Pickled Jalapeno Burgers

Today was pretty much a typical Sunday; errands, errands and more errands. We started earlier than usual because I was alerted that we had to be back by 4 so that Louie (the bf) could watch the NBA playoffs. Go Warriors! Since we had already decided that we wanted to BBQ, this would give us plenty of time to eat or at least be ready to eat by time the game started. Since my daughter is a picky eater, we decided on hot dogs and hamburgers. Of course, I had to put a Miche twist on the hamburgers though.

Thankfully, we finished cooking just in time. Needless to say, I am so stuffed and barely have energy to post this. A glass of wine is currently getting me through this post. This was such a good burger though, I just had to share!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef (we used 93/7 for a leaner burger)
• 1/4 green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 yellow onion, finely diced
• 5-10 splash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon FlavorGod Everything Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• Pickled Jalepeno's (see recipe)

Preparation 

 (Not pictured: Worcestershire sauce, onion and bell pepper. Sorry, I was rushing)

Gently mix all ingredients, except the pickled jalapenos, in a large bowl. form mixture into 4 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick patties. Place burgers on a plate and refrigerate for 2 hours or twenty minutes, which is honestly all I had time for today.

When ready, throw those babies on the grill. Once on the grill, let them do it's thing until ready to flip. As tempting as it might be, do not move them until they are ready to flip! 

If you prefer a cheeseburger, add your preferred cheese at the end. I am the only one in this family that doesn't do cheeseburgers. Once off the grill, assemble the burger. Don't forget the pickled jalapeno's!! Obviously, I left these off for my daughter but it's a great flavor boost for the adults. 

I served this with a side of "Crazy Cucumbers" and everyone was happy :) That's all I can ask for.

Crazy Cucumbers

This is currently my daughter's favorite snack. She could eat these everyday if she could. She is actually who came up with the name "Crazy Cucumbers". It has gotten to the point where we all fight over the bowl and if she notices that it is not evenly distributed, everybody watch out!! 

Ingredients:

• Mini Snacking Cucumbers (or baby cucumbers), sliced
• Tajín seasoning (usually found in the produce aisle at the grocery store)
• Red wine vinegar
• *Goya Salad and Vegetable Seasoning

I literally do this by eye-balling it. Dice the cucumbers. Add a few splashes of red wine vinegar and the Tajín, based on your taste-buds. In our house, we like ours tart so we add quite a bit of the Tajín.

*This product contains MSG and is totally optional. These cucumbers are still delicious without it. I love it occasionally on these cucumbers because it adds an entirely different dimension of flavor. Everything in moderation I say.

Pickled Jalapenos

These are a great add to anything but especially burgers! Something about these are just so addicting! They are crisp, sweet and pack a spicy punch! I am not sure how long these actually last in the fridge but I imagine quite some time. These usually don't last longer than a few days in my house. I could eat these by itself! 

Ingredients:

• 4-6 jalapenos, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tsb sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Mix all ingredients, except jalapenos. Once sugar has dissolved, do a taste test. Once this passes the taste test, add the jalapenos. Let them sit at least overnight before eating.

** Do a taste test before adding the jalapenos. I prefer mine a little more on the tangy side but it's easy to adjust with a little sugar, salt and some water.

Ginger Onion Beef

This is one of my favorite dishes to make. Not only is it fast and easy but it is also super delicious!

Ingredients:

1 beef Rib-eye, thinly sliced ( this is my go to because it doesn't get hard when it cooks)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions cut into 1-2 inch strips
1/2 sweet maui onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 

Beef Marinade:

2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon white wine
1 teaspoon red wine
1 teaspoon FlavorGod Lemon and Garlic Seasoning (or lemon pepper)

Sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toyomansi (or dark soy sauce)
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 dash of ground white pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
salt to taste

Instructions:

Marinate the beef using the marinade for 10-20 minutes. While that hangs out, you can start cutting up your onions, garlic and ginger. Set aside. In a separate bowl, set aside the sliced scallions. For the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together and set it aside as well.

Now that everything is prepped and ready to go, we can start cooking. Heat up a pan with olive oil and add the marinated beef until they are about halfway done, about 2 minutes, and remove from the pan.

Add remaining olive oil to the pan and toss in the garlic, onion and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the beef back to the pan. Once the beef has been added, pour in the sauce and simmer until the beef has completely cooked through. Add the scallions, give everything a few quick stirs and you're done. Serve with brown or white rice. 

Pro Tip: Cut onions without the tears!

Pro Tip: Cut onions without the tears! 

Put the onion in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting it. (Make sure to set a timer!)

The only tears you'll have are happy ones!

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Guacamole

Guacamole 

Ingredients

2 Large Avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1/2 Lime, juiced

1/2 Medium Onion, diced

2 Medium Jalopenos, diced

1 Roma Tomato, diced

1 clove of Garlic, minced

1 tablespoon of Cilantro, miced

Salt to taste*

Directions

In a large bowl, mix ingredients.

Serve immediately with chips or chopped vegetables