Sushi (I forgot the name of these!)

Spicy Crab -

*All amounts were my guesses of how much b/c Meehyun doesn't measure so you may need more or less depending on what your little taste buds desire!

Mix the following to make the Spicy Crab:

Crab meat shredded

Chopped Green Onion

Sesame seeds (1 1/2 TBS)

Chili Sauce to taste

Mayo (1 TB)

Sesame oil (1 TB)

Soy Sauce (1 TB)

Then tear the seaweed in half and put rice on half as shown.

This is the spicy crab 

(which can also be added to top other rolls as seen in picture on the left side)

You then place spicy crab and what ever else you want in your wrap (remember I forgot what they are called!) I used cucumber, avocado, spicy crab and egg.  You then fold the wrap over covering the inner goods... and roll is as seen in following picture.

Then Enjoy!

Chocolate Valentine Cookies

I thought these cookies were so yummy. I rolled the dough out and used heart-shaped cookie cutters. They were a different twist to the traditional sugar dough cut-out cookies.

2 sticks of butter
1 C of packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
2 1/4 C of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt (don't use if you used salted butter)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C cocoa powder

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

In a different bowl and with a mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until it's fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture, in two or three batches, mixing well after each addition. Wrap dough in plastic or put in a zip loc bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1/2 the dough on a floured surface and let it sit 5 or 10 minutes. Roll it out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters. Gather scraps and re-roll and cut again. Then repeat with the other 1/2 of dough.

Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until set, but don't let them brown. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.

Dust with powdered sugar, frost with Nutella, frost with frosting, or do nothing at all. If you have letter stencils, you could use powdered sugar and the stencils and spell out LOVE or someone's name, etc.... on the cookies.

This recipe is from thepioneerwoman.com
They were super good!!

Butterscotch (more like Caramel) Pie

• 1 C Water
• 1 C Brown Sugar
• 6 Tbs Butter
• 3 Tbs Corn Starch
• 2 Tbs Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 2/3 C Milk
• 3 Egg Yokes
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Bring the water to a boil and mix in the brown sugar.  Melt the butter then add the sugar/water mix.  Mix the starch, flour, and salt in a separate bowl and then add it to the butter/sugar/water mixture.  Add milk slowly and stir constantly.  Add well beaten egg yokes and vanilla.  Continue stirring until it bubbles and thickens.  Pour into pastry and allow to set in the fridge.  Add whip cream when serving, ENJOY! : )

Baked Potato Soup

4 large potatoes

2/3 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

6 cups milk

1 cup (8oz) sour cream

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bake Potatoes at 350 for 65-75 minutes or until tender; cool completely. Peel and cube potatoes.

In a large sauce pan, melt butter; stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream.  Add potatoes and green onions. Granish with bacon and cheese. 

The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies... In the World

Seriously.  If you were at Krystal's baby shower, I think you will agree.  This recipe is from a blog that I follow (hereistherecipe.blogspot.com) and this lady has been on a quest to find the recipe for the perfect chocolate chip cookie and has spent years tweaking it.  I think she did it.  2 notes on this recipe.  First, it's good to remember that while cooking is spontaneous and inventive, baking is not- it is meant to be an exact science so follow the recipe, dang it! Second, don't try it if you are contemplating a diet- there's a lot of butter in it. And other yummy non-diet friendly stuff.
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup, 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 lbs. Ghirardelli chocolate chips (half milk, half dark)

Instructions:
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside.  Using a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until just blended.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Mix in vanilla.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time and mix until just combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Now here is the secret to what makes these cookies so good (aside from the butter and the Ghirardelli).  Use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop (I just use a 1/4 measuring cup) to form dough into balls.  Yeah, they will look huge.  Don't be intimidated.  Freeze the dough (good up to 1 month) and bake the cookies as you want them at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes.  It's brilliant- you can always have a warm, gooey cookie.  Plus, it keeps the cookies nice and fluffy.

Enjoy!

Shepherd's Pie

1 pound ground beef

1 Tbl. olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can (14 oz) cut green beans, drained

1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup

6 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. salt

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef in olive oil. Add onion, salt, and pepper and saute until onion is tender. Put into a greased 9x13" baking dish. Top with drained green beans. Combine mashed potatoes, milk, and salt. Mix well. Spoon potatoes over meat mixture. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Makes 6 servings.

Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

6 boneless pork loin chops (1 in thick)

1 Tbl. oil

1 package (6 oz) stuffing mix

1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling w/ cinnamon

In a skillet, brown pork chops in oil over med-high heat. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing according to package directions. Spread pie filling into a greased 9x13" baking dish. Place the pork chops on top; spoon stuffing over chops.

Cover and bake at 350 for 35 min. Uncover; bake 10 min. longer or until meat thermometer reads 160. Makes 6 servings.