Best Burger Ever with Secret Sauce

Ingredients:

Burger:

2 lbs. ground beef, 85/15

1/2 c. grated Monterrey jack cheese

1/4 c. BBQ sauce

season salt, to taste

cracked black pepper

onion powder

Secret Sauce:

3/4 c. mayo

1/4 c. ketchup

1/4 c. relish

2 T. Worcestershire

seasoned salt

hamburger buns

cheese slices

lettuce

avocado

tomato

other hamburger toppings

Recipe:

1. Combine the ground beef, grated cheese, BBQ sauce, and seasonings. Shape patties that are about 1-inch thick.

2. Then is it very important to push a 1/2 inch indent into the center of the patty - this is what prevents the patty from becoming a dome. These burgers stay extra moist because the BBQ sauce and cheese are mixed in with the meat.

3. Wait for the skillet to get super hot and then apply a very thin layer of butter to the pan. Place the patties on the pan, indent side up.

4. Reduce heat to medium and allow patty to cook for about 4-6 minutes, but make sure it doesn't burn. Then flip the burger over and cook until done.

5. For the sauce: combine all ingredients and whisk until well mixed. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking.

6. Assemble the burgers and serve with toppings.

Rating: 3 of 5

I actually wasn't that impressed with this burger recipe. It could be because we had the most amazing burgers the week before, so expectations were a little skewed. But, yes, these burger were juicy, and had pretty good flavor. One thing that drove me nuts about this recipe is that there was no specific measurement for some of the ingredients. It's not that big of a deal, but it is helpful.

Source: Little Miss Momma, Best Burger Recipe Ever with Secret Sauce

Southwest Chipotle Burgers

Ingredients:

Burgers:

1 1/2 lb. ground chuck or ground sirloin *

1-1/2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce**

1 1/2 T. adobo sauce (from the chipotle chili can)

1/4 c. grated onion ***

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. cumin

1 1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. pepper

* I used just 1 lb ground beef. It's what I had on hand

** I've learned from experience that I can't quite handle all the heat a whole pepper brings to the plate, so I just eliminated the pepper.

*** Used my old stand-by of dried chopped oinon

Chipotle-Lime Mayo:

1/2 c. mayo

2 t. lime juice

1 1/2 t. adobo sauce (from the canned chipotle chilis)

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro *

* I actually rarely measure out the cilantro. I usually add a bit more than called for because we LOVE the taste of cilantro.

4-6 good quality buns (try this recipe!)

1 tomato

1-2 avocado

lettuce

jack, cotija, or queso fresco cheese *

* We just used medium cheddar

Recipe:

1. Start by making the sauce. Place may, adobo sauce, lime juice and cilantro in a small bowl. Stir all together. Cover and set in the fridge.

2. Now place the beef in a bowl and gently crumble with your fingers. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, grated onion, garlic powder, cumin, kosher salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix things together. Just mix it enough to distribute the ingredients.

3. Divide into 4 patties (or 6 little ones) and place on a preheated grill, indoor grill pan, or skillet. If you want to top with cheese, do so in the last few minutes of grilling.

4. While the burgers are cooking, toast buns and spread chipotle-lime sauce generously on each side of each bun. When the burgers are done to your liking let them stand for 5 minutes off the grill and then pop onto your prepared buns.

5. Top with tomato slices, avocado slices, and a crisp piece of lettuce.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

These are, literally, the best burgers I've had! Literally! I don't know what to say except that these were SO SO SO SO GOOD!!!! Between LaDon, Jonas, and I well all liked different aspects about the burger better, but overall it's just a fantastic combination of tastes and textures. I, personally, loved the taste the chipotle-lime mayo added. I loved the cilantro taste in it. And, I think the burger would be really good if you just replaced the lettuce completely with cilantro. Yummy! I've been craving these burgers ever since we made them this week!

Source: Our Best Bites, Southwest Chipotle Burgers

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Ingredients:

2 T. dried parsley

1 t. dried dill

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

1/2 t. dried basil

1/2 t. pepper

Recipe:

1. Add each of the dried spices to a bowl and gently stir.

2. Store in a resealable plastic bag or small canning jar with tight fitting lid.

3. To make the ranch dressing, whisk together 1/3 c. mayonnaise with 1/4 c. milk and 1 T. of the homemade ranch dressing seasoning mix. (Makes about 4 T. of dressing)

4. Season with salt, to taste.

5. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Rating: 3 of 5
So, this rating is not a full-on rating. I used the dry mix in a crock pot recipe, so I'm not sure if it tastes like Ranch dressing or not when it's all put together. But, it did smell like it! One thing that I think I'll do differently next time is crush up the parsley even more. 

Source: $5 Dinners, Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix

Barbecue Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 hearts of Romaine, chopped *

1 can corn

1 can black beans, rinsed

15 grape tomatoes, halved **

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded

1/2-1 c. favorite barbecue sauce

mozzarella cheese, shredded

*Went with our favorite lettuce: green leaf

**I used 3 hearty Roma tomatoes

Dressing:

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix

1 c. mayonnaise *

1 c. milk

1/2 bunch cilantro

1 clove garlic **

1 lime juiced OR 2 T. lime juice

* I actually did 1/2 c. mayo and 1/2 c. sour cream. Next time I'll sub out the mayo completely.

** I used about 1 t. minced garlic

Recipe:

Dressing:

1. Place dressing ingredients into blender or food processor and combine well. Let sit for a few hours to increase flavor of dressing. *

* My blender is not very good at blending. I should put a new blender or food processor on my gift list for Mother's Day......yes. Anyways.....I just whisked everything, but the cilantro, together. Then I chopped up the cilantro into ity bity pieces and stirred it into the mix.

Salad:

1. Place lettuce in a serving bowl. Layer with corn, beans, and tomatoes.

2. Mix cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and top over salad.

3. Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese.

4. Drizzle with dressing.

Rating: 5 of 5

Yes, it's that good. The cilantro dressing and BBQ go really, really well together. Plus, it's got all of those good veggies in it! Very similar to Katie's Mexican Salad. I will definitely be making this one again. Oh, but it does make a rather large batch, so half it and plan on making taco with the leftovers the next night.

Source: Recipe Shoebox, BBQ Chicken Salad with Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Copycat: Chick-Fil-A Nuggets and Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Honey-Mustard sauce:

1/2 c. mayo

2 T. mustard (regular prepared yellow mustard)

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 T. vinegar

2 T. honey

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the nuggets:

8 chicken tenderloins or 6 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

2 1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. powdered sugar

4 t. salt

3 t. pepper

1 t. paprika

peanut oil or canola oil for frying

Recipe:

For the sauce:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce, mix well, and set aside or pop in the fridge.

For the nuggets:

1. In a large dutch oven or stockpot, heat up the oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. (Note: If you don't have a thermometer for the oil, you can test the oil by dropping a small piece of chicken or batter into the oil and if it sinks and floats to the top with swift speed, the oil is just right. If it sinks and takes forever to come to the top, the oil is too cold. If it sizzles and immediately fries up, the oil is too hot.)

2. While the oil is heating, in a gallon Ziploc bag, combine flour, powdered sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika. Seal it and shake to combine well.

3. Throw the chicken bites into the Ziploc bag, close it, and shake until all are coated well.

4. Using a slotted spoon, fish out the nuggets and shake off excess flour and place on a clean plate.

5. Before you start frying, prepare a plate by lining sheets of paper towels to drain the nuggets after frying.

6. When ready, place about 10-12 nuggets in the oil and let cook for about 5 minutes (but it also depends on the size of your nuggets.)

7. Remove nuggets from oil with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and set on lined plate to drain. Continue until all nuggets have been cooked. *

8. Serve hot with dipping sauce, ketchup, ranch, or your favorite dip.

* Once they were fried, I let them drain for a minute or two and them threw them into the oven, about 200 degrees F, so they would stay warm while I cooked the rest of the nuggets.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

I debated whether I should rate these separately or together, but really, they would get about the same score anyways! I love honey-mustard dips, and this one was really good. It's not the best, but it really is soooo good. It's not super thick, you can taste the mustard and honey equally, and it goes perfectly with these chicken nuggets! The nuggets are really good too. That might have something to do with the fact that they are fried though.....but I'm sure there is a good way to bake them too. I'll have to figure that out, because, let's face it, frying is so messy, takes a long time, and isn't so pretty on my hips. I was surprised that the recipe called for powdered sugar, but it's a perfect amount. You can taste the sweetness, but it's not too much. Same with the paprika. One thing I love about these nuggets is that they are incredibly moist! The chicken cooks really well.

Source: Table for Two, Chick-Fuh-Lay Nuggets and Sauce

Cuban Midnight Sandwich

Ingredients:

1/2 c. mayonnaise *

2 1/2 T. Italian dressing *

4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise and toasted **

1/4 c. prepared mustard

1/2 lb. thinly sliced cooked deli turkey

1/2 lb. thinly sliced cooked deli ham

1/2 lb. thinly sliced Swiss cheese ***

1 c. dill pickle slices

1/4 c. olive oil

* Since I was only making 2 sandwiches, I obviously cut the mayo and Italian way down. Same thing with the mustard

** I just made my own sandwich bread instead of buying it.

***Swiss is great and all, but Provolone is the way to go. Love that stuff.

Recipe:

1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and Italian dressing. Spread mixture on bottom half of toasted hoagie rolls.. Spread each roll with mustard.

2. On each roll, arrange layers of turkey, ham, and cheese. Top each with dill pickle slices. Add tops and brush tops and bottoms with olive oil.

3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Cook sandwiches for 2 minutes, pressing down with a foil-covered plate or spatula. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

4. Remove from heat, place on plates, and cut in half diagonally.

Rating: 3.75 of 5

I loved the taste of the olive oil on the bread. The cheese didn't melt at all in the 4 minutes of cooking in the skillet, so next time I think I'll use our Panini maker. LaDon really liked the sandwiches which is great! I've never been a huge sandwich lover though, so for me to say it was pretty good is probably something. Right? Maybe not.

Source: AllRecipes Dinner Tonight, pg. 18

Orange Chicken Salad

I didn't take a picture of this one either. We had it the same night at the Recipe A Wings.

Ingredients:

1/3 c. sour cream

1/3 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 T. frozen orange juice concentrate

1/2 t. poppy seeds, optional

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, fully cooked, cut into julienne strips *

1 11-oz. can mandarin orange sections, drained OR one 15.5-oz can pineapple chunks, drained

3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices

2 green onions, sliced

salt and pepper totaste

4 lettuce leaves **

* I actually cut out the chicken in this recipe because we were having chicken as the main dish.

** Definitely used more than 4 leaves of lettuce. I used a whole head of iceberg.

Recipe:

1. In a small mixing bowl, stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, orange juice concentrate, and, if desired, poppy seeds.

2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together chicken strips, orange sections, celery and green onions.

3. Pour dressing over chicken mixture; toss lightly to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Rating: 3 of 5

This is a fairly refreshing salad. Although it's technically a side dish, we think with chicken (which we did not include this time) would be a good enough main dish. The orange flavor wasn't super powerful but not lacking. A good balance. Also, I didn't use nearly as much of the sour cream/mayo mixture as it called for.

Source: Speed Scratch, p. 22

Chicken Grape Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 t. ginger

1/2 t. salt

3 c. cubed chicken or 2 12.5-oz cans of chicken

1 1/2 c. grapes, cut in half *

1 c. celery, chopped

1/3 c. onions, chopped

1/2 c. walnuts, optional (I've never used the walnuts before)

* I like to use 2-2 1/2 c. grapes.

Recipe:

1. Combine first three ingredients.

2. Add grapes, celery, and chicken.

3. Cover and chill. Serve on rolls or croissants.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

This is one of our favorites! And, when making it with the cubed chicken, it is seriously so easy and quick. Not only that, but it's perfect for a hot summer day! When canned chicken is involved that means I don't add to the heat by turning on the stove! Love it!

Source: I don't know, but I'm guessing my Grandma Norton or Lenhart.

Almond Dijon Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets

2 T. Dijon mustard

2 T. mayonnaise

½ c. almonds, chopped

cooking spray as needed

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375. combine Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray.

2. Coat chicken with mustard mixture, and top with chopped almonds. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center.

Rating: 4 of 5

This was a nice tasty dish. LaDon loved it and declared that he doesn't know why we even go out to eat on dates because my cooking has gotten better than restaurant cooking. He's funny. Seriously though, the chicken was nice and tender, the flavor was full and zesty, and the almonds added the perfect crunch factor! If you like the Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken, you'll probably like this as well. Oh, and the best thing of all: I had absolutely every ingredient on hand and it's such an easy recipe that LaDon could make it.....with his eyes closed (if he wanted to cook)!

Source: Food on the Table

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients: (I did a half dozen)

12 large eggs

6 T. mayonnaise

2 t. mustard

1 pinch cayenne pepper

salt and black pepper *

paprika, for dusting

* I actually forgot to use salt and pepper and couldn't taste the difference.

Recipe:

1. Peel the hard boiled eggs, halve lengthwise and scoop the yolks into a medium bowl, reserving the egg whites.

2. Mash the yolks with the mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne; season with salt and black pepper.

3. Spoon the mixture into the egg white halves and dust with paprika.

Rating: 3.75 of 5

I love that this recipe is so simple and that I had everything on hand. They tasted very similar to the deviled eggs my mom made growing up which means they're good. I didn't mash them very well, so they were a little chunky and Ally helped peel the eggs so there were some shell remnants in them, but overall, delicious.

Source: EveryDay with Rachael Ray, http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/appetizer-starter-recipes/Deviled-Eggs-2

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing ~ Cafe Rio Style: Take 2

A few months back we tried to make Cafe Rio's famous "house" dressing. It was pretty good, but not quite there. So, here is a different recipe attempting to catch the same flavor as Rio's. Also, this version is was less labor intensive....not that there is that much to do when making a dressing, though.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. dry Ranch Dressing

3 T. salsa verde

1/8 t. Tabasco

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 c. mayonnaise

3/4 c. sour cream

1/2 grated lime peel and juice, to taste

Recipe:

1. Blend above ingredients in blender. Thin with milk if needed.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

I actually think this comes pretty darn close. I think it probably would have been spot on if I hadn't added as much lime juice as I did. I haven't had it on the salad yet, so it might taste more like it when all is added together. Either way, it's good. This one looks more like Rio's than the other recipe.

Source: Our ward's RS. I don't know where they got it from though.

Heart Attack BLT

Ingredients:

bread *

tomato slices

lettuce leaves

bacon

mayonnaise

*I used homemade Italian Cheese bread. I really liked the extra flavor.

Recipe:

1. Toast bread.

2. Cook bacon.

3. Spread mayo on bread then layer with lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

We liked this version of the BLT. There was a lot of bacon (which is why I called it the Heart Attack BLT). I like being able to actually taste bacon when I have a BLT. Definitely not on the healthy list, but so good. I think next time I won't toast the bread as much....I just wasn't sure how long it needed to be toasted since the slices were so thick!

Source: my brain....who doesn't know how to make a BLT?

Philly Sandwhiches

Ingredients:

Spread:

1 c. mayonaise *

2 cloves garlic, minced

Filling:

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. beef round steak, cut into thin strips **

2 green bell peppers, cut into strips ***

2 onions, sliced into rings ****

4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise

mozzarella cheese *****

1 t. dried oregano

* I only used about 1/4 c.

** I actually bought a 1 lb. Philly meat package from Wal-Mart. It comes with 4 slabs of meat, but as you cook it, the meat falls apart and eliminates the task of thinly slicing the meat.

*** I used about 1/2 of a large green pepper and 1/2 of a red pepper.

**** I definitely didn't use 2 onions. I only used about 1/2 of an onion.

***** I ditched the mozzarella and went with provolone slices.

Recipe:

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and minced garlic. Cover, and refrigerate.

2. Preheat oven to 500 degress.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute beef until lightly browned. (I drained the oil and juices before the next step.)

4. Stir in peppers and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender, and remove from heat.

5. Spread each bun generously with garlic mayonnaise. Divide beef mixture into the buns. Top with cheese and sprinkly with oregano.

6. Place sandwiches on a baking pan. Heat sandwiches in oven until cheese is melted or slightly browned.

Rating: 4.75 of 5

For a homemade Philly....I don't know if it gets any better. So, so, so good. While it was a more expensive meal (by our standards), each sandwich was about $2.00 which is cheaper than you're going to get it elsewhere. I really liked the garlic spread and thought it added just the right taste to the sandwich.

Source: from AllRecipes.com.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon steak sauce
4 skinless, boneless chicken

Recipe:
1. Preheat the grill for medium heat.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and steak sauce. Set aside a small amount of the honey mustard sauce for basting, and dip the chicken into the remaining sauce to coat.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken over indirect heat for 18 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until juices run clear. Baste occasionally with the reserved sauce during the last 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning!

Rating: 5 of 5

We had this one for Christmas Eve dinner with the Ames and then again 4 days later with Krista. It tastes best on really thin pieces of chicken.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Honey-Mustard-Grilled-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Mama's Best Broiled Tomato Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

2 T. balsamic vinegar *

4 ripe tomatoes, sliced

3 T. mayonnaise

1/2 t. dried parsley

1/4 t. dried oregano **

1/4 t. ground black pepper

3 T. grated Parmesan cheese

4 slices bread, lightly toasted

* I substituted the balsamic vinegar with red wine vinegar + 1 T. sugar

** I didn't have oregano alone, so I just used Italian seasoning

Recipe:

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar. Marinate tomatoes in the mixture for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, parsley, oregano, pepper, and half the Parmesan cheese. Spread mixture on each slice of toasted bread. Divide marinated tomatoes evenly between 2 slices and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. *

* I actually topped with with grated mozzarella as well.

4. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes or until cheese turns golden brown. Serve immediately, open faced or closed.

Rating: 4 of 5

Despite not having all of the exact ingredients I think this turned out pretty well. It's light, it's easy, it's quick. The sandwich has a good balance between sweet and tangy. I don't like mayo at all, but I couldn't taste it. Next time I think I will add more cheese, both Parmesan and mozzarella, before broiling. We ate the sandwiches closed. This sandwich would definitely be good with a soup.

Source: All Recipes: Dinner Tonight, pg. 230