The 2 Spoons

Heavenly Homemade Smashburgers

July 12, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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You probably wonder why I’m posting a recipe for Smashburgers, but the truth is there is a technique to making the perfect one!

I mean you can’t just cook a piece of ground meat, you have to do it the right way and you have to have the right fat to lean ratio. Most common is 80/20 but there is 75/25 which has even more fat. You have to have the fat. If you insist on any leaner like 90/10, it will not be a good burger! A good burger has juice that drips down your arms!! A burger that takes a dozen napkins!! Yes!! Here’s a link about the fat to lean ratios: https://schweidandsons.com/blog/lean-vs-fat-perfect-burger-ratio/

Heavenly Homemade Smashburgers

I’ve mentioned before that my Granny had a cafe in Central Texas! She made the best burgers ever and yes, they were Smashburgers! This is not a new concept, that’s how diners, cafes, Mom and Pop operations made them, on a hot griddle with fresh meat! My youngest sister and I spent most summers with her and days that we didn’t want to hang out at the cafe, she’d pack us up with cheeseburgers and fries. Remember when hamburger buns came in a cardboard carton? Well she’d stuff the carton with our burger and load the rest with hand cut French fries! No frozen fries there! They’d cut them daily with a French Fry cutter.

Heavenly Homemade Smashburgers

So the first thing is the size. You want a thin patty. You don’t want less than 4 patties to a pound of beef. Granny would make balls of meat every morning and store them in the refrigerator on a platter until she made the next burger! No frozen patties, only fresh ground!

You want a hot griddle. I set my griddle at about 375 degrees. I’m such a fanatic about my burgers that when we build our house I had a 48 inch range installed with 4 burners, a grill and a griddle. Boy, do I use that griddle. How can you have a griddle like a restaurant in your home and not make smashburgers at least a week?

Starting with a hot griddle throw a couple of the beef balls on, let them sit a few minutes to brown and get that crust started before you turn and smash. Then turn like the picture below, and smash with a spatula!

If you don’t have a griddle built in an iron skillet works well and there are great griddle/grill pans you can purchase fir not a lot of money. I have one that is cast iron, it covers two burners and has a flat griddle on one side and a grill on the other when you want some grill marks.

Cook them on the side you turned to for a few minutes, salt and pepper, turn and immediately add the cheese to the other side if you want a cheeseburger. Top with a lid and cook only until the cheese is melted! You don’t want to overcook. So, have your buns and condiments ready because this takes minutes!

Yum!! So delicious! Serve with chips, French Fries or Onion Rings or even a good potato salad which I do a lot. Here’s my potato salad if you need a recipe!! https://the2spoons.com/super-good-southern-potato-salad/.

We like to switch it up and sometimes we’ll have yellow mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup or special sauce like I did this time! These have lettuce, tomatoes from my garden (literally makes the burger) pickles and shredded lettuce, and of course American Cheese! Sometimes I’ll have just a party with cheese, pickles and mustard and ketchup!

So go make a smashburger this weekend!

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course, Sandwiches

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcheeseburgers, hamburgers, sandwiches, smashburgers

Ingredients

1 lb 80/20 or 75/25 ground beef, formed into 4 balls salt and pepper
4 hamburger buns of your choice
4-8 slices American Cheese or cheese of your choice
dill pickles
shredded lettuce
1-2 Ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
mustard, mayonnaise or special sauce

Special Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup dill relish or chopped dill pickles
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Heat your griddle to 375 degrees. Place the balls of ground beef on the griddle and allow to sear and start a crust to form before turning and smashing. Flip over, smack with a wide spatula and salt and pepper. Place your buns on the griddle with a little oil or butter to brown. Remove the buns when a little brown and start by spreading your spread..like the special sauce, mayonnaise or mustard. Top with your condiments.
When your. patty has browned on that side, flip and immediately add the cheese, cover with a lid if you can and only cook until the cheeee has melted .
Top each bun with the condiments with the beef and cheese patty!
Pass the napkins!!

Special Sauce

Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl, and place a dollop on your hamburger!

Simple, Tender Grilled Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak

July 11, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak is just what my cowboy wanted! He loves steak on the grill and he loves Mexican food so the chipotle glaze ties it together into one package! Add some grilled jalapeños and some cilantro/lime butter! Perfection!

I served the steak my Mexican Street Corn which in itself is delicious! Here’s the link for the corn: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-elote-aka-mexican-street-corn/ and a cilantro lime rice. Add some corn tortillas, lettuce and tomatoes, your choice of salsas and it’s a build your own tacos meal if you want!

Simple, Tender Grilled Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak

We prefer our steaks medium rare. Here’s a chart that will help you make the decision of the correct temperature for your steak. http://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/201…. Just because I’ve cooked steak for so long I don’t use a thermometer but it is always a good idea to do that! Another tip is to let your steaks come to room temperature before grilling, and after grilling, let your steaks rest for a few minutes to let the juices remain in the steak, not on the cutting board if you slice too soon.

I topped with a final pat of cilantro lime compound butter. I just softened un-Salted butter just a little, not too soft because you want to be able to form it and wrap in plastic wrap. Then I added a little salt, lime juice and chopped cilantro. Then I formed into a cylinder shape, wrapped and placed in the refrigerator to firm back up!

Here’s the simple recipe!

Grilled Chipotle Glazed Ribeye Steak

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Main Course

CuisineAmerican, Mexican

Keywordchipotle glazed ribeye steak, grilled, ribeye steak

Servings Servings

Ingredients

2 1 inch ribeye steak
1 chipotle pepper and 2 or 3 tablespoons of the juices
salt and pepper
2 tbsps lime/cilantro compound butter

Instructions

Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and place on a sheet pan or other dish.
Mince the chipotle peppers and combine with the juices. Rub on both sides of the steak. Rub each side with extra virgin olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to each side. Let see about 30 minutes to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, heat your preferred grill. When your fire is ready, and the steaks and cook about 3 minutes on each side for medium rare.
Remove to a platter, top with the butter and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Delicious! Grilled Mexican Street Corn

July 11, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I love Mexican Street Corn and it is so easy!! Fresh corn on the cob grilled slathered with mayonnaise, Cotija Cheese or Feta Cheese , lime juice, fresh cilantro, chile powder or tajin as I like to use……what’s not to love?

If you haven’t been to Mexico or seen the street carts selling Elote, or familiar with the dish, here’s what Wikipedia has to say about Mexican Street Corn ” Elote, or corn on the cob is a popular street food in Mexico, although it is frequently served at home prepared in the same way. It is customarily consumed on a stick, or by grasping the husk of the cob that has been pulled down to form a “handle”. Condiments such as salt, chile powder, butter, cotija, lemon juice or lime juice, and mayonnaise are usually added to the elote.” There you go! Good Stuff!!

Delicious! Grilled Mexican Street Corn

I’ve made this will the husk still on, but this time I removed the husk then I par boiled the corn, then placed on a hot grill. This cuts down on the cooking time. If you don’t have a grill, lodge makes a great cast iron grill/griddle that works great and I use a lot! Here’s a link for that grill/griddle that you can use for so many things. https://amzn.to/3guuqpA

This reversible Lodge grill/griddle is great!

Here’s a photo of Mexican street corn I’ve made before grilling in the husk and in that case I used feta cheese:

I used cotija cheese this time. Traditionally, Cotija cheese was made with raw milk aged for three to twelve months. But the commercial productions add an enzyme to speed up the ripening process. This need for acceleration gives the commercial produce a slight change in flavor compared to the artisanal variety.

Since, Cotija cheese is very salty, strongly flavoured, firm and does not actually melt, it is used for grating on salads, soups, casseroles, tacos, tostadas and chilli. In Mexico, it is also widely used to enhance the flavour of many savoury dishes by mixing directly into the casserole or recipe. In the U.S. it is increasingly popular on pasta. It is typically shredded onto cooked foods, also in salads and with fruit.” https://cheese.com/cotija

Here’s the brand of cotija I used, but there are various brands available. https://amzn.to/2C7I2Iu

Delicious! Grilled Mexican Street Corn

I made this the other night as a side dish for my barbecue chicken. Here’s the link for the chicken. https://the2spoons.com/best-summer-barbecue-chicken-on-the-grill-with-my-1-go-to-sauce/. The grilled corn was perfect while I already had the grill going.

Here’s the recipe for the corn! Enjoy!

Mexican Street Corn

Print Recipe

Courseeasy side dish, easy side dish, vegetable, mexican, Side Dish, Vegetable

CuisineMexican

Keywordcorn on the cob, mexican street corn, street corn

Servings servings

Ingredients

enough mayonnaise to brush on each ear of corn
cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
1 -2 limes
Chili powder or tajin, which I used
cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Instructions

Par cook your corn. My simple way is to place the ears of the corn, still in their husk into the microwave and hit the fresh vegetable button. When complete, they are perfectly cooked and they peel so easy! If you don’t have a microwave, remove the husks and silks and cook in a pot of boiling water until tender, about 8 minutes. For presentation purposes I prefer the microwave method, because you can peel the husk to the bottom and tie with a piece of husk, and just remove the silk.
Remove the corn and completely dry. Either start your outside grill or your inside grill pan works great. This corn is already cooked, so you just want to add some flavor and char.
Liberally oil each piece with some canola oil and lightly salt. The cheese is salty so don’t add too much. Grill until nicely charred on all sides.
Remove from the grill plan, and place on a platter for serving. Brush mayonnaise on all sides of the corn. Sprinkle with the crumbled cheese on all sides. Sprinkle with chile powder and squeeze lime juice over the corn. Top with chopped cilantro.

Wonderful Whole Roasted Ginger Soy Chicken

July 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Whole Roasted Ginger Soy Chicken is delicious! Perfect for any day of the week or for that essential Sunday Roast Chicken. This chicken makes wonderful pan juices from the soy, ginger and garlic so serving this with just a white rice would be perfect. If you want to add a green vegetable lemon green beans would be an additional side dish that would work well with this dish. Here is the link for my Browned Butter and Garlic Green Beans. https://the2spoons.com/perfect-browned-butter-and-garlic-green-beans/.

Loaded with ginger, soy sauce Worcestershire, lime and garlic this chicken is so flavorful. It is garlicy, salty from the soy, with that lemony ginger flavor. I love ginger! Actually I love all of these ingredients.

If you have any leftovers this would be a great addition to an Asian rice bowl, a noodle bowl or even a crispy eggroll! Yum! I definitely need to try that. Here’s a link that will give you some other ideas for roasted chicken leftovers: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-leftover-chicken-recipes.

Wonderful Whole Roasted Ginger Soy Chicken

I served this with Rice Pilaf, but as I mentioned before just a white rice would be good, a creamy risotto, or even some Asian noodles like Udon or Soba. Even some stewed potatoes would be delicious. You want a starchy side dish that will soak up the delicious pan juices: Here’s the link for my rice pilaf if you want to review: Here’s the link for my Rice Pilaf. https://the2spoons.com/yummy-rice-pilaf-perfect-side-dish/

I can’t wait for you to try this recipe. If you love ginger, soy and garlic as much as I do, you’ll love it.

Whole Roasted Ginger Soy Chicken

Print Recipe

Servings servings

Ingredients

3 – 3 1/2 lb whole chicken
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tsp worcestershire
1 tsp sugar+
3 cloves of garlic
juice of one lime
6 two inch pieces of ginger, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the butter into six pieces and place it under the skin of the chicken.In a baking dish
Mix up the soy, worcestershire, sugar, garlic, lime and ginger.
Stuff the lime halves into the cavity of the bird and cover it with the delicious soy mixture.
After 30 minutes, baste the chicken and then turn the temperature up to 375 degrees. Baste again in about 30 minutes. Cook it for an additional 15 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow to rest.

Want more roasted chicken recipes? Take a look at these:

Bbq Chicken and Vegetables on the grill — Big Green Egg Smoked Bbq Chicken

Awesome Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame -Chorizo Ragout

July 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I made this Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame -Chorizo Ragout the other day after I had made homemade chorizo and it was delicious. The chorizo ragout and the mild pan-roasted red snapper simply complimented each other. I’m always looking for side dishes or a great sauce to serve with fish and this turned out a winner. I’m not opposed to a little spice either as you all know that follow me, so I absolutely loved this! This recipe is easy and quick. You literally cook the red snapper for about 6 minutes.

I really love almost all seafood and I try to eat it often for the health benefits and you know, it’s less in calories and sometimes I really need to cut the calories. I like this link that gives you some ideas to get your weekly requirement of seafood in your diet. https://thehealthyfish.com/.

I do not diet, or I should say I don’t go on a “fad diet” I just eat more sensible, I eat smarter, watch the portions when i want to lose a few pounds. Cutting back for Allen and I is not hard because we only eat food made from scratch, no processed foods, very seldom do we eat processed meats other than the occasional quality summer sausage or smoked sausage. We don’t eat fast food and about the only time we eat out is for Mexican food. I mean, we live in Texas, isn’t eating TexMex mandatory? LOL! It is in our household.

Awesome Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame-Chorizo Ragout

I used Mexican Chorizo because it is one of my favorites. I make my own Mexican Chorizo because I don’t like the ingredients on most of the packages in the store. You, know another example that you can eat great food but you can make it at home and not eat the processed versions. Here’s the link for my homemade chorizo: https://the2spoons.com/homemade-chorizo-with-eggs-hashbrowns/

Other than Edamame, you could use Fava Beans, but they are hard for me to find. I think the green lima beans that you get frozen or in a can would work too. I keep Edamame because I think it makes a great snack. I always buy a big bag from Sam’s Club that has individually wrapped portions that you can throw in the microwave for a great snack. Here’s the link for the bags I buy: https://www.samsclub.com/p/organic-edamame-8-8oz-bags/prod20995425?xid=plp_product_1_1.

Anyway, try this recipe! It’s really good! And if you are like me, want to get that weekly fish requirement in, according to the food pyramid, this is a great recipe to try! It’s a really beautiful recipe too! This is a great weeknight recipe for your family or it would make the perfect guest main course.

Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame Chorizo Ragout

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineAmerican, Mexican

Keywordchorizo, main course, panroasted red snapper, red snapper

Servings Servings

Ingredients

2 cups shelled edamame
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Lb fresh chorizo, crumbled
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4 res snapper filets, skin on

Instructions

Cook the edamame according to package instructions. Shell and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, and onions. Cook until the onions begin to soften about 4 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to slightly brown breaking up with the back of a spoon.

Add the edamame and the stock, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until tender. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Add the heavy cream and continue to cook, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the thyme, parsley, and oregano, remove from the heat, and keep warm.

Season the Red snapper on both sides with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne pepper.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and when it is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the fillets, skin side down, in the pan, and cook for 4 minutes. If the fillets begin to curl, press them down gently with a spatula. Turn the fillets over and cook for another 2 minutes.
Divide the edamame bean–chorizo ragout among four plates, and top each one with a fish fillet. Serve immediately.

Delicious! Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Fresh Tomato and Olive Relish

July 8, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Just look at how beautiful this dish of Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Fresh Tomato and Olive Relish is!

The other day I was planning to grill a steak for Allen so I decided I’d add these cauliflower steaks to the menu because I really didn’t want a heavy steak . Great decision. These were delicious, meat free and another perfect dish for my fresh tomatoes.

My cauliflower steaks are hearty, filling yet so low in calories, a great alternative when wanting to cut back on your meat intake. Providing Vitamin K, C and B, needed fiber, potassium and phosphorus, it is indeed a healthy alternative too.

Delicious! Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Tomato and Olive Relish

I give instructions in the recipe of how to cut the cauliflower. Here’s a video that may be helpful. If you don’t cut the steaks right, you’ll just have a bunch of florets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKqd1lgmKCo.

Another recipe I have on my blog for cauliflower is Cauliflower mashed potatoes which is a healthier way to have mashed potatoes and a way to get more vegetables in to those kiddos. Here’s the link for that recipe: https://the2spoons.com/love-this-roasted-garlic-cauliflower-mash/

Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Tomato and Olive Relish

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcauliflower, grilled, grilled cauliflower, side dish, vegetables

Servings servings

Ingredients

For the Cauliflower

2 heads of Cauliflower
pot of boiling water that salt has been added to taste like mild seawater
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
zest of one lemon
juice of two lemons
1/2 tsp za'atar (if you can't find use an Italian Seasoning)

For the Fresh Tomato and Olive Relish

2 cups Ripe fresh tomatoes that have been peeled and diced reserving the juices
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved, or roughly chopped if you prefer
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Lemon, the juice and zest
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the first cauliflower upright (stem-side down) on a flat surface. Using a large knife trim a little off each end (sides) so that when you slit the cauliflower in half, each half will lie flat. Cut the Cauliflower in half. You will yield 2 steaks about 14 ounces each. Repeat with the other cauliflower. If you want thinner steaks, cut each half into halves.
Bring about 6 quarts of water to a boil in a pot large enough to hole the cauliflower steaks. Add salt to the water and check for saltiness. You want it to taste like seawater. Layer a sheet pan with paper towel. Add the cauliflower steaks to the boiling water and cook until they are slightly tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spatula carefully transfer the steaks to the sheet pan to drain.
In a small bowl whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, and the za'atar. Remove the paper towel from the sheet pan insuring the cauliflower steaks are dry. then, pour the mixture over each steak turning to make sure each steak is generously covered. Cover and let marinate at least 30 minutes.
Heat a grill or your inside grill pan to high. Place the steaks on the grill and cook until each side is a little charred, being careful to not break up the cauliflower.
Place on a serving platter and top with the Tomato and olive relish. Drizzle with a little more olive oil if you like. Garnish with a little fresh parsley.

For the Tomato and Olive Relish

Peel and dice the tomatoes over and added to a bowl to reserve the juice. Add the Kalamata Olives. Drizzle the olive, add the lemon juice, the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the grilled cauliflower steaks.