9 Summer Grilling Favorites 2018

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Summer is well under way and everyone is trying to beat the kitchen heat by grilling outdoors!

I have an array of some of my favorite grilling dishes that I think you will just love.  So look through them below and pick a few to try when you are planning your next meal on the grill!

9 Summer Grilling Favorites 2018



Let start off with something light and healthy like my Weeknight Balsamic Steak Salad.  This has such bold flavors that will leave you craving more.. Don't forget the Blue Cheese on this one, it's a definite must for those complex flavors!

For a great chicken dish you'll just love my Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice.  Again as with the steak dish above Balsamic is the primary flavor and it's just makes this chicken pop!  We love Mediterranean flavors and this dish is a winner!

For those who like fish or seafood you have to try my Lemon Herb Grilled Shrimp and Scallops.  It is so light and delectable that it will just knock your socks off!

You certainly can't get through summer without having a burger.  And if you choose any burger it better be my Butter Burgers.  Man oh man are these the juiciest burgers you will have anywhere!  An absolute must in my book.

Oh this salad!  The marinade which is also the salad dressing is to die for.  This salad is worth eating just for that marinade.  Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad with leave you feeling like you are sitting on a small island somewhere drinking Chianti and savoring the sea breeze! 

Let not forget the side dishes that are perfect for grilling.  Try The BEST Grilled Corn Ever and you will know what I mean.  Savory with chives and then there's the butter.  Need I say more?

What's better than a side of grilled vegetables?  Not much.  Grilling brings out the sweetness in the vegetables, and that char...oh that char!  Flavors are waiting.  Try my version of Grilled Vegetables with a balsamic marinade...they are truly perfection!

For something fun and different on the grill try Grilled Pita Pizzas.  They are a quick weeknight meal or can be a great appetizer.  They're easy to throw together and taste superb on the grill!

Let's not forget about dessert!  You gotta try a dessert on the grill.  Yes, grilled peaches and nectarines are tasty, but let's go a step further and have my Grilled Lemon Pound Cake with Strawberries and Vanilla Ice Cream!  Oh boy, oh boy!  I'll take the dessert over the meal when this is served!

Have a wonderful "grillful" summer!



Labor Day Bash: Butter Burgers

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It's time to celebrate the American Labor movement and all the workers that have strengthened our country!  Labor Day Weekend is the time to have a great big bash with lots of food and fun.

It also is the unofficial end of summer, but we won't dwell on that.  I'm still dreaming of summer and all the fresh bounty that is produces such as this Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade and this Farmers Market Bounty Summer Vegetable Soup with Chicken.

So let's talk about a main dish for your bash.  Let's talk about BUTTER BURGERS.  Yes, I said "BUTTER" burgers!  You've never tried one?  Well let me tell you that if you want a juicy, moist burger you have to try a butter burger.  It makes sense really...if you want juicy, and not dry meat, you add a fat.  In this case, butter!  I have to give credit for the idea to Paula Deen as she was the first person I saw doing this.  Now when you google it, you'll notice there are more and more versions of the butter burger out there.

BUTTER BURGERS

Today we are making both beef and turkey burgers with the secret ingredient being "butter".  MGG loves turkey burgers and I gravitate toward beef so why not make both at your next gathering.

They are simple to assemble by seasoning your meat, forming a patty and then placing a tablespoon pat of butter in the middle of the patty and surround it with the meat, so it's hidden.  That's my technique and it works wonderfully.  The butter warms and melts as the burgers cook, then it distributes throughout the patty and when you bite in to it....OH!  Boy is that a moist, juicy burger!

Top the with lettuce, tomato, and some good mustard, and don't forget the pickle and fries on the side!  The perfect meal to celebrate the holiday.  All American burgers made better with butter!

So try something new and indulge in a moist and juicy Butter Burger this Labor Day Weekend!

Enjoy!





Butter Burgers 

serves 6

1 lb 10% ground sirloin
1 lb 7% ground turkey (white and dark meats)
4 tsp burger seasoning (I use this or this)
6 Tbls of unsalted butter, divided into 6 tablespoon portions
6 hamburger buns
For serving:  lettuce, tomato, mustard

Preheat the grill to medium.  Grease the grill grate by brushing it with oil.
In separate bowls add the beef and turkey meat.  Add 2 tsp. of burger seasoning to each meat and lightly rake through the meat to distribute.  Form each meat into 3 patties about 1-inch thick. Place a tablespoon in the center of each patty and mold the meat around it so it is hidden in the center.  Place on a baking wax paper covered tray.

Place the burgers on the grill, cover and cook, turning once, until the burgers reach the temperature you like.  (About 10-12 minutes for medium, more for well done)  Toward the end of the cooking place the split buns on the grill to toast.  Remove from the grill to a platter for serving.
Assemble the burgers on the buns and top with lettuce, tomato, and mustard.  

Note: This post contains affiliate links to products that I use and I am providing to you for your convenience in purchasing should you choose.  A small compensation is awarded me for any purchase that you make. Thank you.

4 Favorite Burgers

Summer is here and the 4th of July is around the corner!

That means grill time....that means burger time!

We usually go all Americana on our 4th of July menu, keeping it to burgers and hot dogs.

So if you are craving a good juicy burger pick one of my four favorite choices.  Each are perfect for a party with friends and family.  Perfect for the 4th of July festivities, and so easy to make!

Here are the recipes starting in the upper left - going clockwise!  Enjoy!!

The Mushroom Swiss Burger

The Best Stuffed Grilled Cheeseburgers

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Grilled Santa Fe Burger

What hamburger wouldn't be complete without a great bun? If you are adventurous then try this...

Homemade Hamburger Bun Recipe

And to quench your thirst...

 Land of the Free Lemonade

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

The Best Stuffed Grilled Cheeseburgers

Don't you just love firing up the grill and throwing on a couple of burgers for dinner?

We do!  There's not quite so traditional as having grilled burgers.  All American I would say and we usually have them for Memorial Day, or possibly 4th of July, or the upcoming Labor Day.  Sometimes we have them for all three holidays! 

Burgers are easy to prepare, quick to make, and they lend themselves to so many variations.  There are so many ways to top a burger that it's fun to just set out all the different toppings and let your family create their own masterpiece.  And let's not forget that they are great for summer parties!

Today's burger is what I call the BEST stuffed burger.  This is more of a technique rather than a recipe.  It's how you stuff this burger that makes it easy to create, and then it oozes out cheese after it's cooked.

You start off with a quality beef.  I always use ground sirloin for the flavor.  I know that everyone suggest using 20% fat ground chuck for a juicy burger, but I just can't do it...sorry.  Way too much fat for my liking and my burgers with 10% fat sirloin is plenty juicy.  Trust me...or not!  Your choice on the meat. 

Next you choose a cheese.  I chose a wonderful sharp cheddar cheese for an All American Cheeseburger.  Sliced them into 1-1 1/2" cubes.  Then it's time to make the stuffed patties.  YES! the cheese is on the inside of the burger.  Why?  because it oozes out when you bite it.  Excellent!  So here is where the technique comes in to play.  Typically you make two thin patties and put the cheese on one and top with the other patty.  Not anymore!  Make one medium large patty that is about 1" thick.  Make a well in the middle of the patty and place the cheese cube inside.  Then you just pinch the tops of the meat together to cover the cheese.  Sort of like making a bundle, but you want to smooth out the top and make sure all the cheese is covered up.  That's it!  And it's perfect, and easy to do.

Pick your favorite toppings, and add a nice kaiser roll for the bun.  The rest is history!  Promise you'll try this technique the next time you make burgers...ok?

The Best Stuffed Grilled Cheeseburgers

serves 4

1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1 T plus 1 t Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 ounces cheddar cheese cut into 4 cubes 

4 kaiser rolls or buns, split and toasted

Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, gently fold together beef, Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Divide meat into 4 equal portions.

Shape cheese into 4 equal 1" thick patties Press a small well in the center of each beef mound. Place cheese in well; wrap beef around cheese, pinching to seal.

Oil heated grates. Place burgers on grill; cover. Cook until grill marks are visible on first side, about 5 - 6 minutes. Turn burgers and an additional 5 - 6 minutes until cooked through.  Toast split buns. 

To assemble place cooked burgers on each toasted bun.  Top with your favorite toppings.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Happy 4th of July!

Time to celebrate America's independence.  How will you celebrate?  Do you have a big BBQ out back, go to someone house with some potluck food?  Have a great pool party, or just stay low key and watch some fireworks?

The 4th of July has always been special to my family.  Growing up we had neighborhood parades that I proudly participated in, my bike all decked out in flags, and red, white, and blue streamers.  So many memories!  Then we would always have a great afternoon grilling and eating great food, followed by going to the local firework display.  A long and super fun day!

These days, I sill like to celebrate.  Although I don't decorate my bike anymore (hehe!) I do love to break out all the patriotic dishes, and decorations and make piles of food!

Grilling on this holiday means "All American" food to us.  Hambugers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, and grilled corn all fit the bill.  So with that in mind I decided to make you a burger.  Not just any 'ole burger, but a stuffed burger.  Stuffed with Blue Cheese!  Oh my!  This is such a great combination for a burger.  I'm usually a purist with them, but not this combination.  It is excellent!  Truly!

Stuffed burgers are everywhere now on the internet.  They are easy to do.  You just make take the amount of meat that you would make in 1 whole burger and split in it half to form two thin patties, of the same size.  Place your stuffing ingredients, in this case Blue Cheese, on the bottom pattie, and top with the other one.  Crimp the edges to make a tight seal and your done!  A stuffed burger.  That's all there is to it, but the payoff is amazing.  Trust me!

 

Doesn't this look good?  Cheesy gooeyness!

So get out all your holiday decorations....

Try my Land of the Free Lemonade...

Try some killer side dishes

Grilled Romaine Salad 

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Grilled Greek Potato Salad

Heirloom Cherry Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad

AND....have a Blue Cheese Stuffed Burger!

Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

serves 4

1 lb ground sirloin

salt & pepper

1/2 c crumbled blue cheese

Divide ground sirloin into 4 sections.  Take each section and form to equal sized patties.  Place 2-3 tablespoons of blue cheese crumbles and place it on one of the patties.  Top with the other pattie crimping edges to seal.

Cook on a preheated grill over medium heat.  Cook for 8 minutes total turning once halfway through.  Serve on toasted buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

They say we're going through a "cool down" here in LA.  Considering it was 108 on Sunday and 104 yesterday, I'm not quite sure what "cool down" means. 

When I hear the phrase I think of a nice breezy 76, maybe hitting 80...but certainly not a 4 degree drop! 

But that weather man keeps telling me everyday that the "cool down" continues.  Well, we'll see.  I keep hoping....it's BLAZING outside! 

So Sunday MGG and I decided to do a little maintenance on my car's headlights.  Scrubbing, scraping, buffing, sanding, polishing....and YES in the 108 degree heat!  Crazy huh??

Well this took quite a bit longer than I had planned....3 1/2 hours to be exact...until we accomplished this tedious task! 

Needless to say we were hot, tired, and HUNGRY.  So after a dip in the pool, a cold beer, and some chips and my excellent sweet onion salsa, we decided to grill BURGERS!

So as I often do, I theme my meals.  Today we were going to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  All the wonderful Southwestern flavors we love brought into my menu.  Here's it is.

Menu:

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

Chili seasoned oven fries

Bush's Grillin Beans - Black Bean Fiesta

I found this great recipe for Grilled Santa Fe Burgers over at Sargento.com.  It sounded perfect, I had all the ingredients on hand....it's a winner!!!  I often use Sargento's cheese because I like the quality and flavor of their products.  They have a great variety to try in the stores!

UPDATE:  Oh, the local news station just said that while we continue to have a "cool down" we are going to have a "warm up" by the end of the week!  Geez! LOL!

So let's make burgers.

This is one of those burgers that has almost everything mixed into the meat.  The secret with doing this is to mix the meat gently and quickly to incorporate all the ingredients.  You don't want to handle the meat too much....you'll end up with tough hockey pucks!  And no one wants to eat a hockey puck!!

So in a medium bowl take your ground beef (I use ground sirloin for flavor, and lower fat content), add in Sargento's Fancy Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican, salsa (my sweet onion salsa works great here!), crushed tortilla chips, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, plus salt & pepper.

Mix quickly but thoroughly.

Shape in to patties.  Cook them on an indoor or outdoor grill, preheated to medium high heat.  Cook for about 5 - 6 minutes on each side, or until done. 

Add some more Sargento cheese to the top to melt right before they are finished.  Toast your hamburger buns!  (I made homemade hamburger buns as well.  They were fabulous!  I'll give you the recipe tomorrow...promise).  Update:  Here's the link to the Homemade Hamburger Buns!

To serve you can top with some salsa.  MGG wanted cut tomatoes on his.  See how purty???

These were excellent!  Thanks Sargento for a great recipe!!

(Note: Sargento did not sponsor this...all opinions were my own.  I just loved the recipe and their products and wanted to share!)

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

Adapted from Sargento.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 cups shredded Sargento’s Fancy Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican
1/4 cup salsa  (I used my Sweet Onion Salsa)
1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
1 ½ t onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt & pepper
4 hamburger buns  ( I used my Homemade hamburger buns)

Toppings:

Lettuce (optional)
4 tomato slices (optional)

Sargento’s Fancy Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican shredded cheese (melted on top) (optional)

Salsa (optional)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, 1 cup of cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chips, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper (to taste). Lightly shape into 4 patties. Don’t overwork the meat or it will become tough.

 

Cook on the preheated grill over medium high heat for about 5-6 minutes per side.  If you are melting cheese on the burger, top with a good mound of cheese 1 minute before the end of the cooking time.  Close the lid on the grill to melt cheese.  Toast hamburger buns on the grill during the last 2 min of cooking.  To assemble burgers:  place hamburgers on the bottom bun.  Top with salsa, lettuce, and tomato if desired. 

Product Review: Williams-Sonoma The Ultimate Burger Starter

Don't you just love trying new products in search of "GOLD"??

Found it!

With this product I hit the Motherload!

Seriously.

Back in June I was attending a technique class at the Williams-Sonoma store and spotted an item of interest way across the room.  I could hardly stand it not being able to pick it up and read the ingredients as the class was only half way through.  Classes are GREAT there, by the way.  I recommend taking one if have the ability to do so!

So when we finished I scurried right over and nabbed a jar of their "The Ultimate BURGER STARTER".

Click on this link to see the product on their site:  The ultimate burger starter
Here's what Williams - Sonoma says about it:

The world’s best burgers begin with our savory seasoning blend. Quick and easy to use, it’s the simple secret to juicy, succulent meat with incomparable flavor.

• Classic American recipe pairs sweet caramelized onions with a signature medley of herbs and spices.
• Dijon mustard, roasted garlic and aromatic Worcestershire sauce add depth and complexity.
• Perfect for grilling or panfrying ground beef, turkey or pork.
• Also great for meatballs.
• Quick and easy – just combine 2 tsp. Burger Starter per 1/4 lb. of ground beef or turkey and cook as desired.
• 10 oz.
• A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

Ingredients: Sweet onions, natural roasted onion flavor, kosher salt, dehydrated roasted garlic, dijon mustard (distilled vinegar, mustard seed, salt, water, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices), extra-virgin olive oil, black pepper, brown sugar, italian flat-leaf parsley, garlic powder, worcestershire concentrate (vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, water, salt, caramel color, garlic powder, sugar, spices, tamarind, natural flavor), dehydrated onions, mustard powder, citric acid



Review:  I don't usually like to add stuff to my burgers.  Boy was I wrong...  Now I'm converted.  This product is the BOMB!  It's depth of flavor from the onion and Worcestershire sauce give it a great beefy flavor.  It just adds a zest to the burger, like a gourmet restaurant style meal.  You only need to use a very small amount per burger, so this will last a long time!  Good cost savings there.  The item prices at $10.00 for 10 oz. 

You can add it to your grilled burgers, or the ones you pan fry on the stove.  It would be excellent in meatloaf, or meatballs!  Try it with Salisbury steak too!

You HAVE to try this....I kid you not.  I'm stocking up on this baby!  I even bought one for my sister, Sue, and my mom in Tennessee.  This product is on my A list of items I use often.

Here's a pic of our 4th of July burgers where I used this.  MGG says MMMMGood!