My Favorite Burger: The Mushroom Swiss Burger

We're still grilling here in Southern California!

The weather is nice, still a little hot during the day.  So why not utilize this great weather with more grilled dinners.   Eating outside, with food hot off the grill.  That's what a late summer is all about.  Food, family, friends, and good times!

We love a good burger and have made many versions.  I recall a conversation with my mom about her favorite burger which was the original burger, no frills and thrills.  She used to mention all the time that her sister and brother in-law (my Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Gene) always made Bacon Cheeseburgers.  She had never had one.

After a few times mentioning this story to me about my Aunt and Uncles' Bacon Cheeseburgers, and the fact she had never had one...I decided it was time to make my mom the best bacon cheeseburger ever!  She gobbled it down in 3 seconds...okay, maybe it was 5 minutes.  Although she loved the Bacon Cheeseburger, I don't think that ever became her favorite though.

I tell you this because everyone has their own favorite hamburger.  Mine is a Mushroom Swiss Burger.  There is just something about that melted Swiss cheese and the meaty mushrooms on top of a burger.  It makes it "meatier" somehow.  I just absolutely love them.  I try to order one every now and then when we find ourselves in a good burger joint, but I don't make them at home that often.  I wonder why not?  Anyway I decided it's high time that I did!

So here's to my favorite burger!  Oh, and I served that wonderful Tomato Salad with it.....a perfect side dish.  What's your favorite burger?

Mushroom Swiss Burger

serves 4

1 lb 10% ground sirloin
1 1/2 T Worcestershire sauce (or use 2 tsp of Williams-Sonoma's Burger Starter)
salt and pepper
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 T butter
4 slices of Swiss cheese
4 kaiser rolls

Place ground beef into a bowl and add Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix to combine but don't handle too much. (use a light, light touch) Form 4 patties.  Set aside.

In a skillet over medium high heat add butter and mushrooms.  Stir and cook until soft and moisture is released.  Set mushrooms aside.  Cook patties in skillet about 7-8 minutes flipping once, until desired doneness.  (you may do this on a grill as well) Add a cheese slice to each pattie and cook 1-2 more minutes until the cheese melts.  Remove from skillet.   Add kaiser rolls to the skillet and brown 1-2 minutes.

Top buns with burgers and mushrooms.  Use additional toppings as desired.


Here are some more burgers you may enjoy:

The Best Stuffed Cheeseburger

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

Product Review: Frontera Taco Skillet Sauce

 

You may know that we love our tacos around here.

We love them any way we can get them!

Chicken, oh yea,

Beef, yes please!

Fish, oh my!

 

So it was taco night and I had ran out of my homemade taco seasoning (click here for the recipe), so I picked up a quick skillet sauce at the market that is marketed by Chef Rick Bayless.  It had to be good right?

 

Well I'm pleased to say that it was!  So I bought some more...

 

The one I'm sharing with you today is the Texas Original Taco Skillet Sauce with mild red chili and cumin.  It has wonderful flavor that you can smell as soon as you open the pouch.  Just brown up some ground beef and then add the sauce and simmer.  Can't get quicker than that!

 

The flavor is "mild" and brings a great southwest taco flavor to your meat.  Excellent!  He has many other flavors for tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and more.  Can't wait to try some of the others.  I've already bought the taco sauce for quick chicken tacos.  It is perfect for quick night meal, plus the whole family will love them!

 

See how great the tacos look?  Oh, and I fried my own taco shells.  I love the real deal!

Frontera Taco Skillet Sauce Tacos

1 lb 10% ground sirloin

1 pouch of Frontera Texas Original Taco Skillet Sauce

optional toppings:  shredded cheese, diced onion, diced tomato, shredded cabbage or lettuce

Brown ground sirloin in a skillet over med-high heat for about 8-10 minutes.  Add skillet sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes to heat through.  Spoon into taco shells and top with your favorite toppings.

Looking for other taco recipes?  Here are a few...

Chicken Verde Tacos

Baked Tacos

 

Tex Mex Soft Tacos

Tomato Salad

Here's a dish we've been eating all summer long.

In packing my stuff in early summer I came across a page I had ripped out of a Foodnetwork magazine.  It had three simple side dishes on it, this Tomato Salad being one of them.

Oh man, am I glad I didn't throw this away!  This has to be the easiest and tastiest side dish you can make.  It uses fresh ingredients that shine during the summer months with ripe cherry tomatoes and basil.  But wait!  you can pick up cherry tomatoes almost anytime of the year so you can make this wonderful dish now...or next month...woohoo!

Once you taste this you'll know why I'm head over heels in love with this dish.  Fresh basil, check!  A wonderful dressing with sweet balsamic, double check!  Simple, easy, fresh, and tasty...that's the motto here.

Makes me wonder what other treasures I have laying around the house!

So don't delay, go get some cherry tomatoes, and give this a try...it will knock your socks off.

Tomato Salad

adapted from FoodNetwork magazine
serves 4 

Cut 1 pound mixed yellow and red cherry tomatoes into halves or quarters if large; season with salt and pepper.  Cook 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 2 teaspoons brown sugar in a small skillet over medium heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; remove from the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Drizzle over the tomatoes; top with snipped chives and basil.