Bacon Blue Cheese Hamburger

 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef, 80/20

4 slices Apple Smoked Bacon

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 tablespoon Ancho Powder

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 small Sweet Onion, thickly sliced

4 tablespoons  Blue Cheese Crumlbes

4 Brioche Buns

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  Spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, blend the bacon.  In a large bowl, mix ground beef, blended bacon, eggs, oregano, ancho powder, salt, and pepper.  Don't over mix the meat.

Form four patties.  Brush meat patties, and sliced onions with olive oil on both sides.

Grill the patties for about ten minutes, flipping once, top with blue cheese crumbles.  Grill onions for about 6 minutes, flipping once.  Toast Brioche buns lightly.

 

 Serve with whatever condiments you like; mayo, ranch, blue cheese dressing, mustard.  

*Apple smoked bacon  adds great amount of moisture to the meat patties, as well as puts a new twist on a bacon burger :)

Crepes with Vanilla Bean Filling

 Crepes

3 cups Milk

2 Eggs

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

1/2 stick Butter

Preheat a lightly oiled skillet to medium heat.

Whisk together milk and eggs.  In a separate bowl mix all of the dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ones, 1/3 amount at the time.   Whisk together.  Add teaspoon of Olive oil.

 Pour the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.  Transfer to a plate and add a small amount of butter to each crepe.  Keep stacking the crepes as you cook them. The butter will melt, making crepes silky and buttery.  

 

Vanilla Bean Filling 

8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese

 4 oz Mascarpone Cheese 

1/2 cup Powder Sugar

1/2 cup Heavy Whipped Cream

1 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out 

Using a mixer, whip cream cheese and mascarpone together.  Add powder sugar, blend until smooth. 

Add the rest of the ingredients.  Whip until filling thickens up.

Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour. 

Serve crepes with some filling and fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. 

*Makes a great desert.  

Stuffed Peppers with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

6 Bell Peppers

1 pound Ground Beef (90/10)

1/2 cup chopped Onion

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup Green Onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa 

1/4 cup Low Fat Sour Cream

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Cut off top of peppers and reserve them; scoop the seeds out and white membranes.

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat, add one table spoon of olive oil.  Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, add ground beef.  Season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 8-10 minutes.  Turn the heat off.  Add garlic, cilantro, green onion, quinoa, and sour cream.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F.

Stuff peppers with beef-quinoa mixture; cover with the pepper tops.  Arrange stuff peppers in a baking dish.  Brush them with the rest of the oil.  Cover with some foil and bake for about 30 minutes.  Turn on a broiler.

Uncover the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes, until tops are golden brown.

Serves 4-6

To serve:  Scoop some Chipotle-Tomato Sauce on the bottom of a plate and place Stuffed Pepper in the center.

Chipotle-Tomato Sauce

2 pounds Tomatoes, halved

1 Sweet Onion, chopped into large pieces

5 Garlic Cloves

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Chipotle Adobe Peppers, plus 2 tablespoons of Liquid

1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

Salt, Pepper to taste  

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.  Arrange tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes.  In food processor, blend roasted veggies.  Add cilantro and adobe peppers.  Blend together for another minute.  Adjust seasoning as needed.  

Preheat a skillet to low heat.  Transfer the sauce into a skillet and warm it up while peppers are baking.

*Can be made a day ahead.  Just warm up the sauce in a skillet before serving. 

Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza

 

1 package store bought Pizza Dough

1 Large Chicken Breast

1 teaspoon Ancho Powder

1/4 cup BBQ Sauce

1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded 

1/4 cup Black Olives, sliced

1/4 cup Green Onion, chopped

1/4 cup Blue cheese Crumbles 

Salt, Pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Olive Oil 

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.  Tenderize chicken with a meat hammer.  Season chicken breast with ancho powder, salt, and pepper on both sides.  Brush with one tablespoon of olive oil.

Grill chicken for about ten minutes, flipping once.  Thinly slice.

Roll pizza dough out  on the lightly floured surface as thin as possible. Brush one side with the reaming olive oil and place the dough (the oiled side) down right on the grill. Grill for 2 minutes.   Flip the dough and spread BBQ sauce evenly.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cover the lid and let the cheese melt for about 2 minutes.

Remove pizza off the grill.  Add chicken slices, olives, green onion, and blue cheese crumbles. 

Serves 3

*Grilling pizza takes no time at all.  Perfect week-night dinner.  Use left over chicken if you like. 

Summer Breeze

 

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Malibu Rum

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Dash Agave Nectar

2 slices Cucumber

1 slice Lemon

3-4 Mint leaves 

Soda Water

In a pint glass, muddle cucumbers, lemon, and mint.  Add vodka, rum, lemon juice, dash of Agave, and ice.

Shake very well.

Pour in a bucket glass and top it with soda water.

Garnish with a cucumber and lemon slice.

*Very light and refreshing.  Perfect for summer nights.

Oven-Baked Mahi Mahi

One pound Mahi Mahi, cut into 4 fillets

1/8 cup Mayo

1 tablespoon Ancho Powder

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.  Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides.  Spread mayo over the top of the fish and sprinkle with Ancho powder. 

Bake uncovered  for 10-12 minutes.  

Serves 3-4

*Serve fish with vegetables, rice, or just a salad. 

 

Portabella Penne

 

8 oz Penne Pasta

2 Portabella Mushrooms,sliced

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

1/3 cup Marsala Wine

1/8 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Blue Cheese Crumbles

3 tablespoons Fresh Basil, chopped 

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Cook Penne according to directions on the package.

Meanwhile, preheat a skillet to medium-high heat, add olive oil.  Saute sliced mushrooms for about 8 minutes.  Season with Herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper.  Add Marsala Wine, cook for another 2 minutes.  Add sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, cooked pasta, and extra virgin olive oil.  Toss all together.

Season with salt and pepper if needed. 

Move pasta over into a large serving dish.  Top with blue cheese crumbles and fresh basil.

Serve family style.  Serves 2-3.