Burgers with Smoky Bacon, Basil and Gorgonzola Cheese!

Creamy blue and white Italian Gorgonzola cheese, melting and oozing over a huge burger, laid on a bed of thick-cut, smoked bacon and topped with fresh basil and tomatoes!

This is burger heaven on the grill!

If you're into the 'black and blue' . . . beef and blue cheese combination, then this is for you.

Why grill when it's almost October?  It was 87 degrees today and after decorating the house for autumn, I was in a sweat and not wanting to cook in the kitchen.  Mr. Meat and Potatoes Bill loves to grill anyway.

It's also another night of football on TV, so easy-peasy and casual was required.

This is super easy too!

If you don't care for Gorgonzola (Italian blue cheese), than use your favorite cheese.  How about trying Gruyere for something a little more French?  Or a nice sharp cheddar?  Spicy pepper jack would be great too!  

Use what you like, just make sure that the cheese melts all over the burger.  You'll need a big stack of napkins for this big burger for all of the cheesy-infused drippings of the tomatoes and beef running down your chin!

I had some extra Gorgonzola in the frig after using some in my previous salad that I just posted with figs and Gorgonzola/blue cheese.  And I just hate to waste food.  This stuff always seems to spoil quickly, so I only buy a small piece at a time.

And this cheese is just so creamy, tangy delicious!

Mmmmm!

There's no secret recipe to this decadent burger either!

Burgers with Smoky Bacon, Basil and Gorgonzola Cheese

Use the highest quality of ground beef/sirloin.

Form huge patties of burgers.

Tip:  Put a small indentation about the size of an inch and a half in the center of each burger.  As the burgers cook, this pops out and the center of your burgers cook better.

Season the way you like, I added some garlic and oregano.

Grill to the level of doneness that you prefer (we like ours medium-rare).

Near the end of being cooked, add on the Gorgonzola cheese (it is soft and melts fast).

Use huge hamburger buns!

Toast the buns very briefly (this prevents them from becoming soggy from the beef and tomato juices).

Lay lettuce leaves on the bottom half of the bun.

Layer on the well-cooked, browned, thick-cut, smoked bacon.

Place the cooked burger with melted cheese (use the microwave if you have to) on top of bacon and lettuce.

Layer on thick-cut ripe tomatoes.

Layer on big, fresh basil leaves.

Place the top half of the bun on top.

Condiments:

For this I recommend a nice, simple mixture of extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic to spread on each half of the bun.

the creamy, soft Italian Gorgonzola cheese just melting all over the juicy burger and bacon!

bright colors of fresh green basil leaves and red tomatoes

Mangia!
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Grilled Prosciutto and Fig Pizza

Some fruits and vegetables have a brief moment in the limelight of a season.  Figs are included in that group of "now you see them, now you don't" fruits.  The time is now to find figs in the market, and I had one more little basket left to use from my shopping.  

Plus I'm finding it high time for me to jump on the trendy bandwagon of making a 'grilled' pizza with a focus on those sweet blue-skinned gems.

Fig trees produce twice a year, of which one is this present moment.  Yet in some places it's a real truffle-hunt to find them (my little town for instance).  To find the fig treasure I had to drive 50 miles to Whole Foods to nab up a few baskets and have my 'eureka' moment'.  

Upon my discovery, I dove in with an over-expression of delight and enthusiasm.  

My husband thought I had lost my mind . . . he just wanted sausage pizza, period.  Which of course, I gladly prepared a separate pizza for him!  

Now for some of you the temperatures are starting to feel a bit more like autumn, but here in South Carolina, it's still warm.  September is not a time to go to football games all bundled up in sweaters with small bottles of peppermint schnapps tucked in your pockets to keep you warm during the game.  

No, not at all !  

Grilling outside is still the norm this time of year here, especially if you're into tail-gaiting at football games!   Grilling this pizza with the interplay of seasonally fresh figs with their jammy sweetness and prosciutto's saltiness is a perfect excuse to spend the warm afternoons and cooler evenings outside in Southern Septembers.  Add in the tangy, creamy marinated mozzarella cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and the results will send your tastebuds into Italian nirvana!

Grilled Prosciutto, Fig and Marinated Mozzarella Pizza

2 - 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups pizza sauce (either homemade or store bought)
1 cup fresh marinated mozzarella, small balls, cut in half
6 - 8 black mission figs, sliced lengthwise, stems removed
8 slices of prosciutto, torn into thin strips
2 Tbsp. fig balsamic vinegar (regular balsamico vinegar is fine too)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
freshly cracked sea salt and pepper to taste

Home-made pizza dough.
If in a hurry, use "Naan" bread for individual pizzas.

Other topping options:  

Shaved Parmesan
Fresh basil leaves
Fig jam or spread
Rosemary
Red pepper flakes
Arugula leaves

Prepare pizza dough according to directions.
Let set overnight in the refrigerator.
Roll out the dough to the size(s) that you desire
Mix the minced garlic with the olive oil.
Spread generously on the pizza dough (blend more garlic and olive oil if you need more for larger or multiple pizzas).
Next generously spread on the pizza sauce.
Layer on the prosciutto strips.
Scatter sliced figs on top.

Grill on a medium-hot grill until cheese is ooey, gooey melted all over!
Keep a close eye on the grill because the dough may burn.
If you have a pizza stone, have it pre-heated on the grill and USE IT to prevent the dough from burning.
If you see that the dough is burning and the cheese is not quite as melted as much as you prefer, then just finish it off for 5 minutes in a very hot oven.

Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to drizzle on the pizza.

you can find these marinated soft, fresh mozzarella balls on the olive 

and antipasto bar at Whole Foods or Fresh Market.

they REALLY make a huge difference in taste and texture!

spread the olive oil-minced garlic mixture on the dough and then

load up the dough or naan bread with the yummy ingredients

place the prepared uncooked pizza on a hot grill

for about 5 - 10 minutes

if you have a pizza stone it will help prevent burning the bottom of the dough

and as promised, a simple sausage and cheese grilled pizza for my husband!

Mangia!

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Roasted Red Pepper Panini ~ ~ Classic!

Do you love panini?  Fresh sandwiches?  Healthy sandwiches?  Fast and easy sandwiches?  Hot sandwiches?  Flavorful, new, sandwiches that aren't the same-old, same-old go-to sandwiches?  Anything delicious between two slices of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside artisan bread calls my name!

By now most Americans have fallen in love with Italian panini, basically amped up sandwiches beyond our delicious grilled cheese sammies, but then heated up on a panini press or grilled pan.   However, most Americans don't realize that ONE of these is correctly termed a "panino", (panini is plural for more than one).  But why sweat the small stuff?  Panini literally means 'small breads' in Italian which began their popularity trend here in the States in the 70's and 80's, originating from 'paninoteche' Milanese bars.  How about that for a trivia question?

Now if you don't have a panini press, you can use a grilled skillet and place another heavy pan on top to 'press' the bread into the grills of the skillet.  Half-way through cooking (when you see a golden color and dark grill marks on the bread) you need to turn the panino over and grill the other side, once again with something heavy to press the panino down into the grills.

What you put inside of your bread is totally up to your imagination, but here's a great end of summer recipe for you that I find absolutely marvelous, especially with the dipping herbs in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  For this panino, I used roasted red peppers, so here is a tutorial with photos of how to roast red peppers on my blog:  roasting red peppers!

please click on the link below to read this delicious recipe!

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Tuscany's Bistecca Fiorentina!

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"Beef . . . it's what's for dinner" is a famous advertising slogan that most Americans are familiar with.  Grilling beef is part of the American culinary scene, but most Amercians do not associate beef and the process of grilling beef with Italy.  Now when most people think of Italian meat, they immediately think of pork and/or veal, but never beef.  But sure enough beef is king in Tuscany as exemplified in the carnivore lovers' dream-of-a-steak 'Bistecca alla Fiorentina'!  There is even a grilled steak 'fair' held every summer in Tuscany where 'thousands of steaks are cooked on grills in the main park to feed the multitudes' (Flavors of Tuscany, 1998).  

Do Italians really eat steak? We thought pasta was their thing.  Italians are definitely about more than pasta. Not only do they eat and prepare steak with the same simplicity and respect for ingredients that you see in their other dishes but their preparation is given the same attention. Nowhere do they do it better than in Tuscany, home of the infamous Bistecca Alla Fiorentina or Florentine Steak, among the most classic of all Italian dishes. (Fiorentina – means in the style of Florence)

Grilling the Florentine way is what makes the difference in an average grilled steak to an incredible grilled steak.  This method is all about simplicity.  As most Italians do, Tuscans use very simple methods of preparation and always with the finest of ingredients. 

Recently I re-watched "Under The Tuscan Sun", film that allows those of us who can't get to Italy to experience a few blissful hours of imaginary life in the rolling hills of Tuscany.  This is my retirement dream . . . at least for a few weeks every now and then!  

If you'd like to prepare something Italian or Tuscan that might slightly parallel the American carnivore tradition of grilling steaks than this post is for you!  After watching the movie my culinary fairy hit me on the head with the reminder of what I watched on TV recently from Tuscany:   two foodie/travel shows featuring the famous beef steaks from Tuscany.  The first show was Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and the second show was David Rocco's "Dolce Vita".  Both of these chefs, on separate occasions, went to Tuscany to visit Italy's famous butcher, Dario Cecchini, in his shop in the 900-inhabitants village of Panzano in Chianti.  This butcher's specialty is native to Tuscany:  "Bistecca Fiorentina".   A very meat-obsessed man, he even has his own web-site and is on youTube for your curiosity and pleasure.  Here is a brief clip of Anthony Bourdain's Tuscany episode with Cecchini of Tuscany {link} 

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It's also about the breed of cattle that makes this steak so unique.  Even though Italy has less cattle raised due to the lack of land to graze on, there is one of nature's finest breeds in Tuscany's Val di Chiana near Arrezo:  the highly prized Chianina (kya-NEE-na) an ancient breed of white cattle.  A proper and authentic Tuscan bistecca is either a T-Bone or Porterhouse steak cut from Chianina beef, a more tender, flavorful, juicy and closely grained beef which is superb for grilling.   In addition to the rule of using Chianina beef, the cut needs to come from the vitellone or young steer, not a baby calf.  

Another differentiating factor of Bistecca Fiorentina is that the steak must be cut at least 2-1/2 inches thick (or three to four fingers thick) and cut from the rib.  The famous Tuscan butcher says that the width should be no less than 4 fingers thick, which is the perfect size for two people to enjoy.  While in the market, he meat butcher cut the steak for us as my husband and I watched.  It is so obnoxiously outrageous in size that we laughed when he handed it to us; we were almost a little embarrassed!  We only purchased one steak, it was so big!   This is one giant-sized monster of a steak!  Size really does matter for this steak!  Below you can see that it is nearly the entire size of a dinner plate.  My husband and I could only eat a fourth of it because it was just too much for us.  So we have some great left-overs to use tomorrow.

Finally, it is also the tradition of how the steak is cut that sets this apart from other steaks and makes it an authentic Tuscan bistecca:  The filet is cut out first, the the center or strip steak portion is removed.  Each section is then sliced.  The bone is remains in place.

How did it taste?  Well, let's just say, that the beef was not corn-fed, which is not only our preference, but is also the only beef used for the famous steaks at Ruth's Chris Steak House.  We can't compromise on that rich flavor and it was certainly missing from this beef that was the best that we could find in our little town.  So sadly, all we can sum this up with is:  it was just one big huge steak, period.  And that's about all that was special and unique about it.

Note:  I prepared this several weeks later according to another recipe that called for a pool of olive oil, minced garlic, and rosemary on which to place each steak, followed by another drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of shavings of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound for two steaks) on top of the steaks.  I cannot tell you how incredible this was and what a huge difference in flavor that ook place!  However, the recipe below is the "purist" version of this entree.

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Bistecca Fiorentina

T-bone or Porterhouse steaks, cut 3 - 4 (man-sized) fingers thick, if possible dry-aged

Extra Virgin Olive OIl 

Freshly cracked Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Wedges (optional)

Take steak out of refrigerator for one to two hours before grilling and bring down to room temperature.
Generously sprinkle with Sea Salt and fresh pepper to form a crust when grilled.
Prop the steaks up with chopsticks for these few hours to allow the air to flow around the meat.
Using either a charcoal or wood fire, heat up the grill to VERY HOT and nice and smokey
Place the steaks on a very hot grill 4 inches from the fire.
Cook for approximately 4 - 6 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare steaks. 
Never overcook a Tuscan steak which is traditionally served rare.
The thicker the cut of steak, the longer you need to grill it.
Caution:  the tenderloin side will cooks faster than the strip or center filet side, so move the steak around on the grill to place the tenderloin further away from the heat when necessary. 
The exact time will depend on how well done you like your steak, 7 - 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare to medium steaks, etc.  Remember that the steak will continue to cook during the final resting period.
Be sure to flip the steaks over only once.
Note:  After grilling the other side, you may want to place the steak on its side on the side with the bone and grill for an additional 3 - 4 minutes which evens out the grilling more.
Remove the steaks from the grill.
Allow the steaks to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after removing from the grill, again propping them up with chopsticks to allow air flow.
Prior to serving, drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with freshly cracked sea salt and black pepper again.  
Slice the steak the traditional and authentic way:  Cut the filet out first, then cut the centre out and slice each section.  Keep the bone in place around the slices.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Mediterranean Prosciutto, Red Pepper, and Pesto Panini!

As peppers continue to ripen in the garden and the heat of August lingers on, it seemed wise to simply make another sandwich.  The only heat involved when making sandwiches the Italian way is inside a panini grill.  There's no heat from a stove or oven and there's no outdoor 90+ degree heat to swelter in next to a grill!  I am truly a whimp when it comes to high heat without a swimming pool!

Last week I was inspired by the open-faced Ratatouille Sandwich prepared by Jessica of Kitchen Belleicious.  We're both firm believers of recommending that you adjust recipes to make them more to your preferences.

Isn't that part of the fun of cooking?  And that's exactly what I did with this sandwich.

First of all, I am a very strange Italian in that I don't care for eggplant.  It's just all moosh to me!  Mr. M. and P. won't touch eggplant either, so we were in synchronized culinary unison on that ingredient to substitute.  But similar to Jessica's sammie, I stayed true to using Mediterranean flavors:  homemade pesto, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, and Italian Fontina cheese.  I also added sliced pepperoncini to give the sandwiches an extra kick!  I had a marvelous Tomato Focaccia bread on hand which made the sandwiches irresistible!  After layering everything, I sprinkled the top with freshly minced oregano picked from the herb garden.

In a previous post, I roasted red peppers and yet in another post I marinated red peppers in a balsamic-olive oil-caper mixture.  Since the peppers stay fresh in the frig for a week or two, I had a few left over to use in this sandwich.  Bill and I always look for ways to use up everything that we've previously made so nothing is wasted.

As the sandwich sizzled inside the panini grill, the aroma from the melting cheese, pesto and balsamic vinegar was intoxicating!  We couldn't wait to bite in and savor.  The flavors are once again powerful and wonderful.  This is not your ordinary bland sandwich.

Above:  Pesto on the top left, beautiful fresh prosciutto on the right.  

Marinating roasted red peppers on the lower left and the sandwich grilling in the panini press on the lower right.  

Just before grilling and pressing, the sandwich looks huge!

Prosciutto, Red Pepper, and Pesto Panini
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Pre-heat a panini grill to high.
Focaccia bread - use your favorite flavor combination; cut into sandwich sizes and then slice each horizontally in half.
Layer the bottom half with basil pesto.
Layer next with thinly sliced red onions.
Layer next with the roasted red peppers.
At this point, add some capers if you don't have the original marinade.
Layer next with the Fontina cheese (grated or sliced).
Layer next, sliced Italian pepperoncini.
Pile on 3 to 4 thin slices of prosciutto.
Sprinkle with minced oregano.
Cover with the top half of the foccacia.
Place the sandwich on a hot panini grill.
Slowly press down the top of the panini grill.
Grill on high for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

After grilling on the panini press, everything blends together for a toasty treat!

Our beautiful "Mowee" checking out the peppers from the garden.

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Roasting Red Peppers (and Green, Yellow, or Orange)!

Roasted red bell peppers are great to add a layer of extra flavor in sandwiches, panini, pasta recipes, salads, and the traditional Italian antipasto platter.  With the intent to continue to grow my own (you can't get any more local than your own backyard or patio/balcony), I've enjoyed roasting my own and freezing them in small quantities.  This way they are only an arm's length away to use throughout the colder months.

The actual roasting is a simple task, not hard at all, but there is a bit of work involved once they are finished roasting and cooling.  But it's so worth it!  Here's what you do:

Roasting Peppers:

Wash the peppers and if they are store-bought, remove the sticker labels.
If using a gas range, turn the burners on high and place the peppers directly onto the grates.
Using tongs, turn the peppers for an even char.
The peppers will hiss and bubble while the peppers' moisture evaporates.
If using a grill, the method is the same.
However, if you're like me and roast a lot of peppers at a time, then use the oven broiler setting.
In all options, make sure that you continually turn the peppers over to ensure even charring.

Oven Method:

Preheat the oven on "Broil".  

Arrange the peppers evenly on a baking sheet.

Place in the hot oven on the highest rack position.

Roast, while keeping a constant eye on them, turning them whenever necessary to prevent burning/complete blackening.

Once nicely roasted and charred all over, put the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean paper bag.  

Do not open or the steam will come out.

Keep the peppers in the covered bowl or bag for 30 minutes to allow the steam to help loosen their peels which makes peeling them easier.

Once the peppers have cooled, cut off the tops of the peppers.
Cut into half and then into half again (quarters) . . . actually I simply pull them apart in sections where they 'naturally' separate into sections.
Remove the seeds.
Carefully peel or scrape off the charred skin with either your fingers or a sharp paring knife.
Discard all peels, tops, and seeds or put in your compost pile.

Do not rinse the peppers as the water diminishes the smoky flavor.
When the skins and seeds have been removed, cover the peppers with olive oil, adding garlic slices, herbs or capers if desired, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
To freeze, I don't put them in any oil.

Below, for freezing, use zip-lock freezer bags, indicate contents and date, insert the peppers only (no oil), press lightly to remove extra air, and seal.  Freeze.

A simply gorgeous bounty . . . and this is just one of about 5 harvests thus far!

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Grilled "Belleicious" Buffalo Chicken is Truly Delicious!

"Very, very good!" were the first words that my husband used after tasting the chicken drumsticks that I prepared tonight using a marinade recipe from Jessica of Kitchen Belleicious for Buffalo Chicken Skewers.

These words are not spoken every day, peeps!  Mr. M and P (meat and potatoes) is  a hard one to please when it comes to trying new recipes!

Last week we made the oh-so-scrumptious Grilled Thai Chicken from Sam of My Carolina Kitchen, so this weekend we felt it was time to try a twist on a beloved American flavored-chicken:  BUFFALO!

Although I much prefer white chicken meat, all I had on hand in the freezer were dark meat drumsticks/drummies that I was saving to make buffalo drummies (I'm just not crazy about the greasiness of dark chicken meat).  But I'm a firm believer in using up what is on hand!

I made a few personal adjustments to Jessica's excellent recipe, simply from wanting a more fiery hot taste.  To enjoy Buffalo chicken, we like to have steam coming out of our mouths and ears, along with tears streaming from our eyes!  That level of heat is the only change that was made to her great marinade!

As I was mixing up the marinade, the aroma was drifting through the kitchen and family room, just teasing us for what flavor was to come!  This is a winning recipe!

Drummies singing in their bath of zingy marinade!

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Grilled Thai Chicken

I just love Thai cuisine!  Having had the good fortune to visit Thailand twice and experience truly authentic (and very hot and spicy) Thai food, I'm always on the look out for great recipes (and great Thai restaurants).  One of my favorite food bloggers, Sam, from My Carolina Kitchen, posted a wonderful, grill-outside-don't-heat-the-kitchen recipe for chicken that really pleases the taste buds and satisfies one's Thai food fix.  Sam is a food professional and I trust her judgement and the recipes that she develops.

I had to try her recipe for BBQ Thai Chicken and just happened to have all of the ingredients on hand . . . I love it when that happens!

The chicken marinates in a sweet and spicy coconut marinade for 4 hours.  And oh does this marinade make the chicken moist and bursting with flavor.  When you first read the ingredients you might think that this is going to be spicy-hot.  But it really was not; in fact, it gave the chicken perfect undertones of lime, coconut, red pepper, and cilantro.

We just loved it!

I served this with basmati rice cooked in Tom Gha Kai coconut chicken soup . . .  superb!  And served some bright green, fresh steamed broccoli alongside a fresh fruit salad.

I would have preferred to serve my recipe for Thai Cucumber Salad, but my husband's tummy can't handle cucumbers.  But here's a photo and link for the recipe (also on my sidebar) for you.  It would pair perfectly with the chicken.

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The Big Mama, Big Bang, Big Kahuna Burger!

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Your mouth will stretch twice it's normal size in order to bite into this bad boy!  The burger lives up to it's name:  The Big Mama (because it was for me, while Bill had his own concoction), The Big Bang (for the fireworks of the 4th of July), and The Big Kahuna (in attempts to duplicate a burger that I enjoyed in Hawaii in May).  It's big, bad (in a good way), and incredibly delicious!

Yes, that is a chopstick inserted half way down to hold the monster burger together; toothpicks weren't long enough!  I ended up eating it with a fork and knife, being unable to manage it by my hands alone without looking like a freak.

The Big Mama, Big Bang, Big Kahuna Burger

7 oz. (each) corn-fed ground beef patties

2 slices thick-cut, hickory smoked bacon, fully cooked until browned

pepper jack cheese slices

large hamburger buns, TOASTED (if not, the buns turn to mush!)

Thousand Island dressing

dill pickles (hamburger slices)

1/2 avocado, sliced

tomato, sliced

onion, sliced

lettuce

ketchup and mustard

Grill the burgers, seasoned the way that you prefer.

Place cheese slices on top of each burger during the last 30 seconds on the grill and no more than that or the cheese will drip right off into your grill.

Toast the buns.

Spread Thousand Island dressing on both insides of the buns.

Layer lettuce and onions on first.

Lay the burger/cheese on top next.

Lay the bacon on next.

Layer on the tomatoes, pickles, and avocado slices.

Close up the burger, wrap with wax paper, foil, or insert a chopstick in the middle to hold it together.  

And now how about the coleslaw?  Well, it's a copycat type of recipe from a famous chicken restaurant.  The recipe is all over the web and so we decided to try it.  The flavor is just about identical and the reviews/comments on the web-sites declare that it IS identical to the real deal cole slaw.  Here's how to make it:

Cole Slaw

1 head of cabbage, finely chopped (this makes a ton of cole slaw, so you might want to divide this recipe in half).

1/2 cup finely shredded carrots (I doubled this)

2 Tbsp. minced onion

Dressing:  (I doubled this)

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 whole milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Mix everything together and let set for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

This is the very simple way in which we dine and eat on the 4th of July.  Just a simple grilling of burgers and/or hot dogs with a fresh veggie side dish and a cold glass of iced tea.  Nothing fancy, complicated, or gourmet; just classic grilled burgers and/or hot dogs . . . and we love it that way.  

Afterwards we sit back, watch fireworks, and feel gratitude for this great country!

Happy 4th of July!

The Big Mama, Big Bang, Big Kahuna Burger

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Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms ~ Grilling & Cooking Light!!

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Thank goodness for delicious light and meatless recipes.  And with the temperature hitting a record 98 degrees today, thank heaven for the ability to get out of a hot kitchen and out onto the deck to use the grill (even though it was cooler in the house with the A/C on!).  After the beef gluttony of Memorial Day's steak, I needed to return to the Cooking Light repertoire of yummy foods in the worst way.  This absolutely, wonderful, endorsed by my meat and potatoes husband, was just perfect for the June "Get Out of the Kitchen" theme chosen by Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club, hosted by Valli of More Than Burnt Toast.

I didn't even have to ask Bill (Mr. Meat and Potatoes, now aka "Mr. M & P") how the mushrooms tasted.  Taking his first bite before my asking how they tasted, he said " These are really good!"  That's saying a lot for a man who dislikes mushrooms.  It was truly a moment of glee for me!  I was ecstatic and couldn't wait to dig in.  WOW!  Yummy!  Perfect and oh so easy and fast.  I made these right after I got home from work today.  Seriously a 20-minute or less recipe....move over Rachel Ray!  This is a true keeper for a side or a meal.  I hope you try it and check out the other bloggers and their recipes for The Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club gang!


Grilled Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
(slightly adapted from Cooking Light, 2001)
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2/3 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (I doubled this to 1 tsp.)
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed (I doubled this to 2 large garlic cloves as usual)
4 (5-inch) portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley


Prepare grill.
Combine the tomato, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon oil, rosemary, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.
Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon, and discard gills.
Remove stems; discard.
Combine 1/2 teaspoon oil, juice, and soy sauce in a small bowl; brush over both sides of mushroom caps.
Place the mushroom caps, stem sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until soft.
Grill the mushrooms stem sides down first, so that when they're turned they'll be in the right position to be filled.
Spoon 1/4 cup tomato mixture into each mushroom cap.
Cover and grill 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle with parsley.

Note: Since the garlic isn't really cooked, the mushrooms have a strong garlic flavor.
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Blood Orange Vinaigrette on Grilled Salmon, Grapefruit & Manchego Cheese Salad

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Never give up . . . never, ever give up!  Those famous words of Winston Churchill!  Keeping that sentiment on the forefront of my mind, I've stayed motivated to reach my health goals.  The official date that marks when most people end their efforts to meet their goals (whether to lose weight, quit smoking, pray more, meditate, etc.) has come and gone.  But I'm still on this bus ride, so I continue to peruse more healthier and lower calorie recipes to try and then share with you.


Here is a nice recipe for a lighter salad for a filling meal.  I used salmon filets that we had left over from the weekend.  All of the other ingredients were on hand as well.  I've been so intrigued by blood oranges lately and the nice thing is that they are available in some markets right now.   Luckily, this recipe jumped from the pages of my Cooking Light cookbook.  It is quite easy to make and packed with Vitamin C.  Although the vinaigrette is a bit on the sweet side for my tastes, it was simple to add more Dijon mustard for a more savory blend in flavor.  If this vinaigrette isn't appealing to you, then you can always use your own favorite.
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Grilled Salmon and Grapefruit Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette & Manchego Cheese
(very adapted from Cooking Light)
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2 (6-ounce) salmon filets
Lemon pepper seasoning (my addition)
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning (my addition)
Nature's Seasons (my addition)
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2" slices and chopped
Cooking spray
8 cups mixed baby salad greens, or baby spinach, or combination of both
1 red grapefruit, halved, sectioned, and removed from skin, drained.
Manchego Cheese slivers (my addition)
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Prepare grill, pan, or heat oven to 350 degrees.
Season salmon filets.
Coat grill, pan or baking pan with cooking spray.
Grill, cook or bake fish until flakey when tested with a fork.
The onions can also be grilled, cooked, or baked with the salmon.
Place salad greens on 4 salad plates.
Arrange 2 ounces of salmon, the onions, grapefruit sections, and Manchego cheese evenly over the greens on each plate.
Drizzle Blood Orange Vinaigrette evenly over each salad.
(350 calories per serving, including vinaigrette)




Blood Orange Vinaigrette


1/3 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
2 Tbsp. minced shallots/green onions
2 Tbsp. honey (locally harvested, if possible)
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tsp. Dijon mustard (I increased from 1 tsp.)
1/8 tsp. salt (preferably sea salt)
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
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Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stirring well with a whisk.
(75 calories in 3 Tbsp.)
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The ingredients for the vinaigrette.  Look how RED the blood orange juice is on the upper right!  Wow! 

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The vitamin C-loaded vinaigrette once blended well.

Truly this was an unusual salad, with a slightly sweet, citrusy vinaigrette that was quite light and fresh.  I'm glad that I tried it!  
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Sun~Dried Tomato Pesto Turkey Burgers With Basil Aioli and A Major Southern Snow Storm!

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You know it really is true:  if we plan ahead and go to the market/store with a list of all the ingredients that we'll need for our planned menus, we'll stick to a healthier food plan overall!  Plus, if it snows like it has been doing right here in the South (and subsequently icing up ~ which is even worse!), we don't have to venture out onto uncleared snow-covered roads.

So I followed this healthy rule last week and had all of the necessary ingredients on hand for a week's full of good stuff.  Who would have 'thunk' that this would have been the week that no one was able to drive on ice-covered roads in a state with only 20 snow plow and ice clearing trucks . . . even the National Guard was summoned in this week to help us out!  I don't know about you, but that's a big "Wow" in my book, especially being from the Midwest where roads are cleared in the middle of the night and schools are NEVER closed!

Even our Internet connection has not operated in two days; so this is truly a late recipe for "y'all".  I do apologize, but this recipe is certainly worth the wait!  It is completely outstanding!  No lie, friends!  You've got to add this to your healthy recipes file!  It is truly the best of the last three healthy recipes that I've posted BY FAR!  Once again it is from Cooking Light's "Fresh Food Fast" cookbook, with my own adaptations and additions (that made a big difference!); a resource that is shocking my family and me for the tasty, yet good-for-us recipes that are provided.  I'm just amazed!  You'll never know that this recipe is actually good for you!  And isn't that one of the goals that eating more healthfully is all about:  Enjoyment!?


Sun-Dried Turkey Burgers with Basil Aioli

1 1/4 lb. ground turkey breast
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (2 oz.) crumbled goat or feta cheese (I substituted Parmesan, cuz hubby hates feta cheese)
1/4 cup chopped and drained oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves (I substituded sun-dried tomato pesto instead)
1 Tbsp. freshly minced garlic (this was my own addition)
Cooking spray
Green leaf lettuce
White-wheat hamburger buns (such as Nature's Own)
4 tomato slices (or more)
Basil Aioli

Prepare grill.
Combine first 6 ingredients.
Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2" thick patty.
Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees.
Place lettuce leaves on the bottom halves of each bun; top each with a turkey burger, and one tomato slice.
Spread 1 Tbsp. Basil Aioli on one side of each bun top.
Place one bun top on top of the other bun half and turkey burger.

Basil Aioli

1/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (I used more, but that's just me)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, minced (I doubled this amount!)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

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Stay healthy, everyone!  And more importantly, stay happy and positive!

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Blue Ribbon Grilled Turkey Breasts

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State fairs have been taking place across the country since August and will extend into October in those states where the weather is more warm.  In my home state of Iowa, the fair is always held in August.  Here in South Carolina, the fair is taking place right now, and yet to begin in Arizona, where I used to live, the state fair takes place in October.

When I was growing up, my parents would take us to the Iowa State Fair for one full week!  They would take our pop-up camper and let us loose on the fair grounds to discover all of the animal exhibits, shows and competitions, go to the Midway for the crazy rides and games, and visit the various agricultural, home and garden venues.  We'd come back for dinner that my mother prepared on the park grill on our camp-site and we would sit around and tell the tales of our adventures for the day . . . and then when it got dark, we were able to go back to the Midway to see all of the amusement park rides all lit up!  It was such an innocent time and so much fun!

Each and every day my siblings and I would take the old rickety wooden boats and drift along the rushing water stream through the dark and chilly Tunnel of Love!  It was the only cool place at the Fair in the middle of those scorching August afternoons!  We rarely saw anyone smooching because it was so dark in there, but we sure were looking to see if we could see some stolen kisses between lovers!  But to a future foodie, along with my siblings, I was able to indulge in eating endless and huge amounts of FUN FAIR FOOD!  Giant size breaded pork cutlet sandwiches, corn on the cob, funnel cakes, caramel apples, ice cold root beer, cotton candy, the list goes on and on.  And since the Heartland state of Iowa is blessed with some of the richest soil on the planet, the food bounty is simply incredible.

One year some friends treated us to this blue ribbon winner from the state fair:  Delicious grilled turkey breasts that soak in a 2-hour bath of a flavorful marinade.  It's so easy, you'll make this quite often!  Plus turkey is so good for us in replacement of too much red meat in our diets.

Iowa State Fair Grilled Turkey Breasts (Tenderloins)

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Canola Oil
1/4 cup Dry Sherry or Red Wine
2 Tablespoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground if possible)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (this is double the amount of the original recipe, but I'm garlic-crazy)
1 pound turkey tenderloins, sliced to your desired widths.

Wash your hands thoroughly.
In a bowl or pan, combine all of the marinade ingredients except the turkey breasts.
Pour the marinade into a self-sealing freezer storage bag.
Add the turkey breasts to the bag and seal it shut.
Place in the refrigerator and marinate for several hours (about 2 hours is good enough).
Remove the turkey breasts from the marinade and grill on direct medium heat for 8 minutes per side or until a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees F, and the turkey is no longer pink.
Discard the marinade.
Serve with your favorite side dishes!
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A richly flavored, aromatic marinade.

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Place the turkey breasts in a self-sealing plastic freezer bag, squeeze it tightly, twist the top so the marinade is completely covering the turkey.  Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

State Fair Marinated and Grilled Turkey Breasts
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