Taco Burgers

One day a week is burger night at our house so I am always on the lookout for new burger recipes.  Usually I just copy what I see on restaurant menus.  This week I got a new cookbook ~ 1,000 Easy Recipes; Super Fun Food for Every Day ~ that is put out by the Food Network and found this recipe in it.  It IS easy and Mr. Meat Eater and I both enjoyed the burgers.

The burgers really taste like tacos in a bun.  The next time I make these, I might mix the spice in the burger instead of just sprinkling it.

Taco Burgers

VIEW PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE!

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Cumin
Oregano
Chili powder
White cheddar slices
Burger rolls
Guacamole, optional
Lettuce, optional
Salsa, optional
Sour cream, optional
Tortilla chips, optional

Mix the ground beef with the kosher salt and form into 4 patties. Don’t forget to make the indentation so they don’t puff up during grilling.

Sprinkle one side with cumin, oregano, and chili powder to taste.

Grill until they are done to your likeness. Place a slice of cheese on the burger and let melt while still on the grill.

Serve on buns with your favorite toppings.

Makes 4 burgers.

Happy Cooking!

Opening Day!!!

Finally, baseball season is back!  I love baseball and I am a Mets fan and Mr. Meat Eater is a Yankees fan so we watch both teams when they play via MLB Extra Innings.  One of the things I love about baseball is that I can walk out of the room and do something and come back and chances are nothing has happened, LOL!

Baseball makes me think of hot dogs which makes me think of a hot dog restaurant called Brownies in the town where I grew up ~ Amsterdam, New York.  They made the best hot dogs with meat sauce (mustard and onions first, of course) and fries with gravy.  I really, really miss that place and don’t have any idea if it is still there or not.  Somehow I doubt it.

In my quest to find a meat sauce for hot dogs that I can make just like Brownies, I came across this one.  It tasted nothing like Brownies but Mr. Meat Eater loved it.  Probably because it tastes more like chili than anything else.  I thought it was good but I wanted it to taste like I remember and it didn’t so I was disappointed.

If anyone has a good tried and true recipe for meat sauce for hot dogs, please send them to me and I’ll try them over the summer ~ a_recipe_day at yahoo dot com.

Hot Dog Meat Sauce

VIEW PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE!

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 lb ground beef
8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Add the tomato sauce mixture and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Removed from heat and set aside.

Grill, boil, or pan fry the hot dogs ~ I also grill the top split buns.

Serve hot dogs with your choice of condiments and the meat sauce.

Makes 8 servings.

Happy Cooking!

Creamy Lemonade Pie from Simple Shortcut Recipes

Day 9 of 10 days of recipes from by Gooseberry Patch.  If you would like a chance to win a FREE copy of this cookbook, please follow the link and comment on THIS POST!  I’ll be choosing a winner tomorrow so please get your comments in before NOON!

Wow, is this a fabulous pie!  I love citrus anything so that’s why I chose this recipe and it really delivers that wonderful lemon flavor.

I made my own graham cracker crust because I’m not fond of the purchased ones.  I just followed the recipe on the box of graham crumbs.  Otherwise, I made the recipe as posted using sugar free pudding mix and the less fat cream cheese.

This pie would be just perfect for Easter or for a hot day in the summer.  I know it’ll be on my list to make often.

Creamy Lemonade Pie
Submitted by Kathy Grashoff, Fort Wayne, IN

VIEW PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE!

1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4 oz) box instant lemon pudding mix
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (9 inch) graham cracker pie crust

In a bowl, combine the evaporated milk and the dry pudding mix. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 2 minutes until thickened.

In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the lemonade concentrate.

Stir cream cheese mixture into pudding mixture, mixing well.

Pour into a crust.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Happy Cooking!

Strawberry Dip from Simple Shortcut Recipes

Day 5 of recipes from from Gooseberry Patch.  If you want to enter a giveaway for a FREE copy of this cookbook, comment on the post HERE!!

This is really delicious recipe that is perfect for Spring.  It’s super easy to put together.  I am looking forward to going to the strawberry patch and coming home and making this to go with the fresh strawberries.  I used light cream cheese and just sprinkled the ginger in the mix.

Strawberry Dip
Submitted by Deborah Patterson, Carmichael, CA

VIEW PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE!

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme ~ I use Kraft
1 tbsp lemon juice
ground ginger to taste
whole strawberries, cleaned and hulled

Combine all the ingredients ~ except strawberries ~ in a small mixing bowl. I used a hand mixer since it was easier than mixing by hand. Whip until smooth.

Serve with strawberries.

Makes 8-10 (or more) servings

Happy Cooking!

Will I Ever Find the “Right” Burger Recipe?

I am forever trying to recreate restaurant burgers with little success.   I’m sure part of the problem is using the correct type of ground beef and I just won’t buy really fatty ground beef so I should just give up this quest of mine.  I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Simple and Delicious and it was like I had to try again to find that elusive burger.  This recipe wasn’t it BUT it is a very delicious burger in it’s own right.  Friday is usually burger night at my house (at least in the summer) so with some tweaking, I made these over the Labor Day weekend.  They are easy and good.

If YOU have that perfect recipe, please send it my way so I can stop searching!

I will be starting a Gooseberry Patch giveaway later this week so watch for it!

Almost Steak House Burgers

5 tbsp mayonnaise
4 1/2 tsps prepared horseradish
3 tbsp butter, softened (may need more)
garlic powder
4 hamburger buns, split
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup steak sauce
4 1/2 tsps onion soup mix
4 slices Swiss cheese

Mix the mayo and horseradish in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving.

Spread the insides of the burger buns with the softened butter and then sprinkle with the garlic powder. Set aside.

Combine the beef, steak sauce, and onion soup mix and shape into four patties. Remember to make a dent in one side with your thumb so you won’t get that burger bump.

Grill burgers until they are done to your liking, adding a slice of Swiss cheese towards the end of cooking. Grill the buns for a few minutes while the burgers are cooking making sure they don’t burn.

Serve burgers on the buns, adding the mayo/horseradish mix on top and your favorite toppings like lettuce and tomato.

Makes 4 burgers.

Happy Cooking!

Easy Chicken Chili

Don’t faint ~ it’s actually a NEW post!!!! I needed a long break from thinking about food ~ as much as I love to cook, I do need a break from even thinking about it once in awhile.

Quite a bit has happened since I’ve been gone from the blog. The most important being my daughter got engaged and Mr. Meat Eater was out of work and is now back at work. The wedding date is June 9, 2012, and we are very excited and I’m sure you will get sick of me talking about it in the months to come. As for Mr. Meat Eater ~ he can never fully retire or we will kill each other.

I loved this recipe ~ it’s a bit spicy but not bad and you can always make it spicier if you prefer by adding hot sauce before eating.  It’s easy to make but it needs to simmer on the stove for about an hour so keep that in mind.

Easy Chicken Chili

2 poblano chili peppers, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps olive oil
2 (14.5 oz) cans zesty chili style dice tomatoes (I used Del Monte)
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 (16 oz) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (12 oz) can beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used beer)
1 envelope white chicken chili seasoning (I used McCormick brand)

Put the olive oil in a Dutch oven and heat. Saute the first 4 ingredients over medium-high heat for 8 minutes or so or until tender.

Add the diced tomatoes and the next 5 ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour.

Serve with desired toppings.

Makes 4-6 servings

Happy Cooking!

Strawberry Cake

I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday at her request.  Actually, she asked for a strawberry cake so I was unsure whether she meant a cake with strawberries or a strawberry flavored cake.  I went with the cake with strawberries.  I hunted around for a recipe and found this recipe posted by BecR on Food.com .  It is fabulous.

It’s an easy cake to make and it looks like you were working all day.  I made the cake layers from a box but you can make homemade or buy the layers in a bakery.

In the second not-very-good picture, I just wanted you to be able to see where exactly to put the strawberries. I should never be allowed to cut cakes or pies, LOL!

Strawberry Cake

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
3 tbsps sugar
2 (9 inch) white cake layers, already baked
6 ozs cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Make or purchase the white cake layers and allow to completely cool if baking.

Mix the strawberries with the sugar in a medium bowl and set aside at room temp for about 30 or so minutes. Put aside a few strawberries for garnish if you so desire.

Using a mixer on medium, whip the cream cheese and powdered sugar and vanilla until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the cream until it starts to thicken, then increase to high and beat until soft peaks form. Do not over mix.

To assemble the cake: Place one layer on serving plated and layer half of the sweetened strawberries over the top and press gently. Spread about 1/3 of the frosting CAREFULLY over the strawberries to within about 1/2 inch of the sides.

Place the second layer on top and press down gently. Do the same with the strawberries. Frost the sides and top of the cake.

Decorate the cake as desired.

Store in the fridge.

Makes 8 servings

Happy Cooking!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail…Desserts

My favorite part of any meal.  Here are a few that would be great for dessert on Easter!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Raspberry Delight

Berry Crostata

Lemon Cheese Dessert

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Key Lime Cake

Mixed Berry Cheesecake

Easy Strawberry Pie

Happy Cooking!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail…Side Dishes

Sometimes I like the side dishes better than the main course and I have been known to skip the main to get to the sides…even in restaurants.  Here are a few that are perfect for Easter.

Not Your Mother’s Green Bean Casserole

Au Gratin Potatoes

Roast Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter

Cream Cheese and Chive Mashed Potatoes

Fruity Tossed Salad

Mixed Veggie Casserole with Cheese

Green Onion Potato Casserole

Oatmeal Dinner Rolls ~ Bread Machine or Not

Barefoot Contessa’s Potato Salad

Honey Glazed Carrots

I hope some of these will find their way to your Easter table!

Happy Cooking!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail…Ham!

We always have ham for Easter and I always wonder if it’s the baked ham we love or the ham salad sandwiches the day after (that recipe is included), LOL!

Here a few that I’ve made and loved.

The Barefoot Contessa’s Baked Ham and My Mom’s Ham Salad

Glazed Ham

Bourbon Ham

Glazed Spiral Ham

I don’t know what recipe I’m going to be using but I think I’ll be trying a new one!  What about you?

Happy Cooking!