It’s that time of year again, the time for summer cookouts. With the 4^th of July approaching you are probably looking for something to make. This year you can make something different with these guacamole burgers. These burgers are topped with bacon, pepper jack cheese, and homemade guacamole. The key to good burgers is not overcooking them and making sure that they are seasoned well. For good seasoning I find a few twists of a salt and pepper grinder is the best. The guacamole and bacon can be prepared in advance. For the guacamole you can either use the recipe here or make your own. Enjoy.

Guacamole Burgers

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
2lbs ground hamburger
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 slices bacon (cooked)
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 hamburger buns
Guacamole-
3 ripe avocados (peeled and pitted)
The juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup onion (diced)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 roma tomatoes (diced)
1 teaspoon fresh garlic (minced)
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: To make guacamole- in a medium bowl mash avocados together with the lime juice. Add salt. Stir in cilantro, tomatoes and garlic. Mix in cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
Step 2: Shape the ground burger into 4 patties. Season on both sides with freshly ground salt and black pepper. Lightly grease the grates of your grill and heat the grill to medium high heat. Grill hamburger patties until they have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Within the last few minutes of cooking top patties with 2 slices of bacon and a slice of pepper jack cheese.
Step 3: Split the hamburger buns and lightly toast the halves on the grill. Remove from the grill and set aside. Place a burger patty on each bun. Top with guacamole and the top half of the bun.
Yield: (4 Servings)

Beef with mushrooms is already a delicious combination to begin with but when you add Chinese flavors into the mix, it becomes even better. The best part about this recipe is that no deep fryer is needed; everything can be done in a fry pan or wok. It is also very easy to prepare for those of you who are just beginning to cook Chinese cuisine. The marinade which combines flavors such as soy sauce and oyster sauce is also used as the sauce for this recipe. If you want to add additional vegetables into the stir fry such as onion and broccoli, that would be great as well. As always, this recipe goes great served over white rice. Enjoy.

Chinese Beef with Mushrooms

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs flank steak (sliced into thin strips)
4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
4 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup fresh mushrooms (sliced)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large bowl combine garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, water, and cornstarch. Mix well. Add flank steak and marinade for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Heat a wok or fry pan to medium high heat. Add oil. Remove steak slices from the marinade with a slotted spoon (reserving the marinade) and place into the pan and stir fry until the steak is fully cooked (about 5 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Step 3: Add a little more oil to the wok if necessary and add mushroom slices. Stir fry mushrooms for 3 minutes. Add the marinade liquid to the wok, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds. Return steak to the pan and simmer until heated through.
Yield: (4 Servings)

It’s officially summer and that means strawberries are in season. With fresh strawberries come numerous ideas for delicious desserts. One classic dessert recipe with fresh strawberries is strawberry shortcakes. Normally when I make these I just buy angel food cake but this time I decided to try making my own. I actually got this recipe off of the back of a bisquick box. With that said, it’s no surprise this recipe calls for original bisquick mix.  If you want to make your own strawberry shortcakes give this a try. Enjoy.

Strawberry Shortcakes

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)
¼ cup sugar
2 ½ cups Original Bisquick mix
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
whipped cream (such as cool whip or Reddi wip)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mixt the strawberries and ¼ cup of sugar. Set aside.
Step 2: In a medium bowl stir together bisquick mix, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter until a soft dough forms. Drop by the spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. Place into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from the oven. Split warm shortcakes. Fill and top with whipped cream and strawberries.
Yield: (6 Servings)

When KFC first introduced the mashed potato bowl a few years ago I was pretty excited to try it. Mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and breaded chicken topped with cheese, how could this not be good? It was no surprise to me when I tried it and it actually was good. The problem with most fast food places is that they are often hit or miss. So after having many disappointing mashed potato bowls I decided it was time to make my own. The result was fantastic. The chicken pieces were well seasoned and I used Campbell’s beef gravy for a nice rich flavor. This recipe is a little work but I can assure you it’s worth it. This makes for a great dinner and if you enjoy the mashed potato bowls from KFC, you will enjoy this recipe.
 

Mashed Potato Bowl

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1” chunks)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon pepper
¾ teaspoon accent salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup milk
oil (for deep frying)
Mashed Potatoes-
8 large potatoes (peeled and quartered)
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper (to taste)
½ cup butter
¾ cup milk
2 cans Campbell’s Beef Gravy (heated)
2 cups corn (heated)
1 bag shredded Colby Jack Cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a shallow bowl beat together 1 egg and 1 cup of milk. Combine all of the coating ingredients in another shallow bowl, pie plate, or shaker bag and mix well. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture then into the coat and double dip. Deep fry in batches at 375 degrees until chicken pieces are golden brown and fully cooked. Drain on paper towels.
Step 2: While chicken is frying. To make mashed potatoes: Add potatoes and salt to a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil potatoes until tender. Drain water and add pepper, butter, and milk. Mash or beat until smooth.
Step 3: To assemble potato bowls- Add a layer of mashed potato onto the bottom of a boil. Top with corn, chicken pieces, gravy and cheese. Divide the ingredients evenly within 4 bowls.
Yield: (4 Servings)

If you like to cook up fresh fish this recipe is perfect for you. Summer is my favorite time to go fishing and often I end up catching a lot of bluegill and bass. I am always looking to try new breading recipes. This particular recipe will make your fish fillets extremely crispy. The breading mixture is well seasoned and its crisp texture comes from dried potato flakes. A lot of these spice ingredients may seem like a lot, but I found the seasoning to be just right.  If you are looking to have a fish fry give this recipe a try. Enjoy.

Breaded Fish

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups dry potato flakes
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 eggs
8 bluegill fillets (can also use bass, crappie, or tilapia)
Oil (for frying)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Heat a deep fryer to 350 degrees. In a small bowl beat together 2 eggs. In a pie plate combine potato flakes, flour, garlic powder, seasoning salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
Step 2: Dip fillets into egg mixture and then roll in the potato mixture until evenly coated.
Step 3: Fry fish fillets in the deep fryer (in batches if necessary) for 5 minutes or until the fish flakes apart easily and is golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Yield: (4 Servings)

If you are looking to try something different from tacos, beef tostadas is the way to go. I had thought about using shredded beef instead of ground but using ground beef seemed so much easier. The best part about this recipe is the homemade taco seasoning mixture. The addition of cornstarch really gives it a great texture. We are also making homemade tostada shells from torn tortillas. These beef tostadas can be served with black olives, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Enjoy.

Beef Tostadas

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2lbs ground burger
4 teaspoons dried minced onion
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 corn tortillas
cooking spray
1 (16 ounce) refried beans
shredded cheddar cheese
romaine lettuce (sliced)
tomatoes (diced)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a small bowl combine minced onion, chili powder, cornstarch, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and pepper cayenne. Set aside. In a large skillet over medium high heat brown ground beef. Drain off an excess fat and stir in taco seasoning mixture and ½ cup of water. Simmer for 10 minutes or the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is thick. Set aside. In a small saucepan heat refried beans over low heat.
Step 2: To make tostada shells- Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray tortillas on both sides with cooking spray and place onto a baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake turning once for 10 minutes or until crispy and light brown.
Step 3: To assemble tostadas- spread a thin layer of refried beans on each tostada shell. Top with taco meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Yield: (4 Servings)

The ingredients of chicken fajitas are put into bowls for a nice and spicy Mexican dinner. This recipe gets most of its heat from Chipotle in Adobo sauce. I found it to be fairly spicy so if you do not like hot food I would recommend you cut down on the amount of Chipotle in adobo. The process to preparing this recipe is very simple. The chicken is simmered in a tomato sauce with black beans, onions, and peppers. If you don’t want to use white rice, you can use brown rice instead. Enjoy.
 

Chicken Fajita Bowls

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bit sized pieces)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups crushed tomatoes
½ cup green pepper (diced)
¼ cup onion (diced)
3 teaspoons chipotle in adobo sauce (minced)
½ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 corn tortilla chips (broken into pieces)
2 cups cooked hot white rice
lettuce, sour cream, and cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large saucepan over medium high heat combine chicken, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, onions, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cumin and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
Step 2: Divide the hot cooked rice into four bowls. Place chicken mixture on top of the rice in each bowl, and top with chips, cheese, sour cream and lettuce.
Yield: (4 Servings)

Tuna salad sandwiches are pretty basic and often disappointing… but this one is different. Not only does it consist of ingredients from a tuna salad but from a Waldorf salad as well. A quick glance at the ingredient list will tell the story if this sandwich is right for you. The crunch from the apple and celery add a nice touch to this sandwich, and the Swiss cheese tops it off nicely. There is a bit of prep work required but it is worth it. This recipe is perfect for summer and it can be prepared in advance for picnics. Enjoy.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 (6 ounce) can oil-packed tuna
1 shallot (finely chopped)
1 Granny Smith apple (cored and  diced)
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup celery (diced)
1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
8 slices Rye bread
4 lettuce leaves
4 slices Swiss cheese

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix in tuna, shallot, apple, walnuts, celery and pickle relish. Mix until all the ingredients are coated with the dressing.
Step 2: Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of a slice of Rye bread. Add a layer of tuna salad on top of the lettuce and top with a slice of Swiss and the top half of the rye bread. Repeat until all sandwiches are made.
Yield: (4 Servings)

Hunan beef is another great spicy Asian dish. Although not at the top of my list, I do enjoy making it once in awhile. This dish consists of deep fried strips of beef, broccoli, and a spicy sauce. If you don’t want to deep fry the beef, it can be cooked in the pan as well. I usually prefer to deep fry because I enjoy the texture better.  This recipe gets its spice from Chili paste with garlic. If you want less heat you can reduce the amount added to the sauce. Placing the beef into the freezer for about an hour before slicing will make the beef easier to slice and allow you to get thinner strips. If you don’t want to use broccoli, you can replace it with another vegetable or several other kinds of vegetables. Serve with white rice.
 

Hunan Beef

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
3/4lb flank steak (sliced into thin strips)
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
oil (for frying)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili paste with garlic
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
Several drops sesame oil (to taste)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
4 cups broccoli florets
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1/8 teaspoon salt

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a medium bowl combine beef, egg white and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside. In another bowl mix together soy sauce and chili paste. Mix in 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees. Deep fry strips of beef in batches for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Step 3: Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sauce mixture to the wok and cook until it becomes thickened and bubbly. Mix in cooked beef strips and cook for 1 minute. Remove beef and sauce from the pan to a platter and set aside.
Step 4: Wipe the fry pan clean. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add sherry and salt. Add broccoli florets and stir fry for 1 minute. Serve broccoli with the beef mixture and white rice.
Yield: (4 Servings)