Korean Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Garlic and sugar crystals, not coffee grounds, just so's you know

Happy Halloween, everyone!  While it's not my favorite holiday, I like watching my 4 year-old get into it.  When we drive down the street, she likes to shout out the neighborhood decorations:  "Mommy, I just saw a skeleton!!!"  "Oh no," I cower, "I'm scaaaaared!"  "Don't worry Mommy, it's just pretend!"  And she really loves seeing jack-o-lanterns.

Sunday we chose our pumpkin, then took it home and carved it up.  Actually it's a "she", since my daughter named her Rose, and enjoys saying hello to her when she gets home from school.  She loves the jack-o-lantern, and I love its guts!  Mwah hah hah!  

Thank you, Rose the Jack-o-Lantern, for your tasty guts!

My Mom always toasted the pumpkin seeds for us when we were kids, and I loved them so much!  I found a recipe at My Retro Kitchen, which I think is the way my Mom made them.  Unfortunately, I was all out of Worcestershire sauce!  Frugal Girlmet to the rescue - I decided to keep the technique and use a different flavor.  Innovate, experiment - voila!  Korean Spiced Pumpkin Seeds!

These have everything you want in a snack - crunchy, salty, spicy (but not TOO spicy - unless that's how you roll, in which case, double the dried chili pepper powder!) and just a bit sweet.  These would be a great bar snack (in the name of science, I had to test my hypothesis, and these are fantastic with a cold beer!)

Korean Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 - 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (not to be confused with garlic salt!)
• 1/4 teaspoon Korean chili powder (or use Cayenne or sriracha)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, mix everything but the pumpkin seeds.  Make sure you have no lumps of garlic or sugar.  Stir in the pumpkin seeds, then scrape it all out onto the baking sheet.  Spread the seeds out on the sheet so they can cook evenly.
3. Cook for one hour, stirring every ten minutes.  They get a little sticky, so use a silicon spatula.  After an hour, remove from the oven and let cool for about an hour.  Don't worry, they're not sticky anymore.  Remove to a bowl and get snacking!

Spam Musubi

Spam is one of those polarizing ingredients.  You say Spam, and people automatically think, Yuck, mystery meat, fake food.  And if you've ever eaten it cold, you probably scrolled right past this post.  But I am here to tell you one thing:  Americans created Spam, but Asians perfected it!  Your Korean, Chinese, and Hawaiian friends know something you don't - you can make magic with Spam if you treat it right.

The first thing to know about Spam is it is not ham.  You can't eat it like lunchmeat on a sandwich.  I mean, you can, and when the zombie apocalypse comes, if I can't heat it, I'll just eat it.  But really, it needs to be pan-fried for its best qualities to become apparent.  My favorite way of eating it is fried, with a few drops of sesame oil, and lots of pepper, with hot rice and kimchee.  My second favorite way of eating it is in Spam musubi.

Musubi is a Hawaiian original.  They are bundles of rice and meat, wrapped tight in seaweed (known as nori, when it's a flat sheet.)  They are everywhere in Hawaii, sold in supermarkets, gas stations, and convenience stores.  They are like an island energy bar!  And the best and most popular kind are made with Spam.

You'll need a package or nori, found in Japanese or Korean markets, and also in many grocery stores.  I also like to season the rice with a Japanese concoction called Furikake.  Furikake is salt, sugar, seaweed flakes, sesame seeds, and MSG.  If you can't find it, or you're allergic to MSG, you can season the rice with sesame seeds and salt.  Also, be sure you use short-grain, sticky Cal Rose style rice, not the Uncle Ben's long-grain kind, or it won't stick together like it should.

This is definitely one of those whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts recipes.  So simple, yet satisfying, snacky, salty, and delicious.  I challenge you to eat just one!

Spam Musubi

Ingredients:

• 1 can Spam (I used the Low Sodium kind, because it can be pretty salty.)
• 1 package nori sheets
• several cups cooked sticky rice
• furikake or sesame seeds and salt
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar (any kind, or honey)

Directions:

1. Use leftover fresh rice, or cook up a batch.  I've been using half white rice and half brown rice.  Set it aside and let it cool a little so you don't burn your hands.
2. Remove Spam from can.  Don't chicken out now!  Cut it into 8 slices, lengthwise.  They should be about 1/4 - 1/2-inch thick.  
3. Mix the soy sauce and sugar in a little bowl.  Fry the Spam slices in a non-stick pan, about 4 minutes on one side.  Let them get crispy!  When you flip them, drizzle the soy / sugar mix on them.  Again, let the slices get crispy, then remove from heat.
4. To assemble:  cut a sheet of nori in half and lay it in the bottom of a small rectangular container.  I'm sure you have a Tupperware container that would be perfect for this!  Other people recommend using a can opener to remove the bottom of the Spam can, and using this as a mold for your musubi.  That seems like a lot of trouble to go to.  I suppose if you were concerned with making them perfectly uniform, go ahead, but the prettiness of the wrap job does not affect the taste.  Anyway, lay a half-sheet of nori in the container you're using, and spoon some rice on top - about 1/4 to 1/2-cup.  Press it down so it sticks to the nori.  Shake some furikake on there, or sesame seeds and a little salt and maybe a pinch of sugar, and then place a Spam slice on top.  Most people finish with another scoop of rice.  Sometimes I do, sometimes I just close it up then. 
5. Push down on the rice and Spam, either with the back of a spoon, or with a smaller container, just to make sure it's compact and won't unravel on you.  Wrap the nori around and seal with a few grains of rice, or wet your finger in water to seal up the edge.  

At this point, you can either eat one while you make more (which is what I always do), or if you're not going to eat them right away, wrap each one in plastic wrap.  I would say this recipe feeds four, two musubi per person, but if you love them like I do, you'll be hard-pressed to share!

Braised Red Cabbage

Say what you will about Martha Stewart, she puts out some great magazines!  We get Martha Stewart Living, and just received the November issue, which means it's time for thinking about Thanksgiving!  Browsing the pages filled with beautiful side dishes, pies, and gravies, I was ready to put on an apron and make the whole thing!

I settled on one recipe to test out for my own family's Thanksgiving:  Braised Red Cabbage.  I even had all the ingredients, no need for a trip to the store for me! This recipe is very easy, like beginner-level, but has a complex depth of flavor.  I served it with sausages, since to me it has a slightly Germanic-feel to it, along with a green salad and some extra sliced apples.  Try it and see - will this make the cut for your Thanksgiving feast?

Braised Red Cabbage
(Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart Living magazine)

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces bacon (about 4 slices), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 head red cabbage (2 1/4 pounds), halved, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
• salt and pepper
• 1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used a Fuji apple and didn't peel it, and it was fine!)

Directions:

1. Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fat renders and bacon is crisp, about 8 minutes.  Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add cabbage, vinegar, wine, water, sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; stir to combine.  Raise heat to medium-high, cover, and cook 5 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, covered stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.  Stir apple into cabbage, and cook, covered, until cabbage and apples are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  Season with pepper.

When you first stir in the wine, cider, and sugar, the smell is very pungent.  Don't despair!  After the cooking time, it mellows considerably, and got very favorable reviews from the family.

Cranberry Apricot Cheerios Treats

A good way to be frugal is to make what you want out of what you already have.  What did I want?  Rice Krispie Treats!  But I wanted them healthier than the snap-crackle-pop kind.  Oh, and I didn't have any Rice Krispies (my girls aren't really that into them, and their small size makes them a bad choice for   a finger food.)  What I did have was every toddler's favorite:  Cheerios!

These are basic - if you've ever made Rice Krispies Treats, these will ring a bell.  Feel free to sub out the dried apricots and cranberries for another dried fruit.  I bet dried apples and butterscotch chips would be tasty too!  These are a little looser in texture, in part because I used fewer marshmallows, so keep them in the fridge, covered.  Don't worry, they won't be in there long.  We ate these really quickly and my four year-old was very excited to get one in her lunch box!

Cranberry Apricot Cheerios Treats

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 4 cups Cheerios (I used the original kind, but try the multigrain or other flavors too!)
• 1 cup chopped dried fruit - I used 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• Pam cooking spray

Directions:

1. In a large pot over medium-low heat, stir the butter and marshmallows together until melted and smooth.
2. Turn off the heat and stir in Cheerios and fruit.  Stir well to combine.
3. Spray a 9x9 square pan with Pam, then press the Cheerios mixture into the pan.  Press it down and squish it into the corners.  Put the pan in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let them firm up.

Homemade Egg Noodles

To reheat cooked noodles?  Pan fry with butter, salt and pepper.  Don't drool in the pan!

Didja notice those fat, delectable noodles supporting my Beef Stroganoff?  They're homemade egg noodles, and you can make them too!

I got the recipe from my Facebook friend Christi Wilson.  Five ingredients and four steps?  I'm in!

Egg Noodles
(recipe courtesy of Christi Wilson)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 pinch table salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

 1.  In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt.  Stir in milk, butter, and eggs.

Yup, it's dough.

2.  Knead dough until smooth.  (I had to add a little extra flour - maybe my eggs were big, or maybe it was the rainy weather.  Anyway, keep your flour handy, just in case.  You'll also need about 1/4 cup for when you roll out the dough.)  Let the dough rest for about ten minutes.

Roll, roll, roll your dough, gently on the board...

3.  Flour your counter or a large cutting board, and roll out the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness.  Cut into desired shape.  I made mine about 1/2-inch wide, and long, but I ended up cutting them shorter after they were cooked, so the kids could handle them easier.  Let them air-dry for a few hours until you are ready to cook them.

I used the little metal basket I keep my spatulas and wooden spoons in.  Ideas are everywhere!

4.  To cook, boil until al dente.  Mine went for about 7 minutes.  Just until they are chewy but don't taste like flour anymore.

These were awesome with the Beef Stroganoff!  Big and chewy and fantastic when covered in stroganoff sauce.

Chickpea Curry

Not pictured:  fluffy naan to soak up the curry sauce

Two of the biggest gripes I hear when people talk about eating meatless meals are, "Not enough protein!" and "Not enough flavor!"  I gotcha covered on both counts with this recipe.  (This is my own recipe, and I've never made it for Indian friends, but I think it is spiritually, if not actually, authentic.)

Between the two cans of chickpeas and the large helping of spinach, you are totally caught up on your protein.  And with the fiber content through the roof, this will leave you feeling full and happy (but not bloated and gross.  Big difference there!)  As for flavor, fresh spices, two kinds of curry, and oven-dried tomatoes pack a potent punch and are the opposite of bland!

If you don't have the whole spices, you can use ground, but there is such a huge difference in quality that I really urge you to splurge for the whole spices.  If you go to an Indian market you will find whole coriander and cumin for a steal, way cheaper than the ground (flavorless, odorless powder) at the American grocery stores.  Also, find a few curry powders and pastes that you like.  I always have Madras curry paste in the fridge (it lasts forever) and two different curry powders.  Some are sweeter, some are more bitter - experiment!

Serve this with a green salad and bread, or with brown or jasmine rice.  I also like to eat the curry the next day, with a sunny side egg on top.  Like bacon, a fried egg makes everything better too!

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup oven-dried tomatoes packed in oil (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, or fresh
• 2 cans chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) - do not drain off water
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Madras curry paste
• salt to taste

So pretty and festive before it all cooks down into curry!

Directions:

1. Drain the oil from the tomatoes into a large non-stick pot.  Over medium-low heat, add the coriander and cumin.  When you can smell them, about 3 minutes, add the onion and stir.
2. When the onion softens, add the tomatoes, spinach (go ahead, throw it in the frozen), and chickpeas.  Add the chickpea water too. If you must rinse them, or are using rehydrated dried chickpeas, add 1/2 cup water or broth.  
3. Add curry powder and paste, stir to combine, and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Taste for salt and serve.

Beef Stroganoff, Quick and Easy

Beef stroganoff was one of my favorite meals as a kid.  I remember it being pretty quick for my Mom to make, and along with buttered noodles and a green vegetable, it made a filling and warming dinner.  This version is "just like Mom made," with a few exceptions.

First, the way my Mom made it, and the way most recipes online present it, is with sour cream.  I don't know about you, but I never have it in my house.  It's expensive, and honestly, if I had it in the fridge, I'd eat most of it with Fritos.  (Try it and you'll see how quickly you can consume hundreds of pointless calories!)  What I do have, always, is plain yogurt.  Fewer calories, cheaper per ounce, and indistinguishable from the original.  Done!

Another thing I saw in a lot of the internet versions was either cognac or cream sherry.  My rule is, if you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it.  I don't care for cognac, and I don't even know what cream sherry is!  What I do have, always, is red wine.  Open the bottle, pour yourself a glass, and add a little to your food.  Done!

I served the beef stroganoff over homemade egg noodles.  You can put it on noodles, rice, or for an English-meets-Russian combo, try mashed potatoes!

Beef Stroganoff, Quick and Easy

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 ounces mushrooms, button or cremini, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pound ground beef (ground turkey works too!)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 cup broth - beef, chicken, or mushroom stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt, plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large non-stick pan over medium heat, add butter and onions.  Stir occasionally until onions turn translucent.  Add mushrooms, salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir.  Get out all the lumps!  Then add the ground beef, stirring to break up.
3. When beef is browned, stir in dill, mustard, broth and wine.  Turn the heat down and let simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for about ten minutes.
4. When the sauce is thick and you are ready to serve, take pan off the heat and stir in the yogurt.  Ladle over noodles (or rice or mashed potatoes, whatever you're eating) and garnish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of parsley.