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Blue Cheese & Onion Sliders

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Easy, fun and piled high with delicious drama! The combination of grilled onions and blue cheese on a char grilled burger is a quick fire hit for weeknight meals!

Like most churches, Wednesday is the day of our mid-week service. If I finish work by five, I have two hours to cook, serve and eat, shower, dress, and drive to church. It is the night I simply have to serve something fast and easy.

A simple slider recipe is one of my favorite mid-week quick-fires. I can easily pull the burgers out of the freezer in the morning and typically have all the ingredients in my pantry or frig.

Besides this meal being a snap to make, I love the fun appeal. Miniature versions of anything are irresistibly charming. The smaller, the cuter. The slider, a miniature version of a regular hamburger, should instantly flip the switch to get your spirits into smile mode. What’s better than a delicious burger? Why, two burgers, of course!

Here are a few easy tips for great sliders: 1) Always use great ground beef. You need at least 20% fat in the meat so they will be moist and juicy. 2) Use a good crumbly blue cheese. 3) Make sure you use a soft dinner roll. Look for small sized potato, challah or Hawaiian sweet rolls for extra flavor.

When you start cooking, always start with the onions first. Don’t cook them too fast or they will burn;  a nice medium to medium-high heat will work great. Just keep stirring them to keep them from overcooking. Cook them until they are nicely golden brown and have some crispy edges. Pile them up nice and high for that delicious drama appeal!

Martin’s Potato rolls are a great choice for sliders. They are pillow soft and just the right touch of sweetness.

If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, then switch it for Jack, Swiss, or a sharp Cheddar. If you’re trying to eat healthier, swap out traditional french fries for sweet potato fries. They can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores. And if you’re trying to diet, just skip the bread, and substitute the fries for slices of extra tomato with a dash of oil and balsamic vinegar. Bon Appetit!

 

Blue Cheese & Onion Sliders
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Recipe by Erica Galindo
Recipe Type: Entree
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Total time: 25 mins
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 pounds premium ground beef 80/20
  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced in 1/8-inch-thick rounds
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • 8 oz Blue cheese
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the grill
  • 3 plum tomatoes, sliced in 1/8-inch-thick rounds
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 6 oz baby lettuce
  • 12 potato or brioche rolls, split and warmed
  • Ketchup, for serving
Instructions
  1. Saute onions in olive oil on medium-high heat, stirring frequently for 15 minutes. Cook until golden brown.
  2. While onions are cooking, combine beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in bowl. Mix well. Form the meat into 3 oz patties.
  3. Brush cast iron grill pan with oil and preheat to medium-high heat.
  4. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until well seared, then flip. Cook other side for 4 more minutes. When sliders are about done, add blue cheese on top and cover until melted.
  5. Spread a little mayo on the buns, cover the burger with grilled onions, and garnish with lettuce and tomato. Serve with ketchup and a side of sweet potato fries! Bon Appetit!
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Meyer Lemon Cake with Raspberries and Lavender Cream

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From the time I could pour my own milk, food became my creative outlet. The thought of food often bypasses my appetite and makes a beeline for my emotions. A growl of my stomach can turn into a tug on my heart. An unexpected whiff of cinnamon reminds me to call home.

As we race to manage our social media and wade through the newest functions on our smart phones, it’s not surprising that many of us feel the need to slow down. To keep life simple and get back to basics. A renewed appreciation for basic home cooking is comforting in these hurried times. Familiar flavors trigger memories of the streets we grew up on and the favorite meals we shared at the dinner table.

In the same way, it’s soothing to take a break from the architectural drama of high tech desserts and just relax into the mellow yellow of a sweet old fashioned lemon cake. In this recipe I took a simple semi homemade lemon cake and gave it a major flavor boost, then dressed it up with a luscious lavender cream filling. Beyond the rich lemony flavor, the color of a sunny bright yellow lemon cake has a healing power all it’s own.

Meyer Lemon Cake with Raspberries and Lavender Cream
Print
Recipe by Erica Galindo
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Total time: 55 mins
Ingredients
  • For cake:
  • 1 Box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
  • 3.4 oz. Jello Lemon Flavor Instant Pudding
  • 1/4 cup of Meyer Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 3 oz. water
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 2/3 cup cannola oil
  • For filling:
  • 1 1/2 cream Creme fraiche
  • 3 tablespoons lavender honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried lavender buds, ground.
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • For glaze:
  • 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice, fresh squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • For garnish:
  • 2 pints fresh raspberries
  • 1-2 teaspoons powdered sugar
  • Thin slices of lemon
  • Preparation:
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350º In a large bowl mix all cake ingredients with an electric mixer at high speed until thick. Pour batter into two greased 9” round baking pans. Bake at 350º for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to wire racks: cool completely.
  2. In a small heavy saucepan bring the creme fraiche, honey, vanilla and ground lavender blossoms to a boil, then remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain through a micro mesh sieve into a bowl and chill, covered, until cold.
  3. Put the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk together until smooth and blended. Set aside.
  4. Place first lemon cake layer on serving plate: spread top with 1 cup of the lavender cream filling. Top with second cake layer. Pierce the top layer in an even pattern; slowly spoon the glaze across the top of the cake. Cover with fresh raspberries. Dust with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar then arrange lemon slices around the bottom of the cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.

 

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Grilled Skirt Steak with Sonoma Chimichurri

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In northern California hot summer days fade into cool summer nights, long hours of daylight are perfect for cooking outdoors. Since we are in peak BBQ season and my husband is always up for manning the grill, I decided to work on a Sonoma-style Chimichurri sauce - a sauce originating in Argentina, specifically created for grilled meat.

There are two versions of Chimichurri - green and red.

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Easter Food Traditions Around the World

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Easter week is one of the most popular Christian festivals in the world and in many countries, is a great time for food and celebration. In Italy dinner is typically a sumptuous feast highlighted with gourmet delicacies including Agnellino, roasted baby lamb. Eggs, symbolizing new life, are featured in soups such as a Brodetto Pasquale, a broth-based Easter soup thickened with eggs.

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Best Deviled Eggs with Applewood Smoked Olives

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Deviled eggs have long been a standard favorite of mine for entertaining. By adding these amazing applewood smoked olives to this classic recipe, you'll get a smooth and creamy bite of smokey California flavor wrapped in a velvet pillow of a soft and creamy filling. I'm sure you will get hooked. Make these your new secret weapon at your next pot luck!



I can usually find these olives on sale at Raley's for $4.

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