Mini Burgers

My kids can eat hamburger 7 days a week...If I let them. I usually try to make it once every 2 weeks. My version is very easy and the kids love the mini sliders. 

Ingredients: 

2 lb ground meat (80/20) 

1 package Lipton onion mix 

1 small onion (finely chopped) 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

2 TBS Worstershire sauce 

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon pepper 

Direction: 

In a large bowl.. add all the ingredients together and mix..try not to over mix. Because if you over mix you can smooch the meat. 

Now take a golf side ball amount into the palm your hands and mold into a patty. 

In a skillet add a little oil and drop the patty into the oil. I lower the heat to medium low. I usually cook each side about 2 minutes. 

Cook each patty to your preference. I cook them for my kids so I usually cook the hamburger patty well done. 

Serve with your favorite cheese, mayo, ketchup, tomato, lettuce. 

I love mines with jalapeño and bacon 

We love our burgers with Swiss cheese 

Enjoy!!! 

Menu

Through out the week I usually try to work on the upcoming weeks menu. Usually I look at my schedule to see if there is any week day activities or if I have to show some properties. Then I would jot down those busy days and try to do a crockpot meal or have something prepared that is fast and easy. I also look at the local grocery store weekly sale ad and work my menu around that too. Usually I work around what is on sale in the MEAT or PROTEIN department. My local grocery store sales run from Wednesday thru Tuesday...so by Saturday or Sunday I am usually done with my weeks menu planning. I usually go to the grocery store on Monday morning and grab all the items that I need for the week. When I get home from the grocery store I would wash all my veggies and fruits and prep for the week. It just makes my daily dinner cooking so much easier and faster.

This weeks menu:

My local grocery store had ribeye on sale this week so I bought 2 packs (6 pieces).

I used a 1/3 bottle Korean marinate with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Refrigerator for at least 1 hr.. I just grilled the steak indoor with my grill pan. 

Pasta: 

1 box pasta --cook according to package 

Seasoning: 

1/2 stick melted butter 

1 TBS chicken powder 

1/2 garlic powder 

1/4 teaspoon sugar 

1 TBS ketchup 

Pepper 

Toss all the seasoning into the cook pasta. 

Shrimp and Tofu Pad Thai

Everytime we go to a Thai Restaurant I would order Pad Thai...Its one of those entree that I LOVE and every chance that I get...I would order it.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pack NOODLES--soaked

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp (you can use chicken also)
3 large egg--lightly beaten
1 C tofu--fried  golden crispy

2 T vegetable oil
4 cloves MINCED garlic
1/2 C scallions ---I usually cut up the green parts in 2inch length and the white part smaller
1 C julienne carrots
2 C bean sprouts
1/3 C roughly crushed roasted peanuts
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges

SAUCE: 

1 C  of PAD THAI sauce ( you can get at the asian market) 

3 T soy sauce

2 T lime juice (freshly squeezed)  

2 T light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Sriracha hot chili 

2 T rice vinegar

2 T fish sauce

1 teaspoon paprika (optional--I like the red color that it makes the Pad Thai) 

1 teaspoon crushed pepper flakes (optional) 

DIRECTION:
Prepared ALL of your ingredients AHEAD of time because the cooking process goes REALLY FAST so you want everything within reach.

1. Soak NOODLE in warm water for about 15 minutes...then drain and set aside. I don't want my noodles to soak very long because I don't like my Pad Thai to be mushy. Since we will be cooking the noodles with all the other ingredients.
2. Wash all the veggies (bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions) and set aside.
3. Cut the tofu into cube and fry until golden brown (they sell tofu already fried but I like it a little crispy so I usually fry mines up with a little  oil)

SAUCE:
In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the sauce and SET ASIDE.

COOKING PROCESS: 
In a large WOK over medium heat...add a little oil and scramble the 3 beaten eggs and set aside. Next, pour in your shrimp and saute until PINK...then set that aside.

I had to fry my tofu so once that was golden crispy I set that aside also.

Now add some more oil to the wok then add the chopped scallions and minced garlic. Stir for a few seconds then add in your NOODLES and toss until mix well with the scallions and garlic then pour in the PREPARED SAUCE and toss until combined. Next add in the scramble eggs, julienne carrots, and shrimp. Stir for about 1 minutes until everything is combined.  Turn off heat and toss in tofu and bean sprouts.  To serve, top with crushed roasted PEANUTS, chopped cilantro and squeezed some lime juice over.

I like it extra spicy so I usually add some more Sriracha.

ENJOY!!!!

                                   Scramble Eggs

                               

                                      Sauce

          Noodle with SAUCE and scallions and garlic

                       Pad Thai Sauce (from the Asian Market)

Friday FAVORITE

These are so good and easy to prepare. I got this box of 6 pouches from Costco for under $12.00.. Stick it in the microwave for 90 seconds and it's DONE!!! 

It goes well with grill chicken, BBQ ribs or grilled Salmon.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!! 

Easter Treat Idea

Easter is approaching and my kids has all these functions and party. This year I am making something different than all the other years. I usually make the M&M pretzel hugs or the dip pretzel rods with the Easter color sprinkles. 

Saw this idea on Pinterest so I am attempting it.. Came out pretty cute. 

Plus what's better than twinkies and peeps?? 

Ingredients: 

Twinkies  

Pretzels --twists --for the steering wheels 

thin sticks--used as axes to hold the marshmallows for the tires 

Marshmallows--as the wheel 

Peeps 

Small knife 

Have FUN!!! 

Bisquick Banana Nut Pancake

I usually make my pancake batter with All Purpose Flour...rarely do I use Bisquick or any other mix but a friend of mines used Bisquick this past weekend and her pancake was so fluffy and delicious that I had to try it...It came out delicious and FLUFFY!!!

If you like banana nut bread...you will love this recipe. Next time I think I will add 2 small banana instead.



Ingredients: 
2 cup of BISQUICK mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1 ripe smashed banana
1/4 cup roughly chopped walnut

***cooking spray



Direction: 
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Making a well in the center ..pour the 1 cup milk, 2 egg, 1 ripe banana.  Stir together until just combined. Once everything is combined....stir in the roughly chopped walnuts.  Let the batter sit out for about 15-20 minutes until you see it start to bubble. Remember to NOT mixing the batter again....just using a large spoon or ladle to pour in your pancake batter.

Pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter into the hot greased griddle. Remember to keep the heat on MEDIUM low....Once you see the bubble...flip the pancake and cook for another 1 or 2.  Only flip the pancake ONCE.


ENJOY!!!!

Batter after sitting out for about 20 minutes--bubble starts to form. 

                 Pancake starts to bubble...time to flip 

Optional--

powder sugar 

banana 

maple syrup 

whip cream 

Banh Xeo

Banh Xeo is one food that my WHOLE family loves and we can eat it every week.  It's also one of the food that I can get the veggies into their food and they will eat it.
I have so many different BANH XEO recipe that its so easy for me to wipe up a batch at  the spur of the moment...I don't need one of those PRE-PACKAGE mix from the asian market.


Today I will share with you one of the MANY  recipe that I have.

Ingredients: 

CREPE BATTER
2 cup RICE FLOUR
1/2 cup self rising flour
3 cup WATER
1 cup Coconut Milk
2 TBS turmeric
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup thinly sliced scallion--the green part only

FILLING:
8 oz boneless lean pork shoulder--cut thinly (I usually boiled mines up first)
1 small yellow onion--thinly sliced
2 cup bean sprout
1 cup medium shrimp--peel and deveined ( I blanch mines for about 5 minutes)
***optional: thinly sliced cabbage, different variety of mushroom if you want to make it vegetarian

Serve With:
romaine lettuce
mint
cilantro
basil
thinly sliced cucumber

Fish SAUCE 




DIRECTION: 
To make the CREPE BATTER:
In a large bowl stir together the rice flour, self rising flour, coconut milk, water, turmeric, salt and sliced green scallion. Mix really well to get all the clumps out.
Let the batter sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. You can make the batter 24 hours in advance...just covered and put in the refrigerator but don't add the scallion until you area ready to cook.
*** I didn't have time to put in refrigerator for 30 minutes so I added a few ice cubed to my batter ***

In a large NONSTICK skillet heat 1 teaspoon of oil ( I usually brush the oil onto the skillet so that it coats evenly) over MEDIUM heat. Once the oil is hot add the white onion and sliced pork. About 30 seconds pour in 1/2 cup of batter and swirl the pan so that it covered the whole SKILLET. Cover for 1 minute then open and add your shrimp and bean sprouts (veggies) to one side of the crepe...then cover again. Cook for about 2 minutes...when you see the edge start to crisp and turn brown pulling away from the skillet. Depending on how thick your crepe is...this process might take a little longer. You can check by lifting the edge with a spatula to see if it is brown and crispy.

Using your spatula gently FOLD over the crepe in half.   Wait for another 30 seconds then plate.
Serve the crepe with lettuce, cilantro, mint and cucumber. You can pour the fish sauce over or like me...just dip the crepe piece by piece rolled into the lettuce and veggies  into the fish sauce.

**The KEY is to cook it on medium ...nice and SLOW...you can't rush the cooking process by turning up the heat...it will burn the crepe.

ENJOY!!!

                         The CREPE BATTER 

I had thinly sliced cabbage, mushroom, bean sprout, thinly sliced yellow onion, thinly sliced pork patty (cha lua), thinly sliced pork shoulder, and shrimp. 

Cilantro, cucumber, basil, and romaine lettuce 

Fluffy Pancakes

My son can eat pancake EVERY MORNING!! It's about the of only breakfast that I will try to make extra on the weekends and put it in the freezer then microwave it up in the morning during the week for him. I usually don't like to freeze food but this is the only thing that I don't mind making. It's one of those super easy to freeze and warm up well in the microwave during the weekdays. 

I usually pack 3-4 pancake per FREEZER ZIPLOC bag. The morning of.. I usually toss them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds .. Then drop a pat of butter on top. That is how he likes to eat it. Simple and EASY. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar 

1 1/4 cups whole milk (you can use buttermilk too...but I don't always have buttermilk on hand) 

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon of good vanilla 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, vanilla and melted butter; mix until smooth. 

2. I leave my batter sitting out for about 10-20 minutes. Once the batter start to bubble up. Don't mix again. Just take a cup and scoop up the batter into the hot griddle.  

3. Heating a griddle or frying pan over MEDIUM high heat. I used Pam to grease my grilled.  I use a double grill so I put both burner to medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until bubbles appear. Then flip...REMEMBER TO only turn the pancake once when you  see it start to bubble. Flipping it multi-times will make it tough and hard.

ENJOY!!! 

BBQ Shrimp

This week at my local grocery store they had shrimps on sale for $5.99 a pound so I KNEW EXACTLY what I wanted to make. When I make BBQ shrimp I always wanted to use the freshest of shrimp. You don't want to use shrimp that has been in the freezer for awhile because they will have that funky taste to them.

Ingredients: 

3 pounds of shrimp--I leave the skin on and just trim the head off a little 

1 bag BBQ shrimp seasoning 

2 stick UNSALTED butter 

4 TBS Worcestershire sauce 

2 Cup White Wine 

1 tsp garlic powder 

1 lemon

Parsley 

DIRECTION: 

In a large skillet melt your butter then add the BBQ shrimp seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce and garlic powder. Then add your white wine and once it comes up to a little shimmer add in the shrimps. Once the shrimp turns pink turn off the stove and garnish with a little chopped parsley and lemon wedge. 

***I like to squeeze some lemon onto the BBQ shrimp***

Serve with French Bread. 

Enjoy!!! 

Friday FAVORITE

I think by now everyone know how much I LOVE oxo softworks containers. I think I must have at least 100 of these and still need more. I use them for everything.

They have a special right now at Costco for $49.99 for this set of 8 containers!! So if you have a Costco...run don't walk 😉 and grab yourself a few boxes. 

I usually pick them up at TJ Maxx or Marshall. I only buy them at Bed Bath & Beyond when I have a $5.00 coupon. 

If you haven't tried them.. You should!! 

They are a little pricey but they are a great investment. I rather spend the money on these containers than to have my food go stale. 

Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Pasta

This week is definitely a PASTA week for us. Since the kids love eating pasta for their school lunch and its so easy to pack and transport for them.  I also got a huge PACK from Costco so I am just trying to use what I have on hand LOL

During the Christmas Holiday I ate this pasta dish at Romano's Macaroni Grill and I am trying to recreate it at home. It was the Carmela's Chicken Pasta--it had roasted chicken, caramelize onion, mushroom, rigatoni in a marsala cream sauce. So I went out and got everything that I remembered that was in the pasta and tried to recreate something similar at home.  Next time I am gonna add more mushroom.



Ingredients: 
1 box of pasta--rigatoni (I didn't have any so I used penne)
6 pieces of chopped up bacon
1/2 cup finely dice onion
6 cloves of MINCED garlic
1 TBS chicken powder
1 tsp ITALIAN seasoning
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's
1 pint Half and Half
1 cup Ricotta cheese
1 cup chopped MUSHROOM
1 cup COOKED  CHICKEN---(if you don't have a rotisserie then cook up some  CHICKEN with some seasoning)
1 cup PASTA WATER
1/2 cup PARMESAN cheese

Garnish--chopped green onion and parsley



DIRECTION:

*** cook pasta according to package..remember to add salt to water and SAVE 1 CUP PASTA WATER..I usually UNDER COOK the pasta a little because it usually cook in my sauce***

In a LARGE skillet fry the bacon pieces up until its nice and crispy. Once its cooked scoop  out the bacon onto a piece of paper towel and SET ASIDE.

Next, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet add the chopped onion, garlic, cubed chicken (I didn't have any cooked chicken so I cubed up some chicken breast and season with 1 tsp of Tony Chachere's and 1/4 t garlic powder). Once the onion and garlic is cooked add in the chopped mushroom and cook until soft. Next, add the chicken powder and Italian seasons.  Slowly pour in the HALF and HALF.  Then stir in the ricotta cheese...remember to stir really well...turn off stove and add in the cooked pasta. Garnish with bacon, parmesan cheese,  chopped green onion and parsley.

ENJOY!!

Crawfish VELVEETA Pasta

My kids LOVE anything PASTA so when hubby has to work and its just the kids and I for dinner....I usually make a pasta dish because I can never go wrong especially if it is a white sauce. Since it is a Wednesday and I am giving up meat on Wednesday and Friday I decided to make something with crawfish. My local grocery store had them on sale for $5.99 a pack....so I rack up on a few packs for this lent season.

With this recipe you can add a little more VELVEETA cheese...I only added 1 cup because my husband doesn't like it too cheesy ;)
You can also choose any type of pasta ...I usually prefer some sort of shape pasta just to make it FUN for the kids ...because I am a COOL mom ;) You can also use shrimp if you don't have crawfish.



Ingredients: 
1 lb Pasta (any kind that you prefer)
1 pack  Crawfish Tail
1 quart  Half and Half
1 cup of CUBED Velveeta Cheese
1/2 c finely chopped Onion
6 cloves of minced Garlic
1 stick UNSALTED Butter
1 cup finely chopped Celery
(1 small  bell pepper---I usually add bell pepper to my pasta but tonight I ran out)
1 TBS All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Tony Chachere's
Cracked Black Pepper

***1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
*** sliced green onion

Direction:
Cook pasta according to package and drain...set aside.
Over Medium HEAT....Melt butter in a large NONSTICK pan then add in the onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery and cook until veggies are translucent. Next add in the flour and continue to stir ...for about 2 minutes ..making sure there is not clumps. Then slowly add in the HALF and HALF. Stir to get all the ingredients nicely incorporated. Next add in the cup of cubed VELVEETA cheese and continue to stir until all the cheese have melted. Once all the cheese have melted ...add in the bag of crawfish tails and your seasonings. Stir for about a minute or 2..then pour in your pasta and turn off heat. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with sliced green onions.

ENJOY!!!

Loaded Potato Soup

• INGREDIENTS: 
• 1 pack  of  bacon, sliced into little pieces
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups heavy cream (you can use half and half or WHOLE MILK) 
• 6 cups of water 
• 8 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 stalk green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 bag of  shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup sour cream (extra for garnish) 
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoon of chicken powder 
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon of Tony Chachere's (you can add salt if you don't have Tony) 

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.saving the bacon fat 
• Cook onion and garlic in the BACON FAT..cook on medium low ..continue to stir because you don't want the garlic to burn. 
• Then pour in your cubed potato and stir for a few minutes. Next add your water and chicken powder, garlic powder. Cook for about 20 minutes until potato is done. I usually cover my pot. 
• Once the potato is cooked ..taking a spoon ..smooch the potato to the side of the pot to make it a little creamy. 
• Next add your milk mixture ( What I did was added my 1/3 cup of flour to my milk and mix...you don't want to add your flour straight to the hot pot) 
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in 1/2 of the cheddar cheese,  4 oz sour cream, Tony Chachere's,  pepper, to taste. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onion, cheese and bacon, if desired.

Chicken Parmesan

I always load up on chicken breast when my local super market has them on sale. They are my go to protein item when I don't know what to cook...sometimes I just marinate it in some Italian Dressing and throw on the grill....or pour in my favorite BBQ sauce and bake it up and serve over pasta or rice. 


Chicken Parmesan over Butter PASTA 
Ingredient:
4 piece of Chicken Breast 
1 cup Italian Bread Crumb 
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Tony Chachere's 
1/4 tsp crack black pepper

1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese 

To make the SAUCE: 
1 bottle of Bertolli Jar Tomato Basil sauce 
2 TBS light brown sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Tony or salt
1 tsp garlic powder 
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper---you can add more if you like it with a little kick




DIRECTION: 

Preheat OVEN to 350F 

*** Making the sauce by adding all the seasoning to the jar pasta sauce and mix well--set aside.

***In a wide shallow bowl pour in your bread crumb and parmesan cheese and set aside. 


I cut my chicken breast in half then  pound it out on my cutting board. I used CLING WRAP to lay on top while I am pounding so it doesn't splash all over me.  Next, 

I season with garlic powder, Tony Chachere's and crack black pepper. Taking the pounded out chicken breast I  then battered with Italian bread crumb and Parmesan cheese.  

In a FRYING Pan with olive oil ....I fry it up until golden brown then I transfer to a GREASE baking pan (I used reynolds wrap to wrap my baking pan so clean up would be easy)  and  pour the SAUCE  over the chicken and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.  Next, I  stick the pan in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. 

Serve over butter pasta --cook pasta according to the package then drain and  add 1/2 stick of butter to drain pasta. Garnish with some chopped parsley. 

Enjoy!! 

Pandan Chiffon Cake

Pandan Chiffon Cake 

For this cake you will need a funnel or spring cake pan.. I have attach one from Amazon (side bar) for you to see what it looks like.. Click on the link to see. 

You do NOT NEED TO GREASE THIS PAN for this CAKE. That is why you need a nonstick spring cake pan. So that you can just push the top out. 

This recipe take a little work but it is so well worth it. Hope you like it as much as we do... I think I make this cake at least once a week. 

Ingredients: 

8 egg at room temperature ..separate into 2 different bowl...yolk in one bowl and whites in another (making sure that the bowl is big enough to whip into a meringue) 

1 1/4 C sugar
3/4 C veg oil

3/4 C coconut milk 

1 C CAKE flour--sifted 

2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tablespoon pandan essence 

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F 

Sift cake flour and baking powder, mix evenly. Set aside. 

Beat egg yolks and sugar. Blend until it's nicely incorporated. Then add in the oil, coconut milk,  pandan essence, vanilla essence and salt. Sift flour and baking powder over the mixture. Mix well until smooth. You have to sift the flour 2 times making sure it's very fine and no clumps. 

Next in another bowl beat egg whites with wire whisk attachment until slightly foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks.

Adding in 1/3 of the beaten egg whites mixture (meringue) into the egg yolk mixture using a spatula fold in the mixture.. then add another 1/3 mixture and folding... Keep repeating until you have folded in all the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture. Folding gently, to prevent batter from deflating. Do not overfold!!! 

Pour batter into pan. Run a spatula through the batter to eliminate large bubbles in the batter. I smooth out the top. 

Bake at 350 F for about 1 hr...or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. 

Invert cake!! While cooling

ENJOY!!! 

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