Tuesday's Tip of the Day ~Taking your Grilled Burgers to the Next Level

Everyone loves Hamburgers on the Grill.

Instead of the plain white burger buns,

serve your burgers on a Focaccia loaf.

This one is Olive Oil and Rosemary.

Or on this Ciabatta loaf.

They are "take and bake".

Then, you can slice the loaf into individual portions.

Brush a little olive oil on top.

Bake according to package directions,

and it is a beautiful golden brown.

(It's usually about 8 minutes)

Look for this or a similar brand at your supermarket.

I put the bread in the oven...

when hubby takes our hamburgers out to the grill.

Cook hamburger until desired degree of doneness.

We prefer medium rare.

This one is topped with shredded Swiss cheese.

Our favorite is provolone with sauteed mushrooms,

on the Olive Oil & Rosemary Focaccia.

Enjoy!

Old Farmhouse Roast Beef in the Crockpot

1 Beef Roast

1 pkg. Brown Gravy Mix

1 pkg. Italian Salad Dressing Mix

1 pkg. Ranch Dip Mix

Combine mixes in a bowl for good distribution of  flavors.

When purchasing a roast, allow 1/2 pound per person.

Look for good marbling, as it adds flavor, tenderness and juiciness.

The Bread and Butter Roast is one of my favorites.

Press seasoning onto both sides of the roast 

and place in crockpot.

Cook on low for 8 hours.

Add liquid if needed.

Allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Serve with the Au Jus.

Old Farmhouse Baked Walleye

8 Walleye or Tilapia fillets

2/3 cup dry bread crumbs

2/3 cup instant mashed potato flakes

2/3 cup parmesan cheese

4 eggs

2 tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a pie plate or flat pan.

Mix egg yolks with whites until well blended. Add water.

Wash fish fillets thoroughly.

Dip each fillet in egg and then coat with crumb mixture.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake 10 minutes and then turn the fillets over.

Bake an additional 10 minutes 

or until fish flakes with a fork.

Serve with a lemon wedge

or your favorite tartar sauce.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Old Farmhouse Spicy Rub

Old Farmhouse Spicy Rub

1 tsp. coriander, crushed

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

I used the back of a spoon to crack and crush the coriander.

Add the rest of the spices and mix.

This was enough rub for two chicken breasts.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Coat both sides of chicken breast with spicy rub.

Place chicken breasts on grill.

Cook 4 to 6 minutes on each side,

depending on the size and thickness.

Check to see that no pink remains.

Enjoy.

Lasagna in the Crockpot ~Old Farmhouse Style

Old Farmhouse Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey

1/2 lb. Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (24 oz.) prepared spaghetti sauce

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

fresh oregano & basil or 1/2 tsp. each of dried

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 sprigs fresh parsley

1 egg

6 - 8 lasagna noodles

8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend

In a medium skillet, brown the beef or turkey, 

 Italian sausage, onion. and garlic.

Drain any grease that has accumulated in the pan.

Add the sauces and herbs.

Simmer until warm. 

Stir together the Ricotta, parmesan cheese, 

egg, and fresh parsley.

Spoon a layer of meat sauce into the bottom of your crockpot.

Add a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit.

(this will be our secret, as no one will see the broken noodles)

Spread a portion of the ricotta mixture on the noodles,

and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Repeat the layers.

Make sure you end with sauce and cheese.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Everyone's crockpot is different.

Adjust your cooking time and amount of liquid used

according to your personal preference.

Old Farmhouse Creamy Penne Pasta

Old Farmhouse Creamy Penne Pasta

2 cups penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

3 strips bacon

4 tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

red pepper flakes, optional

fresh basil for garnish

Cook bacon in medium saucepan until crisp.

Remove from pan and cut into bite size pieces.

Add butter to bacon drippings in pan.

Saute onion and garlic until translucent.

Add sun dried tomatoes and cook until all are tender.

Add flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add broth, stirring frequently until sauce comes to a simmer.

Remove from heat.

Add sour cream and parmesan cheese.

Mix thoroughly.

Choose light or fat free

to reduce the calorie content.

Be sure the pasta is well drained and add to the sauce.

Garnish with fresh basil and red pepper flakes.

This pairs well with Grilled Chicken.

Today, I added peas to the leftovers.

It is a tasty summer side dish!