Happy Memorial Day! (Hamburgers, potato salad)

So, I realized that I haven't ever posted a hamburger recipe and I had to remedy that! We love, love, love the summertime and grilling! Its the quickest, easiest way to do dinner in the summer and for some reason it never gets old! My husband could eat a good burger every night if I would let him! So I thought I would share our classic favorite hamburger recipe (if you can call it a recipe...) and also my favorite potato salad recipe. My grandma is the best potato salad maker in the world! We could always count on a bowl of yummy potato salad to grace the table at any BBQ!  I tried to recreate her recipe as best as I could, and I also added in a few tastes of my own! Notice in the picture that i took it while the food was on paper plates...I did that on purpose! It's summer, low maintenence, and paper plate kind of food! Just keeping it real!

The Classic Hamburger - Lamb Style

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion

2-3 T butter, melted

1 T Olive Oil

salt, pepper, garlic salt, and Montreal Steak seasoning to taste

Worcestershire sauce

a couple slices of bacon, cooked

1 tomato, sliced

shredded lettuce

Colby Jack cheese, sliced

Your favorite BBQ sauce

Hamburger buns

Cut onion in half. Use one half for the caramelized onions: cut it into thin slices and set aside. (See below for the recipe on how to make caramelized onions). Dice the other half of the onion. Mix the minced onion into the ground beef with a fork. (don't over mix!), season the ground beef with salt, pepper, garlic salt, Montreal seasoning, and a couple shakes of worcestershire sauce. Form into patties and grill until desired amount of doneness. We like to add a slice of cheese to the burger when it is about done so it melts right on top of the burger. Brush some melted butter on the inside of each hamburger bun and throw on the grill until a little golden brown color appears....They cook fast, so don't burn! Assemble your burger to your liking with whatever toppings you love! Here is mine: Bun, hamburger with melted cheese, caramelized onions, a couple slices of bacon, tomato, lettuce, BBQ sauce, bun. Now you can make your burger however you would like, that's one of the beaties of burgers, HOWEVER, I would strongly reccomend not leaving out the caramelized onions, they get SO sweet and wonderful and just make the burger. Just a suggestion.

How to make Caramelized Onions:

Melt butter and olive oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Then sprinkle a little sugar over the top - like maybe a teaspoon or so. (this gives the onions a slightly sweet taste which is divine!) Saute slowly over medium heat. (you want to cook them slowly, so keep the heat at medium!). Cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft and golden brown. It takes a good 10-15 minutes to get the color you need. Then when the are about done, sprinkle a couple shakes of worcestershire sauce into the pan and stir around. I can eat them straight out of the pan just like this! (I'm weird, i know!)

My Favorite Homemade Potato Salad

About 3 lbs red potatoes

1/2 lb bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled 

1 1/2 c. mayo

2 T. milk

2 T. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp yellow mustard

3-4 green onions sliced

3 celery stalks sliced

4 eggs, boiled, peeled and sliced

salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste

1-2 dill pickles diced

Bring a large stock pot of water to boil and add potatoes. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut the rest of the veggies and prepare the dressing by adding mayo, mustard, milk and apple cider vinegar to a bowl and wisking together. Salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste. Take cooled potatoes, and cut into 1 inch cubes, leaving skin on. Add to a bowl with celery, green onions, bacon, pickles, and sliced boiled eggs. Pour dressing over the top and stir gently to just combine. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

*you can also add bleu cheese crumbles OR grated colby jack cheese for extra flavor!*

Serve all this deliciouness with your hamburger, sliced watermelon, and corn on the cob for the perfect BBQ!

Whats your favorite BBQ food??? Yay for summer!

Creamy Peas, Potatoes, and Carrots. Can you say "Summertime"???

This is a summer favorite for us...as soon as the peas, new potatoe's and carrots start coming out of the garden, this is on the table almost every night!! Creamy, fresh, comfort food at it's finest!

8-10 new potatoes, cubed

2 cups fresh (can use frozen) peas

2 cups carrots, chopped

Add potatoes and carrots to a large sauce pan and just cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil, cook for about 15-20 minutes, until tender. Add the peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain.

6 T. butter

6 T. flour

3 c. milk

1 T. dill

1 chicken boullion cube

salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste

In a small saucepan, stir butter and flour together on low heat until combined and creamy. Add milk, dill, and chicken boullion cube and cook until thickened. Season to taste. Add to potatoes, peas, and carrots and gently combine. Serve immediately.

*Can use fresh dill if available*.

Beer Marinated Chicken and Homemade Fries

One 12 oz. beer at room temperature
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 T. chili powder
1 T. brown sugar
2 t. salt
6 chicken drumsticks

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the beer, butter, garlic, chili powder, brown sugar, and salt. Add the drumsticks, seal the bag and let marinate while you proceed.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or broil pan and add chicken and marinade. Cook until done, basting with marinade every once in a while, about 30-45 minutes.

For Homemade fries:
4 large russet potatoes (or 2 large sweet potatoes), cut into wedges.
olive oil
salt

Toss potatoes, 1-2 T olive oil and salt in a large bowl until coated. Cook in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes until starting to get golden brown and crispy on the outside.

Smashed Golden Potatoes

These potatoes are soooo yummy and soooo easy!!! I am always on the lookout for easy, different side dishes and this one is definitely a keeper!

2-3 lbs of small potatoes (red or golden or fingerling - and don't be shy, if your family will eat more, use more!)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

garlic salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Scrub potatoes, place in water in a large pot and bring to a boil (leave the skins on!). Cook for about 15 minutes until almost done, drain. Grease a large cookie sheet with olive oil and place cooked potatoes on the cookie sheet. Take a large glass and smash each potato slightly. Drizzle with a little more olive oil (or you could use melted butter...) and season with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Place in oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes until tops are golden and crispy. I'm telling you: This one rocks. Try it.

Grilled Italian-style Potato Salad

This is so yummy and so easy!!!!

2 lb. small red potatoes, halved
1/3 c. water
2 cloves garlic
1/4 c. kraft zesty italian dressing
1/4 c. real mayonnaise
4 slices bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place potatoes in 2 qt. microwaveable bowl. Add water; cover with lid. Microwave on high 8 min; drain. Add garlic and 2 T. of the dressing and toss to coat.
Spray large sheet of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray. Spoon potato mix onto center of foil. Bring up sides and make into a "packet" leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning packet over after 10 minutes. Mix may and remaining 2 T. of dressing in large bowl. Add potatoes, bacon, and onions and toss to coat. Serve warm.

***Those were the "book" instructions - These are my changes (which I like a lot better!)
First: I covered a sheet pan with olive oil, salted my potatoes and garlic and roasted them in a 420* oven for about 35 minutes. (I didn't microwave or put them on the grill). I mixed the other ingredients in a bowl and then tossed in the warm potatoes right out of the oven...yum!
Second: I doubled the "sauce" - so instead of 1/4 c. italian dressing and 1/4 c. mayo, I used 1/2 c. of each.

Cheesy Dutch Oven-style Potatoes

My father-in-law, Boyd, was the inspiration for this recipe! Everyone who tries it loves it! It goes great with the marinated flank steak!!!

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

Cook in big pot until onion is translucent and bacon is starting to crisp.
Add:

6-7 Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
9-10 baby carrots sliced thin

Stir and season to taste with the following:

season salt
onion salt
garlic salt
salt
pepper

Add:
1 liter sprite or 7-up ( i like sprite the best)
and enough water to just cover potatoes ( or you can add enough sprite to cover potatoes and forget about the water.) Cover and bring to a boil. simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender and most of the liquid has reduced. Cover with grated colby jack cheese and let melt ( about 3-5 more minutes). Dig in!