DOING IT YO!SELF

Ever bought already prepared burger beef and noticed that insipid taste. Well that is as a result of over processing and added substance for preservation. 

My question now, do you need to go through all that to have a proper burger? ofcause not.

Here are simple steps to have it done yourself, its easy, taste better and also more economical.

You start off with fresh meat, minced or you grind it yourself if you have the tool for that, this can also allow you to add in some slices of bacon when grinding, this is totally optional.

After that as shown in the picture, add some eggs, this does the combining of the beef so it marries itself when in the pan.

add spices of your choice really, beef is already tasty, so salt, pepper and seasoning cubes should be fine, or be like me and go all the way by adding other seasonings in the pantry.

After that, go ahead n mix with clean hands, might be messy but that's not for long. Mold into desired shape. Fry in a non-stick pan with little oil. Same procedure for meatballs, i like to bake meatballs in a cupcake pan, i do this when i feel lazy, still works for me. 

This was so easy.

A Cleaner Way to Crack an Egg

When you tap an egg on the edge of a bowl, you don’t break just the shell. The thin membrane surrounding the white and the yolk also ruptures, so tiny shell shards can mix with the liquid and end up in your finished dish. (Worst omelet ingredient ever.) Instead, crack the egg on a flat surface, like a counter, to create one clean break. That way, the membrane stays intact, meaning no shell in your scramble.

Step 1: Hold the egg in one hand and tap it firmly on a hard surface.

Step 2: Check the break: You should see an indentation and one side-to-side crack, like an equator.

Step 3: Place your thumbs on either side of the crack and gently pull the shell apart. Any shards will stick to the membrane, not fall into the bowl.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE YET.........

One of the ingredients that really made this chocolate cake recipe come to life, in my opinion, was the addition of espresso powder in both the chocolate cake and in the chocolate frosting.
If you’ve not tried a bit of espresso when baking with chocolate, you really should.
The espresso works to elevate the flavors in much the same way as vanilla extract and I now think of it as an essential part of my spice cabinet.
Espresso powder is easy to find at the grocery store.
Believe me when I say, it is very much worth the effort to have just for those times you are baking with chocolate!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
  2. For the cake:
  3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
  4. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
  5. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.
  7. Frost cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

How to Chop Garlic

No more struggling with sticky, paper-thin peels. With these three steps—trim, crush, chop— you can prep a clove in no time.

Step 1: Trim. Use the tip of a chef’s knife to slice off the hard root of each clove. This will allow the skin to peel away more easily.

Step 2: Crush. Place a clove under the flat side of the knife, with the blade facing away from you. Press the heel of your palm or your fist down on the knife until you feel the clove give way. Slip off and discard the skin.

Step 3: Chop. Gather together the peeled cloves, hold your knife by the handle, and place your other, nondominant hand on top of the blade. Rock the knife up and down through the cloves (the tip stays on the cutting board). Chop until the garlic is the size you desire.