I consider myself fortunate that my 4 1/2 year-old daughter Sadie is a rather adventurous eater, at least relatively speaking (veggies are still, by and large, persona non grata on her plate).  She happily devours fish, shrimp, octopus (yes, octopus!), dumplings, stews, turkey burgers and pretty much anything I put in front of her at dinnertime.  The problem isn't getting Sadie to eat, it's finding the time to make tasty, nutritious meals that we can enjoy together as a family.  I'm therefore always on the lookout for kitchen "helpers" that will give me a jump start on dinner while also facilitating my efforts to minimize the amount of processed foods my family consumes.  So of course I was thrilled when the folks from CJ Annie Chun's and CJ Bibigo invited me to an exclusive event showcasing their lines of Pan-Asian and Korean foods and sauces that offer gourmet and convenient meal solutions.

By way of background, CJ Annie Chun’s is the leading producer of all-natural, healthy Pan-Asian foods that offer gourmet and convenient meal solutions.  The company offers a full product line of simple ingredients that help transform a meal into restaurant-quality cuisine. With gourmet sauces, noodles, rice, snacks and more, CJ Annie Chun’s provides consumers with everything they need to create a quick and healthy meal from start to finish.  Even better, all CJ Annie Chun’s foods are free of preservatives and do not contain MSG.  Annie Chun's sister company, CJ Bibigo, is the leading food company in South Korea, and its mission is to introduce the delicious and nutritious Korean food culture to the rest of the world.  CJ Bibigo’s "Korean Pantry", introduced in 2011, is a collection of products that offer U.S. consumers access to the fundamental, staple foods and ingredients that would be found in any authentic Korean kitchen, while CJ Bibigo’s newest line of products consists of frozen whole grain potstickers, mini wontons, and Korean BBQ meats. 

Held at the stunning GE Monogram Design Center, the Annie Chun's/Bibigo event offered attendees an opportunity to taste a variety of gourmet dishes made using the brands' signature products.  I'm a big fan of Asian food in general, so it wasn't exactly a tough sell, but I absolutely loved sampling these dishes.  We started out with a selection of very appetizing passed hors d'oeuvres, including Annie Chun's Brown Sugar & Sea Salt Seaweed Snacks (the perfect combination of sweet, salty and savory) and Bibigo's Whole Grain Potstickers, which tasted just as good as, if not better than, the potstickers I've ordered in restaurants.  We then moved on to a multi-course sit-down dinner that included a Bibigo Pork & Vegetable Wonton Soup, Organic Spring Greens & Buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad, Ahi Tuna Tartare on Wonton Crisp, Restaurant Style Pad Thai, Stir Fry Chicken Satay, and Korean Beef Tacos, all of which were made using Annie Chun and/or Bibigo products.  The dessert was one of the more unusual items I've ever tried - a Gim Brittle made using Annie Chun's Brown Sugar & Sea Salt Seaweed Snacks!  As we ate, representatives from CJ Foods chatted with us about the company and its commitment to providing consumers with healthy mealtime solutions.  And of course, I couldn't leave the event without asking for the recipes for some of my favorite dishes, which I've included for you below!

Prior to the event, I wasn't too familiar with CJ Annie Chun's or CJ Bibigo, but I've quickly grown quite fond of the product lines offered by both of these fabulous brands.  Not only did I have a chance to sample several of the products during the dinner at the GE Monogram Design Center, but I was also fortunate enough to go home with an array of Annie Chun's and Bibigo products that I've since been incorporating into my family's mealtime routine.  Sadie in particular is head over heels for Bibigo's whole grain potstickers, which I prepare in a frying pan in 7 minutes and Sadie devours by the dozen.  I've also loved using Annie Chun's and Bibigo's sauces, and in particular the Annie Chun's Shiitake Soy Ginger Sauce, which is great for making a quick baked marinated salmon dish - super quick and unbelievably delicious.  Bibigo's Korean BBQ Marinade and Cooking Sauce has also been a hit, as have Annie Chun's Thai Peanut Sauce and Gochujang Sauce.

As if all this weren't incentive enough to give Annie Chun's and Bibigo a try, to celebrate the launch of CJ Bibigo Whole Grain Potstickers (available in Chicken & Vegetable and BBQ Flavored Chicken - both of which my family adores) and National Whole Grain Month, CJ Foods is hosting an exciting contest on its Facebook Page: The 17 Days of Whole Grain Challenge!  Fans can work to boost their intake of whole grains to meet the recommended daily allowance of three servings (48 grams) of whole grains a day, according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Participants will be entered to win weekly prizes of the new Whole Grain Potstickers, and one grand-prize winner will be given a $500 gift card to stock his or her kitchen with healthy food.  To participate, just "like" the CJ Foods Facebook page, then post on the wall with your favorite whole grain swap, recipe, tip, or photo of you incorporating whole grain into your day!  Good luck!

Bibigo Pork & Vegetable Wonton Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 package CJ Bibigo Pork & Vegetable Mini Wontons
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup bok choy, sliced
Udon or ramen noodles (optional)

Directions:
Bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add frozen CJ Bibigo Pork & Vegetable Mini Wontons and heat for 1-2 minutes. Next add the bok choy and green onion and season to taste. For a heartier meal add udon or ramen noodles, optional.

Ahi Tuna Tartare on Wonton Crisp
Serves 25

Ingredients:
CJ Annie Chun’s Gochujang
5 pounds Ahi Tuna, sushi grade
10 ounces Shiitake Ginger Soy Dressing (see recipe)
80 wonton wrappers
Olive or vegetable oil
CJ Annie Chun’s Cracked Pepper & Herb Roasted Seaweed Snacks

Directions:
Clean Ahi Tuna from all silver skin and cut into small dice. Pre-fry wonton wrappers in oil until golden brown and crispy. Add dressing to diced Ahi Tuna and marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. To serve, spoon 1 ounce of Ahi Tuna onto each crispy wonton. Garnish with a small drizzle of CJ Annie Chun's Gochujang sauce and sprinkle with crushed CJ Annie Chun’s Cracked Pepper & Herb Roasted Seaweed Snacks. Serve immediately.

Organic Spring Greens & Buckwheat Soba Noodle Salad with Citrus Ginger Soy Dressing
Serves 1

Ingredients:
3 ounces lettuce, organic spring mix
2 ounces Citrus Ginger Soy Dressing (see recipe)
3 ounces CJ Annie Chun’s Buckwheat Soba Noodles, fresh
1 tablespoon barley, cooked
½ teaspoon sesame seeds. toasted
½ teaspoon CJ Annie Chun’s Wasabi Roasted Seaweed Snacks, crushed
¼ cup edamame

Directions:
Put organic spring mix in a large bowl. Add all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Citrus Ginger Soy Dressing
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:
4 ounces CJ Bibigo™ soy sauce
6 ounces water
3 ounces lime juice
3 teaspoons sugar
6 ounces olive or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ginger root, minced
2 ounces sesame oil

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and whisk until emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Restaurant Style Pad Thai
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 package of CJ Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Brown Rice Noodles (cooked as directed)
6-7 tablespoons CJ Annie Chun’s Pad Thai Sauce
4 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts
4 shallots, thinly sliced
8-10 medium sized prawns, cleaned (can substitute for chicken or tofu)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup bean sprouts
3 tablespoons scallion, sliced
1 lime
2 tablespoons cilantro

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or pan over high heat. Add garlic, shallots and prawns to pan and cook until prawns are opaque. Transfer to plate. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to pan then pour in eggs; stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Make sure to break up the egg into small pieces. Reduce heat to low, add sauce and cooked noodles to pan and mix well. Then, add cooked prawns and bean sprouts back to noodles and toss until combined. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, scallions, and lime wedges.

Stir Fry Chicken Satay
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons CJ Annie Chun’s Thai Peanut Sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Directions:
Heat the oil in a wok or pan and add the garlic and chilies for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is just done. Next, add the red pepper, carrots and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Pour CJ Annie Chun's Thai Peanut Sauce into the wok with chicken stock and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately.

Korean Beef Tacos
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 pound CJ Bibigo™ Bulgogi
4 12” flour tortillas
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups Monterey jack cheese
4 cups steamed rice
2 tablespoons Gochujang Aioli (see recipe)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 cup Gochujang Salsa (see recipe)

Directions:
Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add the CJ Bibigo Bulgogi and sauté until cooked and caramelized. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Mix Gochujang Salsa with the Monterey cheese and set aside. Lightly heat up tortillas in a dry sauté pan until softened and easy to work with. Lay out tortillas and spread evenly with Gochujang Aioli and rice. Divide the Gochujang Salsa and CJ Bibigo Bulgogi between the tortillas. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Wrap up tortillas tightly, microwave for 1 ½ minutes or until hot or bake at 325° for 30 minutes.

Gochujang Aioli

Mix together & whisk:
4 cups mayonnaise
2 cups CJ Annie Chun’s Gochujang
1 tablespoon lime juice

Gochujang Salsa

Ingredients:
4 cups mild salsa
¾ cup CJ Annie Chun’s Gochujang
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup tomato, diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoons sesame oil
½ cup green onion, sliced

Directions:
Prep and cut all ingredients. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Chill and serve with the Korean Beef Tacos.

Gim Brittle
Serves 10

Ingredients:
14 ounces sugar
6 ounces water
10 ounces glucose syrup
1 package CJ Annie Chun’s Brown Sugar & Sea Salt Roasted Seaweed Snacks, crushed
11 ounces raw peanuts
4 ½ ounces sesame seeds
1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces butter, cubed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Line a baking sheet with a silpat and set aside. In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the glucose and continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches 239°F/115°C. Remove from the heat and stir in the salt, butter, and vanilla. Add the baking soda and seaweed snacks, stir to mix. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. When cooled, break the brittle into 2 inch pieces and store in an air-tight container.