Caprese Hamburgers with Balsamic Glaze

This is an updated post from last year

If you love caprese salads and hamburgers this recipe is for you. 

With summer winding down this is another way of treating yourself to fresh tomatoes and basil from a local farmers market or your own garden.  I personally eat all the tomatoes I can while in season and choose to go without in the off season.  I just can’t get myself to eat or spend the money for tomatoes with no color or flavor.  What’s the point?

I’ll let you know right from the start that I am not a big burger eater (or meat for that matter).  I will usually only get a craving for them once or twice a year so I am very picky on what burgers I eat when that craving comes upon me. 

I found this recipe early last spring and have to admit that it put me over my once or twice a year quota for burgers.  This is now a go to recipe for bbq’s with friends and on vacation.  The hardest part of this recipe (which still is not really hard) is getting your balsamic glaze to just the right consistency. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground beef
4 slices of tomato

 8  fresh basil leaves, according to your taste

4 (1/4-inch) slices fresh Mozzarella

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons shallots, minced

1/2 cup California Balsamic Vinegar

4 English muffins

 DIRECTIONS:

For the balsamic glaze:  Add balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat, pour vinegar in a bowl or glass, and set aside to cool and thicken.

Mix ground beef,  garlic, and shallots  in a large bowl.  Form beef mixture into 4 equal patties.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Cook on the preheated grill until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes per side for well done.

Toast English muffins on the grill (or in a toaster) until light golden brown.

Top burgers with mozzarella cheese for the last minute or so of cooking so the cheese can soften (may take a couple of minutes).

Serve burgers on English muffins and top with tomato slice and basil leave(s).

Drizzle with balsamic glaze and top with the upper English muffin half.

This recipe was adapted from

Wishes and Dishes

Where does the time go????

Wow!!!!!!  Where does the time go?????  I am just squeaking in a new post just shy of 3 months since my last one.   I'm sorry to be so neglectful but I hadn't forgotten just way too consumed with trying some new things.  I have missed my blogging and all the things I get to do to create my posts. OK, OK, enough of all of that.   How about an update?

There is way to much to tell in one blog so I will spread it out through many a blog post.  This way there is not too much blah, blah, blah and way more cool info to sink your teeth into.  I think it is best to start with currents events and work our way from there.

 Holy Shit(sorry I couldn't help myself)  Christmas is only 8 days away.  How the heck did that happen?  I'm sure I am not the only one feeling this way.   Does this happen in every faith or major event any of us choose to celebrate each year?  Is this an American phenomenon or a world wide dilemma?

 

Buddhism

Kwanza

Chanukah or Hanukkah

I am also wondering which is the proper spelling Chanukah versus Hanukkah?

Hindu Holidays

Sikh Festivals

 

Mecca

 Enough with all these questions already lets get back to blog enlightenment.  
Steve(the hubs) had this great idea for our holiday promotion to be the 12 days of Christmas.  This came to him on November 30th.  I said "We can't wait till the 13th of December, we are an online business".  My brilliant idea was the 19 days of Christmas.  OK, so the idea was brilliant but the timing for his idea and my adding an extra 7 days was anything but brilliant.  Suffice it to say it has been crazy make it happen but we have learned so much and it has been a success.  Yeah!!!

I'm listing some of the most popular promotions so far and you can check out the rest on the website for yourself.  I would love to hear from you on how the holiday season is for you?  I hope everyone in your circle of family and friends is healthy and happy this season. 

THE THIRD DAY OF CHRISTMAS
Get 15% off our Hand Blown Wine Aerator enter the coupon code 15aerator2012 at checkout to get your discount.

THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Purchase any 3 cheeses and receive 15% off your order.
Use the coupon code day5xmas2012
at checkout to receive your discount.

THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Buy one bottle of Fig Balsamic Olive oil by O Olive Oil
and receive 10% off.  Use the coupon code day8xmas2012
at check out to receive your discount

 

 
THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

Purchase one bottle of Clementine Citrus Olive Oil
by O Olive Oil and receive 10% off at checkout
use the coupon code day16xmas2012

Happy Holidays everyone and I hope to post again one more time before Christmas.

Elizabeth  www.gourmetgoodstoyou.com

Macaroni and Cheese Deep Fried?

How is it that it has been over two weeks since my last post?  Oh yes, I remember now; I am expanding both of my businesses and getting ready for the holiday season.  Maybe that's why.  Now, it's not like I haven't thought about it but by the time I get a chance to sit down to write my brain is totally fried.  Even though this post is about fried food I promise my brain is not fried at this moment so it is safe to keep reading.

I wish I could post a new recipe for you but there has been no time to be creative in the kitchen.  I started talking about this Bon Appetite article back in May but took a break during the summer.  Who wants to fry food in the heat?  Well, now that Autumn/Fall arrives on Saturday I thought I might get the conversation going again about crazy fried foods.

It just so happens that this recipe originated last January at the end of football season so what a great time to talk about it now that football season is in full swing(or kick or throw would be more appropriate).  The link for the original recipes is  http://doughmesstic.com/2012/01/31/deep-fried-macaroni-and-cheese-bites/  but I will also give you the recipe below with my own suggestions.

Ingredients

• 1 package any All Natural  Macaroni & Cheese, prepared
• 1 package panko or bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• Oil for deep drying
• 
  

Instructions

1. Prepare macaroni and cheese as directed and add chopped garlic. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, and pour macaroni into it, pressing down evenly. Cover and place in freezer for 2 hours or more, until needed.
2. Combine egg and milk in shallow dipping bowl. In a separate plate or large shallow bowl, combine  crumbs and salt.
3. Bring oil to 350-375.
4. Remove frozen macaroni from parchment and cut into small squares or triangles. Dip each into egg wash, then coat with crumbs. Fry 5-6 in hot oil until both sides are golden brown. Remove from oil onto paper towels. Repeat until all macaroni has been used. Serve and enjoy!

Peach Cobbler with a Scone Mix?

 

PEACHES, PEACHES, PEACHES

What to do with the last of the summer peaches??

As much as I hate to admit it; I have seen some trees with the leaves changing to their autumn glory and slowly drifting to the ground.  I do love all the seasons but have a really hard time giving up on summer.  What with back to school and strict morning schedules and the ever advancing holiday season.  Seriously, I saw a Thanksgiving display in a local store in July.  Just a little advice to marketers "this does not make me buy any sooner, it only pisses me off".  

 



 



I have been enjoying, selling, and introducing Sticky Fingers Scone Mixes to family and friends since 1999.  Whenever Aiden has friends over for a sleepover they get to pick their favorite flavor for their morning treat.  It is really cool to see tween age boys get so excited over eating and baking scone mixes.  They are so simple I let them do it themselves so Steve and I can sleep in.  

With the hope of keeping summer alive as long as I can here is a Peach Cobbler recipe for you using the Original Flavor Sticky Fingers Scone Mix.
 

Easy Peach Cobbler! 

Try this classic summer dessert using SFB Original scones for the cobbler topping! You'll need about 6 peaches, some sugar, cinnamon, flour, a little bit of butter and some SFB Original Scone Mix.

Slice up your peaches

s and toss with some flour, sugar and cinnamon. Put on the bottom of a square dish. Then take your mix and only add 1/2 of a cup of water so the mix is still crumbly. Put the mix on top of the peaches and then drizzle some melted butter mixed with a little sugar and cinnamon. Pop it into a 375 degree oven and wait for the top to brown and the peaches to bubble! Serve with ice cream.

If you would like to have more fruit with your peaches you could also try the Wild Blueberry or Strawberry scone mixes.

Roasted Mushrooms and Farfalle Anyone?

Well, I have been working on this post for awhile now adapting this recipe from Restaurant Lulu's cookbook.  Restaurant Lulu has a Provencal menu/recipe but I just had to add my Italian twist.  I thought I made minimal changes and it would be ready to post but "oh no".  The problem was I don't usually make minimal changes to any recipe. 

Monday was recipe testing day and wouldn't you know I of course made more changes.  Hence having to update the blog again.  I have to admit that I did not take the pictures I would have liked.   I had it in my head that I hadn't really changed anything so I could use the pics I had.  "Yeah Right".  This is also the first full week back to school for my son Aiden and that grueling "dinner must be on time" regimen is back into play.   The regimen does not coexist well with recipe creativity.  

What I can tell you is the picture of the roasted mushrooms is a great representation of how the mushrooms will look even with my changes.  What you won't see is the roasted mushrooms topping the Farfalle pasta and the sliced heirloom tomatoes and asiago cheese topping the mushrooms.  Can you imagine that?  Does it sound good?  I can assure you that I will be able to add pictures of the final product in a week or two.  My boys( husband Steve and son Aiden) have  already asked "when are you making this again".  I'll keep you posted.

Morel

 

2 lbs mixed fresh specialty mushrooms

 

Portobello

Shitake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 4 bay leaves

 

 

 

Half of a torpedo onion

  3Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3Tbls Mustard and Herbes de Provence Grilling Sauce

 

 

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste

  1/2 cup fineley chopped fresh Basil

  2 Tbls Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 

1lb Farfalle pasta

grated Asiago to taste

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

 

Clean mushrooms, remove any hard stems, and keep small mushrooms whole; halve or quarter any that are large.

 

In a medium bowl, toss mushrooms, bay leaves, 3 Tbls olive oil, Mustard and Herbes de Provence grilling sauce, garlic, torpedo onion, and salt and pepper to taste.  Place mushrooms on a baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and place mushrooms in a clean bowl.

 

While mushrooms are still hot, stir in basil and remaining olive oil.   Stir into farfalle and top with sliced tomatoes and cheese. "Mangiare"