You Are The Luckiest Person.

Did you know that you are one of the luckiest people in the world? Let's look at the reasons why you should be grateful for your life.

- You have food to eat, clothes to wear, a roof over your head, and a place to stay for the night. This seems simple, but you are richer than 75% of the people in this world. Many people are living in poverty, hunger, and without shelter (poverty in Africa has existed for more than 100 years).

-You have money to spend in your wallet, money to give to the poor, money to save in the bank. This shows you are among the 8% richest people in the world. You can spend on your needs and wants, as well as help those less fortunate.

- You woke up this morning and felt a little better than yesterday. This is a miracle because you are luckier than 1 million people who didn't make it through this week. You still have legs to walk every day; you have good health to work, study, play, and enjoy life.

- You have never experienced the dangers of war, the loneliness of prison, the pain of torture, or the hardships of hunger and thirst. This makes you happier than the 500 million people in the world who are going through this disaster (Ukraine and Russia war for two years now, Israel and Hamas). You can live in a safe, peaceful, and free environment (in USA).

- Your parents are still alive and happy together. This is a rare thing because compared to the rest of the world, your case is not much (I am an orphan, my father passed away more than 16 years ago and recently my mother also passed away). Having the love, care, and support of your family is the happiest thing.

In short, when you read this message, you can understand more about your life, which is so wonderful. Because I don't know how many people in the world this article can be shared with. This makes you happier than many billions of people in the world who never read anything. Maybe they are visually impaired, or they are living in an environment without freedom, without education to develop intelligence and knowledge.

You see, you are a very lucky person.  You should know how to appreciate and protect what you have. Spread your joy and kindness to those around you. Live with optimism and practice gratitude.

One-Bowl Banana Bread

Hi banana lovers! Do you have some overripe bananas lying around in your kitchen? Don't throw them away! You can use them to make this super easy and delicious one-bowl banana bread. Trust me, this is the best banana bread recipe ever. It's moist, sweet, and full of banana flavor. Plus, it only takes a few ingredients and one bowl to whip up. No mixer, no yeast, no hassle. Just pure banana goodness.

I hope you will enjoy this easy one-bowl banana bread recipe. It's perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. You can also freeze it for later or share it with your friends and family. They will love you for it. Happy baking!

Ingredients:

- 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

- 1 egg

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar

- 1 tsp. vanilla

- 1 tsp. cinnamon 

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/4 tsp. salt

- 1/2 cup roasted, chopped walnut

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 

Equipment:

-9” X 5” loaf pan, greased and floured

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 350° F and a greased and floured a 9” x 5” loaf pan.

- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Add the oil, egg, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and whisk well until combined.

- Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda over the banana mixture and fold gently with a spatula until no dry spots remain. Stir in the walnuts, if using.

- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

- Let the bread cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

- Enjoy your one-bowl banana bread with some butter, jam, or Nutella. Or just eat it plain. It's that good.

 

I hope you enjoyed this easy recipe and I'd love to hear from you.

 

Korean Cucumber salad

 If you love cucumbers and Korean food, you're in for a treat! This Korean cucumber salad is a simple but tasty side dish that goes well with any meal. It's crunchy, refreshing, and has a balanced sweet and salty flavor. Plus, it's super easy to make and only requires a few ingredients. Let me show you how to whip up this delicious salad in no time!

Ingredients:

- 1 English cucumber

- Salt (1 tsp)

Dressing:

- 1/3 cup soy sauce

- 2 tablespoons vinegar

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 1 tablespoon Korean chili powder

- 2 green onions

- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced

-1 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Wash the cucumber and slice it thinly, about 3mm thick. Sprinkle some salt over the cucumber slices and toss them well. Let them sit for about 15 minutes to draw out some moisture and make them crunchier.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, chili powder, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger. This is your dressing for the salad.

3. Rinse the cucumber slices and drain them well. Transfer them to a large bowl and pour the dressing over them. Toss them well to coat them evenly with the dressing.

4. Refrigerate the salad for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together. Then, serve it on a platter and garnish with chopped green onions. Enjoy your refreshing and flavorful Korean cucumber salad!

Potato Corn Mushroom Cakes

If you are looking for a simple and delicious way to use up your leftover mashed potatoes, you might want to try making potato cakes. Potato cakes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and they can be customized with different ingredients to suit your taste. In this blog post, I will show you how to make potato cakes from scratch using fresh taro, corn, herbs, and mushrooms. This is a vegetarian-friendly recipe that is full of flavor and texture. I hope you liked this recipe for potato cakes with corn, herbs, and mushrooms. They are easy to make and very satisfying. You can experiment with different ingredients and spices to create your own version of potato cakes. Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe and how it turned out for you. You can enjoy these potato cakes as a snack, a side dish, or even a main course.

 Ingredients:

 - 2 large potatoes

- 1 corn cob, kernels sliced off

- 1 cup of assorted herbs (I used Chinese chives, scallions, and parsley)

- 2 tablespoons of butter

- 2 cups of chopped button mushrooms

- 1/2 cup of chopped white onion

- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and powdered sugar to taste

- 1/4 cup of cornstarch

- Oil for frying

 Directions:

 1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Boil or steam them for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

2. Add the butter to the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher or a fork. You can leave some chunks for more texture if you like.

3. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the mushrooms and onion for about 10 minutes, then add corn and cook until browned and soft.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to taste.

4. Add the herbs to the potato mixture and stir well to combine. Adjust the seasoning, if needed.

5. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the potato mixture and mix well. The cornstarch will help bind the potato cakes and make them crispier.

6. Shape the potato mixture into patties of about 2 inches in diameter. You should get about 12 to 15 patties depending on the size of your potatoes.

7. Heat some oil in a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Fry the potato cakes in batches for about 3 minutes per side or until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle some powdered sugar over them if you like.

8. Serve hot or warm with your favorite dipping sauce or enjoy them plain.