OLD-FASHIONED HAMBURGERS AND CHEESEBURGERS

Growing up in Chicago during the 1950's and 60's we didn't go out to eat often. When we did go out it was for hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken. I'm going to pass over the famous Chicago-style hot dog for now and jump right to the subject of hamburgers. Not your run of the mill fast-food hamburgers mind you. I'm talking about old fashioned mom and pop style hamburgers or cheeseburgers here.

2 ounce portions 80/20 ground chuck

When I was a much younger man I worked as a short order cook in the snack shop of a large retail store. At lunch we served a lot of hamburgers to shoppers and employees who only had about 30 minutes to eat. I would throw 30 burgers on the grill, cook them to rare, and then place them in a hot tub of beef and onion broth that was sitting on the slightly cooler side of the grill. When customers ordered a burger we simply took one from the broth and threw it on the charbroiler to finish cooking them with those fancy grill marks. They not only looked good, they tasted good. The true meat taste was lost in the hot tub. 

Roll out burger

Old-fashioned burgers are not perfect circles, they are hand crafted

Ideally to make old-fashioned burgers you need a flat top grill. Since most people don't have one of those in their home, a scorching hot, flat top cast iron griddle will do. If the griddle is hot enough, you should hear the sizzle when the meat comes in contact with the griddle. The more meat that comes in contact with the griddle the more crust you will develop. Crust = texture and flavor. You're going to need some good buns.When it comes to hamburger buns, almost every fast food restaurant, lunch counter, or diner where I lived used S. Rosen's, Mary Ann buns. These buns are available at local grocery stores, http://www.alphabaking.com/productresults.aspx?m=3&s=9

S. Rosen's Mary Ann 4 Inch Plain Hamburger Buns

INGREDIENTS (Yield: 4 double burgers)

1 lb. ground chuck 80/20
to taste salt and pepper
8 slices of cheese (your choice)
1 medium onion, diced or rings (optional)

Measure out the meat into 2 ounce portions. You should get eight 2 ounce thin patties from one pound of meat. Meat can get mushy if formed with your hands, so place each portion in-between two pieces of wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the meat until circular in shape and about 1/8 inch thick. You can also press down on the meat with a plate to get a uniform thickness. Once all of your burgers are formed keep them cold. Don't overwork the meat.

Scorching hot griddle

Heat the griddle until scorching hot. When dropping the hamburgers on the griddle you should hear the sizzle as soon as the meat comes in contact with the heated griddle. This will begin to develop the crust on side 1 of the hamburger. I always keep some chopped or grilled onions on hand when making burgers.   

Adding onions to the griddle adds moisture and flavor to the hamburgers. Add them to the place on the griddle where you will be flipping the burger to cook side 2. 

When you place the burger on top of the onions, the steam from the onions and the heat of the griddle will help cook side 2 of the burger.    

Time to flip the burger

Add white cheddar cheese

Gooey melted cheese on burgers

A good old-fashioned cheeseburger

A genuine old-fashioned cheeseburger or hamburger should be served on a butter toasted bun with onions, mustard, ketchup, and dill pickle slices. Serve with French fries or tater tots. 
Why not tell me about your favorite old-fashioned hamburger or cheeseburger. 

TMelle 2013

Summer Pasta Salad

I just love summertime. I love everything about summer, except the heat. No more belt buster meals that you would normally serve in the fall and winter. Summer is a time to lose the extra pounds that you put on trying to keep warm. 

I just love pasta salads in the summertime. Served as a side they go with any summertime fare. Depending on the ingredients that you use, a pasta salad also can be an entree. My personal favorite is a shrimp salad. My second choice would be a salad with pieces of pepperoni and/or salami. Either one I’m in heaven.

You're going to chop some pepper's

I have to admit that the first time that I tried a cold pasta salad; it was probably out of a grocery store deli case. It always had a taste that my mother could not duplicate. Then one day, while having lunch at a friend’s  house I was introduced to something called ”Miracle Whip.” In my house it was Hellman’s Mayonnaise or nothing at all. In my friend’s house it was Miracle Whip.

Green or Black? It's up to you!

For the pasta, well I just have to have some design to it. The texture allows the pasta to hold the dressing on it. I like the tri-colored rotini for pasta salad. With the rotini you get spinach, tomato and egg pasta in one box.

Pepperoni or Salami? It's up to you!

The hard part is what you’re going to put in your salad. Some of your choices include; tomatoes, cucumber, red, green, and or yellow peppers, green or black olives, pickle, or pickle relish, cheese cubes (your choice), pepperoni, salami, hard boiled eggs, parsley, green onions, celery, sugar, vinegar, yellow mustard, celery seed.

Cut some cheese

While there may be regional traditions for pasta salads, there are no steadfast rules. For the dressing you can use Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise, Italian dressing, or just extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and seasonings.

Almost there

Eating outdoors is a favorite pastime during the summer months in the Midwest. On days when the weather is extremely warm extra care must be taken to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Knowing the temperature danger zones will lessen the chances of getting your friends and family sick. You should buy a good quality instant read thermometer, keep it clean and know how to calibrate it. 

Cook and drain pasta

Cold foods must be kept at 41ºF, or lower. Bowls of cold salads should be placed directly into a second bowl filled with ice and covered by a linen towel that has been moistened. Be safe.

Assembling the salad

Hot foods must be kept at 140ºF or hotter. Bacteria won’t grow when the temperature of the food is colder than 41ºF or hotter than 140º F. The temperatures in between 41ºF and 140ºF are in the “Danger Zone.” When in doubt throw it out.

Add mayonnaise, or salad dressing

Summer Pasta Salad
INGREDIENTS

10    oz. box      Tri-color spiral pasta, uncooked (Rotini)
1/2   lb.             Cheddar cheese, cubed
1     cup             Cucumber, seedless, coarsely chopped
1     pint            Grape tomatoes, halved
2-3   stalks        Green onions, chopped
4     oz.              Pepperoni slices, quartered
4     oz.              Salami slices, quartered
1     10 oz. can  Black olives, drained
1     4 oz. jar      Pimentos, drained
3/4   cup            Zesty Italian salad dressing
to taste              Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
to taste              Black pepper, fresh cracked
VARIATIONS
The variations to this salad are endless. You can use any good combination of: black olives, green olives, salami, pepperoni, artichokes, hearts of palm, zucchini, cheese, jalapeno peppers, capers, pickled peppers (banana), or Jardinière. You can add green beans, broccoli, corn, or shredded carrots.

Mix it good

When it comes to cheeses the choice is really up to you. I used fresh mozzarella which had very little flavor. Try a bolder Pepper Jack, Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, or any other flavorful cheese.
DIRECTIONS 

Bring 4 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the rotini, and cook the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Rinse and drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
While the pasta is cooling, cut, slice, or chop your choice of ingredients for your salad. Place the drained and cooled pasta into a large bowl. Fold in all the ingredients into the pasta. Toss with mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, or your favorite salad dressing. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving. During that chilling hour the pasta may absorb some of the dressing. Add more if you mayonnaise, or salad dressing if you like. Enjoy!

© TMelle 2013

Greek Style Gyros Sliders

Gyros with tzatziki sauce to go

I have to admit that I became a big fan of the Greek-style Gyros way back in the 60's. The problem is that not many fast food restaurants sell them where I live. One day while watching Alton Brown (I'm a big fan) on his Food Network show "Good Eats" making gyros on the barbecue rotisserie, I tried to make them on the grill but my cheap rotisserie couldn't support the weight of the meat and my first attempt at making gyros was a disaster. I called my daughter to help me perfect this recipe.  

Gyros slider ingredients

A couple of years later, when going through my slider phase, I bought a slider press and decided to try my hand at Gyros sliders. I knew that they wouldn't be the same texture as the meat from a vertical spit, but it was the taste that I was after. The recipe went through some changes to get to the end result. Dried spices verses fresh is always a challenge for me. 

Dried spices, fresh minced garlic, fresh chopped onions

On my first attempt I forgot that I had the slider press and made them into round, 2-1/4 ounce slider portions. I decided that I would serve two sliders per person.

2-1/4 ounce portions

Placing them on a grill or griddle is up to you. I think the griddle is a better choice to duplicate the crusty exterior of a true gyro. 

You're going to use some of the grease

To assemble mu gyros sliders I decided on finding mini pita bread rounds, which my wife found at Trader Joe's. I decided that heating the pita bread rounds in some of the gyros meat grease would replicate the way they make a fast food gyros.   

Pita bread rounds

For the toppings I decided to stick with the traditional tzatziki sauce, thin sliced onions and tomatoes. 

Toppings

INGREDIENTS

2        lbs.             Lamb, ground
1        med.           Onion, finely grated
1        tsp.             Garlic powder
1        tsp.             Marjoram, fresh
1        tsp.             Rosemary, dried
2        tsp.             Kosher salt
1/2     tsp.             Black pepper, fresh ground
as needed   Tzatziki sauce

Note: you can use the dried marjoram and rosemary if you prefer but let it sit mixed in with the meat for one hour before grilling. 

Test your seasonings

Always test your meat mixture for the proper taste. This is where you make your final seasoning adjustments. Fry one slider and adjust to your own taste.  

For the cooks. Last chance to adjust seasonings

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl break up the ground lamb. Using a grater, grate the onion very fine. Drain the onions into a fine strainer, pressing out the excess liquid. Add the garlic powder and onion to the ground lamb. Add the marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper. Using your hand mix the ingredients together until well blended. 

Ready to make gyros sliders

Using a small scoop, measure your meat into 2-1/4 ounce portions and form into a ball. You should get about 16 portions. Form the portions into slider size patties. If you have a slider press this is much easier. 

My slider press

Sliders ready for the griddle

If not just make round ones and fry on the griddle. As you fry them, press down with a spatula to get more meat in contact with the griddle. Some of the grease will be needed to heat up your pita rounds. You can also use slider buns.

Enjoy

To check out Alton Brown's recipe for gyros or Tzatziki sauce go to http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gyro-meat-with-tzatziki-sauce-recipe/index.html

© TMelle 2013

MOTHER'S DAY CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

I know that when I grew up the times were much more laid back. My mother didn't have a regular job because she was a housewife raising five children. I believe that most women during that time period didn't mind not having an outside job and probably preferred it.

Breakfast in bed. She's worth it!

If mom had a job title it would have been one as a "majordomo" a.k.a. master of the house. She held that position from 8 am until 6 pm when my father came home. She had a household budget and had to stick to it. Most of the time we were angelic little children and not much trouble. What she did best was cook honest home cooked meals.

It's the little things she'll remember

Every year on Mother's Day we would make mom breakfast. Breakfast in bed if we didn't make too much noise. If we woke her up early we served her in the kitchen. Most of us were adept at making breakfast so it really wasn't a big deal. Mom appreciated the fact that we made breakfast for her. I think. More often than not breakfast consisted of omelets, scrambled eggs, or eggs-in-the nest, bacon, or sausage, orange juice and coffee. 

Cut grapefruit half into segments

For gifts of appreciation, it was a Mother's Day card, a flower, or flowers, and in the early years a bottle of cheap ($1.00 a pint) lavender toilet water. 

Add pat's of butter. Hey it's once a year!

Anybody can make a reservation. Eating out on any holiday is great, if you don't mind long lines, unruly children, crowded and noisy restaurants. Let's not forget the possibility of questionable food quality.

Sprinkle top with brown sugar and place into the broiler

If your egg making skills aren't up to Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise, why not consider a Continental breakfast. In a hotel a Continental breakfast buffet usually consists of an assortment of hot and cold dry cereals, sweet rolls, croissants, jams and jellies, assorted juices, milk, cream, coffee and tea. You might even have scrambled eggs and toast, or pancakes.

Out of broiler with maraschino cherry garnish

My mother introduced me to broiled grapefruit halves one year. Broiled grapefruit takes the fruit offering's of a Continental breakfast to a new level.

or a Blackberry, if you prefer

INGREDIENTS
2 whole Grapefruit (pink, ruby red, or plain)
4 teaspoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (divided)
2 teaspoons Butter (cut into 4 pieces) optional
4 whole Maraschino cherries* (drained)
*You may use any fruit to cover the center of the grapefruit.
DIRECTIONS
With your ovens broiler pan on the center position, turn on the broiler. Cut each grapefruits in half. Using a small serrated knife, cut the individual sections so that they can be removed easily with a spoon. Place each grapefruit half into an oven proof deep ramekin.
Once you have sectioned the halves, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the cut tops of each grapefruit half. Place a small pat of butter in the center of each grapefruit half. Place the ramekins in the broiler, leaving the door open enough so that you can watch the grapefruit so that the tops don’t burn. Broil for until the butter is melted and sugar is starting to  brown and caramelize.

Lobster Benedict

Remove the ramekins from the broiler and place a drained Maraschino cherry or other fruit in the center of each grapefruit half. 

It's the thought that counts

© TMelle 2013

National Shrimp Scampi Day

Monday, April 29th is "National Shrimp Scampi Day". Go figure! It seems like we're always celebrating something. Like the famous line in the Forrest Gump movie, Bubba would say, "like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it."  (source http://www.imdb.com/).

Shrimp Scampi ingredients

But that's not it. There's more! One of my personal favorites is Shrimp Scampi. According to Wikipedia, In the USA, the term "scampi", by itself, is also the name of a dish of shrimp served in garlic butter and dry white wine, served either with bread, or over pasta or rice, although sometimes just the shrimp alone. The word "scampi" is often construed as that style of preparation rather than an ingredient, with that preparation being called "shrimp scampi", (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scampi).

Can you smell that?

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted 

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon, scallions, chopped (optional) 

to taste salt

to taste pepper

to taste paprika

1 pound fresh shrimp, uncooked, shelled and deveined without tails

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced 

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

as needed Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated 

Cottage fries, squash, broccoli, starring Shrimp Scampi

Directions

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add shrimp and saute 2-3 minutes. Season shrimp with the salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. 

Deglaze the pan with the white wine and lemon juice. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Sprinkle with scallions and parsley. Finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.Serve with rice, your favorite pasta, or all by itself. 

To watch Bubba talking to Forrest about shrimp go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09KL2HUXE6Q   
© TMelle 2013

Red Lobster "Lobsterfest"

Red Lobster Gurnee, Illonois

Okay I will admit that I am a sucker for a good TV ad campaign. So I went online to Red Lobsters website www.redlobster.com and downloaded a coupon to purchase one Lobsterfest entree at the regular price and get the second one at 1/2 price. I had no idea what either price was but I was going. It didn't matter that I would have to travel 20 miles each way in the rain and the fog, I needed lobster!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

I went online and read many reviews for the Gurnee, Illinois location, most of which were not favorable. You just can't believe everything that you read on the Internet. Two of my children decided that they wanted to go as well. Why not? I'm sure that they thought that I was buying. I had my son print up a coupon as well. Could we use both coupons? I did not know.

Lobster Lover's Dream

Did I mention the rain and the fog? Well it was not a "fit night out for man nor beast." When we arrived I surprised to see that it was not very busy and we were able to be seated right away. The hostess showed us to a table and said that our server would be right with us. We were almost immediately approached by Amanda, our server. As she took our drink order I asked about the coupons and she explained that as long as we ordered from the Lobsterfest menu we could use both coupons. Two entrees at full price and two at half price. 

The Ultimate Feast

Amanda served our beverages and a basket of their famous "Cheddar Bay Biscuits." Watch out this biscuits are not only delicious, they're also very filling. She offered choices of sides and salads. I just had to have the mashed potatoes. Within fifteen minutes Amanda served our meal. She said that they were baking fresh biscuits and she would bring more in a moment.  

My wife ordered the "Lobster Lover's Dream," which was a Maine lobster and a rock lobster, lobster and shrimp linguine Alfredo and broccoli.  We all ordered the "Ultimate Feast" which consisted of a split Maine lobster tail, snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi, and fried breaded shrimp.

What can I say? The service was great, the restaurant was clean, the meal, on this night was amazing, and the server was attentive, friendly, and great. 

The fun part of the night was here. Time for the bill. With the coupon the dinner was not only good, it was affordable. By signing up for the coupon I apparently joined the "Fresh Catch Club," and will be receiving future promotions and coupons via email. Would we go back again? You betcha!

There are many recipes on the Red lobster website, but you won't find the Cheddar Bay Biscuits. There are many recipes for the biscuits on the Internet. 

© TMelle 2013