Summer 2013! BCN love.

¡Hola!

At my new job I get a 3 week long summer break!! Woohoo for Dutch work mentality! It's been awhile since I got to travel travel, and not travel for work, but for fun! So after some serious planning for months, G and I planned a trip to Barcelona - they say it's the city of passion! I say it's the city for everyone, there's so much going on! Love every bit of it minus the pickpockets..though lucky it didn't happen to us. G was the best and he brought me my TDOP during his visit.

Anyways..for my last night in Spain, I signed both G and I up for a Spanish cooking class via Eatwith.com. It's a really cool site where you can invite yourself to a locals house and dine with them. High recommend the experience. During the night, I got a low down on how to make a Tortilla Española! I've made it once on my own, but could definitely use some refining, so it was great to learn it from a Spanish! Also learned how to make the infamous seafood paella - ñam ñam! 

The tortilla Española we made and ate in class was definitely my highlight, so I made sure to make it when it was still fresh in my tastebud memory when I got back to Tilburg (NL).  

I referenced both my classes notes and TDOP's tortilla Española version...and it looks likes this: 

Much better than my first attempt back in October 2012 in HK. Miss you my Williams Sonoma LC skillet in ocean. 

Look isn't this potato the sweetest! I found it at the Turkish grocery store.  

But yes potatoes, onions, egg and chorizo totally hit the spot! G had three serving. I'm so glad I took the class, cause now I have a bit of BCN in me.

Adiós for now! More later! 

First post of 2013! a few months late!

Hey,

I'm not sure who's reading my blog, but I guess I should keep writing. I've been really lazy about keeping up with my blog..because who cares what I'm up to. Anyhow, it's been December since I lasted blog, but a lot of things have happend. Christmas, New Years Eve, Chinese New Year and Easter all came and left, but before Chinese New Year, I was actually in Europe for a work and happen to have some time to visit my friend who lives in Amsterdam that I met in Germany. Long story short, she (being super awesome of her) told me about an opening at her work, as a knitwear programer. I was a little hesitant, since it felt like a slim to none chance I would even get an interview, but I had no reason not to apply so I applied. And believe it or not, I went in first interview, and second interview two days later..and got a call back that I got the job (my heart was totally dancing). It was all pretty secretive, since I didn't want to jinx it. I told my family and friends soon after I heard back, and they were very excited for me..minus my brother and dad, turned in my letter to resign, brought my ticket..and left! And now here I am in Tilburg, Netherlands. It's pretty darn awesome. I never imagine coming across that job that I love waking up to. My colleagues are the sweetest. I can't ask for a better work place. 

So I'm here, and I live with a Dutch family, improving my nonexistence Dutch daily. But it's hard..I can't pronounce the R..or the Sch.. but nonetheless I'm trying and of course I've been cooking too, not as offen as I did back home, since I'm very nervous to cook for the two little boys, but last week I make them 2D1P's - Two Dudes One Pan's Five spice cornish hen in wings form, since wings are so much easier to share and wings/dark meat are always so forgiving. I didn't take pictures..since my hands were pretty busy and I was pretty nervous, kids are the hardest to cook for, the usually prefer momma's cooking. They are such big critics, it took a little push for Jeroen (the boyfriend of my Dutch mom), but the boys did love it and they thanked me, which made me feel like a million dollars. Thanks Jon and Vinny. 

Anyhow, yesterday I whipped up some 'Tuna Poke' from 2D1P from memory (the book is at home..so the five spice hen was also from memory), and it was a success. Jeroen and Kaat (my Dutch mom) enjoyed it..at least I hope so. =) 

I will try my best to take more pictures, but I'm the worst at documenting anything.  

Tot ziens! 

Cheese, cheese and cheese from the local market!

Renegade LA

Not much cooking going on, but this past weekend I checked off my bucket list of being apart of Renegade craft fair (2012!)

Tiff and I being silly at our booth!

I fly back to Hong Kong on Thursday, so hopefully more kitchen action to blog about!

In the mean time, a little R&R with my buddies in Chicago! (I've missed you)

T-day!!!! best day everrrr

Hey Hey,

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year! (maybe cause it always falls on or before my birthday, which always makes it a perfect excuse to have turkey and stuffing!) but this year, being in Hong Kong, I had to pre-order my turkey 2 months in advance from meatmarket.com.hk. (hehe..funny URL right?)

My turkey came in from Aussie on Wednesday and it weighed 15 lbs (just like my little niece). I brined it the morning of in a giant soup pot following William Sonoma brine bags' recipe, but instead of using sugar I used two cans of Sprit (a brilliant idea from my sister's mother-in-law and next year I'm going to use Ginger Ale), three bay leaves, some fresh springs of homegrown rosemary, stuffed it with an apple, onion, celery, and rosemary and roasted it at 350F on the backside and flipped it to roast it at 500F for the last 30-40 minutes or till it reached 155F internally.

But yes, it was sure a crazy day with 17 people on the guest list...the largest party I've ever hosted/ever want to host. Thankfully, my brother-in-law and his mother stepped in and helped me during the last two hours, since they are both the turkey masters!! Love!

mmm..turkey! 

 Corn bread sausage stuffing (a Lee family recipe)

Online pulled pork recipe with America's Test Kitchen BBQ sauce! Yum!

Coffee-creme-brûlée (cause my brother wanted to play with fire) 

Homemade cinnamon ice cream and Cooks Illustrated skillet apple pie!

*** Sorry, I haven't been posting, but in between moving apartments and preparing for Renegade Holiday LA fair (if you are in LA, please come check it out)...I misplaced my TDOP. Oops. Hopefully, it/they would show up soon!  

Cooking at my sister's

On Saturday, while my sister was running her errands, she assigned me the duty to prepare her/her family dinner at her place.

So without a doubt, I pulled out TDOP and made Balsamic Barbecued Baby Backs, which my sister and brother-in-law said was delicious. I loved it too! The recipe was very simple and flavorful. And with for dinner I also made (once again) Five Spice Cornish Hen recipe on a Chicken, but I didn't have any orange in sight so I used a pomegranate I found in her kitchen (which was a pretty fancy substitute).

Yaya! Awesome dinner once again!

Super easy ribs! 

Yes, I roast my chicken with their feet on! 

Sunday mussels

Over the weekend I hosted brunch. I followed TDOP mussel recipe and modified it by adding bacon..because who doesn't love bacon. If I still lived in Chicago I would pick up applewood smoked bacon from my favorite butcher...miss you Nick and Peter!

mussels chowing in action!

Beer braised short ribs

Last week, I made one of my favorite recipes from TDOP..it's beer braised short ribs!! In addition to the following the recipe, I usually throw in golden tread mushrooms and edamame (eight to ten minutes before I take it out from the oven). It's omnomnomnom!

alex enjoying my cooking!