We haven't done it for years because many of the family members who attended are gone now or have moved away, but we used to have really fun Fourth of July gatherings at our house. People brought a dish to share, we cooked large amounts of meat for sandwiches, and there was always strawberry shortcake or a cake decorated like the American flag. One year Olivia made table decorations out of dowel rods that looked like firecrackers. We had everyone bring lawn chairs and we would set up the croquet set and even horseshoes. We decorated everything we could in red, white, and blue and filled galvanized tubs with icy beverages. At dusk we played pre-recorded patriotic music while the kids in the crowd did twirling of their sparklers in time to the music. We haven't had one of these parties for many years now, but every Fourth of July we reminisce about those happy times and all the fun memories we made.
Recipes like this black and bleu burger are the kind of thing that make those summer holiday memories. I would strongly urge, especially if you have children, take the time to celebrate the birth of this great nation and the precious time you have together as a family. Just add laughter, love, watermelon, and lemonade. You will have a blast!
-Nanette
P.S. Being the "over the top" fabulous foodies they are, Olivia and her husband, Dan, served their burgers on sourdough hamburger buns they made from scratch! Yum!
BLACK & BLEU BURGERS
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 hamburger buns
bleu cheese crumbles
blackening seasoning (see recipe that follows)
assorted other burger condiments
Divide the ground beef up into four patties. Coat each side of each patty with the blackening seasoning to taste. Grill the burgers on the grill to desired doneness. Remove from grill, place on hamburger buns, and top with bleu cheese crumbles along with any other desired condiments. Enjoy!
BLACKENING SEASONING
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Combine all ingredients. Keep unused portion in tight container.
Wow, those look amazing! Jeff would be all over this one, and frankly so would I. I would probably opt for a high cayenne version and a low cayenne version because I'm a wimp, but I would LOVE to try these! Homemade hamburger buns? *sigh* Sadly, that would probably never happen in my house, but I am in awe.
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