Yummy steamed lobster is paired with fresh summer corn and creamy mayo in this fast, delicious sandwich!
Source: Real Simple
Directions
  1. Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a simmer. Place the lobster tails in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the tails. Using kitchen shears, cut straight down the central membrane (the thin, paler pink portion on the inside of the tail) and pull apart to break the tail in half. Remove the meat from the shell immediately (to stop the cooking) and coarsely chop. Let cool.
  2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook, tossing, until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool; reserve the skillet. Add the lobster, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper to the bowl and toss to combine.
  3. Brush the insides of the buns with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Brown the buns, buttered-side down, in the reserved skillet over medium heat until golden, 5 to 7 minutes.
  4. Divide the lobster salad between the buns.
 
We bought a grill!  Woo-hoo!  This was our first dish grilling outside.  It's definitely going to take some getting used to (I had trouble with flare ups) but I can't wait for a summer full of grilled foods.  What could be a better first try than delicious brats? I used two full bottles of my favorite beer - Blue Moon!
Source: Bobby Flay

1 dozen brats
Beer, to cover
1 medium large sweet onion
2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter

Place brats in a Dutch oven with onions and butter, cover the brats with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and set aside beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown and return to beer mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh baked brat buns with sauerkraut, onions, green peppers, ketchup, and/or mustard.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/beer-brats-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

 
A delicious way to use that leftover turkey!
  • Leftover turkey meat chopped into pieces
  • 8 slices of bread 
  • 1 wheel of brie cut into four slices
  • 1/2 can of cranberry sauce 
  • 3 tablespoons of melted butter 

1. Heat a panini press, grill pan, or frying pan.  
2. Spread a few tablespoons of cranberry sauce on four slices of bread.  Top with turkey and then the brie.
3. With a pastry brush, spread butter over the other four slices of bread and then place them butter side down onto the cooking surface.  Top with the other slices of bread and then spread remaining butter onto their tops.
4. Heat until the brie starts to melt. 

Makes four sandwiches.
 
You're never too old for a sloppy Joe.  Make mine extra sloppy.
Source: Everyday Food 
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced small (2 cups)
  • 1 large celery stalk, diced small (1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced small (1/2 cup)
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 4 hamburger buns, split

Directions
  1. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Add onion, celery, bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add beef, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, 2 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and ketchup.  Simmer for 6-8 minutes.
  2. Generously spoon beef mixture over toasted bun bottoms. Sandwich with bun tops and serve
 
I wanted to try something different so I just put a little of this and a little of that into these burgers.  We finished it off with roasted corn (just lay them in their husks right on the racks in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes), baked beans, roasted marshmallows, and Summer Blue Moon.  Happy Fourth!
  • 1 1/4 lb of lean ground beef
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 
  • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano 
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Combine together and divide into four patties.  Grill to desired consistency, about 3-5 minutes on each side.
 
Salmon is, in my mind, one of the healthiest proteins you can eat.  It's lean, low in bad fats, and jacked with good fats - omega 3 - which is excellent for cardiovascular health.  And I really don't like it.  I think maybe I've just eaten too much, but I find the texture mealy, and the flavor bland.  Yawn.  So this is great way for me to get in some salmon.  I was afraid of the Wasabi at first (aka Japanese horseradish) but I LOVED it and I wonder what else I can include this little green paste in.  I served this with cucumbers (you could also add mayo) on whole wheat buns, and a side of roasted corn on the cob.
Source: Eatingwell.com

  • 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons wasabi powder, (see Note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1 pound salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip)
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

        PREPARATION
        1. Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
        2. With a large chef's knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy). Continue chopping, rotating the knife, until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; stir to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.
        3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more. Serve immediately.
        TIPS & NOTES
        • Ingredient Note: Wasabi powder, when mixed with water, becomes the green paste most of us know from sushi restaurants. The powder is available in jars in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets or in almost all Asian markets. Store at room temperature for up to 1 year.
        • Tip: To skin a salmon fillet: Place it on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30 degree angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either. Or have your fishmonger do it for you.
         
        I can't remember where I originally saw this recipe.  I have it memorized and I don't measure anything out so the recipe is approximate.  Lean turkey breast meat is much better for you than beef and I think it tastes just as good!
        1 lb turkey breast 
        1 bunch of scallions, chopped
        3 tablespoons of soy sauce
        3 tablespoons of red wine 
        1/ teaspoon of black pepper 

        Combine all and form into four patties.  Grill until cooked through 5-7 minutes.
         
        These patties weren't supposed to turn out green, but I crammed so many veggies into them, they turned out that way! Spring calls for lighter meals and the freshest produce the season can offer, so skip the meat and eat your vegetables! I finished mine off on whole grain buns, pickles, more pea shoots, and organic ketchup from Trader Joe's.
        Ultimate Veggie Burger
        Source: 101cookbooks.com


        2 1/2 cups canned garbanzos, drained and rinsed
        4 large eggs
        1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
        1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
        1 onion, chopped
        Grated zest of one large lemon
        1 cup micro sprouts, chopped (try broccoli, onion, or alfalfa sprouts - optional)
        1 cup toasted (whole-grain) bread crumbs
        1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or clarified butter)

        Combine the garbanzos, eggs, and salt in a food processor. Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the cilantro, onion, zest, and sprouts. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into four patties.  Grill until golden and heat through, about seven minutes.
         
        An easy way to the start the week!

        Tomato Soup
        Source: Everyday Food
        • 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
        • 1 small yellow onion
        • 2 small garlic clove, minced
        • Coarse salt and ground pepper
        • 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, torn
        • 2 tablespoon heavy cream                      
        In a small pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Add garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes with juice and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until onions are soft, 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender with cream; puree until smooth. (Use caution when blending hot liquids: Remove cap from lid and cover opening with a dish towel.) Season to taste.


        Gourmet Grilled Cheese
        Source: My own


        1 loaf of artisan bread, sliced into 8 slices - (I found a loaf of freshly baked organic rosemary olive oil bread at my grocery store)
        1 ball of fresh mozzerella, thinly sliced 
        4 slices of American or cheddar cheese 
        Extra Virgin Olive Oil

        Heat a grill or griddle to medium high.  Brush the outside slices of the sandwiches with olive oil.  Place the cheese in between slices and grill for 5-7 minutes until golden and cheese is melted. 
         
        This took about five minutes to prepare and was ready when I got home! Love slow cooking!

        Source: Everyday Food

        Ingredients
        • 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3 equal pieces
        • 1 head garlic, cloves smashed and peeled
        • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
        • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
        • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
        • Coarse salt and ground pepper
        Directions

        In a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker, combine beef, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high until beef is tender and can be pulled apart with a fork, 6 to 7 hours.

        Pull beef apart with a fork and serve on sandwiches with mayo or bbq sauce, or in large pieces with rice.