Twenty-two years ago on August 26 my son Collin was born! He's always enjoyed a variety of foods, and has a very eclectic and discerning palette. So I asked him what he would like for his birthday dinner. Here were his requests:
Escargot, a good stout Irish ale, a fruit and cheese platter: figs, pluots, champagne grapes, Jazz apples, pomegranate, Gouda, Muenster, and Irish cheddar with stout. And then of course Baklava for dessert! I also brought lots of delicious French bread to the table--what a feast it was!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLLIN!
When I was a kid growing up in California, the best hamburger I ever ate came from Michener's, but they are long gone. Well, I also liked the hamburgers at Mexicali Restaurant (even though they are a Mexican food restaurant!), where I would eat them with mustard and pickle only. Juicy and good. I still like a good hamburger, but it's got to have cheese on it in my opinion. And I do still like my cheeseburger with mustard and pickle but sometimes I add more stuff to it.
Yes! This is the way I like it! A juicy all beef burger cooked on the griddle (that's right, the griddle) with a plain soft white bun barely toasted, melty American cheese, sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, dill pickle slices, and of course "secret sauce." Mmmmm, good!
I grilled this burger outside over the coals which gives the meat a satisfying smokey taste. It's topped with grilled onions and mushrooms (YUM), cheddar cheese and "secret sauce"--all on just a plain, soft white bun.
This is the best and easiest recipe I've ever tried for sliders for a crowd! Mix the ground beef with minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and spread it into a 9 x 13 pan mashing it down so it's all even. Bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes at 350. Lay any kind of cheese you want all over the top and put back into the oven until the cheese melts. Degrease the pan and cut into squares that fit your rolls (I like to use Kings Hawaiian rolls). Mine are topped with Thousand Island Dressing and of course dill pickles because that's the way I like them! Did I mention cheese? These are really good pop-in-your-mouth sliders. Betcha can't eat just one.
Last but not least. This hamburger is one of my son's (Collin) favorites. A grilled all beef burger with blue cheese and bacon on a ciabatta roll. The roll is a little crunchy on the outside but soft and tasty on the inside. Using the right kind of bun can make all the difference!
My favorite is still the one on top! :)
Oh, for the love of food! Certain things just seem to go together. I won't bore you with all the cliches that you already know, but you get the picture. Like this, for example:
With this!
These are some yummy spicy, fried chicken wings I whipped up, recently. So good.
I love a really good BLT on perfectly toasted whole wheat bread! Mine also has cheese on it because that's the way I like it. And this sandwich goes so well with this:
Simply, fresh, homemade vegetable soup!
Yep! Here's a picture of one of our winters here in Colorado... brrrrrrrrr! Glad it's still summer! But a day like this just cries out for this:
Oh I want some now! A big pot of steamy meatball soup with some greens in a velvety rich tomato-y broth!
This is a delicious pot of rich beef stew I made not long ago with mushrooms, peas and potatoes. And this goes so well with this:
Homemade biscuits of course!
And last but not least... these two fellas go with me! (What are they doing????)
That's all for now, folks! :)
Old-fashioned Tamale Pie makes a great to-go dish! First of all, you can bake it right in your foil pans, and it's very easy to prepare. Brown hamburger with onion, can of diced tomatoes, green chilies, a little garlic, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce. Plop the meat mixture in the foil pans and top with a cornmeal/cheese topping and bake in the oven. That's all there is to it! Freezes well, too.
This is a seasoned tri-tip roast that I grilled outside and then sliced very thin against the grain. I placed it onto a green salad dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. I made bruschettas topped with chopped fresh tomatoes and fresh basil. Then I added a small cup of fresh fruit--kiwi, blueberries and white nectarines.
Well, I'm still on the lookout for the perfect pizza! And this one came close, although it is actually homemade flat bread that I grilled outside and topped with pesto, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. This was really easy to make since the flat bread has no yeast so this is a fast meal, and tastes really good! I especially liked how grilling the bread makes it taste smokey and delicious. Oh, and this also was a fun takeout meal!
.JPG)
.jpg)
