Hamburger night first try. Basic burger

Hamburger Night at Home

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo ground round Monterey or ground sirloin

1/8 kilo lean ground pork

Salt n pepper

Hamburger buns

Big fat tomato

Crunchy lettuce

Mayo, ketchup

French fries

Make sure the meat is not frozen, but not to warm. It must be in the chiller or freshly bought. Mix the two kinds of meat, but do not over mix. Shape them into compact patties. Press down in the center for even cooking.

Heat up cast iron skillet. You want it to be pretty hot, so about 5 minutes on the stove without any oil is the ideal time. Season patties with salt, pepper, and oil just before cooking. Cook on skillet 2-3 minutes per side. Do NOT press down while cooking, because you want the juices to stay inside the burger. Let the meat rest after cooking, before serving.

While patties are cooking, fry French fries, heat burger buns, prep lettuce and slice tomatoes and cheese.

And a pickle if you like.

Hamburger bits of knowledge:

• Keep meat cold
• Do not over work meat
• Cook meat ASAP once formed.
• Season meat just before cooking.
• Shape properly for uniform cooking

Recreating Payless pancit shanghai

Continuation of the Chinese day

Merienda was shanghai noodles. My version of instant shanghai noodles that's kinda a cross between that and pancit canton.  Inspired by Payless Pancit Shanghai.

Shanghai noodles

Cooked spaghetti

2T oyster sauce

2T soy sauce

Few drops sesame oil optional

Diced carrots

Diced Baguio beans

Chopped cabbage

Garlic

Oil

Heat pan. Sauté garlic. Add veg. Add sauces. Add spaghetti. Done. Yum.

Chinese night

Tonight I cooked a Chinese meal. Salt and pepper Ribs and Wonton Soup

Salt and pepper spare ribs

2T rock salt

2tsp black pepper

2tsp 5spice powder

Roast in dry pan. Set aside

1/2 kilo spareribs

4T cornstarch

Water

2tsp five spice powder

Mix together and marinate 3 hours in ref

2 finger chilis

2 spring onions

Chop and set aside

Heat wok and cook spareribs. Remove and drain

Heat wok til smoking and cook spareribs again til browned

Change oil if it's too watery or add cornstarch to help browning. Remove and drain. Remove some of the oil. Add chili and spring onions. Quickly stir fry. Add spareribs and salt mix. Mix and serve.

My Secret to curing a cold in 2-3 days

Drink lots of water. Yes, I know they always say this, but try taking a glass of water wherever you go.  Fill it to the top as soon as it's empty.

Vitamin C with Zinc like Pedzinc (I use my daughter's). A dose of 5ml in the morning, and one at night.  I also take a dose when my throat feels itchy.

Salinase nasal spray. Not the drops, but the spray bottle-the kind that you spray up your nose.  Don't worry, first-timers, you will get used to it. 

Tissues. A big box.

Sleeping sitting up (so you can breathe at night), and mucous flows out instead of blocking your nose.

Centrum multi-vitamins.  One a day.

Brownies

My two favorite brownie recipes so far:

1 is a cheat because I use Maya brownie mix, but it's good and quick. My only problem with it is it is sticky so it's hard to put into my brownie edge pan. Also, the batter is thick and a bit hard to mix by hand. I like to stick to simple recipes now. These brownies are cake like.

The other one is the joy of baking Brownie recipe. It calls for chocolate chips, cocoa powder and 3 eggs - more than what I use with Maya, but the batter is easier to pour and it's not a pain to mix by hand. This recipe turns out a mix of cakey and fudgey brownies. Perfect!

The yield is a little too little for my brownie edge pan.

Finally fruit salad the kids will eat

It's not really a "salad" but the kids will eat it, and it will last for a week.

1 can canned peaches, chopped
1 green apple chopped
2 fuji apples chopped

Mix everything including the syrup of the canned peaches together. The syrup will keep the apples from becoming brown.

Enjoy. :)

Gotta try - Chips ahoy recipe

Chips Ahoy

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 level teaspoon baking soda
2 level teaspoons salt
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg white
2 to 4 tablespoons warm water
12 ounces mini semisweet chocolate chips

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

Use an electric mixer to mix the two sugars and shortening. When creamy add the vanilla extract, salt and egg white. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, adding a tablespoon of warm water as necessary to mix the flour - don't exceed 4 tablespoons of water - this will make a firm dough. Mix in chocolate chips. As the dough gets thicker you may want to mix by hand. Roll into 2-inch balls and press down with the palm of the hand to flatten. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

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Here is another version

Chips Ahoy

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 level teaspoon baking soda
2 level teaspoons salt
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg white
2 to 4 tablespoons warm water
12 ounces mini semisweet chocolate chips

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

Use an electric mixer to mix the two sugars and shortening. When creamy add the vanilla extract, salt and egg white. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, adding a tablespoon of warm water as necessary to mix the flour - don't exceed 4 tablespoons of water - this will make a firm dough. Mix in chocolate chips. As the dough gets thicker you may want to mix by hand. Roll into 2-inch balls and press down with the palm of the hand to flatten. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.