Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Bohemian Burger

This is the twenty eighth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society.


The pesto mayo and melted Gouda really make this burger pop.

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 2 slices Gouda cheese
  • 4 slices fried prosciutto (I substituted 4 slices cooked bacon)
  • 4 slices turkey deli meat
  • 2 T pesto mayonnaise (see below)
  • Spinach
  • 4 slices oat bread
1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown bread slices and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, top bottom bread slices with spinach. Add patties, followed by prosciutto and turkey. Slather top bread slices with may and serve.

Pesto Mayonnaise

Makes: 1/4 cup

Ingredients:

  • 2 T mayonnaise
  • 2 T pesto

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Beef and Italian Sausage Chili

This is a wonderfully tasty chili. The Italian sausage really adds a lot to the flavor. It isn't hot (but can be if you add a lot of hot sauce).


I found this recipe in Marje Lambert's great cookbook, The Real Chili Cookbook. I did make a few minor changes for our tastes.

Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound Italian-style pork sausage
  • 2 pounds chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 14 1/2 oz cans beef broth
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 2 T chili powder
  • 2 t ground cumin
  • Hot sauce, to taste

1. Crumble the sausage into a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until cooked.

2. Add the beef and cook until browned. Spoon off excess fat.

3. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook another 4 minutes.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until beef is tender, about 3 1/2 hours. Add water (or more broth) if the chili gets too thin.

5. Season with salt if needed. Serve hot.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Cajun Coffee

It's time for a big ole cup of Good Mornin' America!


Makes: 2 servings
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups strong coffee (I used home-ground Community coffee)
  • 2 T molasses
  • 2 T dark rum (optional)
  • Nutmeg, for garnish
  • Whipped cream, for topping

1. Place molasses and coffee in small sauce pan and heat. Do not boil.

2. Remove from heat and add the rum. Pour into cups. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Harvest Creamy Corn Soup

Popcorn on soup? Yes! Better than crackers!


This is a tasty almost-veggie soup. It does have a little bit of bacon in it.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 2 cups corn
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1 pound small potatoes, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 t dried thyme
  • 1 t paprika
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Hot sauce, to taste
  • Popcorn or crackers

1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until slightly crisp.

2. Add onions, corn, zucchini, potatoes, bell pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 7-8 minutes until the veggies start to soften.

3. Sprinkle flour into pot. Stir and cook 1 minute.

4. Add the stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let the sauce thicken.

5. Add the cream, parsley, and hot sauce and simmer 5 more minutes.

6. Serve with crackers or popcorn.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Waldorf Burger

This is the twenty seventh burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society.


Yummy! The walnuts and cherries on this are really great. I was a tad bit skeptical when I first saw it, but when I tasted it I was sold!

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • Blue cheese, to taste
  • 2 T dried cherries
  • 2 T toasted walnuts
  • Lettuce
  • 4 slices red onion
  • 2 T Dijon mustard
  • 2 Hamburger buns
1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, top bottom buns with lettuce, cherries and walnuts. Add patties, followed by red onion. Slather top buns with Dijon and serve.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Gypsy Burger

This is the twenty sixth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society.


This is one of my favorite burgers. The cold crispiness of the cucumbers, along with the ranch dressing, really works well with the red onion and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 4 slices peppered bacon, cooked
  • 1 small cucumber, sliced
  • 4 slices red onion
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 2 T Ranch dressing
  • Shaved Parmesan cheese
  • Sliced Mozzarella cheese
1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add mozzarella cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, slather bottom buns with dressing. Add onion, tomato, and cucumber. Add patties, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Add top buns and enjoy!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Steak Fajitas

I can't believe I've never made steak fajitas. I did make some chicken fajitas from a different recipe a while back, and they were quite good. I hadn't even really thought about making them again until the other day, when I was in the grill section of our local grocery store. They had cast iron servers on sale for about $6 a piece. They are normally as much as $15, I think. So I grabbed a few servers, some meat, some fresh veggies, went home and made these great fajitas!

If you don't like your veggies big and crunchy like we do, just cut them a bit thinner. They'll soften up just fine for ya!


The best part of this recipe is the marinade for the meat. It was very, very tasty. We used beef, but you can use chicken, or even shrimp. Just make sure to adjust the marinating time - 15 minutes for shrimp, and 20 minutes for chicken.

Makes: 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
  • 3 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 t ground cumin
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • 1 t onion powder
  • Hot sauce, to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 8 8-inch flour tortillas

For the topping:

  • 1 lime, juiced
  • Sour cream
  • Salsa
  • Guacamole
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Place 2 tablespoons of oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, salt and pepper into a large resealable bag. Add the meat and toss to coat. Place in fridge and marinate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 400 F.

3. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill meat until cooked to medium-rare, about 3-5 minutes per side. (Cook chicken until juices run clear, 5 minutes per side, and shrimp about 2 minutes per side until opaque). Let meat rest at least 10 minutes.

4. In a large skillet heat up remaining oil and fry the onions and peppers until crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Wrap tortillas in foil and put in oven with the cast iron servers for 15 minutes.

6. Slice meat thin and place on servers along with peppers and onion. Serve with warmed tortillas and toppings.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Pioneer Burger

This is the twenty fifth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society.


This is a crazy good burger, specially if you love mushrooms like we do. I couldn't find fresh rosemary the day we made these, so I had to leave it off. I'm sure these burgers would've been even better with it!

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 4 oz wild mushrooms, sauteed
  • 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked
  • 2 T garlic aioli (see below)
  • Lettuce
  • 2 Hamburger buns
  • Fresh rosemary

1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, slather bottom buns with aioli and add lettuce. Next, add the patties, followed by the mushrooms, bacon, and top buns. Garnish with rosemary.

Garlic Aioli

Note: This recipe requires a raw egg. If you are averse to using a raw egg, you can omit it but the recipe will not turn out as good.

Makes: 1/2 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1/4 t fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Place all but the oil into a blender and puree. Slowly drizzle in the oil with the blender running and process until it has formed a thick emulsion.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Sweet Spiced Nuts

These nuts are really good. A nice mix of sweet with just a hint of heat. I used a bag of mixed nuts that I picked up at the grocery store a few weeks back when they were on sale.


The original recipe comes from the Food Network Magazine.

Makes: 8 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 1/2 t salt
  • 2/3 cup sugar (can use Splenda)
  • 1 t pumpkin spice
  • 1/4 t cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb mixed nuts (unsalted)
  • 1/4 t Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 275°.

2. Place the egg white in a large bowl. Whisk until frothy.

3. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cayenne pepper.

4. Add nuts to egg and mix well. Stir in the spice mixture and add the Worcestershire sauce.

5. Spread nuts out on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

6. Bake until golden brown, at least 30 minutes. Let cool. Break into smaller pieces and serve.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Chili for Hot Dogs or Burgers

This is my go-to sauce for dogs and burgers. It is great. Even fantastic. I tend to use a little too much of it sometimes, but I can't help myself.



I found this in The Real Chili Cookbook by Marjie Lambert. I found a copy at the Exit 76 Antique Mall for $3.50. Besides this recipe, I've made 5 or 6 of the chili recipes from the book and all have been fantastic. It's one of the best finds I've made!

I tend to not chop my onions as fine as the recipe calls for. I like them a little chunkier.

Makes: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 small white onion, chopped fine
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small can enchilada sauce (I use La Victoria)
  • 1/2 t ground cumin
  • 1/2 t marjoram

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook 5 minutes.

2. Drain the fat. Add the remaining ingredients plus fill the enchilada sauce can halfway with water and add that also.

3. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Mona Lisa Burger

It's a masterpiece that'd make Leonardo da Vinci drool!


This is the twenty fourth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. This is one seriously good burger. We loved the flavors on this burger. Really, really outstanding!

The original recipe calls for Gorgonzola. Due to some bizarre misalignment of the planets, I only had Muenster on hand, so I used that instead.

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • Gorgonzola cheese
  • 1 T sundried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup olives, sliced
  • 4 slices pancetta (or bacon, cooked)
  • 4 slices red onion
  • 1/4 cup arugula
  • 2 T garlic mayonnaise (see below)
  • 2 Ciabatta buns (or bread)

1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, place arugula and sundried tomatoes on bottom buns. Add patties. Top with pancetta, red onions and olives. Slather top buns with the garlic mayo and enjoy!

Garlic Mayonnaise

Makes: 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced then crushed into a paste
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 t salt

1. Combine all ingredients and whisk well.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Hot Brat Sliders

I ran across this recipe in the September 2010 issue of Chile Pepper magazine.


The best part about these (other than being great for gameday) is the beer sauce. It's really good. And the sauteed onions rock too!

Makes: 4 sandwiches
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 uncooked bratwurst links
  • 4 hard mini rolls, sliced
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 t red wine vinegar
  • 1 t sugar
  • 2 cups beers (use a full-flavored beer)
  • 1 T brown mustard
  • 1 t hot sauce (or more)
  • mayonnaise and ketchup, as desired

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and onions and cook 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the red vine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and cook 4-6 minutes more, until the onions are browned.

3. Remove onions and add beer to skillet.

4. Poke several small holes in the bratwurst and add to skillet. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, turning often.

5. Remove brats and cut in halves. Place on preheated hot grill and cook 2-3 minutes per side until done. Place the buns on the grill and toast lightly.

6. Bring beer mixture that was left in the skillet to a boil then reduce to a simmer and add the mustard and hot sauce. Reduce until thickened.

7. To assemble brats, top each bun bottom with mayo and ketchup. Add split (and cut) brats, and top with the onions and beer sauce. Place a little mayo on the top buns. Enjoy!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Boss Burger

This is the twenty third burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. They keep getting better and better! The olive tapenade on this burger puts it way, way over the top!


It's a cheeseburger that can get the job done!

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 4 slices prosciutto (substitute cooked bacon)
  • 2 slices asiago cheese
  • 1/4 cup arugula
  • 4 thin slices red onion
  • 2 slices tomato
  • 2 hamburger buns
  • 2 T olive tapenade (see below)
  • 4 basil leaves

1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, place arugula, basil, tomato, and red onions on bottom buns. Add patties and prosciutto. Slather top buns with the tapenade and enjoy!

Olive Tapenade

This tapenade is also great on crostinis, or in pasta, or as a substitute for mayo on sandwiches.

Makes: 2 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
  • 1/2 cup capers, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced and pressed into a paste
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse 4-5 times. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Cucumber Salad

This is a very easy cucumber salad to make. Different than the creamy cucumber salad we normally make, and maybe even better.


Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 24 hours
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium cucumbers, cut into 1/4"-1/2" slices
  • 1/4 red onion, diced
  • 1 large tomato, diced
  • 8 oz Paul Newman's olive oil and vinegar dressing
  • 1 t dry dill weed
  • 1/2 t dry parsley, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Fried Green Tomatoes

A friend of mine brought over some green tomatoes out of his garden. Anita immediately requested fried green tomatoes. Who am I to say no?


The original recipe came from the Neely's. Now, I can't say I'm a fan of any of their TV shows, but they do make some good eats. We had some of the dipping sauce for the tomatoes left over, so we used it for dipping onion rings the next night.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 large green onions, cut into 1/4" slices
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 T garlic powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 T milk
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 t cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 t paprika pepper
  • Dipping sauce (see below)
  • Oil for frying

1. Preheat Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 F.

2. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange 3 bowls in a row. In the first bowl place the flour and garlic powder and mix. In the second bowl beat the eggs with the milk. In the last bowl mix the panko, cayenne and paprika.

4. Dredge tomatoes thru flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip into the egg mixture and coat completely. Roll in bread crumbs then place in fryer. Cook 2-3 minutes until browned. Remove to paper towel-lined plate.

5. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Makes: 3 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup apple cider (can substitute apple juice)
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 T BBQ sauce (I used Spice Wine Ironworks)
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 4 green onions, sliced thin

1. Combine the cider and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the buttermilk, mayo, BBQ sauce, and lime juice. Whisk well. Add the green onions and cider syrup mixture. Mix well. Let cool in refrigerator until needed.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Roadhouse Burger

This is the twenty second burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society.

According to their website, If you’re the kind of person who orders a milkshake with a cheeseburger then has the audacity to drink it with a straw, please do us all a big favor and steer clear of The Roadhouse. Well, let me tell you, they are right!


Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • Onion rings (from our recipe here)
  • 1/2 medium white onion, sliced
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 T Garlic mayonnaise (from our recipe here)
  • 2 Hamburger buns
  • 2 slices Gruyere cheese
1. Heat skillet over medium high heat and cook the bacon until done. Drain all but one tablespoon of the fat. Add the onions and cook until just tender. Remove and drain.

2. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt slightly. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

3. To assemble burgers, top bottom buns with sauteed onions and bacon. Add patties and onion rings. Slather top buns with garlic mayo and enjoy!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Southern Belle Burger

This is the twenty first burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. This is another outstanding burger! I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it!


Because I used our own slaw, a Delta slaw, I omitted the sliced white onions the original recipe called for. The Delta slaw is absolutely outstanding on a burger (or a grilled sausage or hot dog).

Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Depends on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 1 cup cole slaw (we used our Delta slaw)
  • 2 T BBQ sauce (we used Spice Wine Ironworks)
  • 4 pickle spears, divided
  • 2 slices Gruyere cheese
  • 2 hamburger buns
1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese and melt. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, top bottom buns with slaw and pickles. Add patties. Slather top buns with BBQ sauce and enjoy!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Biscuits and Gravy

Anita has been requesting these for some time. I'm not sure why I kept putting them off. Believe it or not, I've only made biscuits and gravy once before, and I totally messed up the scratch biscuits. So this time, I cheated and used store-bought biscuits. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!


If you don't like a little kick, substitute mild sausage for the hot and leave out the cayenne.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, medium or mild
  • 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, hot
  • 4-6 T flour
  • 4 cups milk (or more)
  • Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 1 tube store-bought biscuits (I used Grands)

1. Preheat oven per biscuit instructions. Place biscuits on sheet pan and cook per instructions.

2. Meanwhile, crumble sausage into large skillet and cook until done over medium-high heat.

3. If needed, drain the sausage. You want a bit of grease, but if your sausage is particularly fatty, you'll want to drain it.

4. Add 4 tablespoons of flour and stir well. Add more flour if needed. You want the sausage to be well-coated.

5. Slowly add milk. You may need more or less than the 4 cups. Stir well. Add salt, pepper and cayenne and continue stirring over medium-high heat. Cook until you've achieved the desired thickness.

6. Serve over hot biscuits.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Chicken Breasts with Chive and Mustard Sauce

This sauce is fantastic. Serve with fries and green beans.


The original recipe calls for chicken breasts that have been pounded out. I prefer to butterfly mine instead. It's easier, less messy, and you still end up with meat with a consistent thickness so it cooks consistently.

The original recipe came from Michael Lomonaco, one of my favorite chefs.

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied or pounded and flattened
  • 2 T butter
  • 3 T shallots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Kentucky bourbon
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 3 T Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 T fresh chives, minced
  • 1 t cornstarch

1. Heat butter in a saute pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown on one side, 6-8 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side and done, 6 more minutes. Remove from pan and cover with foil.

2. Add shallots to the saute pan and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Lower heat, remove pan from heat, and carefully pour in the bourbon. Make sure to lean the pan away from you in case the bourbon flames. If it does, cover with a pan lid. Return to stove and let bourbon evaporate over the low heat.

3. Add the wine to the pan, raise heat to medium high, and boil. Whisk in the mustard and reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

4. Stir in the cream and bring to a low boil. Stir in the chives and cornstarch. You may need to add more cornstarch depending on how thick the sauce is, or how thick you want it.

5. Return breasts to pan and simmer, 4-5 minutes.

6. Serve breasts with sauce.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Buffalo Thigh Sliders

We loved these sliders! They reminded us of going to Buffalo Wild Wings, where we usually end up eating too much! These are great for when you have guests over to watch the big game!


If you're scared of blue cheese, just substitute Gorgonzola or if you find that too strong, just use a crumbling cheese such as queso fresco or feta.

Makes: 8 sliders
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 8 slider rolls
  • Granulated garlic
  • Granulated onion
  • Olive oil
  • 3 T butter
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup chives, chopped
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • 4 stalks celery, for garnish

1. Preheat grill to medium high. Sprinkle thighs with oil and season with granulated garlic, onion, and salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until done, about 10 minutes. Remove. Toast buns if desired.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the hot sauce. Add chicken and coat well.

3. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, blue cheese, chives and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Place chicken on slider buns and top with the sauce. Garnish with celery sticks and celery shavings.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Coach Potato Burger

This is the twentieth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. This one has everything you could possibly want on a burger!


Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes plus more depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • Handful thick cut potato chips (I used some Route 11)
  • 4 slices thick-cut peppered bacon, cooked
  • 1/2 medium white onion, sliced
  • 1 T butter
  • 2 T Garlic mayonnaise (see below)
  • Blue cheese
  • 2 Hamburger buns

1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sautee until just tender. Remove.

2. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill and cook to your desired doneness. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

3. To assemble burgers, top bottom buns with mayo, onions, and chips. Add patties, followed by bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and top bun. Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

Makes: 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 12 garlic cloves
  • 1 T vegetable oil
  • 1 T fresh lemon juice
  • 1 t Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1. Place garlic in a shallow pan with oil and stir. Bake at 300 F for 30 minutes or until the garlic is soft and golden.

2. Let garlic cool to room temperature. Place in a blender along with the lemon juice and Worcestershire. Blend until smooth.

3. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Pulled Pork Baked Potatoes

I had a good amount of smoked pulled pork leftover from a recent smoke. I usually use it for sandwiches, or even egg rolls, or sometimes nachos.


This time I sauced some warmed up pork and put it in a baked potato. Topped with the usual toppings.

I used to eat these all of the time at the Hog's Breath Eatery in Fayetteville, Arkansas, when I attended the University of Arkansas. Hog's Breath has a lot of good baked potatoes on the menu. My other favorites are the Terlingua (butter, chili, jalapenos, onions, cheddar cheese and sour cream) and The Works (butter, mushrooms, black olives, onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream and bacon bits).

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Brooklyn Burger

RIP hunger! This is the nineteenth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. I love Reubens, so I love this burger!


Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: Varies depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 6 thin slices deli Corned Beef
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and warmed
  • 4 T Thousand Island dressing
  • 4 slices thick rye bread
1. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill. Cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese to patties and melt. Remove. Brown bread and remove.

2. To assemble burgers, top bottom breads with corned beef and kraut. Add patties with cheese. Slather top breads with dressing, assemble and enjoy!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Pulled Pork Pockets

These are a great way to use up any leftover smoked pulled pork you have on hand. I usually have a freezer full, so this recipe came in real handy.


I followed the original recipe from Patio Daddio. Next time, I think I'll add a little cheddar, or maybe chopped onion.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Place egg white in a small bowl or cup and add water. Whisk together with a fork.

3. Roll out the biscuits to 6" rounds on a lightly floured surface. Dividing the pork evenly between the biscuits, place the pork on one side of each round. Dust with a bit of the BBQ rub.

4. Roll the biscuit over and seal the pulled pork inside. Pinch the edges and seal by using a fork.

5. Place pockets on a sheet pan. Brush tops with the egg and water mixture and dust with chili powder. Cut a small slit in the top of each.

6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned.

7. Serve with BBQ sauce for dipping.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Sheboygan Burger

This is the eighteenth burger we've made from the Cheese and Burger Society. It's insanely good. Bratwurst on a burger? Yes!


Makes: 2 burgers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes plus more depending on desired doneness
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
  • 1 pound fresh ground beef (recommend 75/25 or 80/20)
  • 2 Bratwurst
  • 1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
  • 2 T beer mustard
  • 1/2 medium white onion, sliced
  • 1 T butter
  • 2 slices Swiss cheese
  • 2 buns
1. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sautee until just tender. Remove.

2. Add sauerkraut to skillet and warm. Remove.

3. Form beef into 2 patties and season. Place on grill along with the bratwurst. Cook to your desired doneness. Add cheese to patties and melt. Remove. Brown buns and remove.

4. To assemble burgers, top bottom buns with onions and kraut. Add patties. Split bratwurst and put on top of the patties. Slather top buns with mustard and place on burgers. Enjoy!