Sweet & Spicy Bacon BLT Sliders

 

Sweet & Spicy Bacon BLT Sliders

 1 cup Desert Pepper Peach Mango Salsa

1 package low sodium bacon

¾ cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic

½ cup sliced green onion

¼ cup parsley

8 toasted Sweet Hawaiian style slider buns

8 tomato slices

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

8 lettuce leaves

 

Place the Desert Pepper Peach Mango Salsa in a small food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the salsa into a small saucepan and cook, over medium low heat, until reduced, for about 12 minutes. Once the salsa has thickened, remove from the heat and set aside.

 Heat the oven to 400º and line two cookie sheets with foil. Place an oven safe cooling rack in each, lightly spray them with non-stick cooking spray, and evenly lay the bacon slices in a single layer on the racks.  Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

 In a small food processor puree the mayonnaise, garlic, green onion and parsley until smooth.

 Remove the bacon from the oven. Flip each piece over and brush with the salsa and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.

To serve, spread the mayo mixture onto the toasted slider buns. Top each bottom bun half with the tomato slices, salt and pepper, lettuce and bacon.

You can purchase Desert Pepper Salsa products at your local Sprouts, Publix, Hannaford, Harris Teeter, Shop Rite, Walmart, Giant Eagle, Market Basket, Jewel, Meijer

You can follow Desert Pepper on their Website, on Facebook and Instagram 

#desertpepperrecipechallenge #desertpeppertradingco #desertpeppersalsa

All American BBQ Burgers with Crispy Fried Potato Salad

Y’all this might be the best thing I ever made. Will you just look at it?! This is my entry for the Heinz “Art of the Burger” contest and it is phenomenal! I made a BBQ Burger patty and glazed it with Heinz Texas Style Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce then I made potato salad and deep fried it until it’s crispy and golden on the outside but still cool and creamy on the inside because potato salad is great, but fried potato salad is way better. 

All American BBQ Burgers with Crispy Fried Potato Salad 

Crispy Fried Potato Salad Patties:

¼ cup Heinz Real Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons Heinz Sweet Relish

2 Tablespoons minced red onion

2 Tablespoons minced celery

1 Tablespoon Heinz 100% Natural Yellow Mustard

½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning 

2 cups peeled and boiled potatoes, cut into small bite sized pieces

2 cups frying oil

¼ cup flour

1 egg

½ cup panko

¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, red onion, celery, mustard, and Cajun seasoning. Gently stir in the potatoes. Using the back of a spoon, press ¼ of the potato salad into a round cookie cutter, on a parchment lined cookie sheet creating 4 patties. Place in the freezer for 2 hours, or until frozen through. 

Heat the frying oil to 350°in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water in a separate shallow bowl and combine the panko, Italian breadcrumbs and Cajun seasoning in a third bowl. Lightly coat the frozen potato patties with flour, then dip in the egg, then coat generously with the breadcrumb mixture.

Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a large, slotted spatula and place on a wire rack to drain.

All American BBQ Burgers:

1 pound ground chuck 

1 ½ teaspoon BBQ rub

1/3 cup Heinz Texas Style Bold & Spicy BBQ Sauce

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Gently form the meat into 4 patties and season with the BBQ rub. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until a good crust has formed on the bottom. Flip the patties over and cook for 2 minutes. Brush each patty with the sauce and allow to cook for 2 minutes more.

To Assemble and Serve:

¼ cup Heinz Real Mayonnaise

4 brioche style hamburger buns, toasted

4 large lettuce leaves

4 slices tomato

4 thin slices red onion

½ cup Heinz Hamburger Dill Pickle Chips

Spread the mayonnaise on both sides of the toasted brioche buns. Place lettuce, tomato and red onion on each burger bun bottom. Top with BBQ Burger Patties, Crispy Fried Potato Salad Patties, dill pickle chips and the bun tops. 

Dim Sum Dumpling Burgers with Crispy Wonton Crab Rangoon and Napa Cabbage Slaw

 It has been almost 4 months since I've had a contest to create a recipe for and I can not tell you how happy I am to be able to have the chance to be back in the kitchen working on entries again! This one I'm sharing today is for a contest that I have entered before and never won. I'm really hoping that what I've created this year catches the judges eyes and the $10,000 prize because I can promise you the flavor is insane in these! 

Dim Sum Dumpling Burgers with Crispy Wonton Crab Rangoon and Napa Cabbage Slaw

4 ounces room temperature whipped cream cheese

¼ cup finely sliced green onion

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 cup shredded imitation crab meat

1 ½ cups thinly shaved napa cabbage

¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

¼ cup cilantro leaves

1 small jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, sliced thinly

1 Tablespoon olive oil

12 ounces cremini mushrooms

2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons finely minced ginger

2 Tablespoons panko

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon white pepper

½ pound lean ground pork

½ pound lean ground beef

½ cup sweet Thai chili sauce

4 sweet Hawaiian hamburger buns, toasted

1 cup fried wonton strips

In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cream cheese, green onion and white pepper. Gently stir in the crab meat until evenly mixed and place in the fridge to chill.

In a separate medium mixing bowl gently toss the napa cabbage, green onion, cilantro and jalapeno slices together.

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Roughly chop mushrooms and add them to the hot oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger and sauté for 2-4 more minutes. Place the sautéed mushroom mixture in a large mixing bowl and set aside to allow them to cool. 

To the large mixing bowl with the chopped sautéed mushrooms, add the panko, salt, white pepper, ground pork and ground beef. Mix thoroughly to combine and shape the meat mixture into 4 patties. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat, add patties to pan and cook 5 minutes or until a brown crust has formed on the underside of the patty. Flip burgers over and cook another 5 minutes. Brush the patties with the sweet Thai chili sauce. 

To serve spread the remaining sweet Thai chili sauce on both sides of the toasted buns. Top each bottom bun with the cabbage mixture, a mushroom burger patty, some wonton strips, a scoop of the crab Rangoon mixture, more wonton strips, and the top bun. Serve immediately. 

Garlic Bread Artichoke Meatball Sliders

 Have you ever seen frozen meatballs look so good?! Brioche slider buns get toasted with garlic butter and layered with a quick and creamy lemon aioli, meatballs, jarred artichoke tapenade and baby arugula for a slider that looks like a million bucks, but only takes 20 minutes to make! I think these will be my go-to app for homegating, tailgating, Friendsgiving and holiday parties!

 This is my entry for the Rosina’s Everything Italian Recipe Contest

Garlic Bread Artichoke Meatball Sliders

Lemon Aioli:

½ cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, finely minced

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

 

1 (26 oz) bag frozen Rosina Italian Style Meatballs

 

Garlic Bread Slider Buns:

16 Brioche slider buns

2 Tablespoons melted butter

½ teaspoon garlic salt

 

1 ¼ cup jarred Artichoke tapenade spread

2 cups baby arugula

 

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

To make the Lemon Aioli whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, black pepper and lemon juice.

Prepare the meatballs as directed on the package.

Lay the tops of the slider buns on a foil lined cookie sheet. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the garlic salt. Place on the oven’s top rack and bake, until slightly browned and toasted, about 5 minutes. Once toasted, spread lemon aioli on the cut, untoasted sides of the bun tops.

Spread the bun bottoms with artichoke spread, top with baby arugula leaves, meatballs, and the toasted bun tops. Serve immediately.

Korean Style Shrimp Po-Boys with Kimchi Pickles

I have really enjoyed working with the delicious sauces that Lucky Foods sent me and this is my second entry for Lucky Foods' Blogger Recipe Contest!

Have you ever had Bang Bang Shrimp? They're crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy, sweet sauce that is absolutely addictive. That was my inspiration for this dish. Y'all know I love a po-boy too, so the idea for this recipe came together for me in no-time. I also need you to know that my son ate 3 of these in one sitting last night, so let that be your proof of how yummy these are!

Korean Style Shrimp Po-Boys with Kimchi Pickles

½ cup Lucky Foods Seoul Vegan Original Kimchi

½ cup sliced dill pickle chips, drained well

¾ cup Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo

¼ cup sweet Thai Chili Sauce

2 Tablespoons honey

6 cups canola oil for frying

2 pounds large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup cornstarch

2 (15 inch) French bread loaves

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

4 small tomatoes, sliced

2 Tablespoons sliced green onion

In a small mixing bowl stir together the kimchi and pickles. Set aside to marinade.

In a separate small mixing bowl whisk together the Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi Mayo, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce and honey.

Pour the canola oil into a small Dutch oven fitted with a candy thermometer and place over medium high heat. Bring the heat to 375 degrees.

While the oil is heating, place the shrimp and the buttermilk in a small mixing bowl and toss so the shrimp are evenly coated. Remove the shrimp from the buttermilk, allow the excess to drain off and coat in the cornstarch. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until lightly brown, about 3-4 minutes, and place on a cooling rack placed in a large cookie sheet to drain the excess oil.

Once all the shrimp are fried, add them to a large mixing bowl along with 2/3 cup of the Kimchi Mayo mixture. Toss to coat the shrimp evenly. 

Slice the bread loaves in half, lengthwise and spread a thin layer of the remaining Kimchi Mayo mixture on both sides. Top each evenly with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and a generous amount of the shrimp. Sprinkle with green onions, slice into 6 portions and serve immediately with the kimchi pickles on the side.

You can follow Lucky Foods on their website, Facebook and Instagram

#eatluckyfoods #luckyfoodsrecipechallenge

Blackened Turkey Tenderloin Po Boy with Avocado & Bacon Remoulade

 

This is my entry for the "Grill Outside The Lines Contest"

Blackened Turkey Tenderloin Po Boy with Avocado & Bacon Remoulade 

1 ½ Tablespoons Cajun Blackening Seasoning Blend

1 package Honeysuckle White Turkey Breast Tenderloins

1 cup mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons creole style mustard

2 Tablespoons hot sauce

2 Tablespoons chili sauce

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons white pepper

½ cup finely chopped bacon

2 (15 inch) French bread loaves

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

4 small tomatoes, sliced

1 cup hamburger pickle chips

Preheat grill to high heat.

Season the turkey with the blackening seasoning and grill for about 10 minutes per side (until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees).

Remove from the grill and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and then slice.

In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, chili sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, white pepper and bacon.

Slice the bread loaves in half, lengthwise and spread a thin layer of the Remoulade Sauce on both sides. Top each evenly with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pickles and a generous amount of sliced turkey. Drizzle with Remoulade Sauce and slice into 6 portions. Serve immediately.

Big as TX Blended BBQ Burger with Brisket and Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw

 “Big as TX Blended BBQ Burger with Brisket and Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw”

Pickle & Jalapeño Slaw:

1 1/3 cup thinly sliced cabbage

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 large jalapeno, chopped

½ cup chopped bread and butter pickles

4 teaspoons pickle juice

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon garlic salt

Blended BBQ Burger:

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces white button mushrooms

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon BBQ seasoning rub

1-pound ground chuck

8 slices Texas Garlic Toast 

4 slices red onion

2 cups shredded leftover BBQ brisket, warmed

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cabbage, green onions, jalapeno, pickles, pickle juice, mayonnaise and garlic salt. Set he mixture in the fridge to chill.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Roughly chop mushrooms and add them to the hot oil. Cook for 10 minutes or until mushrooms have browned and softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2-4 more minutes. Place sautéed mushrooms in a large mixing bowl and set aside to allow them to cool. 

To the large mixing bowl with the chopped sautéed mushrooms, add the Worcestershire sauce, BBQ seasoning and ground beef. Mix thoroughly to combine and shape the meat mixture into 4 patties. Heat the remaining Tablespoon of oil in the pan. Once oil is hot add patties to pan and cook 5-7 minutes or until a brown crust has formed on the underside of the patty. Flip burgers over and cook another 3 minutes. 

Toast the Texas Toast, following the package directions, until nicely golden brown and crisp.

To assemble the burgers, place an equal amount of slaw on 4 toast slices. Top with sliced red onion, a burger patty and shredded brisket. Drizzle with barbecue sauce and top with the remaining toast slices. Serve immediately. 

This is my entry for the Blended Burger Contest put on by the Mushroom Council and Food Network

BLT Tuna Cake Sliders with Caper Lemon Dill Mayo

This is my final entry for the Tonnino Tuna Blogger Recipe Challenge and it might be my favorite one! BLTs are a classic for a reason - those flavors are just irresistible together. I took that epic pairing and sauced it with a delish Caper Lemon and Dill Mayo. The fresh dill and bright lemon zest compliment the Tuna Cakes perfectly. Tonnino Tuna Filets in Olive Oil are bound with a little bit of fresh breadcrumbs, cajun seasoning and mashed cannelini beans which creates the perfect slider patties. These BLT Tuna Cake Sliders with Caper Lemon Dill Mayo are as cute as they are delicious.

BLT Tuna Cake Sliders with Caper Lemon Dill Mayo 
½ cup mayo
1 Tablespoon chopped capers
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 jar (6.7 oz) Tonnino Tuna Filets in Olive Oil, drained
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons minced shallot
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
½ teaspoon mustard powder

8 slider buns, toasted
8 lettuce leaves
16 cooked bacon slices
8 slices tomato

In a small bowl whisk together the mayo, capers, dill, lemon juice, zest and Dijon mustard. Set in the fridge to chill.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the cannellini beans with a potato masher until smooth. Gently stir in the eggs, Tonnino Tuna Filets in Olive Oil, breadcrumbs, shallot, parsley, Cajun seasoning and mustard powder. Using a ¼ cup scoop divide the mixture into 8 equal portions on a large sheet of wax paper. Form into evenly shaped patties. Brush a large cast iron skillet or griddle pan with the oil and set over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the patties and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the patties over and continue to cook for another 3 minutes.

To assemble the sliders, spread the prepared sauce on both sides of each toasted slider bun. Place one piece of lettuce, 2 slices of bacon and a tuna cake on each bun bottom. Top with tomato slices and the bun tops and serve immediately.

Be sure to follow Tonnino on Facebook and Instagram  for more recipe ideas 

and to find out more about their delicious products!

You can find 8 flavors of Gourmet Tonnino Tuna Fillets made from 100% Yellowfin tuna which is low-mercury, Dolphin safe and wild-caught at your local Whole Foods

#temptingyourtaste #tonninobloggerchallenge

Pulled Pork Muffulettas

Smithfield Pork is hosting their Shake It Up Contest and they asked for people to send in their best ideas and pictures of ways to Shake Up dinner in your kitchen using their pork products. 

Having grown up in New Orleans, my love for muffulettas runs deep and I knew immediately what I would make for this challenge - Pulled Pork Muffulettas

This contest wanted a picture and a brief description of your recipe idea. Here's what I submitted:

"I shake up a New Orleans classic by filling my Muffulettas with Smithfield Pork Butt instead of deli meats! Dusted with Cajun seasoning, slow cooked and shredded, the pork is the star of the show! Pile on toasted buns, top with provolone cheese and olive relish and dinner is ready in no time!"

I'm thrilled to say that I was chosen as one of the Top 20 Finalists and the prize is a $100 gift card. The grand prize winner gets $5,000 (WHAT?!?!) and was supposed to be announced on the 20th. I will not tell you the embarrassing amount of times I've checked to see if it's been announced yet but I will say that I have my fingers crossed that they pick my dish as the winner. Wish me luck!!

Update!! Unfortunately, I did not win the grand prize but my fabulously talented friend Lidia H. did and I'm so very happy for her! Congrats Lidia on a job well done!

Beyond the Burger and Fries

Happy Friday!! I woke up to some pretty awesome news- my Blackened Cajun Shrimp Burgers with Remoulade Sauce and Crispy Okra Fries WON the Hellmann's Beyond the Burgers and Fries contest and $750!!! I am so thrilled that the judges liked my dish and chose it among all of the other entries. Usually I don't get to hear judges feedback but along with the announcement they included this:

"The judging for this one was tough. The quality of entries was higher than we have seen before. 

The judges loved the tangy and sweet combination of the tartar and ketchup in the remoulade creating a sauce for multiple uses. The cajun inspired dish was unexpected and simple to make using real, natural ingredients."

How cool is that?!

 The competition in this contest was fierce and really challenged me to bring my best ideas to the table. Here re all of the entries that I submitted:

Blackened Cajun Shrimp Burgers with Remoulade Sauce and Crispy Okra Fries

Stuffed Artichoke Muffuletta Burgers with Fried Green Tomato Fries

Cheeseburger Waffle Fry Mini Frittatas

Cheeseburger and Tots Benedict Stackers

Cheeseburger 7 Layer Dip with Wedge Fry Dippers

Stuffed Artichoke Muffuletta Burgers with Fried Green Tomato Fries

 Hellmann's is hosting a "Beyond the Burgers and Fries" contest and this is my final entry! This is my meatless spin on a classic New Orleans sandwich- the Muffuletta. Instead of layers of deli meats, I made a stuffed artichoke patty, topped it with melty provolone cheese, olive relish, fresh lettuce and remoulade sauce. In place of the fries? Fried green tomato fries, of course! 

Perfect for dipping in the extra remoulade sauce!

Stuffed Artichoke Muffuletta Burgers with Fried Green Tomato Fries

1 cup giardiniera, drained

1 cup green olives with pimentos

1 cup black olives

2 ½ Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

4 teaspoons zesty Italian salad dressing

3 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper 

2 green onions, sliced thinly 

1 cup breadcrumbs

3/4 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

½ teaspoon salt 

¾ cup Hellmann’s Tartar Sauce

2 Tablespoons Hellmann’s Ketchup

2 Tablespoons chili garlic sauce

2 Tablespoons butter

6 slices provolone cheese

1 ½ cup shredded lettuce

6 onion hamburger buns, toasted

Coarsely chop the giardiniera, green olives and black olives. Add the chopped vegetables to a medium mixing bowl along with the parsley and salad dressing. Stir to combine and set aside.

Lay the artichokes out on a clean dish towel and squeeze liquid from artichokes, until artichokes are well dried. Place artichokes, eggs, roasted red bell pepper, green onions, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir gently until thoroughly combined. Mold into 6 even sized patties on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

While the burger mixture is chilling make the remoulade sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the tartar sauce, ketchup and chili garlic sauce. Set in the fridge to chill.

Heat the butter in a large cast-iron skillet or non-stick griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for about 3-5 minutes. Flip the patties over and top with the cheese slices. Continue to cook about 5 minutes more, until the patties are cooked through and the cheese is melted. 

To assemble, spread the toasted burger buns lightly with some of the remoulade sauce. Top each burger bun bottom with shredded lettuce, an artichoke cake, olive salad mix and the top bun.

Fried Green Tomato Fries

2 cups yellow cornmeal

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups buttermilk

6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

4 medium green (unripe) tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch-thick matchstick

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, bread crumbs, flour, pepper, and the salt. Pour the buttermilk in a shallow dish.

In a large Dutch oven fitted with a deep-fry thermometer, over medium heat, bring the oil up to 350° degrees.

Working in batches dredge the tomato fries first in buttermilk, then the cornmeal mixture, shaking off any excess. Carefully place tomato fries in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a wire rack.

 #Hellmanns #beyondburgerandfries #ContestEntry  

Five Bean Salad Mini Muffulettas

 What is easy to throw together, perfect for a party and insanely delicious?
My Five Bean Salad Mini Muffulettas of course!
Thinly shaved ham, meaty salami, melted swiss and provolone cheese all piled onto mini sesame seed buns loaded with a tangy fresh Five Bean and Olive relish. Whether you decide to pull them out for a holiday party, while tailgating or just for yourself - they'll disappear fast!

Five Bean Salad Mini Muffulettas
1 cup Paisley Farm Foods Five Bean Salad, drained
2/3 cup green olives with pimentos
2/3 cup black olives
2 ½ Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
4 teaspoons zesty Italian salad dressing
12 slider sized sesame seed hamburger buns
10 ounces shaved deli ham
4 ounces sliced salami
5 ounces sliced provolone cheese
5 ounces sliced swiss cheese

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

Coarsely chop the Five Bean Salad, green olives and black olives. Add the chopped vegetables to a medium mixing bowl along with the parsley and salad dressing. Stir to combine.

Lay the slider bun bottoms onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Top each bun bottom evenly with ham, salami, provolone and then swiss cheese. Place in the oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove the pan from the oven, top each slider with the marinated bean relish, place the bun lids on top and serve immediately.

Makes 12 sliders.

 Paisley Farm Foods sent me their delicious line of products to test out and create recipes with for their Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge. They've been making flavorful bean salads and marinated vegetables since 1945! Find their delicious line of products HERE

#paisleyfarm #paisleyfarmfresh #kroger

Mexican Street Corn Burgers

Y'all know I can't help myself when it comes to Tex-Mex mash ups, right? Well, I did it again. For my 5th entry into the #RespectTheBunPromotion for Pepperidge Farm I made this stunner: The Mexican Street Corn Burger! A turkey burger patty flavored with taco seasoning, a zesty jalapeno cilantro mayo spread, bacon, creamy lime roasted corn salad and crispy corn chips all piled on a toasted pillowy potato bun!

These are the best kind of messy there is!

I mean just look at it! I was going to wait to post this tomorrow, but I couldn't. Also, have you tried the jarred mild pickled jalapenos before? They are in almost every Tex-Mex dish I make and I'm full on obsessed with them. Look for them where the olives, roasted red peppers and pickled veggies are. They just might be your new favorite too!

Mexican Street Corn Burgers

1 cup packed cilantro leaves

2/3 cup mayonnaise

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup jarred mild pickled jalapenos 

2 teaspoons juice from the pickled jalapeno jar

1 small garlic clove 

1 (11 ounce) bag frozen roasted corn and peppers

1 Tablespoon mayonnaise

1 large lime, zested and juiced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese 

1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey

1/3 cup taco seasoning

2 Tablespoons olive oil

12 slices cooked bacon

1 ½ cups corn chips

6 Pepperidge Farm Golden Potato Hamburger Buns, lightly toasted

Place the cilantro, mayonnaise, pepper, pickled jalapenos and juice and garlic in a small food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Set in the fridge to chill. 

Prepare the corn according to package directions. When cool enough to handle, pour the mixture into a medium mixing bowl, along with the mayonnaise, lime zest and juice, chili powder and crumbled cotija cheese. Stir together until the corn is evenly coated. 

Preheat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, taco seasoning and olive oil until evenly combined and shape the mixture into 6 patties. Cook the patties for 5 minutes, flip and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until juices run clear.

To assemble the burgers, spread each cut side of the buns with the cilantro mayonnaise. Top the bottom buns with bacon, a burger patty, street corn salad, corn chips and burger bun tops. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 burgers.

Ham & Swiss Slider Burgers

Have you ever tried those baked slider sandwiches before with the sweet and sticky glaze, ham and melty cheese? They are absolutely decadent and delicious and I think I just raised the bar by making them into burger sliders! My son stopped in the middle of scarfing one of these down and declared 

"I could live off these for the rest of my life"

Me too son, me too.

I swapped the traditional dijon for a spicy brown mustard in the glaze and used Golden Potato pillowy slider buns to soak up all of the buttery glaze.

Look at those buns!! Who could pass that up?

Ham & Swiss Slider Burgers

2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard

8 Tablespoons melted butter 

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

12 slices deli ham

12 slices swiss cheese

1 package Pepperidge Farm Golden Potato Slider Buns

Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat and set the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mustard, melted butter, onion powder, Worcestershire Sauce, poppy seeds and brown sugar.

To make the Burger Patties, add the chuck, sirloin, garlic and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended, handling as little as possible to avoid overworking. Shape into 12 even patties to fit the bun size. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook about 3-4 minutes. Flip the burgers over and top with ham and then cheese. Cover and cook another 3 minutes longer, or until the patties are medium rare and the cheese is melted. 

Place the bun bottoms on a large foil lined cookie sheet and brush them with a very thin layer of the melted butter mixture. Place the bun lids on top and then brush the remaining butter over them. Place in the oven and allow to toast for 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning. 

To assemble the burgers, remove the buns from the oven and place the burger patties on top of each bun bottom, top with the bun lids and serve immediately with lots of napkins!

#RespectTheBunPromotion   #PepperidgeFarmBuns  

The Cobb Salad Burger

I'm so so excited to share my next entry for the Pepperidge Farm Respect the Bun Promotion!!
This one is a stunner for sure. Who doesn't love a good Cobb Salad?!
It's definitely hearty enough to satisfy those people that don't think a salad can be a meal. But there is no question this version is a full meal. Bacon, hard boiled eggs, blue cheese, avocado; I'm all in.
As amazing as this burger combo is, I think the real star of the show on this beauty is the Ranch Butter Buns. Yep, you read that right- Ranch. Butter. Buns.
Honestly, the Ranch Butter would be good on just about anything. Popcorn, grilled corn, baked potatoes, shrimp. I'll stop there to not pull a Forrest Gump, but I promise if you end up with extra butter, that would be a good problem to have.

The Cobb Salad Burger
Ranch Butter
4 Tablespoons room temperature butter
2 Tablespoons Ranch dressing seasoning mix

Burger Patties
1 pound ground chuck
½ pound ground sirloin
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

4 Pepperidge Farm Sesame Seed Buns
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
8 slices cooked bacon
4 large tomato slices
8 slices ripe avocado
3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

Heat a gas grill to medium-high heat and set the oven to 500 degrees.
In a small mixing bowl stir together the butter and Ranch seasoning mix.
To make the Burger Patties, add the chuck, sirloin, garlic and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix until well blended, handling as little as possible to avoid overworking. Shape into 4 even patties to fit the bun size. Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning only once, about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
Lay the opened buns on a large cookie sheet. Spread each bun top and bottom with an even thin layer of the softened Ranch butter. Place in the oven and allow to toast for 5 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
To assemble the burgers, place shredded lettuce, blue cheese and then a burger patty on top of each bun bottom and then top with two pieces of bacon. Place tomato, avocado and hard-boiled egg slices on top of the bacon. Place the top half of the toasted buns on each and serve immediately with lots of napkins!

#RespectTheBunPromotion #PepperidgeFarmBuns #Burgers #Grilling