Portobello Buffalo Burgers

The only regret I have in putting this meal together last night was that I neglecgted to take any picutres of the streams of juice that dripped from these finished burgers, snaked around our fingers as we ate, and rained down onto our plates.  If you decide to make these, look forward to the experience.  It’s an extra perk of these decadent dream-burgers.

The smell over the burners as the mushrooms and onions browned together was truly intoxicating.  The portobellos add a rich, woodsy flavor to the meat.

Mature mushrooms such as portobellos store higher levels of octenol in their gills, leading to a richer aroma when they’re cut open.   I topped them with a simple slaw made with celery, apple, sugar and cider vinegar that rendered any additional topping or condiment unnecessary

Tender buffalo that melts in your mouth, packed with aromatic mushrooms and topped with a zesty slaw.  Write your own ending to this one.  I just remembered there are two left over in the refrigerator!

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Hickory Bacon Avocado Burgers

Is anyone else able to take a shot like the one above: an unorganized mess of recipes downloaded and printed out so as not to be forgotten?  I have mini-piles of these everywhere – my desk at home, my desk at work, the dining room table, the back seat of my car, my computer bag, the end table in the living room, the kitchen counters, above the refrigerator, on the refrigerator, and most likely one or two by this point underneath the refrigerator.

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Dinner is Served – January 25, 2011

Buffalo burgers on grilled sourdough bread with mozzarella cheese, grilled onions and bell peppers, topped with pickled jalapenos and Thousand Island dressing.

Adobo Chile Burgers with Queso Sauce

I would like to take this moment to thank Cristian, our show’s Creative Director, who suggested that the entire crew and staff order lunch today from a Cajun delvery place in Van Nuys… that still hasn’t shown up.  In fact, they are closing in on being two hours late getting me the Alligator Po Boy Sandwich I was very much looking forward to sampling.   Instead, I’m left to subsist on nothing more than an apple, six ounces of yogurt and three Del Taco hot sauce packets.

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Open Face Crab Burgers & Red Pepper Dressing

The end of LOST last week unfortunately also spells the end to hosting my regular Tuesday night viewing and food parties.  It’s been a great way for me to keep the new recipes coming through the kitchen during the work week, and a chance to share the finished meals with people other than only MG.  Not that MG would ever complain about being the sole recipient of my food, but it’s nice to get a little buzz going outside of the boyfriend realm.

(If you are one of those people who is planning to start watching LOST on DVD now that its full run is complete, do NOT read the next paragraph.  Just hop over it.)

Unlike many of the LOSTies out there, I had no problem with the show’s ultimately unanswered questions and unresolved issues.  The final episode was wholly satisfying and gave me a genuine feeling of closure.  It was worth the six seasons of commitment, so please feel free to not leave comments asking how Libby ended up in Hurley’s mental hospital, what Walt’s powers were, and how the smoke monster couldn’t leave the island and yet characters saw visions of their dead loved ones in the “real world.”  I have no interest in defending how I feel about the show or allowing someone to try and argue me out of it, and seeing that it’s still a pretty touchy subject with many fans, that’s probably the smartest road to take anyway.


The best part of the show for me was spending time with my mini-community of LOST buddies… eating, drinking, exchanging past story details that might have been forgotten and executing a communal gasp at a particularly mind-fucking cliffhanger.

Even more fun than that was grabbing MG by the shirt collars at an act break, throwing him around the couch and shrieking, “HOLY SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON??????” What, I’m suppose to do that with Glee now? I don’t think it’s going to work.

The final LOST dinner party at my place was for the penultimate episode.  LOSTies and co-workers Travis, Laura and Ashley joined me and MG for a night of smoke monsters, frozen time-altering wheels, and open-faced crab burgers with homemade red pepper sauce followed by angel food cake topped with strawberry sauce and whipped cream, which in turn was followed by (in MG’s case only) a bowl of rocky road ice cream.  Recipes and MG’s “this little piggy can’t be stopped” photo are after the jump.

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Bobcat Burgers and Medallion Potato Fries

No, there is NO bobcat meat in this recipe.

The “bobcat” element of this burger is the “bobcat slaw,” an odd combination (to me, anyway) of cabbage, white vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, celery seed and mustard. It gives this burger an awesome, crunchy vibrant kick that’s made even more zesty with the addition of some tangy feta.

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BBQ Bison Burgers

OK, yeah, so MG and I made complete pigs out of ourselves with these burgers tonight.

ARE YOU LOOKING AT THEM? If so, you can hardly blame us.

MG threw me a culinary air kiss (fingers to puckered lips which then shoot off into my direction – is there a better name for that?) and declared this “one of your most satisfying meals yet!” He doesn’t just give these kinds of compliments out, people, so take a very good look at this burger. I don’t often pat myself on the back, but…

It didn’t hurt that I used ground bison instead of beef or lamb (if you follow me here, you know beef is almost non-existent in my diet, and lamb has recently surpassed turkey as favorite burger meat of choice).

Bison is new to my kitchen. A few of its merits: less fat, less calories, and more protein than a comparable serving of beef. Also, similar to lamb, it just breaks apart in you mouth like magic. In fact, you need to take extra care in the pan as well or it might just fall apart on you during a flip. No matter though… push it back together, or don’t. Scoop it out it pieces, melt a little cheese over it and eat it over the sink.

The meat also really absorbs whatever flavors you pack into the pre-cooked patties.

And while you might feel the need to slather it in BBQ sauce as you would a beef burger, DON’T.

In fact, to be honest, I would have enjoyed it just as much with no BBQ sauce and maybe a fresh slice of avocado in its place. Bacon is most certainly a welcome addition as well.

Dare I go the route next time of cheese, avocado, bacon AND BBQ sauce?

If you were here, you would see the angel and the devil that have magically just appeared on my shoulders and have begun fighting for control of my soul.

Bison, people… BISON!

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Lamb Burgers with Mint Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Listen to me about burgers, because burgers I know.

There will be no complaining in this entry about my fear of being able to master a complicated recipe. There will be no rings of frustration over unfamiliar cooking terms and obscure ingredients I’ll have to buy and will never have need for again.

Because I really like burgers. I like juicy, thick, messy burgers. I like to make burgers.

And I’m good at it, too.

If there’s ever a line for them outside my door, be wise. Get into it.

This is an entry about staying in on a Saturday night with friends and food, booze and television, and really good burgers. I’ll be a little sad inside when I finish writing it.

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