All-American Hamburgers

Hamburgers are a BBQ staple and here's our latest version via my newest Taste of Home magazine.  Go get the grill fired up . . .

2 T finely chopped onion or dehydrated onion

2 T ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t sugar
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t steak sauce
¼ t cider vinegar
1 lb. ground beef
4 slices American cheese
4 hamburger buns, split
8 cooked bacon strips
Optional toppings: lettuce, tomato and onion slices


In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear. Top with cheese. Grill 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Serve on buns with bacon and toppings of your choice.

Grilled Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

I found this recipe years ago in a Taste of Home magazine and it's been a family favorite ever since.  Tonight we served these delicious fajitas at a family birthday dinner.  I served the fajitas along with Grilled Corn Salad and Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa.  The dinner was a hit and won rave reviews from our hungry guests!

1 ½ lbs. Sirloin tip steak
½ c water
6 T lime or lemon juice
2 envelopes (1.25 oz.) southwest or mesquite marinade mix
¾ c sour cream
1 sweet red pepper, seeded, and halved
2 medium onions, sliced ½ inch thick
2 green peppers, seeded, halved
6 flour tortillas, warmed
1 c shredded lettuce
guacamole
shredded cheddar cheese
salsa


Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, blend water, lime juice, and marinade mix. Reserve half of marinade. Pour half of marinade over steak. Seal bag and toss gently to coat steak. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend 1 T of reserved marinade with sour cream. Cover and refrigerate. Brush vegetables on all sides with remaining reserved marinade. Drain steak, discarding marinade. Grill steak over medium-hot heat for 6-8 minutes per side. Stir fry vegetables until crisp-tender. Cut steak into strips. Place in tortillas with sour cream mixture and lettuce. Serve with guacamole, cheese and salsa if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Grilled Corn Salad

Have you ever tried grilled corn on the cob?  It's wonderful!  The corn becomes sweeter and this salad captures that unique flavor.  This salad is the perfect side dish for your next backyard barbecue.

4 ears fresh corn, husked and silks removed
¼ c oil, divided
½ red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
½ T dried cilantro or parsley
1 ½ T lime juice
1 T maple syrup
½ t salt
¼ t freshly ground black pepper
1 T barbecue sauce


Rub corn with 2 T oil. Grill or broil corn for 7 minutes or until ears are lightly brown. Turn with tongs to brown all sides. Remove from grill. Cut kernals off with sharp knife. Place in mixing bowl. Combine corn with red bell pepper, onions, and cilantro. Combine remaining 2 T oil with lime juice, syrup, barbecue sauce, salt, and pepper. Toss with corn mixture. Serve at room temperature.


Note: The salad can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Let stand at room temperature to take chill off before serving.

BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers

One of my favorite things to do when warm weather comes around is to fire up the barbecue grill.  At my house the grill is considered "man's territory" and my husband mans the grill if I prepare what he'll be grilling.  He's been bugging me for a while to include a few manly recipes on my blog and I think that this burger recipe fits the bill.  Try it for yourself and see what your man says!

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
½ c fresh bread crumbs
½ c Kraft original barbecue sauce, divided
8 hamburger buns
8 cheese slices
Condiments of your choice

Heat grill to medium-high heat. Mix together the ground beef, shredded cheese, bacon, bread crumbs, and 4 T barbecue sauce. Shape into 8 ½-inch thick patties. Grill 4-6 minutes on each side or until done (160°), turning and brushing occasionally with remaining barbecue sauce. Serve topped with cheese slices in prepared hamburger buns.

Fantastic Fennel Chicken

Now that warmer weather has finally arrived, it's time to fire up the grill.  Several years ago I got this easy chicken recipe off of a local television feature.  I love this recipe because it can be so versatile.  Sometimes I serve this chicken with rice or pasta but tonight I paired it with a pasta salad and fresh fruit.  The best thing about grilling is that my husband feels it is his manly responsibility to run the barbecue which means that he takes over the cooking for a night, sort of; I do the prep work and he slaves over the hot grill. 

3 or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c extra virgin olive oil
2 t fennel seed
1 t garlic, minced
2 T lemon juice


Mix together in a freezer bag and marinate chicken breasts in the refrigerator for several hours. Take chicken breasts out of marinade and grill until chicken breasts are completely cooked through.