Summer Sandwich Revamp

Summer is a great time for changing things up a little in the kitchen. With hot weather abound it can be difficult to not get stuck in a sandwhich rut! From burgers and dogs to cold cuts, things can get a little boring after a while.

Here are two of my favorite burger and dog recipes to help you shake up your Summer menu!

My Homemade Gourmet Burger

Burgers are the ultimate Summer staple in our house and after a while the basic, lettuce, ketchup, pickle topping options get pretty old.

To make the perfect burger that your family and friends will gush over is to first, always make your own patties. This allows you to add seasoning and make whatever size burger you want. Also, there's something to be said for knowing what's going in your food! For a great tasting burger I like to add 1 packet of Onion Soup Mix in with 1.5-2lbs. of 85% lean chop meat. (Normally I buy as lean as I can go but for a burger you need a little fat so you don't end up with a hockey puck.) Form into patties and put your thumb print in the center of each burger (sounds strange I know but this helps to eliminate shrinkage). Now you're ready to grill.

My second and actually, most important suggestion is to pick a great roll! Good bread is the key to a great sandwich! With a burger go a little heartier so that it holds up to the toppings. A mushy bun is never a good thing!

On to the fun part...toppings!!! To make my favorite burger I start caramelizing Vidalia onions and sliced mushrooms. The key to good caramelization is to take your time! Low heat, frequent stirring, salt, pepper and lots of butter. Once the onions and mushrooms are softened I also add about a teaspoon of sugar to help the caramelization process along. When they are almost done I deglaze the pan with a splash of whatever wine I have on hand to give them an extra something special.

The next topping is something no burger should be without...CHEESE!!! For this one I use crumbled goat cheese and it is everything!!!! It's melty, gooey and compliments the other flavors perfectly!

Now for the sauce, because a dry burger is just no fun! My go-to sauce to spruce up any sandwich is a great aioli. For this burger I use light mayo, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon and tons of basil. It's great to make this a little ahead of time so you can throw it in the fridge to let the ingredients marry.

To finish things off chop a little romaine and assemble!

All hail, the Slaw Dog

As much as I would like to, I can't take credit for this one. The Slaw Dog is a southern staple that will knock your socks off. This recipe takes no time but will change everything about your hot dog.

I always use beef franks, in particular my all-time favorite is Nathan's. They have a hint of garlic that just really works for the Slaw Dog. Grill to desired doneness and let the assembly begin!

Place a slice of American cheese on the bun, next comes the dog, your favorite cole slaw (I find slaw with a lower liquid content to be the best), and finally top with raw, chopped onions.

There you have it, easy peasy! You now have a Slaw Dog!

So remember BBQ's don't have to be the same old thing. Get adventurous, try something new and you'll always be fabulous!

xoxo

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