Top Your Own Hamburgers

We had our annual birthday bash for our son on the 4th of July. Putting our new grill to good use, we cooked quarter pound hamburgers. I bought a wide variety of hamburger buns. Then, our guests chose from a bunch of different toppings. Everyone seemed to enjoy customizing their burgers.

Topping Choices

I sauteed sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms in olive oil and garlic, and then I added some Montreal Seasoning and fresh thyme at the end.

Another topping choice was Balsamic Caramelized Vidalia Onions. I sauteed the large slices of onions in olive oil. After they had softened, I added chopped garlic, a teaspoon of sugar or so, some Montreal Seasoning, and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar. I turned up the heat and let everything get nice and caramelized.

Next, I baked some extra thick cut bacon. I cooked these extra thick slices in the oven at 400 degrees on baking sheets covered in aluminum foil. Regular bacon takes about 20 minutes to cook this way. This bacon took about 30 minutes. It was a big hit! Both young and old cannot resist a slice or two of bacon.

I also provided an assortment of cheeses, including: American, Swiss, Cheddar, Blue, and Pepperjack.

For dessert, I served Cheesecake Bites purchased at Sam's Club, GB's favorite. But I also offered thick brownies which were made into sundaes.

I highly recommend you hold your own Top Your Own Burger party this summer -- a new twist on an old favorite. Try having a contest for the Strangest Burger, Most Boring Burger, Most Original, etc. Let me know how it goes!

4th of July Bash

We ended up having an extremely fun party on the 4th. The food came out great and the rain held out until the end.

I served the BBQ Beef Brisket (that I had tested a few days before) and it was a hit. My best reviews to date! (Please see July 1st post for recipe.)

We had about 21 adults and 14 kids. It turns out, however, that I bought too much brisket (15 pounds). I just had too many other food choices.

I was surprised how much the brisket cost ($60). I froze some and will bring the leftovers to another party tomorrow. Here's the whole menu.

4th of July Menu:

BBQ Beef Brisket (in rolls)

Sweet Italian Sausage, Onions and Peppers

Meatballs in Marinara

Hot Dogs (for the kids, mostly)

Baked Beans

Zucchini and Tomatoes

Homemade Cole Slaw

Store bought Red Bliss Potato Salad

Garden Salad

For dessert we had sliced watermelon, cheesecake bites and brownies with ice cream.

I spent yesterday cleaning up, for the most part.

So what's the photo of, you ask? My very thoughtful neighbor brought this chicken teriyaki on skewers as an appetizer. I loved how she presented it. There was chicken on one side, and on the other skewers were: green and red peppers, onions, and fresh pineapple. They went like hot cakes! She just marinated the chicken in bottled teriyaki sauce and grilled them. Highly recommended!

BBQ Beef Brisket

Last night I tried out a recipe from Allrecipes.com in preparation for our upcoming big bash on the 4th. My goal is to make something that I can prepare the day before, and this dish fits the bill.

I made a couple of changes to the recipe. First, I did not take the time to let it marinate overnight. It didn't seem to make a difference. I also cut down on the smoke flavoring in the sauce. It was suggested to double the sauce, so I did. There was more than enough! It was tangy and sweet and yummy.

After slicing the meet (after only 4 1/2 hours in the oven, my family was hungry), I put some slices back in the oven with the sauce. The kids ate their meat plain (so tender), and DB and I put our sauce on top. Very good! The meat was so tender. I highly recommend this recipe!

BBQ Beef Brisket

from Allrecipes.com

4 pounds lean beef brisket
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. Pour liquid smoke over brisket. Rub with onion salt and garlic salt. Roll brisket in foil and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place brisket in a large roasting pan. Cover and bake for 5 to 6 hours. Remove from oven, cool, and then slice. Put slices back into pan.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, ketchup, butter, water, celery salt, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir, and cook until boiling.

4. Pour sauce over meat slices in pan. Cover and bake for 1 more hour.