These burgers were a huge hit with our friends during football season. Regular mayo can easily be substituted for the garlic aioli if desired.

This is one dinner you won't need any sides as it will be simply amazing someone can finish off the entire burger.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

CHEESEBURGERS:
2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 slices American cheese
8 buns, split

FRIED EGGS:
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs

TOPPINGS:
lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Additional mustard, optional


Whisk mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest until blended. Refrigerate.

For burgers, combine the next six ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly (do not overmix). Shape into eight patties. Grill, covered, over medium direct heat until a thermometer reads 160°, 5-7 minutes on each side. Top with cheese; grill, covered, until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes longer. Place burgers on bun bottoms. Keep warm.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in each of two large skillets (on grill or stovetop). Break eggs, one at a time, into a custard cup or saucer, then gently slide into pans. Immediately reduce heat to low. To prepare eggs sunny-side up, cover pan and cook until yolks thicken but are not hard. To make basted eggs, spoon butter in pan over eggs while cooking. For over-easy, carefully turn eggs to cook both sides but do not cover pan.

To serve, spread mayonnaise mixture over bun tops. Add lettuce, tomatoes and, if desired, additional mustard to burgers. Top with fried eggs. Replace bun tops.

There are so many wonderful, simple ethnic foods that being on a tight food budget shouldn't make you feel unsatisfied.  With this ever growing culture of processed foods we have long left the true sense of soulful cooking that enabled our ancestors to eat abundantly and healthy on just pennies.  This blog is donated to those who are on such a budget and making ends meet at their local food banks.  But, there are times we must venture out and buy food at the local grocery to complete our daily menus for those we love.  On these occasions, you must stop here and view the ever growing cookbook of delicious, low-cost items that adorn our tables.  Your one stop place to always have enjoyable, thrifty meals at your fingertips.


2 cup dried chick peas
1 medium onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp cumin
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
flour to bind
oil

Soak beans overnight.  Drain.  Cook until tender over medium/ low heat.  In a food processor or blender add remaining ingredients except flour and oil.  Pulse until all ingredients are smooth and processed.  Place in a bowl and add flour to just bind.  Let stand for 1/2 hour in refrigerator.  Make one inch balls with mixture and head in pan filled with 2 inches of oil  Cook a few balls at a time and let brown evenly on low/medium heat.  Allow to drain on paper towels.  Wrap with pita bread, lettuce, and tomatoes.  Usually served with Tahini Sauce.

​Yesterday I headed out for my normal pit stop to the local food pantry and was handed two bags of presliced apples.  Of course the date noted had a expiration date that just passed.  How could I utilize these apples quickly I thought before time runs out?  his recipe was just the answer!  It will send delicious aromas of fall throughout our house as it bakes away. Great addition to a family breakfast or just alone with a glass of milk.  These freeze well and can be zapped for future rushed mornings.  

Best of all, I put these together in about 15 minutes.  No need for tons of prep work here as the recipe just comes together with ease.

3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tab. margarine or butter
1 1/3 cups milk
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups chopped apples, I used skin and all in the food processor

Sauce
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tab. flour
1 tab. butter or margarine
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a bowl mix first 3 ingredients.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.  Add milk and stir until just moistened.  Batter will be sticky.  You want it light.  Turn dough onto lightly floured board and roll into 18 x 12 inch rectangle.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Top with apples.  Roll up jelly roll style and pinch edges.  Pinch seam to seal.  Cut dough into 12 equal sections and place in a 13 x 9" pan.

In a pan add all sauce ingredients.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened.  Pour over buns and bake at 350 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes or until golden.  These come out with a perfect sticky sauce.

After a long miscommunication with the King, we ended up with two pints of sour cream and nothing to do with it. I thought we’d be eating a lot of tacos and Mexican food until it was all gone and then I remembered this awesome pie my mother in law makes with sour cream. It actually turned out to be perfect timing too. We’re in what I call the transition season. We’re all ready for soup weather and I personally get a hankering for pie. But we’re not quite there. Its way too hot. The season for everything pumpkin and apple isn’t quite here yet. But… PIE! So I found that Sour Cream Lemon Pie is the perfect solution because its a type of pie that you serve cold. I have that pie hankering covered with out creating a sweat house.

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup sour cream
1 container of Cool Whip
​
Preheat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge.

Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake 8 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and lemon zest. Cool without stirring.
​
Stir in sour cream. Add filling to crust. Top with whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.

There's nothing better than a cream ice box pie.  This one is a staple at our house whenever a quick dessert is needed.

​Here's one that will be on your favorite list for awhile.  Simple and easy to make, this one will be a continuous requested favorite.  

1 chocolate or graham cracker crust
1 box Jell-O Chocolate pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 container of Cool Whip
Mini chocolate chips, optional

Place pudding and milk in a bowl.  Whip until it is thick.  Pour into pie crust.  Add a container of Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Place in refrigerator for an hour.

Any time there is a three-day-weekend you can bet I'm in the kitchen whipping up something spectacular so that my family rises smelling a quick treat.  These sandwiches take minutes to make.  

I am usually blessed with a bit of bacon in my monthly food bag.  So, I'm always looking for ways to put it to good use.  You're going to love these sandwiches.  You can bet they are sure fire fillers.

2 slices sourdough bread
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 slice American cheese
2 cooked bacon strips

Using a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut out center of one slice of bread (discard center or save for another use). Spread mayonnaise on one side of bread slices. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, lightly toast cutout slice, mayonnaise side down, over medium-low heat. Flip slice; crack an egg into center. Add remaining bread slice mayonnaise side down, to skillet; layer with cheese and bacon.
​
Cook, covered, until egg white is set, yolk is soft-set and cheese begins to melt. If needed, flip slice with egg to finish cooking. To assemble sandwich, use solid slice as bottom and cutout slice as top

There are so many wonderful grill recipes for adults on Labor Day, but about something special for the little ones?  Here's a miniature old time favorite that kids will just love to pitch in and help fry.

Got a small electric fry basket?  Then you're all set and these take only a few minutes from start to finish.


1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash onion powder
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 package (16 ounces) hot dogs, cut into 2 inch pieces
Oil for deep-fat frying
ketchup

In a small bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and onion powder; cut in shortening until crumbly. Whisk milk and egg; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Dip sausages into batter.
​
In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry sausages, a few at a time, until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve with ketchup.

There's nothing better than a cream ice box pie over the holidays.  Here's one that will be on your favorite list for awhile.  Simple and easy to make, this one will be a continuous requested favorite.  

1 chocolate cracker crust
1 box Jell-O oreo pudding
1 1/2 cups milk
1 container of Cool Whip
8 Oreo cookies, optional

Place pudding and milk in a bowl.  Whip until it is thick.  Pour into pie crust.  Add a container of Cool Whip on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Place in refrigerator for an hour.

In the summer, we get pretty darn good at grilling. For those of you dealing with these soaring temperatures, you know what I’m talking about. And if you’ve ever lost power for any period of time due to these summertime thunderstorms, then you are probably a master griller too. So I am always thinking of fun things to make on the grill. And one of my most requested recipes this time of year from y’all are things you can make on the grill or in your slow cooker. Keep in mind, any recipe that is made on the grill can also be made in the oven. Generally it can be baked at 350 F on a baking sheet but you may have to play with the cooking times a bit. So, come winter, if you want to make these, you can still do so.


1 apple cored and sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp dried cranberries or raisins optional
1 tbsp chopped pecans optional


Preheat grill (to medium heat)

Cut a 12 x 18-inch sheet of nonstick foil.

Place apple slices on foil along with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and dried cranberries.
Wrap packet securely with double-fold seals, allowing for a bit of room for heat expansion.

Place packet on grill; cover and cook for about 15 minutes over medium heat.

Be careful when removing from the grill.

I just use a grill-safe spatula and gently scoop up the packet and put it on a plate.

Use caution when opening packets because there will be hot steam as you open them.
We serve right in the packets.

There will be juices on the bottom of the packet.
​
Just gently stir your apples around a bit in those juices.

​These burgers taste like they've been ground from sirloin tips.  Absolutely fantastic!

Be sure to sear the burgers directly in the pan until brown and crispy on the bottom, about four to five minutes. Be careful not to char the meat or press down on the patties with a spatula while cooking, you’ll squeeze out all those flavorful juices.  Use a long-handled metal spatula to flip the burgers only once. Then sear the other side to lock in the juices.


1 pound lean ground beef 
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons butter, divided
4 hamburger buns, split
Optional toppings: tomato slices, lettuce leaves, dill pickle slices, ketchup and mustard


Sprinkle ground beef with seasoned salt and pepper. Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to seasoned beef, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-in.-thick patties.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add burgers; cook 6-8 minutes on each side, basting with butter, until a thermometer reads 160°. Remove from heat; keep warm. Add bun tops to skillet; toast until golden brown.
​
Transfer burgers to bun bottoms. Top each with 1 teaspoon butter. Replace bun tops. Serve with toppings.