How to Make Incredibly Juicy Grilled Burgers

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Our flag flying in the breeze, the smell of hard working grills permeating the neighborhood, sun tea brewing on the porch. The crackles and booms of fireworks beginning at dusk.

I have to watch Independence Day on the 4th. Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, explosions, Aliens, fighter jets and patriotism. Can you go wrong?! The rest of the week, yes week, is spent with Spike's Force of July marathon. More explosions and James Earl Jones. A week well spent when the temps are dancing above 100, right?

Let's get to the grill!

The hubs and I have spent a good portion of the summer experimenting on how to make juicy, flavorful burgers. My burger-loving hubby certainly didn't object. When the hubs took one bite of these patties and said "these are the best ever", I knew I had something I would love sharing with you.

First off, let's start with spice blend. This burger spice can be used on anything you want to toss on your grill, but is particularly excellent in these burgers.

Burger Spice:
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all spices together. Store in an airtight container or spice shaker.


Now let's talk about beef. Ground beef. As much as we would all like to grab that 93% fat free pack, it just doesn't lend itself to a juicy burger. Aim for 80-85% fat free beef. Remember, some of that fat is going to stay with the grill. If you play some ultimate frisbee while your burgers cook, you can enjoy them guilt-free. Play hard, eat well!

If your local grocery store's beef just isn't cuttin' it for you, check out your local butchers and farmers' markets.

Juicy Burgers:
Makes 4 each 1/4 pound patties, double or triple as needed

1 pound 80-85% ground beef
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons burger spice

Line a baking dish with wax paper. Place beef in a bowl and sprinkle with soy sauce and burger spice.

Using your hands, lightly massage spices into the beef and divide into 4 equal portions.

Gently form each portion into a patty, about 1/2 inch thick. Try to handle the beef as little as possible. Using three fingers, make a large dimple in the center of the patty. This will keep the patties from swelling up into little balls on the grill. 

Layer the patties in the baking dish, using more wax paper for more patties. Allow the patties to rest for a few minutes while you fire up that grill to medium-hot. Grab a lid for your baking dish and head out to the grill. 

When the grill is hot, scrape the grates clean and lightly brush with vegetable or grapeseed oil. Lay the patties on the grill. I like to use an extra square of wax paper to transfer the burgers from dish to grill, then toss it all. It keeps me from running into the house to wash the dish.

Do not touch them for at least 4 minutes. Let them make friends with the grill, allow them to develop grill lines and seal in all that juice. 

Then flip!

Allow them to finish up for about 2-4 more minutes, depending on how you prefer your burgers to be cooked. Around 2 minutes for medium, 4 minutes for well-done. These times will fluctuate depending on the temp of you grill. 

Whatever you do, do not press on your burgers. More juice is more flavor. 

Pull the burgers off the grill and place back into the baking dish and cover. Allow the burgers to rest for at least 10 minutes. While the burgers rest, prepare your fixins. 

My favorite burger this summer has been BBQ-pepper jack. Just a little swirl of BBQ sauce on a slice of pepper jack is all I need.

Dig in and enjoy!

How do you like to celebrate the 4th?

Other recipes and ideas you might enjoy:

How to: Grill Like a Girl...My Best Tips from Cookin' Canuck

Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs from A Cozy Kitchen

Easy Double Bean Burgers with Avocado Basil Cream from How Sweet Blog

4th of July Fresh Berry Trifles from Recipe Girl

Mint Cookies & Cream Frozen Yogurt

Mint chocolate chip is good.

Cookies and cream is better. 

Mint Cookies and Cream is best. 

My favorite all-time ice cream flavor! It can be hard to find in the store. Edy's has it, but its rare that I want to pay the price in dollars or calories. 

We definitely love our froyo around here and its so easy. With just a few ingredients, you can have a sweet, refreshing treat in your bowl in about an hour. Use yogurt with a little fat content for a creamier texture.

Mint Cookies and Cream Frozen Yogurt:

3 cups 2% yogurt, Greek is best

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon mint extract

2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)

15 chocolate sandwich cookies

Mix yogurt, sugar, vanilla and mint and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Toss the cookies in a zip bag and lightly smash. 

Put yogurt mixture into your ice cream machine and process according to the manufacturer's directions. In the last minute of churning, add the cookies. 

If you can't wait, enjoy your froyo immediately. Otherwise, transfer the ice cream to a freezer container and allow to set up in the freezer. 

Enjoy!

Spicy Grilled Black Beans

Love meals all cooked on the grill. 

It saves me a thousand trips in and out the back door. 

Checking the stove or oven. Taking a dish out to the hubby. 

Wondering if one of the cats snuck out before the door shut. 

Another easy side you can throw on the grill while your burgers, dogs, steaks, kebabs or whole chicken do their thing. 

Spicy Grilled Black Beans

Serves 4

1/2 cup Barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Sauce (or more to taste)

1-2 teaspoons honey

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

2 cups black beans, cooked, rinsed, and drained

Whisk together the Barbecue, Frank's and honey. Stir in onion and beans. Spread in a foil pan and cover with foil.

Place on a medium-hot grill and cook for 15-30 minutes, as long as your meat of choice requires. Allow beans to rest along with meat. Serve hot and enjoy!

Fast Ideas for Memorial Day Weekend: The Best Grilled Corn Ever and Reese's S'mores

Today, I have some fast ideas for your Memorial Day weekend to get you outside, grilling, and kickin' summer off right. No recipes today, just a couple of great ideas to add to your fun.

The hubby and I love to grill meals where everything goes on the grill, not just the meat. Grilling corn is so easy and you won't even have to shuck the corn. That's right, no shucking, peeling or fighting the silk. 

Say what?

Toss your corn right on the grill, husks and all. Roll them around for about 10-15 minutes. The husks hold in all the moisture and steam those little golden kernels to perfection. 

Some of the outer layers of the husk will fly off into the coals. Give the ears a little squeeze with your tongs, they are done when they have just begun to soften. 

Allow them to rest for a few minutes before peeling off the husks and silk. Use a clean oven mitt if they are still a bit too toasty to handle.

Salt and butter to taste. Enjoy!

Now let's talk s'mores. Remember The Sandlot? 

"Hey Smalls, you want a s'more?"

"Some more of what?"

"No, do you wanna s'more?"

"I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing?"

If you have even just a little extra time this weekend, I highly recommend you make these Whole Wheat Graham Crackers from Caroline over at Chocolate and Carrots. Caroline has so many gooood things over there, but I think these grahams are my favorite. 

They are truly easy and so very tasty, adding a little something special to your s'more. And they taste just like grahams from the store!

But didn't I say something about a Reese's? 

Yup.

I truly cannot remember where or who this idea came from, so I cannot give full credit where it is due. Can't claim it for myself either, darn! This is such a genius idea!

Trade your Hershey's chocolate for a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. The chocolate in a Reese's is softer and melts better, adding to the gooey goodness that we love. 

And peanut butter in my s'more? Can't go wrong with the PB!

Get out there, thank a veteran and get grilling. 

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Summer weather mean summer food. Less time spent inside in a hot kitchen and more time outside with grass between your toes. 

Pesto is one of my favorite foods. Its fast, full of flavor and versatile. Perfect for summer meals.

Spinach is perfect for pesto, tender and fresh! Serve the pesto with your favorite pasta and top with grilled chicken or shrimp for a complete meal. 

Spinach Pesto Pasta:

Serves 2 as an entree, 4 as a side; Makes about 1 cup of pesto

4 ounces whole wheat pasta

1/3 cup grated parmesan

2 cloves freshly minced garlic

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups fresh spinach (about 2 large handfuls)

Cook pasta according to directions. 

In a blender or food processor, add garlic, lemon juice, half of the olive oil, and salt. Give the mixture a few pulses. Add spinach and continue pulsing, using a spatula to work the spinach down into the blades. Slowly, drizzle in the remaining olive oil. 

When pasta is ready, drain and toss with pesto. 

Grab a bowl and enjoy this pesto on your porch or deck!

If you're lucky, a furry friend might decide you need some help.

Yogurt Coffee Cake

Mother's day is in just two days! Do you have everything ready for the mother in your life?

Sometimes the best thing to share with mom is a memory. My sister and I share one of our favorite memories with mom last Saturday at breakfast. When we were in grade school, mom always packed our lunches. She always wrote love notes on our napkins and tucked them into our lunch boxes. We loved opening our lunches to a love note!

Love notes can come in coffee cake form, too. No worries if you're planning some last minute things for mom. This Yogurt Coffee Cake will please mom with minimal time in the kitchen. Mother's Day is really about spending time and appreciating mom, right? Show mom some love with a quick and healthy coffee cake.

I really just said that.
Healthy coffee cake. Packed with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and yogurt, this coffee cake gives you a guilt-free memory to share with mom.

Yogurt Coffee Cake:
Serves 9-10

1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal, ground
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the crumble topping:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cold butter

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. For a little more fun, use a bundt pan or loaf pan. Think about what mom wants.

Whisk all of the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Whisk together brown sugar and eggs. Add yogurt and vanilla and whisk until just combined.

Fold the yogurt mixture into dry ingredients. Scoop the patter into the prepared pan and spread to the edges.

In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon, whole wheat flour, and brown sugar. Using a box grater, shred the butter into the mixture. Use your hands to finish breaking up the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Spread crumb mixture over the batter. Bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the coffee cake to cool a few minutes before taking a slice and a fresh cup of coffee to mom.

Cake can be served warm or at room temperature. Bake it the night before for more time with mom on Sunday!

Be sure to share a great memory with the mom in your life!

Whole Wheat Tortillas and Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Guacamole

Cinco de Mayo is coming!
Would you like some healthy options? Well, of course you do.

While I could live on chips and salsa forever, that would be no bueno for my waistline. I wanted to share a couple of recipes that you could enjoy guilt-free this weekend.

Let's start with these tortillas.

Have you ever made tortillas at home? Since my father-in-law picked up a tortilla press at a flea market, I've gone a little crazy. They are so easy! Once you taste them, you will know they are worth that little bit of extra work. These warm, soft little guys only have five pantry-staple ingredients, so they are just as easy on your pocket.

This recipe can easily be doubled for more tortillas.

Whole Wheat Tortillas:
Makes 8 6-inch tortillas


1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

With a spatula, stir in the water and oil, mixing until the dough just comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a flour surface and knead for just one minute. The dough should be soft.

Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes before shaping the tortillas. This is where you can brown taco meat or prepare fajita filling. 


After the dough has rested, place a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Divide the dough in half and then into fourths for eight tortillas. Form each portion into a ball.

Cover your friends with a towel. Using a rolling pin or a tortillas press, roll one dough ball out to about a 6-inch round. If necessary, use a little additional flour to roll out the tortillas. To keep the tortillas soft, you'll want to add as little extra flour as possible to the dough.

Lay the tortilla in the dry skillet and cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes on each side. The tortillas just need to be cooked through, not necessarily browned. This will keep the tortillas soft and pliable.

Layer all of your soft little friends into a towel-lined tortilla warmer.

Finish with the rest of the dough and enjoy fresh, warm, soft tortillas!

Do you want something to put in these tortillas?
Yes.
Me, too.

Surely its guacamole you want. Right?


Right.

There really is guacamole in there. Its under all that cool, creamy queso fresco. Roasting the red onion and tomatoes adds a great layer of flavor to the cool and creamy avocados. I like a very chunky guacamole, so the onion and tomatoes are roasted in larger pieces. Cut them as large or small as you want.

Roasted Red Onion & Tomato Guacamole:
Makes 4 very generous tacos, Serves 5-6 as an appetizer

1/2 large red onion
1+ cup cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 avocados
juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 teaspoon dried cilantro or 1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste

Turn your oven on to broil and place a rack directly underneath the broiler. This could also be done out on the grill if your party is outside, just load your veggies on skewers.


Slice the onion into 1-inch pieces and half the tomatoes. Toss them with the olive oil.

Spread out the onion and tomato in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the onion are toasted and the tomatoes have burst.

Allow to cool on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make friends with your avocados. Tell them how wonderful your tortillas are and that they will be the best of friends.

Half and pit the avocados, removing the skin from the flesh. Toss the halves into a bowl with the lime or lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Use a potato masher to break up the avocados. Mash in the garlic and cilantro.

Add your cooled roasted onion and tomatoes. 

Let the flavors hang out together in the fridge for about 20 minutes. 

Then introduce the guacamole to the tacos. Enjoy!

Can't get enough Cinco de Mayo? Don't forget these goodies:

Cowboy Caviar

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Taco & Fajita Seasonings

Check out these other great recipes from around the blogosphere:

Chicken Tamale Casserole by Table for Two blog

DIY Tostada Shells by at Bake at 350

Cilantro Lime Quinoa by Two Peas and Their Pod

Mexican Slaw with Mango, Avocado, and Cumin by Cookin' Canuck

What's your favorite way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Barbecue Sauce & Pulled Pork Sandwiches

If there ever was a time for smell-o-vision...

That time is now. If you only make barbecue sauce just to have your house filled with the most wonderful sweet, savory, tart aromas, then you have not wasted a moment.

This is so easy, you can't resist!

Barbecue Sauce:
Makes approx. 3 cups

1 1/2 tablespoon butter
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar or honey

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onion and cook until translucent and soft, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cayenne, ginger and cumin and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

At this point, the sauce is ready -- slather over ribs, spread on a burger, or marinate shrimp. Cool and store in the fridge for a few days. 

For Pulled Pork Sammies, nestle 2-2 1/2 pounds pork sirloin into the barbecue sauce, cover, and slide into a 325 degree oven (or alternately, in a slow cooker on low heat for about 4 hours). 

Check the pork after an hour, it should come apart easily with only the slightest pressure. Cook for an additional 10 minutes at a time if necessary. Add a splash of water if the sauce appears too dry. 

Serve on a whole wheat bun and enjoy!

Avocado Dream Pasta

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

I didn't like avocados.

Wha--?!?

Crazy, I know.

Ludicrous.
Preposterous.
Ridiculous.
And every -ous adjective you might conjure up.


Aren't you glad my insanity has been cured? This form of my insanity, at least, let's not get too excited. 


Do you want a little avocado in your pasta? Well, let's get to it.

Avocado Dream Pasta:
Serves 2, 15-20 minutes

1/3-1/2 pound pasta
1 avocado
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 pound large shrimp

Cook pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, peel and pit the avocado. In a medium bowl, combine the avocado, yogurt, cilantro, garlic and parmesan with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt, cooking until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they are curled and pink, another 4-5 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Return the pasta to the pot and add the avocado mixture and the shrimp, stirring to combine. Add just enough of the pasta water to coat the pasta and shrimp with the avocado sauce.

Serve immediately and enjoy!