Guacamole Pulled Pork Bacon Burgers

Best ever Guacamole Pulled Pork Bacon Burger
(this one had our men wanting seconds, if they had the room!)

Make the patties with two pounds of ground beef and your favorite Epicure seasonings.
I used the Beef and Steak. Grill for four minutes per side. Add cheddar cheese if you like.
Prepare burgers in buns or lettuce wraps and layer with two cups left over prepared Epicure’s Pulled Pork, divided per burger. I used about two tablespoons per burger.
Make the guacamole with two avocados, mashed and mixed
with two tsp Epicure Cheese, Chives and Bacon and a squeezed lime wedge.
Divide that and layer onto your burgers.
Add a couple of cooked bacon slices, I started with one pound bacon, cooked.
Spread Epicure’s prepared Big Burger Seasoning on the buns and enjoy!
As I made these on the fly one night, please write to me if you would like more instructions:)

Salsa Meatloaf

This is one of my family favorite dishes. When prepared in Epicure’s silicone mini loaf pans, they have a very short baking time as well. I made it today with shredded zucchini mixed in the meat.

2 lb lean ground beef

2/3 rolled oats or quick oats

1 egg

1/3 cup finely shredded carrot or zucchini

2 tsp Epicure’s Beef and Steak seasoning

1 cup Epicure’s Poco Picante Salsa, prepared

about 1 cups shredded cheese

Combine beef, oats, egg and carrot or zucchini until well mixed. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or use Epicure’s silicone mini loaf pans and divide meat and press into pans. Bake at 350F for about 20-30  minutes or until mostly done. Add salsa and cheese on top and return to oven to bake until cheese is melted and internal temperature of meat reaches 160F.

 

 

Day 256 – Cheesebuster Burgers

Wow, these definitely rank high on the list of best burgers that I’ve ever tasted! We use grass-fed beef from a farm here in Alberta, the ground beef is especially tasty. The kids and I loved the dollop of cheesy goodness in the middle.

Try these with a little frozen blob of Extraordinary Cheese Dip (from Day 1) as a substitute, I think that would also taste great:) To good eating, Christine

• 1/4 cup  light cream cheese
• 1 tsp Cheese, Chives and Bacon
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp Epicure’s Seasoning for Burgers
• 1/4 cup ground oats
• 1 1/2  lb. ground beef

1. Stir cream cheese with Cheese, Chives and Bacon. Divide into 6 nuggets, then place in freezer.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together next 3 ingredients. Mix in beef. Wet hands to prevent sticking and form mixture into 12 skinny patties.
3. Remove cheese mixture from freezer. Place a cheese nugget in the centre of each of 6 patties. Cover with remaining patties. Press each around the edges to seal, making 6 large patties.
4. Grill on the barbecue over medium-high heat with lid closed for 4 minutes. Flip patties and continue grilling for 4 minutes.

Day 245 – Burgers with Steak Sauce

Ahhhh, the return of Epicure’s Seasoning for Burgers, Seasoning for Epicure’s Steak Sauce and Epicure’s “awesummer” Honey Mustard. My favorite on just about anything.

These make a fabulous burger. Use 1 to 2 Tbsp of Seasoning For Burgers and about 1/4 cup of steak sauce for one pound of hamburger meat. Mix well and form into patties. Grill 4 minutes per side and serve with Epicure’s Honey Mustard and the usual fixins’.

The burgers turn out very moist and delicious.

Lately we have been fortunate to be able to purchase beef from grass-fed cows, the taste is amazing. If you can get your hands on some, you *will* notice the difference. To good eating, Christine

Day 238 – Chicken (or Beef) in Black Bean Sauce

This is a killer recipe for homemade black bean sauce; you can avoid all the extra sodium that the store jarred varieties contain, and it’s quite simple to make alongside the meat while it’s cooking.

You can find fermented or preserved black beans at most Asian markets. Note, you have to use fermented or preserved black beans, regular canned black beans do not work in this recipe.

This sauce is awesome with chicken or beef and I’ll bet it would taste great with jumbo prawns as well.

2 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

1/2 cup Epicure’s Beef Bouillon or Chicken Bouillon, prepared

1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce (or low sodium soy sauce)

2 Tbsp rice wine or vinegar

1 tsp rice flour

Heat oil in  a small pot. Add black beans and garlic, saute for a few moments until starting to turn brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir about one minute or until sauce thickens. Makes about 3/4 cup of sauce.

Cook your meat meanwhile in Epicure’s Wok. Combine sauce with meat and Asian vegetables and heat until hot. Served with rice or Asian noodles.

Day 236 – Cuban Crusted Steak

BBQ season has begun! Barbequed steak with a great marinade, not much more to say!

Here’s to good eating, Christine

• 4 sirloin steaks
• 2 tsp  Epicure’s Cuban Seasoning
• 1 tsp Epicure’s Black Pepper, freshly ground
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Epicure’s Sea Salt, ground

In a small bowl, combine Epicure’s Cuban Seasoning, ground Epicure’s Black Pepper, brown sugar, crushed garlic and olive oil.  Rub steaks with mixture and marinate for up to 4 hours. Sprinkle with coarsely ground Epicure’s Sea Salt. Grill on the barbeque for four minutes per side.

Day 220 – Beef in Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce

Some days I think of what to make for dinner by looking at what lying on the counter. Today: a pineapple. I’ve never tried making a sweet and sour sauce before and decided to try. I was very happy with the results and would definitely make this one again! Epicure’s blends make inventing your own concoctions so much easier:)

2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped

1/2 tsp Epicure’s Cinco Pepper Blend

1/2 tsp Epicure’s Asian Stir Fry Seasoning

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp Tamari Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp rice flour

Combine all ingredients in Epicure’s Multi Purpose pot and heat to a light boil. Add a bit of water to the rice flour, then add to the sauce to thicken over low heat.

While you are making the sauce, stir fry some beef and then vegetables of your choice. Combine all three and serve over rice.

Day 201 – Asian inspired steak

Mmmmmmm, this house is full of confirmed carnivores. We all love steaks, any kind. These turned out great with a kind of Asian fusion feel, something a little different. And four fit perfectly in Epicure’s grilling pan!

Add a teaspoon of the seasoning you choose to your rice as it’s cooking for a complementary flavour.

• 4 steaks
• 2 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• juice of one orange, freshly squeezed
• 1 Tbsp Epicure’s Thai or Satay Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Epicure’s Minced Garlic
• 1/4  inch worth of grated ginger

Mix all ingredients and marinate steaks in refrigerator in a covered container for at least 2 hours.  Grill steaks over medium-high heat until desired doneness.

Day 196 – Meatball Pizza

Was thinking of new toppings for pizzas, since I wanted to make myself a Tandoori Chicken pizza (and I can’t very well share THAT), so I needed something for everyone else to eat! I thought meatballs might be good on pizza, what could be wrong with the taste of meatballs, sauce and cheese? Hubby and the kids didn’t find anything wrong with it, and hoovered it up quickly.

I made the meatballs with one pound of ground beef, one egg, 1/4 cup ground quick oats and 1 Tbsp. Epicure’s Seasoning for Meatloaf and 1 tsp Epicure’s Beef & Steak seasoning. Epicure’s Seasoning for Meatballs (natch) would taste good as well, or try the Bolognese Sauce Mix. Form meatballs and cook in Epicure’s grill pan. Then place on top of prepared crust of your choice with sauce and cheese and bake as usual.

Lately I’ve been using 10″ pita bread for my pizza crusts, I can make pizza at the last minute and the crust is thin and crunchy.

 

Day 190 – Pasta in Marinara Sauce with Bolognese Meatballs

Two kinds of Epicure pasta seasonings in use today. I really like the Marinara Sauce, very full flavour. This was my first time using the Bolognese, it has parmesan cheese right in the blend of spices, herbs, onions and garlic. The meatballs were a huge hit with all the kids and hubby.

Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup oats, ground

1 egg

2 tbsp Epicure’s Bolognese Sauce Mix

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Roll into small balls and cook in Epicure’s non-stick cookware until cooked through.  I used the grilling pan.

Sauce:

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp oil

1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatos packed in tomato puree

2 Tbsp Epicure’s Marinara Sauce Mix

Heat oil and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add tomatos and sauce mix, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20 minutes.