Ju Bao. [Honey Pork Buns] That's all I could think of this morning when I woke up. I have downloaded the recipe last week  from someone's blog and my hands were itching to make them. Fortunately, my husband decided to take our little one to the library, park and burrito place for lunch so I had time to make my first Ju Baos. It was nice to have the house all to myself  as I was able to do things I normally could not when the two are around like laundry, change beddings, pick up toys, books, some pieces of little clothings, read, watch tv simultaneously.

I usually buy Ju Baos from the Chinese store for a dollar each. Although it is very affordable, there is nothing like eating and making your own whenever I want. My new hobby and adventure of making bread is getting me really excited about the possibilities.

While I baked Ju Bao I pulled out the bread with sun-dried tomatoes I baked Thursday night. I am simply smitten by how it looks---so rustic and hearty at the same time. As if there were not enough tomatoes in it, I whipped up a fast marinara sauce dip that completed my simple lunch.

After lunch, while everything else was going on (laundry and a host of housechores) I checked on my two lambshanks thawing in a bowl. By this time the Ju Baos have graduated from the fiery heat of the oven to the counter. They smiled at me raring me to take a bite. Alas! the sun-dried tomato bread hit the spot for me and there was just no place for even one Ju Bao in my tummy. However, the cook in me prevailed, I just had to at least take a bite or two to see how they taste and look inside.  

Heavenly!

Yep! A bite would have been enough to let me know my first Ju Baos are delicious, but do you think I stopped there?  The  thought, the sun-dried tomato bread is the appetizer and the Ju Bao is the meal---was well-justified. Hello carbs!

At this point, the  barefoot Contessa came on tv, and boy did she whip up a RICH spread of  jambalaya, rice pudding and  tiramisu. The amount of cream, milk and butter present in her recipes never fails to amaze me. But then again, the food is not be eaten by one person alone, but will be shared with some others.

Later in the day, I realized that I had to make dinner for my two hombres. I pulled out my teal-colored dutch oven and started with the lambshanks. I  sent Steve to walk to the neighborhood store to get me potatoes and a bunch of carrots. He is such a sweetheart he easily obliged and welcomed the opportunity to walk outside especially that the weather today was nice and agreeable to our winter-tired bodies.

Every year, Steve and I try to visit Cape May and it was there we first ate lambshanks kleftiko at Pier House. We would not have known it if it were not for a couple who were coming out of the restaurant as we were coming in. Seeing that we were checking the menu posted outside, the man suggested to go for the  house's specialty. He said, "Get the lambshank kleftiko---it means fall-off-the bones." And we were not disappointed.

Here is my version.

KIMCHI
I was in highschool  back home in the Philippines some (WOW!) twenty-nine years ago when I first tasted Kimchi. An American  missionary couple who spent some years in Korea planted a homechurch in our neighborhood and invited  me and two of my sisters to their  services. There we learned about God and found friendships. Ate Rowena, the pastor's wife used to invite us youth to her house for sleepovers and she'd make wonderful food that were new to us. Kimchee was one that I did not like and  never forgot. It did grow on me however so much so that I started making it, When a kimchi craving hits me, I'd make a big batch that I'd eat  without second thoughts. Fast forward to married life...my husband  LOVES kimchi, so I would make him some and when I do, it seems to me as though I never stop hearing crunching and lip-smacking until the batch of kimchi is gone.

Sometimes, my kimchee morphs into a hot spicy kimchee soup that my husband is crazy about. A humongous bowl hits the spot well without leaving one with guilt. With rice or noodles, kimchee is simply delicious. Another version of the same fixings would be made with white radish, either julliened or cut into squares. I am not sure how it is spelled but I am writing its name as I hear it: Kaktogeh.

Last January, I met a Korean exchange student who (now) resides with my friend. It was his birthday so we made him a Korean dinner of  bulgogi (Korean beef barbecue), rice and kimchi. He said just before he left Korea for NY, he made with his mom kimchee using 100 heads of Napa Cabbage. He further said that they put the kimchi in clay jars which they buried in the soil to ferment during the winter season. Indeed, Koreans eat Kimchee everyday of thier lives with rice. I don't blame them They are scrumptuous!

At home, between  my husband and I, these kimchi and kaktogeh do not last for long. They become, not only appetizer and  accompaniment to rice but a snack as well.

Parisienne MacarOns

I finally gathered the courage to make  my own Parisienne macarons and the above-picture is the result. Not bad, really. The shells have smooth and crackly surfaces, chewy inside and the feet came out!  I am quite happy with this considering that this is my first attempt. I used whole almonds that I had to blanch and peel---then grind (with the food processor). A lot of work. Next time I will get the slivered almonds to grind.
I would really love my macarons to have a rounder dome as they look cuter that way, but I have to learn not to mix and fold more that it's needed. The mixture spread and thus the shells are flat.

One thing I realized fast is that after piping the shells in the pan, they really need to rest at least for an hour as this will make the feet. It's really fun to watch the macarons grow feet. I had them in the oven from 10 to 12 minutes at 300 degrees Farenheit.

One thing about my macarons, they taste really delcious no matter how they look. Just ask my little squirt---he loves them!