This week got me thinking about all the fun ways to use Bellisari’s Spreads and Sauces on a burger which led me to all the fun ways to make a burger. As I have told you before I am a sucker for any kitchen gadget that is out there, even the “Made for TV” stuffed burger gadget. The justification for this purchase was an amazing foodie trip to Minneapolis and my introduction to the Juicy Lucy burger. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the story, there is a bar(actually two bars) that claim ownership of the creation of the Juicy Lucy Burger. One spells it Juicy Lucy while the other spells it Juicy Lucy. Either way, once I tasted my first Juicy Lucy I was hooked! The burger is prepared by stuffing cheese between two patties of meat, then sealing both patties around the cheese to create a single patty with a cheese core. As the burger cooks, the cheese inside melts. This has the effect of keeping the meat near the center of the burger very juicy. It also separates the cheese from the bun, resulting in a slightly different texture than the usual cheeseburger. Of course, I had to create Bellisari’s versions of our own Juicy Lucy recipes and I have also listed below the best recipe to create a Juicy Lucy burger. Whatever your burger preference, we have one for you.

Caprese Juicy Lucy-Stuffed with fresh mozzarella and topped with fresh basil and Bellisari’s Calabrian & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread.

Bacon & Blue Juicy Lucy-Stuffed with Bellisari’s Blue Cheese Honey & Shallot Spread and topped with bacon, onion straws and Bellisari’s Barista Sauce!

Saigon Slaw Juicy Lucy-Stuffed with pepper jack cheese and topped with Saigon Slaw and shishito peppers.

Fig Turkey Juicy Lucy-Stuffed with goat cheese or feta (your choice) and topped with Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeno & Fig Spread and Arugula.

Balsamic, Black Garlic Juicy Lucy-Stuffed with Brie and topped with Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot Spread and oven roasted tomatoes and mixed greens.

Juicy Lucy Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients

1-pound ground beef (15 to 20 percent fat content)

3 ounces of your favorite cheese cut into thin squares or rectangles

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 burger buns - split, buttered and toasted

Vegetable oil, for the grill or cast-iron pan

Directions

Place the ground beef in a large bowl and season with the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form each into a ball.

**Using your fingertips, flatten them into thin patties, about ¼ inch thick.

Divide the cheese into 2 of the patties and top them with the remaining 2 patties, pinching the edges to form a tight seal. With your hands, smooth out the edges and press on the top to flatten slightly into a thick single patty.

Heat your grill or cast iron pan to medium high. Add a little vegetable oil and then add your burgers, cooking undisturbed for 5-6 minutes per side. Messing with them too much might cause the cheese to leak from the patty.

Remove to a plate or cutting board and let the burgers rest for at least 3 minutes.

Serve immediately!

**I have found that it helps to use wax paper to flatten the patties very thin, otherwise burgers end up too big. It also helped me to make one patty bigger than the other one, that way I was able to roll the edges over better. Makes a better seal so if you want to grill these rather than fry in a skillet or pan.

When it comes to summer, it is hard not to find someone enjoying a sweet, juicy peach. Whether sweet or savory, there are so many ways to enjoy the fruit of the summer. In our house we enjoy it in many ways from the classics like Auntie B’s peach cobbler and homemade peach ice cream, to peach salsas and salads with peaches and crumbled blue cheese. This summer there was no shortage of peach sangria which my sister is the master at creating and yesterday we posted a grilled peach recipe with Bellisari’s Balsamic Shallot and Black Garlic Spread. The best part yet is that one cup of sliced peach, weighing 154 grams (g) contains: 60 calories 1.4 g of protein, not only is it tasty and versatile, it is a healthy option. This week we enjoyed the Peach and Prosciutto Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Spicy Fig Dressing. Recipe below.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 tablespoons of Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread

1 shallot finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 ripe but firm peaches, cut into wedges

1/4 c. roasted pistachios chopped

4 cups mixed baby greens

4 to 6 slices prosciutto, sliced paper thin

approximately 1/4 cup Parmesan, shaved

Directions

Whisk together lemon juice, oil, shallots, and Bellisari’s Blistered Jalapeño & Fig Spread in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add peaches and toss to coat. Let sit at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Place the mixed baby greens in each bowl and add the prosciutto and top each serving with the peaches and spicy fig dressing. Garnish with pistachios and enjoy!

Make Ahead Back to School Meals. By the end of the summer, as moms, we are all ready to get back to school and get on a schedule. The downside of that is all the craziness that follows like extracurricular activities, school meetings, long practices and homework. That schedule that we appreciate throughout the school day quickly falls apart after school leading up to dinner. The odds of having the entire family eating together or at the same time is rare. Because of all the chaos, we need meals that are easy to make, healthy, and can be made ahead and reheated. When I think of Jambalaya, the words quick and easy, would not typically come to mind…. not until I made this delicious and flavorful version. Typical Jambalaya can be really spicy, which is not appealing to most kids. This version still has the yummy Jambalaya flavor, just with a milder heat making it the perfect veggie packed dinner for kids. Plus, you will not believe how fast this meal can be whipped up. The best thing about this recipe is that you only use one-pot. For everything. One-pot Jambalaya Recipe for kids will be on your menu! Remember parents…you can add as much spice as you would like to your bowl!

Jambalaya

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tablespoon – olive oil

1/2 medium – onion

1 medium – bell pepper, red

1 medium – bell pepper, green

1 medium – bell pepper, orange

2 cloves – garlic

1/2 pound – chicken breast

8 ounce – turkey sausage

3 cup – chicken broth, low-sodium

1 Jar Bellisari's Calabrian & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread

1 Cup Crushed tomatoes canned

1 1/2 cup – brown rice, raw

1/2 tbsp – Cajun spice

1 teaspoon – thyme, dried

1 teaspoon – Worcestershire sauce

8 ounce – shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or sturdy pot. Chop onions and peppers into bit size pieces. Mince or crush garlic. Sauté veggies and garlic until they soften, about 4-5 minutes. Cut chicken and sausage into bite size pieces. Add the chicken and the sausage and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. To the pot add the rest of the ingredients, except the shrimp. Stir to combine.

Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. (If you use brown rice vs. white rice, this will take longer to cook for the rice to soften. Plan on an extra 20-25 minutes and you may need to add more liquid) Once the rice is soft, taste and add more seasonings to taste. Add shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remember this dish can be made ahead and reheated at meal time! Enjoy!

During the summer months I love grilling out as much as possible. There are so many options, many of them healthy ones, including fish. Fish can be a little trickier to grill than chicken, steak or veggies so it is important to be knowledgeable as to what type of fish that grill well and not fall apart. Delicate fish like tilapia or flounder do not fare so well on the grill because they will fall through the grates. It is best to choose a firm fish or one that can be cut into steaks. Snapper is a mild white fish that is a firm fillet and is great for grilling. I usually lather the snapper with our Balsamic Shallot & Black Garlic Spread and serve with a cold cucumber salad. Salmon typically comes in fillets when you purchase it at the fishmonger or grocery store. It can be cut into steaks as well and both are firm and hold up well on the grill. Many grill masters will use cedar chips or planks to grill their salmon. I love mine with our Barista Sauce glaze and basmati rice. Swordfish is one of my favorite fish to grill because it is so meaty and is also sold as a steak. I love pairing it with our Saigon Street Slaw recipe. I grill the fish and serve each steak on a bed of the slaw. Yum!! Arctic char, halibut and Mahi Mahi are also other fish that grill well.

A few things to remember when purchasing fish to grill out…steaks come from larger fish, and larger fish tend to be fattier, and fat equals flavor, of course. Request ones that are at least 1″ thick. Secondly, it is important to be aware of sustainability and sourcing when choosing fish and or seafood. There are many great apps but probably the most popular is Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. It will let you know what fish are being overfished or endangered at any given time. Last but most important is clean your grill thoroughly and brush oil on the grates to keep the fish from sticking before grilling!

During the summer months I love grilling out as much as possible. There are so many options, many of them healthy ones, including fish.  Fish can be a little trickier to grill than chicken, steak or veggies so it is important to be knowledgeable as to what type of fish that grill well and not fall apart.  Delicate fish like tilapia or flounder do not fare so well on the grill because they will fall through the grates. It is best to choose a firm fish or one that can be cut into steaks.  Snapper is a mild white fish that is a firm fillet and is great for grilling. I usually lather the snapper with our Balsamic Shallot & Black Garlic Spread and serve with a cold cucumber salad.  Salmon typically comes in fillets when you purchase it at the fishmonger or grocery store.  It can be cut into steaks as well and both are firm and hold up well on the grill.  Many grill masters will use cedar chips or planks to grill their salmon.  I love mine with our Barista Sauce glaze and basmati rice.  Swordfish is one of my favorite fish to grill because it is so meaty and is also sold as a steak.  I love pairing it with our Saigon Street Slaw recipe.  I grill the fish and serve each steak on a bed of the slaw. Yum!!  Arctic char, halibut and Mahi Mahi are also other fish that grill well. 

A few things to remember when purchasing fish to grill out…steaks come from larger fish, and larger fish tend to be fattier, and fat equals flavor, of course. Request ones that are at least 1″ thick. Secondly, it is important to be aware of sustainability and sourcing when choosing fish and or seafood.  There are many great apps but probably the most popular is Monterey Bay Seafood Watch.  It will let you know what fish are being overfished or endangered at any given time.  Last but most important is clean your grill thoroughly and brush oil on the grates to keep the fish from sticking before grilling!