human years now, I still did not allow my fur baby to consume any beer. It was just a fun prop to go with his birthday meal! Doesn't he look so happy? The camera loves him!

He's never had a burger before! As you can see, he really seemed to dig his dinner! Heck, if it was my birthday and someone presented me with this, I'd be happy myself! Ha ha ha! I love to give MaQ all different experiences in life, and both being foodies at heart, chowing down on some good ole' American burgers is one of them!

So many whiskers! I just love that big black nose!  ♥ ❤ ❥

Happiest Birthday to my guardian angel and my best friend. I am forever grateful for you, faithful pal. Thank you for being my everything. Your unconditional love can move mountains and your loyalty is profound. You enrich my life and make it so meaningful. I love you with every fiber of my being and I am so glad we are together, doing all of it and more, side-by-side. To you, McQueen. I hope you had a wonderful day!
Thanks for stopping by and joining in on our celebration of life and love!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

Friday Stir-Fry

Today on the blog, we have a super delicious, healthy meal you can make in less than 30 minutes! And that includes the marinade time! A perfect recipe for a busy Friday, whether it's lunch or dinner, or if you're planning on going out or staying in!

I make this beef stir-fry on a consistent basis, especially during the chillier seasons, and have been using this recipe for years. It is originally from the amazing Gimme Some Oven food blog, though I've adjusted a couple of items such an opting out on shiitake mushrooms and what to serve it with. You can have any type of rice, quinoa or even noodles with this dish, but being part Korean, Korean sticky rice is what I call for. It's the only rice I use in Asian cuisine. 

This is such a quick and easy recipe. I know some of you may not be a fan of kale, but don't knock it till you try it! It goes perfect with the ginger beef and none of the flavors are overpowering. They are all there and so-so good! Check out some of the photos I took of this yummy dish! Mmm...

Ginger Beef, Mushroom & Kale Stir-Fry

This delicious ginger beef, mushroom, and kale stir fry is quick to make and full of great flavor!

Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25 mins Total: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Marinade Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or chicken/beef broth, or water)
  • 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. thinly sliced flank steak or sirloin, cut diagonally across the grain into thin strips
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 10 ounces baby portobello or button mushrooms, halved
  • 3 cups chopped kale
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

To Make The Marinade:

Add all marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour marinade into a large bowl or ziplock bag, then add in the steak and gently toss to combine. Cover/seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

To Make The Stir-Fry:

Once steak has marinated, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade, and add to saute pan with garlic. Saute for about 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove steak with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add mushrooms, kale, and reserved marinade to saute pan, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale is wilted, the sauce has thickened, and the mushrooms have cooked, stirring regularly so that sauce does not burn. Add in the steak, and toss to combine.

Serve immediately over sticky rice, garnished with chopped green onions.

I think my favorite part after cooking is not to taste, but to relish with the idea of it while I photograph whatever dish I've just made. It makes the first bite that more enticing. I'm already salivating at the mouth just writing about it!

Alright, that's it! I have to dig in. Bon Appetit! :)

We hope everyone has a great weekend! Catch y'all on Monday, where we will be doing our first giveaway! Stay tuned to find out what it is and how to enter your chance to win! It's going to be oh so chic!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz