the most simplified recipe ever

so i opened up my new Food Network Magazine
(which I love btw)
and I found the most simplified recipe for kimchi eveR.

I dont know how to make it yet
but I def remember helping out my grandma and my mother
and I know it takes like kazillion ingredients
and like bajillion steps
and like trajillion hours to complete

but hey. according to this
it only takes 4 hours

obsessed

seriously obsessed with these

like seriously

like not good for my diet

or lack of diet..

but theyre so good.

its here

a month ago
i ordered a year's worth of subscription
to this awesome magazine
for only $5!!

but its heeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrre today!

stuck in class till 4 (at a seminar)

cannot WAIT! to get home to read.

a proud moment

im a horrible cook
i try. i really try.
but i dont think i have a natural talent for it.

i was encouraged by a friend
who stated that the more you try
the more naturally it will come.
"practice makes perfect"

im reminded of a college roommate
she was clueless about cooking
at one point our junior year
we had moved into our brand new suite dorm room
with a new microwave.

she wanted some popcorn
and left it in the microwave wayyyy too long
and our entire suite smelled a little bit like
burnt popcorn the entire semester.

anyways..apparently
after she got married,
she has become a betty crocker, martha stewart, etc.
i am very encouraged :)

to show appreciation to some of my volunteer teachers
i made these below:


pics and ideas from bakerella

i think it turned out pretty well actually.
except that i was kinda lazy to get out the hand mixer
and just used my hand to beat it
and the cream cheese didnt blend in very well
and so the pumpkin part had clumps in it...

i love deals

i love deals
who doesnt?

anyways i suck at cooking
before i was single
i have to admit
my mommy was my main source of food
and as i got married
i assumed that i would miraculously be able to cook.
well nope. im pretty bad.

and eating out is expensive!
so i was at barnes and nobles looking at some cookbooks
and i found this one

which is perfect for beginners like me

and i of course heart the food network so win win

except the price--25.99

oh well i thought.

i had some time to kill before a mtg last friday

and went into tj maxx for some home decorations.

tj maxx was packed! there were so many ppl that i had to leave bc i kept bumping into ppl at the homes deco aisle. there happened to be a ross right next door.

ross was empty and as i was browsing i found this book for $4.99!

STEAL!

my wedding cake

although ideally i would love to have
an awesome creation by this dude:


i curiously went to his actual bakery's website
to see pricing information of their cakes
and well they are booked until like the november of next year or something
and since all cakes are custom made
they dont have a pricing list
but all cakes are a minimum of $1000.
yikes.

so i talked with my not really wedding coordinator
but wedding one stop (sorta) place
and they are contacted with several korean bakeries
to do wedding cakes

for $400:
-3 tier cake (생크림)
-includes decorative dots? and a ribbons
-delivery and set up
-knife and server
-champagne flutes

it doesnt include flowers
so my lovely and talented aunt
(whose doing all the flowers for our wedding)
will be putting flowers to decorate the simple cake

these pictures below all just came from google images
and are just ideas for her to see

happy thanksgiving

happy thanksgiving!
sigh of content*


image from thanksgiving 07

carrot cake

i dont have much of a sweet tooth

i dont really crave chocolate

but

i heart carrot cake

and i really want a wedding cake made up of carrot cake flavors!

practical

i can sit and dream of elaborate weddings
including cakes that are gorgeous

or i can be practical and try to think of ways to cut costs
and to save money
as the boy tries to buy a house
and as we think of creative solutions for a wedding of around 300.

(side note) i have always dreamed of a smaller, more intimate wedding.
but being the firstborn, being involved in church, parents being involved in church,
living in a place for 20 plus years, having a huge family, korean traditons, etc
equals a bigger wedding. sigh. (end side note)

a recent bride told me that at her wedding....
her mother in law insisted on a three tiered cake.
but her guests were less than 100 people
and they were way too full to even eat it.

so here are some cakes that are cute (sorta)and practical $$ wise.
and guess where they are from? our neighborhood bakery

cake toppers

im not that into cake toppers
i prob wont have one but these are too cute from right here in atL!
you top the cake customizes!

loose leaf tea

most korean weddings are impossible to give out party favors.

one) because korean people do not understand the concept of RSVP
and
two) because within a church setting, its the "everybody" come concept.

but i am in love with the idea of
loose leaf tea as party favors.
its simple and something that koreans would actually use.

pear and peony has this cute idea about party favors.

as long as its packaged right...

i think it will be cute and inexpensive idea!

aprons

i dont cook. as much as i should.
and my mommy says that i need to learn
if i wanna feed my future husband (korean mentality).

but i adore!!! these aprons.
they are so cute
i would cook just to wear it.

1-2) skinny minx
3) carissa black
4) jessica curtsies
5) novita julian