Sunday, March 31, 2019

April Fools' Day Burger and Fries

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Happy April Fools' Day!  Today is a day for playing the fool and tricking people with some harmless practical jokes. I love to play food practical jokes and I've been excited to do this one for a while.  Last year I took meatloaf and mashed potatoes and made a cupcake out of it.  This year I decided to take a cupcake and make a burger and fries. 

I have seen "cupcake burgers" all over the internet, but this is my spin on them.  I decided to use fruit as some of my burger toppings instead of using all icing like most of the recipes I have seen.  My kids ate their burgers and loved every bite.   My son, who dislikes real tomatoes, joked that these were the best "tomatoes" he has ever eaten.  Ha! ha!

What is a burger without french fries?  I had to come up with a fun idea to replace your traditional fries and apples did the trick. My kids really loved them and I may have to make my apple "fries" more often for them so they can take it in their lunchboxes to school. I think the kids at the lunch table will get a real kick out of them.  

So, did I fool you with my burgers and fries?  Well, I hope I did, even for a quick second. 

I hope your day is full of fun surprises, jokes and big laughs!
 

To Make the Burger
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix prepared per package instructions
kiwi slices (tip buy a ripe, but firm kiwi)
strawberries sliced
sesame seeds as needed

Chocolate Glaze:
12oz bag of chocolate chips
1/3 cup half and half milk
2 Tbs butter

Special equipment:  cupcake pan or whoopie pie pan, double boiler (or glass heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water)


Directions:
Prepare cake batter per package instructions.  Place batter in cupcake pan or whoopie pie pan. Bake as needed.


For cupcakes, cut tops off and sprinkle some with sesame seeds to be the top "bun" of the burger.    If you use a whoopie pie pan, sprinkle the "top buns" with sesame seeds and use them as they are without trimming them. 




To make chocolate glaze, first heat up milk (half and half) and butter in a double boiler.  When the milk is hot add the chocolate chips and stir well until smooth.


 
 
Dip the "burger" into
 chocolate glaze using two forks and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Allow chocolate coating to set in the fridge.

 

Slice strawberries and kiwi to act as lettuce and tomato of burger.  You can also add mango for mustard or cheese.  Tip: use round strawberries for better "tomato" slices.   Assemble burger by placing a bottom "bun", kiwi layer, "burger", strawberry layer and then sesame seed top "bun".  Skewer if desired.



To Make the Fries
Ingredients:
2 large apples cored and peeled
4 cups water and 2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder 

"Ketchup"
3Tbs Raspberry or Strawberry jam
1 tsp strawberry syrup (the kind you make strawberry milk with)


Special equipment:  crinkle cutter, peeler with corer


 Directions:
Core apple and peel.  Then use crinkle cutter to cut french fry size strips.
Place cut "fries" into salt water and allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Dry on a paper towel for a minute and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Take paper towel and make sure cinnamon in only lightly coated by wiping off access.


 



Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Damn Delicious Meal Prep by Chungah Rhee Cookbook Review

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I was so excited when I heard the Chungah Rhee, the blogger behind the Damn Delicious food blog, was coming out with her second cookbook.  I have been following her blog for years and drooling over her recipes.  I also love following her Instagram account that showcases not only her recipes, but her gorgeous corgi named Butters.  So if you are into good food and an adorable dog-- you will be hooked on her Instagram as well.

Damn Delicious Meal Prep is a beautifully photographed cookbook with 115 easy and healthy recipes.  So if you are looking for meal prep ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, this cookbook has you covered. 

I must admit, I am not always the best at meal planning and meal prep.  I have been known to sometimes look inside my fridge, pantry and freezer and scratch my head to come up with a dinner meal idea.  I was desperately in need of some inspiration and this book does that brilliantly.  All the dishes look so mouthwatering and the best part they are easy to make or prep ahead for meal time. 

Personally, I loved all the smoothie recipes. Breakfast is the hardest meal of the day for me to plan for and get enthusiastic about.  I usually get lazy to make a smoothie in the morning because I know I have to gather all the fruits/veggies and ingredients to make it. I simply don't have the time to do that in the morning when I am running around trying to get the kids off to school.   I loved Chungah's idea of prepackaging these healthy smoothie pouches and leaving them in the freezer.  Now morning breakfast is quick and simple because I just pop one out of my freezer and add the liquid recommended in the recipe to blend it all together. I love being able to have a quick and healthy breakfast on the go that did not leave my kitchen looking like a disaster area.  

This book also provides you with ideas for delicious food bowls, mason jar soups and salads and so much more. I loved so many of the dishes, but today I made the Thai Basil Chicken Bowls - http://bit.ly/damndeliciousthaibasilchickenbowl
 
This meal quickly became a family favorite.  I can have it prepped and on the table so quickly that it's easier than getting take-out.  I love that!
   

 

Photo Credit: Chungah Ree
If you want to take a sneak peek into Damn Delicious Meal Prep here are some more recipes:


Damn Delicious Meal Prep by Chungah Rhee:  Available wherever books are sold February 05, 2019

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chungah Rhee is the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind the incredibly popular blog Damn Delicious. She has a Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master's degree in Public Health at the University of Southern California. 

Started in 2011 as a hobby, Damn Delicious has since grown to become a full-time job and business. Chungah and her recipes are regularly featured in major media such as PeopleBetter Homes & GardensBon Appetit, Cooking Channel, HGTV, Redbook, The KitchnHuffington Post, and Buzzfeed, among others. Her first book, Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes, was published in 2016 by Oxmoor House. 

Today, Chungah cooks nonstop alongside her favorite assistant, Butters, the Insta-famous corgi (you can find him hamming it up @butterscorgigram). Chungah, Butters, and her soon to be husband, Ben, all live, play, and eat in Los Angeles.

Twitter: @damn_delicious
Instagram: @damn_delicious
Pinterest: DAMN DELICIOUS




Disclaimer:  I was given a complimentary copy of  Damn Delicious Meal Prep by Chungah Rhee to review.  All the opinions expressed here are my own.


Copyright: All recipes, content, and images (unless otherwise stated) are the sole property of Kitchen Simmer formerly known as Curry and Comfort. Please do not use without prior written consent. Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.