Baja Burgers

I am not sure where Mom found this recipe, but I imagine that she tried it in order to spice up the basic burgers that we always loved. My siblings are not always open to new things, so it is quite possible that they were not too pleased with a different burger and insisted on just the basic burger. But MDS and I loved these burgers, so I highly recommend that you give them a try to mx up your burger routine.

This recipe can easily be scaled up or down for more or fewer burgers. Because you are making the patties, you can adjust the shape and size for the buns that you plan to use. Instead of french rolls, I used brioche buns. I really liked the addition of crushed corn chips in the burger, which gave the burger a great flavor. And, by cooking the burgers in the tomato sauce that became the topping for the burgers, there was a terrific blend of flavors. I used a slice of cheese rather than shredded cheese because that is what I had on hand, but many types of cheese would be great with this burger. I also slightly toasted the buns and served the burgers with grilled onions.

Baja Burgers 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup crushed corn chips
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp. garlic 
• 1/4 tsp. chili powder
• rolls or buns
• 1/4 cup sliced olives
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar 

Mix the beef and corn chips. Shape into patties slightly larger than the buns you plan to use. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in a skillet about 8-10 minutes per side. Combine tomato sauce, garlic, and chili powder; add to skillet and simmer for for a few minutes to blend flavors. Place burgers on the buns. Top each burger with sauce, olives, and cheese. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Hamburger Casserole

I found this recipe among Grandma Holmes's recipes, and it reads like so many casseroles that were popular back in the day: can of cream soup, meat, and noodles. MDS does not remember his Grandma making this casserole, but thinks that his Mom made something similar.

The good thing about a casserole such is this one is that you can easily make modifications. This time, I made modifications both for my preferred tastes and to use up some ingredients that I had around my kitchen. I used cream of celery soup instead of cream of mushroom or chicken. I also added in some extra celery instead of peas, which I highly recommend. I left off the grated cheese. But, I think cheddar would be especially delicious with this recipe. Finally, I used egg noodles, instead of Chinese noodles as listed in the recipe only because I had egg noodles available. Despite all my adjustments, this casserole came out great.

Grandma Holmes's Hamburger Casserole 

• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1-2 cups noodles
• grated cheese

Cook the noodles according to directions. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Add the onion and cook until onion begins to brown. Mix together the noodles, beef, soup, and peas. Pour into a casserole dish. Top with grated cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350. Allow to cool slightly. Enjoy!

Beer Bread

If you want to whip up a quick fresh bread, this is a recipe for you. Beer bread is easy to make, easy to modify, and always delicious. Jenny often makes beer bread that she cuts up into pieces and serves with a dip as an appetizer for parties. I often find myself eating so much beer bread that I am not very hungry when the main course is served.

Any beer can be used, and you can change the flavor of the bread with the beer used. The flavor of the bread can also be modified by adding seasonings or spices, such as garlic, onion or cheese, to the dough. If you do not have self-rising flour, you can just used three cups of all-purpose flour with three teaspoons of baking powder and a dash of salt. I used all-purpose and wheat flour because I like the wheat flour flavor. During the last ten minutes of baking, you can give the top of the bread a coating of butter or egg wash for a nice crust.

Beer Bread 

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 can (12 ounces) beer
• 3 Tbsp. sugar

Stir together the ingredients until well mixed. Pour into a buttered 9x5x3 loaf pan. Bake at 35 for about one hour. Allow to stand for ten minutes. Enjoy!

Ripe Olive Cheese Skillet Bread

Bread was (and still is) an important part of my meals. Mom loves bread and often looked to try different recipes while still relying on the old standards like French Bread. I suspect Mom found this recipe and had to give it a try because she loves olives. This recipe is an easy quick bread that is so delicious, it is hard to stop eating it. Because it is a quick bread, you can enjoy freshly baked bread without the time commitment for yeast bread.

When I made this bread, I used a round casserole dish instead of a skillet. Instead of following the exact recipe, I used a sour cream muffin recipe as the base for this bread only because I did not have instant mashed potatoes on hand. I used mozzarella cheese instead of monterey jack cheese because that is what I had on hand. I also think sharp cheddar cheese would be excellent.

Ripe Olive Cheese Skillet Bread 

• 1 can pitted ripe olives
• 4 cups buttermilk baking mix
• 1/4 cup dehydrated potato buds
• 3 Tbsp. minced onions
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 egg, beaten

Drain olives and cut into wedges. Put baking mix, potato buds, onion, garlic powder, olives, and cheese in a large bowl. Measure remaining ingredients into another bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until the flour is moistened. Turn into a well-greased nine-inch skillet. Flour hands and pat into a rounded shape. If desired, brush with additional melted butter. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Pork Chops

Actually, this recipe appears to come from Louise, but I have no idea who that is, so Grandma Holmes will get credit for the recipe. According to MDS, Grandma Holmes tended to eat dessert first, and MDS does not remember his Grandma actually making anything other than sweets. But, I am sure that she did and got this recipe from a friend and probably gave it a try, so you should too.

This recipe is a delicious and easy way to prepare pork chops. The recipe does not actually have any quantities, but I made it for two pork chops and the quantities I used seemed to work fine. One thing that I might try next time is to remove the foil during the last ten minutes of cooking time so that the top breading gets a little crunchy.

Grandma Holmes's Pork Chops 

• 2 pork chops
• 2 Tbsp. tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup  grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Trim the fat off the pork chops. Dredge each pork chop in the tomato sauce in a shallow bowl. Mix the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in another shallow bowl. Dip each pork chop in the bread crumb mixture to completely coat each with the crumbs. Place in a baking dish. Add chicken broth to about a quarter inch deep. Cover tightly and bake at 375 for about 1 hour. When done, allow to rest about five to ten minutes. Enjoy!

Lamb Burgers

Recently, I was talking with Chris about recipes for this blog, and he mentioned lamb burgers. I had completely forgotten about lamb burgers, but instantly remembered when he mentioned them. So I asked Mom about the burgers to learn what she put in them, only to learn that she bought them pre-made from Riverside Foods. So, her secret was out. But, don't let that top you from making your own lamb burgers. These burgers are so delicious.

You can make lamb burgers in the exact same way that you make regular beef burgers. And, the nice thing about making your own burgers, you can make them whatever size you want. This time, I made really large burgers. Because I was making my own burgers, I decided to try some different seasoning. I used paprika, parsley, and garlic salt. Other flavors that would pair well with lamb include mint or rosemary.

Lamb Burgers 

• 1 pound ground lamb
• 1 egg, beaten
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. paprika

In a mixing bowl, blend the lamb, egg, and seasonings. Shape into burgers. Place burgers on baking sheet lined with foil. Place under a broiler for about ten minutes per side, or until done. Serve on buns and with desired toppings. Enjoy!

King Cake

In 2013, MDS and I spent Super Bowl Week in New Orleans and had a great time. That year, the Super Bowl was just before Mardi Gras, so New Orleans was a great place to visit. And, Mardi Gras King Cake was everywhere in New Orleans. Traditionally, a bean or baby Jesus figurine is placed within the cake, and whoever finds it will have good luck or must buy the next cake. In Chicago, the paczki (a filled Polish donut) is the popular Mardi Gras treat and King Cake is not so easy to find, so I decided to make my own King Cake. This recipe is such a delicious treat, I might not wait until next Mardi Gras to make it again.

King Cake is a type of coffee cake that is more like a sweet bread than cake. This recipe uses a cinnamon filing, but other filings can be used and are readily found throughout New Orleans. Usually, it is topped with icing and then colored sugar. The New Orleans Mardi Gras colors are yellow, green, and purple. You can make colored sugar by adding food coloring to superfine sugar and spreading the color with the back of a spoon. But, I went a slightly easier route by using colored frosting and then sprinkling turbinado sugar on top of the frosting to give it that sugar crunch. So let the good times roll and give this recipe a try.

King Cake 

For the Dough:

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter 
• 8 ounces sour cream 
• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided into 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast 
• ¼ cup warm water (between 100 and 110 degrees) 
• 1 egg 
• 3 to 3½ cups all-purpose flour 

For the Filling:

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• ½ cup granulated sugar 
• 4 tablespoons of melted butter 

For the Icing:

• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
• 4 tablespoons water
• Food Coloring (optional)
• Sugar (optional) 

To Make the Dough: In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter, 4 tablespoons sugar, and salt; stir. Once the butter has melted, add the sour cream and heat to lukewarm, about 105 degrees. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, add ¼ cup warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar; stir. Allow the yeast to sit for about five minutes until it bubbles and becomes active. Once the yeast is active, whisk in the warm butter and sour cream mixture, egg, and 1 cup of the flour until smooth. Continue adding remaining flour until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Knead the dough until elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour by the teaspoon if needed.  Form the dough into a ball and cover in oil. Place the dough into a large. Cover with a wet towel, then allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches long by 14 inches wide. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the outside of the dough. Roll the cake up jellyroll-style and pinch the seams shut. Carefully move the roll to a parchment-line baking sheet, seam-side down. Bring the ends together to form an oval and press the edges together to completely seal the cake into an oval. Cover the cake with a towel and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing the cake.

To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and water until smooth until desired consistency.  Add food coloring, if desired. Spread the icing in alternating colors. Immediately sprinkle with sugar, if desired. Enjoy!