Dak Bokkeum (Chicken Stewed with Gochujang)

For a while now I've been reading about gochujang, a spicy, fermented Korean chili paste, and I wanted to try it but I haven't been able to find it in my grocery store.  

I finally came across some at my local Asian market and I'm so glad I did!  It really shines in this quick and easy stew.   

I found this in plastic tubs in the Japanese section of the store.  There's not really anything I'd recommend as a replacement so try to track it down if you want to make this spicy stew.

Tart of the Month - Butternut Squash with Sage, Honey & Chilis

You really can't go wrong with these puff pastry tarts.  They come together in minutes and bake quickly.  They work great as an appetizer, side dish or as a quick lunch.  I keep all-butter puff pastry in the freezer at all times now, and I can whip up a tart at a moment's notice.  

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit.  It's a has a few steps, but it's super easy to do.  Here's what you need:

Cincinnati Chili

On our road trip to the Southern USA we stopped in Ohio for Skyline Chili.  This is a Cincinnati specialty where a sweet and spicy chili is served over spaghetti, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and called a 3-way.  Topped with onions and/or beans it's a 4-way or 5-way.  We weren't expecting this semi-fast food to be so tasty!  So when we got home I decided to try to re-create it.

Here's what you need for this quick & easy dinner:

Green Chili Mac & Cheese

This was a quick and easy dinner. Not the healthiest thing I’ve ever made but it sure was tasty!

Matt is not the world’s biggest fan of homemade macaroni and cheese. I can see his point; it can be clumpy, stringy and dry when baked. This is the first time I’ve tried making it with evaporated milk and it was super creamy and delicious. Definitely a winner. 

Adapted from a recipe on Serious Eats, you can add/subtract just about anything to this to suit your tastes. The original recipe called for chicken but I made it without and added some Rotel (diced, spiced tomatoes) and corn. 
Here’s what you need:

Carne Adovada (Pork with Red Chilies)

This recipe comes from The Food Lab on Serious Eats.  I love this column; it has illuminated so many cooking techniques for me. The author tries many different methods until he gets the perfect result.  This might not be a 100% authentic dish, but it is 100% delicious.  

Carne Adovada is a dish from New Mexico.  It's pork stewed in a sauce made from dried chilies.  It's not terribly spicy but you get such a rich, warm heat from the chilies and spices.  The combination of chilies actually makes it taste a little chocolatey.