Stuffed Burgers - A Method

This idea has resurfaced from the cold Winter of 2011.  I'm don't even recall what blog or forum I found it but it sounded like wonderful idea for the indoor grill. 

While you will have to use your own imagination to stuff these dudes like you want, the method is simple.

Cookie Sheet Stuffed Burgers

Line 9" X 13" cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper

Spread 3 - 4 pounds of lean ground beef across span of cookie sheet.  Spread as thick or thin as you like keeping in mind that this thickness will more than double once stuffed and folded.

Spread stuffing ingredients over 1/2 of the press out slab of beef. 

In this case, we used sauce, blue cheese and green olives.

From the end with no ingredients, carefully lift wax paper and burger to fold over the top of the ingredient side.

NOTE:  To make for cleaner, less dripping burgers, you can place your ingredients in portions so that when you cut the stuffed patties, they will be more compartmentalized.  Keep watching, you will see.

Once folded, pinch edges to hold ingredients into the loaf.  With a pizza cutter, square out portions as desired.  Depending on your ingredients, you may or may not want to pinch off edges of each patty.  Personally, I liked the dripping edge on the burgers but that's a choice.

Get creative with your stuffing ingredients:  Cheese, vegetables, mushrooms, hash browns, olives, pizza style, taco style, BBQ style, Asian style, breakfast style. 

Make it YOUR way!

Here we have the stuffed burgers on the indoor grill.  Nice, big, juicy burgers that never made it to a bun!  These came out very huge, like a kind of meatloaf of sorts.

As you can see, portioning the ingredients while setting the ingredients would make a cleaner burger but I like this wall to wall stuffed burger way.

I chose to top it with bacon and Jack cheese for a Grand Finale!

 












Happy Burger Rama!
Beth in Texas

Summer, 2011 - Some Photos

It's been a long, hot summer down hear on the Texas Gulf Coast.  The Chile Childs are survivors and they are getting some TLC for the Fall Harvest.

So while we wait for sub-Season of Fall to come about, I have a few photos of things I saw, things I did and a few places I visited in Summer, 2011. 

I would like to add, this my first YouTube slide show, I add this to Things I Learned This Summer list.   I put copyrighted music in the background but it got nixed so.....

Please open this link in an new tab/window for a background tune while you view the slide show:

Romance in Durango

Some of the photos include:
Garden & Chile Photos
Food Creations
My Margarita Row - Branson, MO
Ride The Ducks - Branson, MO
Best Birthday Cake Ever - Italian Cream with Chiles
Planking
Harley Davidson Factory Tour - Kansas City, MO

This was a test of the Peppermania Broadcast System
Beth in Texas

A Simple Pepper Drying Hanging

What a chica can find in her closets!  No...not just shoes!

I found a contraption that I made years ago for drying peppers and never used.  I didn't invent it, it was an idea I found in a magazine or in the early daze of the www.  It had come apart but was easily reconstructed with twist ties and skewers.

Basic materials:
Small link chain
Bamboo skewers
Twist ties or twine for securing skewers
Peppers of choice

Use 3 - 4 skewers for the main/top support "rod".  Secure on both ends with twine or twist ties and tie a twine hanger loop in the middle.

Slice an opening in peppers to prevent rot & mold.

Pierce peppers to skewers and secure to chain with twine or twist ties

Balance as necessary

Hang in sunny location, moving as necessary to protect from rain.

I didn't want to "waste" my good peppers so, as you see here, is $3 worth of mixed chiles from my local Foodarama.

If nothing else, it does make a cool yard art hanging on the fence or decor for a patio party.

So far, so good. Two days on a sunny fence and no rotting yet.  The green Jalapenos are ripening but I guess 118º in the sun will do that!

Status update to follow.

 
Happy Crafting!
Beth in Texas

Chipotle Lime Hummus

After acquiring a summer cold and not wanting to venture to the store for ingredients for a tasty bold snack, I came up with the yummy variation of hummus.   This spicy and nutritious dip is especially complemented by Stacy's Brand Baked Simply Naked Pita Chips.

I based this recipe on Goya's recipe for traditional hummus, substituting with ingredients I had on hand.  You can do the same....

Chipotle Lime Hummus

1      29 ounce can chick peas aka gabanzo beans
4      tbs olive oil
1      tbs roasted garlic
4      tbs lime juice, fresh squeezed (approx 2 limes)
1      tbs smoked chile powder (or to taste
1/2   tsp cumin, ground
2      tbs chipotle hot sauce of choice
2      tbs water, or as needed
        Salt to taste, smoked preferred

Add all ingredients into food processor or blender bowl.  Blend until smooth adding liquids to desired taste and consistency.
Plate or bowl to serve with pita bread or chips.  Garnish with basil, parsley or cilantro.




Easy, pleasy!  I wager someone will like it at your next grill out or tailgate!

Snack Happy!
Beth in Texas

Minor Nutrients For Summer Stress In Chiles

Regardless of where you are, the stress of summer can take a toll on our chile plants.  As we approach the Fall harvest season, this is a really important time to give a little extra attention to our prized chile crop, particularly if we have gotten a little lazy with the Summer doldrums.

Whether you have been growing in the ground or in containers, the watering schedule may have depleted nutrients that the chile plants can really use right now.  If you want to stay organic, fish/kelp emulsion applied foliar or to the root zone offers an excellent boost to the NPK.  There are also some great organic granular feeds available but you may have to quest further than the box stores or order online.  If you don't mind stepping aside from the organics, there is nothing wrong with a balanced formula of Miracle-Gro.

There a couple of minor nutrients that we can add that can help the chile plants along (and tomatoes, if you still have them).

Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) will supply two crucial nutrients important to Capsicum, sulfur and magnesium.  While sulfur is more readily available to plants, especially in synthetic fertilizers and acid rain, magnesium can be depleted from the soil.  Magnesium deficiency (as seen in this photo) may be exhibited with chlorosis, leaf curl, stunted plants and fruit, among other symptoms.  Magnesium builds the cell walls, aid in photosynthesis and aids in fruit production.

Epsom salts are readily available at box stores, drug stores, even your grocer.  Apply a tablespoon or two to the root zone or foliar feed at a rate of 1 - 2 tablespoons per gallon of water.

Calcium is needed for cell division and plant growth. Its buffering characteristics are critical to soil balance and largely determine the availability of other nutrients. Lack of calcium results in yellow or pale leaves, and causes blossom-end rot on tomatoes and pepper, as seen in this photo.  BER is accelerated when the deficiency is paired with water stress, too much and too little in the grow season.

Application of dolomite lime or bone meal at the root zone along with a consistent watering schedule can help this unwanted problem.  Either should be available at a reasonable price at your local home improvement center.  Apply at the labeled rate.

Just remember, the chile childs have had a long, hot summer and the season still has life left for us all.  Give them a little TLC now and you may be amazed what you may get by your season's end.

Happy Harvest!
Beth in Texas