Guava Melon Lassi
Look, it’s starting to get real hot and we all need a cool drink once in a while. Here’s your cool drink for this summer: the guava melon lassi. It’s fruity, not too sweet, and perfect if you want to try something new. I tried …
Recipes
Fresh Mint and Lemon Scones
Scones always sounded a bit intimidating to me. But surprise surprise, they’re so easy! They don’t even have to rise, and scones can be made in so many different flavor combinations. I have some fresh mint I’ve been dying to use, so I decided to …
Classic Cheeseburgers
Happy (almost) 4th of July! There are so many foods that scream summer, but to me, classic cheeseburgers are at the top of the list.
Cam was explaining to me the other day that there are actually three kinds of cheeseburgers. There’s the classic type, which is cooked on a grill and is generally a bit thick. There’s the diner type, which is cooked on a flat surface and is a good deal thinner. Finally, there’s the gourmet cheeseburger, which you know when you see it.
This burger is a hearty, classic cheeseburger. It’s thick and cheesy and delicious, but not so much as to overwhelm all the other flavors. You can top this cheeseburger with just about anything, and it will still be a 10/10. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the burger:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Toppings:
- 6 hamburger buns
- 6 slices of cheddar cheese
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 head of butter lettuce
- Condiments of choice
Instructions
Mix all of your burger ingredients together in a bowl. Form the burger meat into 6 patties, each of them about half an inch tall and two and a half inches apart. Make a thumbprint in the middle of each patty, to avoid the patty puffing up too much.
Grill (either outside or on cast iron) on medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes or until medium rare (or more well-cooked, as desired). Flip only once a crust has formed. Be sure to toast your buns as well, for approximately 30 seconds. Finally, top your patties with cheese and allow the cheese to melt before removing your cheeseburgers from the grill. Assemble your classic cheeseburger and top with your condiments of choice. Enjoy!
Easy Balsamic Reduction
I love vinegar so much. Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar. . . . Each of them are so good. I even almost named this blog after vinegar. Vinegar is amazing, but somehow this balsamic reduction is even better. Reducing vinegar takes what …
Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Hot Honey
Y’all, buttermilk fried chicken is the BOMB. Crispy golden skin and moist insides are nothing to say no to. The colonel is right; fried chicken is finger-lickin’ good. Especially buttermilk fried chicken. But what’s the difference? Buttermilk fried chicken is soaked in buttermilk prior to …
Homemade Steak Fries
Crispy, crunchy, salty steak fries. Yum. And the best part is, you can have homemade steak fries made from pantry staples in under an hour. What a wonderfully dangerous thing. (Especially with some Watermelon Agua Fresca on the side. It’s the perfect snack!
So what are steak fries? In comparison to skinnier fries, steak fries are solid wedges of potato that are crispy on the outside and lovely and creamy on the inside. They are the normal fry’s hefty cousin, but they are just as delicious and even easier to make.
Because this recipe is so simple, it’s easy to jazz up these fries if you want something new. Instead of paprika and garlic powder, add a packet of ranch seasoning to make ranch fries. Or you could toss with parsley and Parmesan just after removing them from the oven to make Parmesan fries. Set out a row of different condiments and have a tasting party. Bake these steak fries for five more minutes with cheese and bacon on top for an insanely tasty treat. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
- 6-8 russet potatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons flaky sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Next, wash your potatoes and cut them into long wedges. (Either eights or sixteenths, depending on how large your potatoes are.) Combine the paprika, garlic powder, and 3 tablespoons of flaky sea salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and the potatoes, and toss to coat well.
Arrange the potatoes evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 450 F for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes before baking for 20-25 minutes or until crispy and golden. Remove the fries from the oven and finish with the rest of the flaky sea salt. Allow to cool (if you can). Enjoy!
Strawberry Chocolate Pie
Yay, it’s strawberry season! I can’t help but buy boxes and boxes of strawberries when they’re so cheap, and I always need some way to use them up. This strawberry chocolate pie is the perfect dessert to do so. This pie is made up of …
Rich Italian Ragu
So what is ragu? When I’m talking about ragu, I don’t mean the pasta sauce brand. I mean the real thing; a rich sauce from Italy, full of meat and vegetables that have been cooked down into pure fat and flavor. When you taste this …
Tangy Tzatziki Sauce
Have you ever had a gyro? If so, you’ve probably tried tzatziki sauce. This sauce (pronounced with a silent first t) is a gorgeously fresh combination of yogurt, cucumbers, and dill. It’s creamy and cool, but with a little zip from the lemon juice and garlic. Do you like eating spicy or bitter foods? Tzatziki sauce is the perfect counterpart. I don’t really like spice, so for me, it’s perfect as a dip or a salad dressing. Tzatziki sauce is incredibly versatile, and can really go with just about anything. Why not give it a try?
Here are a few notes about the recipe. First, be sure to use good olive oil. Salad-grade or dipping olive oil. This depends on your own personal opinion of what good olive oil is, but maybe don’t buy the very cheapest brand. Second, I know that a lot of my recipes call for minced garlic. That’s just because I buy the big Costco jar. It’s the same amount of flavor as whole cloves of garlic, with no work at all! That sounds good to me.
This tzatziki sauce keeps in the fridge for up to one week. But I think you’ll eat it well before that. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cucumbers
- 16 oz plain full-fat yogurt
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
Start by preparing the cucumbers. Cut them in half, take out the seeds with a spoon, and chop into smaller pieces. Throw the cucumbers in a food processor, and chop into very small pieces. Mix the cucumber in a large bowl with the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and salt.
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with extra dill and olive oil if desired for serving. Enjoy!
