Category: SAUCES, SEASONINGS, DRESSINGS, DIPS, RELISHES, GRAVIES & RUBS

National Hamburger Month

“I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” ~ Wimpy
I recently heard on a radio station that May 28th is National Hamburger day. I thought it would be a good time to share a recipe and make burgers. So, I started researching it and the ONLY consensus I can find is that May is National Hamburger MONTH. I found some sites listed National Hamburger day as May 28th, July 28th and even December 21st. I did find a site that seems to have a very comprehensive list of holidays and seems like a great reference. Another fun site is the History of the Hamburger~ anything you ever wanted to know about burgers, but were afraid to ask. All this aside, here is my recipe for our favorite burgers.

GARLIC & HERB BURGERS
1 pound ground round
1 JUMBO egg
1 stale & dried slice of San Francisco Sourdough Bread, crumbed
1 package Good Seasons Garlic and Herb dressing mix
  • Mix all the ingredients together with your hands until well blended.
  • Form patties.
  • Chill for 24 hours before preparing.
  • Grill.
  • Add sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, sweet and sweet red red onion relish, a tomato slice and red onion slice.
  • Enjoy.

SWEET RED, RED ONION HAMBURGER RELISH

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 large red onions, chopped small
2 large sweet pickles, chopped small

  • Combine the sugar, salt, cloves and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly until sugar dissolves.
  • Add onion and pickles and blend well.
  • Reduce heat and and cook a few minutes more until onion is translucent and tender.
  • Remove from heat and cool.
  • Keep chilled in refrigerator for up to a week.

Joy of desserts hosts Vintage Recipe Thursday
Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday

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Sweet & Sour Cucumber Dressing

1 cup dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small bunch green onions, minced
1/2 cup small peeled and diced cucumber

  • Whisk sour cream until smooth.
  • Add lemon juice, salt and vinegar and blend well.
  • Add cucumbers and onions.
  • Cover to chill and blend flavors.
  • Serve over tomato and lettuce salads, sliced chicken or chilled salmon.
  • Makes 1 1/2 cups give or take.

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Fountain of youth ~ the chocolate continues to flow…

This week we’ll do some chocolate based beverages and sauces to get ready for the chocolate round-up over at Joy of Desserts.

OLD FASHIONED HOT CHOCOLATE
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
dash salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk
whipped cream
shaved chocolate

  • In a saucepan whisk the milk, salt and sugar together.
  • Add the melted chocolate and cook over a low heat until heated through.
  • Whisk until foamy on top.
  • Pour into warm mugs,
  • Garnish with whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
dash nutmeg
dash cloves

  • Sift together the cocoa and sugar into a heavy saucepan.
  • Gradually stir in milk until well blended.
  • Heat over low heat until hot, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
  • Whisk egg until frothy. Then whisk in vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
  • Whisk egg mixture and continue whisking until the whole mixture lightens in color.
  • Add egg mixture to chocolate mixture and whisk until frothy and serve immediately.

COCOA FUDGE SAUCE
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

  • In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, milk and corn syrup.
  • Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and butter immediately until melted and well blended.
  • Gradually add the heavy cream and return to heat and bring to another boil for 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Cool.
  • Store in tightly covered jar in refrigerator.

MILKY WAY FUDGE TOPPING
12 ounces Milky Way candy bars, cut into chunks
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup milk

  • In a double boiler combine candy bars, chocolate and milk.
  • Cook and stir constantly until melted and well blended and smooth.
  • Store in a airtight jar in the refrigerator.

DECADENT HOT FUDGE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
dash salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

  • In a heavy saucepan melt butter and chocolates over a low heat.
  • Blend in sugar, cream and salt.
  • Stir 5-8 minutes until thickens and is creamy.
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Serve warm.
  • Store in airtight jar in the refrigerator.
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Favorite Ingredient Friday is colliding with Scrumptious Sunday ~ Pumpkin Edition ~ Pumpkin Cheesecake & Pumpkin Casserole

Favorite Ingredient Friday, Holiday Cooking Blogger Style is hosted at Overwhelmed with Joy
Be sure to check it out November 7th
Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Meredith at Mercedes Rocks
PUMPKIN CASSEROLE

16 ounce can pumpkin
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 cup half & half
4 eggs
4 ounces grated jack cheese
PURE

  • In a large mixing bowl stir together cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
  • Add pumpkin and seasonings, blending well.
  • Add in half and half blending until creamy.
  • Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
  • Blend in 3/4 cup cheese.
  • Generously spray an 8×8 baking dish with PURE.
  • Spoon mixture into dish.
  • Place dish inside a larger dish and carefully add boiling water around the edge until 1 inch deep.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
  • Top with remaining cheese and serve.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

3 cups crushed ginger snaps/vanilla wafers mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 8 ounce cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon golden Rum
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter until coarse crumbs.
  • Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan (I like to use a square one).
  • Bake 8-10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.
  • On a low speed beat cream cheese is smooth and creamy, but DO NOT OVER BEAT!
  • Gradually add sugar and then eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended.
  • Pour 3 cups of this mixture on top of crumb crust.
  • To the remaining cream cheese mixture, add the pumpkin puree and spices mixing until just blended.
  • Pour this mixture on top of the plain cream cheese mixture.
  • Bake 1 hour 25 minutes or until edges are set, but center still jiggles when moved.
  • Turn oven off and open door 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and run a table knife around the edge of pan to loosen.
  • Cool on cooling rack another 30 minutes.
  • Cover loosely and and chill at least 6 hours.
  • Remove pan sides and serve with Caramel Sauce.

FAVORITE INGREDIENTS FRIDAY ~ Italian Edition II~ Chicken Carbonara & Sausage Lasagna


CHICKEN CARBONARA

1/2 pound bacon /Pancetta, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced thin
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 small-medium onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, if necessary depending on bacon
1 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons butter, melted
fresh parsley
1/2 pound spaghetti, linguine or pasta of your choice

  • Grill chicken in a small amount of olive oil and then slice thin. Set aside.
  • Add the bacon and brown until crisp.
  • At the same time bring the pasta water to a boil. Timing is crucial on this dish, the pasta must be ready when the rest of the ingredients are.
  • Chop the onion into small bits.
  • Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the grease and drain on paper towels.
  • Add the onions to the bacon grease and saute. Add the garlic.
  • Using a slotted spoon remove the onions and garlic and add to the bacon.
  • Pour off excess bacon grease.
  • Seriously scrape bottom of pan to loosen the stuck on bits – we NEED those for flavor. Make sure the pan cools slightly so as not to curdle the cream.
  • Add the heavy cream, cooking until heated through and bubbling.
  • Add back in the chicken, bacon, onion and garlic. Lower heat. Simmer a few minutes to heat through and reduce liquid.
  • In a large serving bowl whisk the egg yolks together. Add the majority of the Parmesan cheese and Parsley, saving just enough for garnish. Mix it together well.
  • Add the drained HOT** pasta and mix well.
  • Add the butter, pepper and the chicken mixture. TOSS, TOSS and TOSS again until well mixed.
  • Garnish and Serve immediately.

**Pasta MUST be hot in order for this to coagulate well.


SAUSAGE LASAGNA

1 pound mild Italian sausage, skinned and browned
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounce can diced tomatoes DO NOT DRAIN (I use the garlic herb ones)
2 tablespoons Classico Sun Dried Tomato pesto
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup Ricotta cheese
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 Jumbo eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese
1 package Barilla No Boil Lasagna

  • In a large skillet brown sausage and onion. Drain grease.
  • Add tomatoes, pesto, garlic and seasonings. Simmer 30-45 minutes.
  • Combine cottage cheese, riotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Blend well with a hand mixer.
  • In a deep 9×9 casserole spray bottom with PURE and then layer lasagna noodles, slightly overlapping them.
  • Pour a layer of meat mixture followed by a layer of cheese mixture and then a layer of Mozzarella cheese. Repeat. Top with lasagna noodles and them mozzarella cheese.
  • Tent with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • Remove foil and bake until golden (about 5-10 minutes).
  • Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into.

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Farmhouse Dressing

1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Blend together in mini food processor or whisk vigorously. Chill overnight before serving.

Super Bowl Hot Wings & Nacho Buffalo Bleu Cheese Dip

It doesn’t matter who you were rooting for, you CAN’T, I repeat CAN’T watch the SUPER BOWL unless you have hot wings and buffalo cheese dip!


Personally I’m so glad the Giants won. What more could you ask for but to have back to back years with boy next door American quarterbacks (brothers no less). These two give the whole sports image icon a super boost. I’d rather have my kids looking up to either Eli or Payton Manning over say Michael Vick. It just oozes, American flag, fireworks, Chevy, hot dogs and apple pie. Oh and mom was there too!

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing **
1/2 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1 can Rotel Original tomatoes & chiles (drained)
1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cream cheese in mixing bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds to soften it. Whisk in the bleu cheese dressing, hot sauce, tomatoes and bleu cheese crumbles until smooth. Pour into a 9 inch stoneware casserole. Bake 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with Hot wings. **

**See recipes on side bar

Super Bowl Staples ~*~ HOT WINGS & home made 'BLEU' CHEESE dressing

What’s the SUPER BOWL without HOT WINGS and home made BLEU CHEESE dressing for dipping along with a good beer and few dozen other appetizers? Now I try to watch our fats and prepare balanced meals on a day to day basis, but let’s get real here people, this is the SUPER BOWL ~ it’s like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Do you even think twice on those days before you pop, well let’s be honest you’ll pop ANYTHING that looks good into your mouth on those days? Of course not, so why think about it today? Plus here’s the bonus, they’re technically baked so there good for you, right?

HOT WINGS

  • 2-3 dozen+ chicken wings ~ We prefer drumettes (with a little meat on them) to actual wings, but it’s your choice. Today I used what was in the freezer for picture sake, but next week it’ll be drumettes for sure!
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • hidden valley ranch dressing mix (DRY) OR Good Seasons Italian dressing mix (DRY)
  • 2 sticks butter+
  • Frank’s Hot Sauce
  • PURE
I also prefer to use an old cast iron frying pan (our is at least 3rd generation, dating back to hubby’s grandfather that we know for sure). I still believe this gives you the most even browning.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Wash and dry the chicken pieces.
  • Mix together the flour and seasonings in a plastic ziploc bag. Using a ziploc bag makes it easy to throw away the whole mess after dredging all the chicken pieces and it helps you coat every possible spot of the chicken pieces.
  • Add chicken a few pieces at a time and coat them well. Set chicken pieces aside.
  • While you’re doing this, have the butter melting in the pan. Start with 1 stick and add as necessary, but make sure you don’t run out dry.
  • Once all the chicken has been dredged start frying. After you have the pan full pepper the pieces again. Don’t turn the chicken until you can see blood. You only need to turn the chicken one time. Brown evenly and then set aside on paper towels until all pieces have been fried.
  • As the last batch is frying melt the other stick of butter in a 4 cup measure cup. To that add 1 cup of Frank’s hot sauce per stick of butter. Whisk them together well.
  • Spray a cookie sheet with PURE.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the hot sauce mixture and put on cookie sheet.
  • After you’re all done and if you have hot sauce & butter mixture left, pour a little over the top of each wing.
  • Bake for 30 minutes.
  • Serve hot with my homemade Bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks if you’d like.

Home made “BLEU” CHEESE DRESSING

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup large curd cottage cheese
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 ounces bleu cheese crumbles (sometimes I use Gorgonzola for a bit of change or when I accidentally pick up the wrong container at the grocery store and we like it just as well)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • I put it all in my food processor and pulse until it’s well mixed. Chill for 24-48 hours before serving.

CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE FOR MOUTH WATERING VIEW.