My Big Fat Greek Lamb Burgers with Crazy Feta Spread, Grilled Red Onions, & Cumin Mayo

Another day, another burger. But, lemme start off by saying that I don't like Greek food. At all. I don't like feta, olives, roasted red peppers, or anything else that is characterized by this type of cuisine. However, I kinda liked this burger. And that's saying a lot. Of course, my Mountain Man loves Greek food, so he loved this burger. It starts off with a lamb burger, and then is piled high with homemade cumin mayo, crazy feta spread, roasted red peppers, grilled red onions, and baby arugula. I saw the recipe for Crazy Feta on one of my favorite blogs, and I knew I had to make it because it kind of reminded me of pimento cheese spread. So, I thought it would be brilliant on a burger. And it was. I served our Big Fat Greek Lamb Burgers with some baked sweet potato fries. This is one fully loaded burger, and you'll be stuffed to the brim after eating it!! Enjoy :)

My Big Fat Greek Lamb Burgers with Crazy Feta Spread, Grilled Red Onions, & Cumin Mayo

Look at those gorgeous grilled onions...

For the Crazy Feta Spread:

1 8oz Brick of Feta Cheese

2 Jalapenos, Roasted & Chopped

2T + 1t Olive Oil

1 Head of Garlic, Roasted

1-2T Lemon Juice

½t Lemon Zest

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Cumin Mayo:

½C Mayo

2t Ground Cumin

¼t Curry Powder

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

 

For the Lamb Patties:

1lb Ground Lamb

1t Greek Oregano

1 Egg

1T Fresh Mint, Minced

1 Garlic Cloves, Minced

½C Bread Crumbs

1t Dijon Mustard

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Olive Oil

For the Big Fat Greek Burgers:

Burger Buns, Buttered & Toasted

Prepared Lamb Patties, Grilled

Prepared Crazy Feta Spread

Prepared Cumin Mayo

Grilled Red Onions

Roasted Red Peppers

Baby Arugula Tossed in Balsamic Vinaigrette

Other Toppings: Tzatziki Sauce, Cucumbers, Olives, Olive Tapenade, Tomatoes, & Hummus

Directions:

1. To Make the Crazy Feta Spread: In a large bowl, crumble the feta bricks. Add the chopped, roasted jalapenos, roasted garlic cloves, the lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Add in the olive oil and mash with a fork. You want the feta to be a bit “wet”. Taste the feta and season with salt and pepper. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
2. For the Cumin Mayo: Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set it aside until ready to use.
3. For the Lamb Patties: In a mixing bowl, add in all of the ingredients. Gently fold to thoroughly mix the meat mixture with the breadcrumbs, egg, and seasonings. Shape into four equal patties. Drizzle some olive oil on the patties and season with salt & pepper. Cook or grill patties over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side for a medium to medium-rare burger (cook longer if you want well done).
4. Assembling the Burgers: Spread both sides of the toasted buns with a big spoonful of cumin mayo. Top each bottom bun with a cooked patty. Place a large scoop of the crazy feta spread on top of the patty. And then, layer on the roasted red pepper, grilled red onions, and baby arugula. Add on any of Greek toppings that you like as well. Enjoy.

Fresh Georgia Peach Mint Julep's

We still have a bunch of the homemade lemon-mint simple syrup that we used to make the delicious Carolina Cup Mint Julep's. So I thought I would make another version of this drink, and what is better than fresh Georgia peaches? Absolutely nothin'. We bought a few peaches at the farmer's market, and we just muddled them right in with the mint, so they would get crushed up and their natural juices would flavor the drink. I also substituted some of the bourbon with some peach schnapps to really obtain that peachy flavor. These were awesome, and they were the perfect drink for a picnic out at the park, but don't you worry, these would be great for entertaining as well!! Enjoy :)

Fresh Georgia Peach Mint Julep's 

Look at those fresh peaches...

For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup:

2C Sugar

2C Water

1 Lemon Zested

½C Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ½C Fresh Mint Leaves, Packed (do not include stems, they cause bitterness)

For the Peach Mint Juleps:

6-8 Fresh Mint Leaves (plus mint springs for garnish)

1 Small Peach, Peeled & Cut into Cubes

1oz Prepared Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup, Chilled

1oz Peach Schnapps

2oz High Quality Bourbon

Crushed Ice

Directions:

1. For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup: Heat the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add in the fresh mint leaves and let the mint steep for 10 minutes. Next, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bottle. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool completely at room temperature. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Refrigerate the syrup until chilled. Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

2. For the Peach Mint Juleps: Lightly muddle the mint leaves and fresh peach cubes with the prepared simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add in the bourbon and the peach schnapps and shake to combine. Fill a julep cup or glass with crushed ice. Pour the liquid over the ice. Stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint springs, and then serve with a straw.

Mini Derby Pies

Have y'all ever heard of Derby Pie? It's a famous dessert that made at the Kentucky Derby. So, when we were planning our menu for the Carolina Cup, I knew that I had to make this pie. However, I obviously couldn't make a regular sized pie because then we would need plates, forks, etc. So I made Mini Derby Pies that everyone could easily enjoy in just one little bite. What is Derby Pie you ask? Derby Pie is a version of Pecan Pie, except for they use walnuts, chocolate chips, and bourbon. I actually have my recipe for Perfect Bourbon-Chocolate Chunk-Pecan Pie that I absolutely love, that was super easy to adapt. All I have to do was substitute some finely chopped, roasted walnuts. Well, the mini pies were the perfect little dessert to grab & go as we were partying. These would be great for a party, tailgate, or even for a picnic!! Enjoy :)

Mini Derby Pies with Roasted Walnuts, Mini Chocolate Chips, & Bourbon

For the Mini Derby Pies:

Store-Bought Pie Crust (two rounds)

1C Sugar

2T Brown Sugar

½t Salt

1C Light Brown Syrup

1t Vanilla

½C Browned Butter, Melted & Slightly Cooled

3 Whole Eggs, Beaten

1 ½C Roasted Walnuts, Finely Chopped

½C Mini Chocolate Chips   

2T Bourbon

Directions:

1. Using a small cookie cutter, cut the store-bought pizza crust to fit the size of the mini cupcake tins (I usually use a cookie cutter that is about ½-1inch larger because the crust shrinks when it bakes).

2. To Make the Derby Pies: Mix together the sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, browned butter, eggs, vanilla, and bourbon until smooth. Place 1T of chopped walnuts into the prepared piecrusts, and then 1t of mini chocolate chips on top of the walnuts. Slowly pour the liquid mixture over the top of the walnuts.

3. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, rotating halfway through the cook time. The pie should be slightly jiggly when you remove it from the oven.

4. Allow to cool for several hours or overnight.

"Porker Jack" a.k.a. Popcorn Pig Candy

Here's another one of our snacks from our tailgate at the Carolina Cup this past weekend. I knew I wanted something that people could easily grab and munch on all day, and I instantly thought of caramel corn. But I knew that I wanted to make it slightly better and super unique. I did this by adding lots of crispy bacon and roasted peanuts. Then to top it all off, I added in some cayenne and red pepper flakes for that signature kick. It was delicious. I mean any popcorn that is popped in bacon fat is a winner in my book. It tasted almost exactly like my bacon peanut brittle that I was raving about a couple weeks ago. The popcorn was smoky, sweet, spicy, and crunchy... and we just loved it!! Enjoy :)

"Porker Jack" or Popcorn Pig Candy

If you look up close, you ca see the pieces of bacon and peanuts hiding in the caramel

For the Popcorn Pig Candy:

Nonstick Cooking Spray

10 Strips of Thick Cut, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Cut into Pieces & Fried until Crispy

3T Reserved Bacon Fat

½C Popcorn Kernels

2C Unsalted Peanuts, Roasted

1 ½t Baking Soda

¼t Cayenne & Cinnamon

½t Red Pepper Flakes

3C Sugar

3T Unsalted Butter

Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Lightly coat two large, heatproof rubber spatulas, a very large mixing bowl and two large baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or a thin slick of oil.
2. In a sauté pan, fry the bacon pieces until cooked and very crispy. Strain from the fat onto a paper towel and set it aside. Use 3T of the leftover bacon fat for the popcorn kernels.
3. In a large saucepan or pot with a lid, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover and keep the saucepan moving until all of the kernels have popped, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared bowl, removing any un-popped kernels.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, cayenne, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes.
5. Have the two large baking sheets ready. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, salt and ½C of water. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the mixture becomes a light golden-yellow caramel, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the baking soda mixture (the mixture will bubble up). Add in the crispy bacon pieces and roasted peanuts and stir quickly to combine.
6. Immediately pour the caramel mixture over the popcorn and don’t fuss if it doesn’t all come out of the pot — you’ll have plenty. Working quickly and carefully, use the prepared spatulas to toss the caramel and popcorn together, as if you were tossing a salad, until the popcorn is well coated. Spread the popcorn onto the baking sheets and quickly separate them into small pieces while still warm, and then sprinkle the surface with sea salt to taste. Cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

source: spicy caramel corn.

Carolina Cup Mint Julep's with Homemade Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup

Finally, a new recipe for y'all! Sorry I've been a bad blogger, but I have a good reason for it. I've went out of town to Columbia for the Carolina Cup. I had never been to the Cup before, but I heard it was a blast. So, I talked to one of my best friend's from high school, who went to college in South Carolina, and she organized for us to get a prime tailgating spot with a big group of people. Let me tell you, it was a blast. If you live in the South, definitely put it on your bucket list. It's similar to the Kentucky Derby, but a little bit younger and a lot drunker. Of course, tailgating is my favorite thing to do in the world, so when we knew for sure that we were going, I instantly started planning our menu. I made pimento cheese, spicy sausage dip, pigs n' a blanket, sweet potato biscuits with country ham, mini derby pies, porker jack (or popcorn pig candy), and my soon-to-be-famous Carolina Cup Mint Juleps with Homemade Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup. If you haven't heard of or had a Mint Julep, then you're crazy. They are one of my favorite drinks and just plain delicious. A typical Julep has high quality bourbon, fresh mint, sugar or some kind of sweetener, and lots of crushed ice. I knew I wanted to use a classic Julep recipe as inspiration, but I just had to make it my own as well. I think the one component that really made this drink special was my Homemade Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup. This thick & sweet simple syrup is infused with lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and fresh mint. Typically, Mint Julep's don't have any lemon, but I thought that it would provide the drink with some acidity that would cut the taste of the alcohol, while also giving it an unique flavor. And boy, it really did. The homemade syrup made the drink sweet and oh-so-smooth. We muddled each drink fresh to order for everyone at our tailgate and they were an absolute hit. So, whip up a big batch of this homemade simple syrup and store it in an airtight container for up to a month, so you can enjoy Mint Julep's for a long time!! Enjoy :)

Our First Mint Julep's of the Day... at 9:00AM :)

Me & My Best Friend from High School

Best Couple Friends... Clayton, Me, Lindsay, & Billy

My Mountain Man's Ridiculously Southern-Preppy Outfit

Some of the Girls 

Bright Colors, Pretty Patterns, Big Hats, Bow Ties, Mint Juleps, & Cigars

Carolina Cup Mint Juleps with Homemade Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup 

The Frosted Glass

Always garnish with fresh mint sprigs for a perfect presentation

For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup:

2C Sugar

2C Water

1 Lemon Zested

½C Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ½C Fresh Mint Leaves, Packed (do not include stems, they cause bitterness)

For the Mint Juleps:

8-10 Fresh Mint Leaves (plus mint springs for garnish)

2oz Prepared Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup, Chilled

2oz High Quality Bourbon (or 3oz for a guy's drink)

Crushed Ice

Directions:

1. For the Lemon-Mint Simple Syrup: Heat the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and add in the fresh mint leaves and let the mint steep for 10 minutes. Next, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bottle. Discard the solids. Let the syrup cool completely at room temperature. Stir in the fresh lemon juice. Refrigerate the syrup until chilled. Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
2. For the Mint Juleps: Place the fresh mint leaves into the bottom of a cocktail shaker, and then add in about handful of crushed ice. Muddle the mint leaves with the crushed ice until the mint leaves and ice are bruised & broken up. Add in the prepared simple syrup into the cocktail shaker, over the ice, and slightly muddle again. Add in the bourbon and shake to combine. Fill a julep cup or glass full with crushed ice. Pour the liquid over the ice (do not strain out the crushed mint). Stir until a frost forms on the outside of the cup. Top with a little more crushed ice and garnish with fresh mint springs, and then serve with a straw. 

Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream with Gooey Butter Cake Bites & Rainbow Buttercream Pieces

As I sit outside in the hot weather, I'm totally hating that I have to be at school all day. It's literally 85 degrees and perfect for a day out at the beach. Instead of focusing on classes, all I can think about is some fruity cocktails and some yummy ice cream. But, unfortunately for me, I'm enjoying a tall glass of a protein smoothie with a side of carrots. Delicious, right? Absolutely not. So, as I sit here and pity myself, I knew that I just had to post my recipe for Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream with Gooey Butter Cake Bites & Rainbow Buttercream Pieces. I have this ice cream sitting in my freezer at home and I all that's running through my mind is how I can get my hands on some it. But, I can't... or at least not until 6:30. This amazing ice cream is a cake batter custard base, which is usually enough on its own. No no no, that will not work for me, I have to add in wayyyy more stuff. So I baked up a gooey butter cake and cut it into little cubes and tossed those in. Next, I made homemade buttercream and dyed it with all colors of the rainbow and froze them. Once they were solid and slightly hard, I tossed those into the base as well. Lastly, you gotta add some rainbow sprinkles because it would not be birthday cake without some damn sprinkles. This ice cream is a technicolor dream. It's literally the best treat you can have at the end of a long, hot day. If you're a sucker for cake batter, make it. Make it now. And once you make it, put a big scoop on an sugar cone and go at it (before it melts all over your hands). You'll seriously be in heaven!! Enjoy :)

Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream in a Cone

Starting to melt...

Birthday Cake Batter Ice Cream with Gooey Butter Cake Bites & Rainbow Buttercream Pieces

So excited to dig in to his ice cream after a day at the beach!

For the Gooey Butter Cake Chunks:

1 Box of Golden Butter Cake Mix

1 Egg

1 Stick of Butter, Melted

2T Milk

8oz Cream Cheese, Softened

2 Eggs

1 Box of Confectioners’ Sugar

1t Vanilla

For the Rainbow Buttercream Pieces:

1C Homemade Icing (either Buttercream or cream cheese)

Different Color Dyes (for the rainbow effect)

For the Cake Batter Ice Cream:

4C Heavy Cream, Divided

1C White Cake Mix

1C Sugar

¼t Salt

6 Egg Yolks 

1T Vanilla

3C Whole Milk

2C Prepared Gooey Butter Cake Chunks

Prepared Rainbow Buttercream Pieces

½-1C Rainbow Sprinkles

Directions:

1. For the Gooey Butter Cake Chunks: Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a pan with Pam, then set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cake mix, egg, melted butter, and milk until combined. Press the dough into the prepared pan, so that there is an even layer. In another mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Pour over the cake. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until the middle has barely set (do not over bake). Let the cake completely cool before cutting into bite size chunks. Set the cake chunks aside until you are ready to fold them in to the cake base.
2. For the Rainbow Buttercream Pieces: To prepare your Buttercream to be used in the ice cream, put a small amount in a piping bag and pipe Buttercream lines onto a cutting board covered in cling film. I used different colored dyes to make different batches of rainbow icing; however, you can just chose one color if you like. Put the cutting board in the freezer for an hour or two so the icing can freeze.  Using a sharp knife, cut the Buttercream icing lines into 1/2 inch (approx 1cm) pieces, transfer to a small dish and pop them back in the freezer until you’re ready to fold them into the ice cream base.
3. For the Cake Batter Ice Cream: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the heavy cream with the white cake mix, sugar, and salt.  Heat over medium heat until warmed through.  Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.  Combine the remaining heavy cream, vanilla, and whole milk in a large mixing bowl with a fine mesh sieve set over the top. When the mixture in the saucepan is warm, slowly pour a small amount into the bowl with the egg yolks to temper them, whisking constantly.  Continue pouring the cream mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously until completely combined.  Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat.  Continue heating, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and reads 170-175˚F on an instant-read thermometer. Immediately pour the custard mixture through the mesh sieve into the bowl with the remaining cream and milk and mix to blend.  Cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.  Once the mixture is chilled through, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. At the end of the freezing process, fold in the gooey butter cake chunks, rainbow Buttercream pieces, and sprinkles until the ingredients are mixed throughout. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for at least 3 hours before enjoying.

source: cake batter ice cream. birthday cake batter ice cream.

Breakfast Carbonara with Bacon, Sausage, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and a Poached Egg

Brunch has to be the best meal of the day. Why do we only really enjoy it on Sunday? It should be every day. Anyway, this weekend we decided to make Breakfast Carbonara. I have never actually had classic Carbonara before because I don't like Italian food (don't shoot me, I know that's strange), but I came across a recipe that made Carbonara into breakfast. And that just sounded delicious. Who would turn down pasta for breakfast? Not us. This Breakfast Carbonara has crispy bacon, crumbled sausage, roasted cherry tomatoes, freshly grated Parmesan, goat cheese, and herbs. I also topped our pasta with a poached egg just for that little extra brunch touch. This was one of the more satisfying meals we have made in a long time. We are stuffed beyond belief at this point, and we are so happy about it. Please go make this, so you can experience the happiness/pain that we are in right now!! Enjoy :)

Breakfast Carbonara with Bacon, Sausage, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, and a Poached Egg

The View from the Top

The poached egg makes it so decadent...

For the Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:

1C Cherry Tomatoes, Cut in Half

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

For the Breakfast Carbonara:

½C Crumbled Breakfast Sausage, Cooked

½C Crispy Bacon, Roughly Chopped

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

¼C Dry White Wine

4 Large Eggs (two for the pasta and two for fried or poached eggs as garnish)

1C Fresh Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced to a Paste

2T Fresh Parsley, Minced

2oz Fresh Goat Cheese, Crumbled

½lb Pasta, Cooked

Fresh Chives, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Roasted Tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and toss the tomatoes lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out in one even layer on a baking sheet. Roast the tomatoes for 30-45 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized. Set them aside until ready to use.
2. For the Breakfast Carbonara: Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat together the eggs, Parmesan, and garlic together with fork in small bowl; set aside. Transfer hot, cooked pasta to the pot (removed from heat); if pasta is dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, toss well to combine. Toss the roasted tomatoes, parsley, bacon, and crumbled sausage into the egg-coated pasta. Season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Lastly garnish with crumbled goat cheese and chives. Top the pasta with a fried or poached egg.
3. Enjoy immediately!