Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (I used 80% lean to 20% fat)
1 cup bleu cheese
8 slices of bacon
4 hamburger rolls or buns
1 large onion
salt
pepper

Directions:
Slice the onion into very thin strips.  Put in a large skillet with the temperature on low.  In order to carmelize the onions the temperature needs to be low.  Putting it too high won't allow the sugars in the onions to fully carmelize.  Saute the onions in the pan for 20-25 minutes or until they become a golden color. 

Now form your ground beef into four patties.  Heat a grill pan or skillet on high.  Place the burgers in the pan and cook 7 minutes before flipping to the other side.

While the burgers are cooking cook the bacon.  I like to cook my bacon in the oven for about 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

Once burgers are flipped on the second side, top each burger with 2 slices of bacon each.  Then top with about 1/4 cup of bleu cheese on each one.  Allow to continue cooking for another 7 minutes with the bacon and cheese on top with a lid over the pan. 

Place each burger on top of the bun and top with the carmelized onions.  Enjoy!

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Potato Salad

Since I am not a huge fan of mayonaise on potato salad, I decided to make a version without mayo.  Not only is it healthier, but it can be served warm and doesn't need to be refrigerated so it's great for picnics and barbecues.  It has so much flavor and is very easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 pounds thin skinned potatoes (yukon gold, purple peruvian, or new potatoes)
1/2 red onion
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons fresh dill
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dijion mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt
pepper

Directions:
Chop the potatoes into about  1 1/2- 2 inch cubes.  Add potatoes to a pot with the garlic clove and fill with water 1 inch above the potatoes.  Put pot on stove and turn the gas on high.  Once the water comes up to a boil salt the water and continue cooking.  Total cooking time should be 20-25 minutes or until fork comes out without any resistance. 

In a large bowl, whisk the mustard and red wine vinegar together until they combine.  Then slowly whisk in the olive oil. 

Slice the red onion very thinnly and add to the mustard, vinegar, and oil vinegarette.  Chop the dill and parsley and reserve to the side. 

Once potatoes are fork tender, drain them and remove the garlic clove and add them to the mixture.  Stir gently and add in the parsley and dill.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm or chill and enjoy!

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The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Soup

Potato and Leek Soup
Rose and Crown Pub
Disney World's Epcot United Kingdom Pavilion
Orlando, FL

Now you are probably wondering why I would order hot soup in the heat of Florida, but honestly this soup is good enough to be eaten on the hottest days of the year.  Now I am not sure how authentically English this soup is, but every person in the restaurant is from the United Kingdom and works in Disney for one year.  I have a feeling they wouldn't want to serve me a phony English soup.  But authentic or not, it is delicious.  I ordered a cup because I was getting an entree also, but if you are really hungry order a bowl.  Or just order a bowl anyway cause this soup is just that good.  Leeks are almost like a mildier onion and they really are all over this soup.  The soup itself has a very strong leeky flavor which perfectly goes with the creamy texture of the pureed potatoes.  The texture is just completely silky.  There are absolutely no lumps in this soup.  Not only do you get the leek flavor in the soup, but then on top they put a leek oil which adds flavor and a beautiful color.  Then they top it with fried leeks for texture.  When you dig down into that soup and break apart those crispy leeks in the creamy soup you are just in heaven.  Then on the side they give you two rolls and butter.  For me, I ditch the butter and just start digging in.  I think the rolls were made to dig in cause they absorb the soup so well yet still maintain a crispy texture on the outside.  This soup really is the best soup I ever ate.

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Tomato and Arugula Salad

This is a great refreshing summer salad.  It goes on the side of anything, or add some chicken to make it a main course!  I served this with my Caprese Burger!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 fresh plum tomatoes
2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt
pepper

Directions:
In a bowl whisk together the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar vigorously until it comes together. 

Then cut the tomatoes into chunks.  I got about 8-10 chunks out of each tomato.  Add these to the dressing and stir.  Then cut the basil leaves into strips and toss in with the parsley.  Sprinle with salt and pepper.  If eating the same day, now is the time to add the arugula and stir.  If serving tomorrow let the tomatoes sit in the refrigerator with the sauce, but 1 hour before serving stir in the arugula. 

Let the entire salad sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Then toss right before serving.  Enjoy!

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The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Appetizer

Sticky Wings
Kona Cafe
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Orlando, FL

These wings are some of the best wings I ever ate.  They come out 12 wings to an order and look absolutely gorgeous.  The barbecue sauce is glistening with a few sesame seeds on top for additional crunch.  You bite into the wing and the chicken meat is juicy, moist, plump and delicious.  It's just crazy good.  Of course its sticky, but who cares cause they are just so good.  On top of the juicy meat, the outside is perfectly crispy and topped with a delicious sauce.  The sauce on top is a combination of sweet and spicy because this is in a Hawaiian themed restaurant.  The heat isn't too strong, it just sort surprises you after you think these are just sweet honey barbecue wings.  These really are the best wings I ever ate!

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Pesto, Prosciutto, and Ricotta Grilled Pizza

I ate a similar pizza to this in a restaurant and what made it so delicious was the crispy crust and the soft ricotta cheese.  To get a crispy texture, grilling your pizza is the best way to go (unless you have a huge wood fired pizza oven in your house).  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup basil pesto sauce (For my recipe go here)
1 pizza dough, split into two (homemade or store bought)
4 slices of prosciutto de parma
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Preheat grill or oven to 400 degrees.

On a floured surface, roll out half of the pizza dough until it is 1/8 inch thick.  Do the same with the other half of the dough.  Oil the dough with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on each and spread evenly with a pastry brush. 

Toss the dough, oiled side down, onto the grill. Now you can slice the the prosciutto into small pieces. Close the grill and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes.  Dough should be crusty and golden brown on the first side.  Flip the crusts over.  Spread the pesto on each of the doughs into a very thin layer.  Then using a tablespoon, scoop spoon fulls of the ricotta cheese on the pesto layer.  Then sprinkle with the proscuitto and top with a little pepper.  Don't add salt, the proscuitto is salty enough.  Close the grill and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.  Enjoy.

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Shepherd's Pie

I made this dish into individual servings, but you could also make one large one.  I also used leftover mashed potatoes here, but any of your mashed potato recipes will work too.  This recipe may not be 100 % traditional, but it is delicious and very easy to make. 

Makes 4 individual pies
Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese
1/2 cup red wine
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Begin to saute the onion and the carrot in the pan for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Then add in the garlic cloves and celery.  Saute for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables become tender and translucent. 

After the vegetables are finished cooking, remove from pan.  Toss in the ground beef and saute for 10-15 minutes or until beef is browned.  Once beef is finished cooking remove and mix together with the vegetables.  With the heat on low, add the red wine and scrape all of the bits off the bottom of the pan. Let reduce for 5 minutes. Add the beef and vegetables back into the reduced mixture and add the worchestershire sauce.  Cook together for another 5 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Then separate the mixture into 4 small greased baking dishes or one large baking dish. 

Top with the mashed potatoes so that there is no more meat exposed.

Top with white cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Enjoy!

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