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.

​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.
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Transfer burgers to bun bottoms. Top each with 1 teaspoon butter. Replace bun tops. Serve with toppings.

There is nothing like a wonderful, sit-down family Sunday dinner.  Nothing prepares us for the week ahead better than having a bit of family time to reconnect with the one's we love.

Chickens are on sale at Winn Dixie this week for only 99 cents a pound.  Get over early to grab yours before they run out and your toting a rain check.  

This makes the most crispiest, succulent chicken I've ever tasted.  


1 broiler/fryer chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
Minced fresh thyme or rosemary, optional


Rub outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to a rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°. Remove chicken from refrigerator while oven heats. Heat a 12-in. cast-iron or ovenproof skillet in the oven for 15 minutes.

Place chicken on a work surface, neck side down. Cut through skin where legs connect to body. Press thighs down so joints pop and legs lie flat.
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Carefully place chicken, breast side up, into hot skillet; press legs down so they lie flat on bottom of pan. Brush with oil. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 35-40 minutes. Remove chicken from oven; let stand 10 minutes before carving. If desired, top with herbs before serving.

This is one of those yummy Sunday dinners to share with those you love.  You'll have flavor all the way down to the bone.  

1 broiler/fryer chicken (about 4 pounds), cut up
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup butter


Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs with remaining garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken pieces in flour to coat all sides; shake off excess. Dip in eggs, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.
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In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in butter. Add chicken in batches; cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink, 30-35 minutes.

How doesn't love chicken pot pie?

The Chicken Pot Pie originated from Greece. They took cooked meats and placed them in open pastry shells that were called “Artocreas”. It was the Romans who added the top crust making Chicken Pot Pie into an actual pie.

This recipe I'm sharing is a family favorite.  It will be yours, too, once you try it.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup 
2/3 cup milk
1 package (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables thawed
1 cup cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 double refrigerated pie crust

Heat the oven to 400°F.  Stir the soup, 1/2 cup milk, vegetables and chicken in a bowl.
Place and fit pie sheet on bottom layer of pie pan. Place chicken mixture on top.  Add the final pie crust and flute edges.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

Move over Dutch ovens, skillets, and crock pots: There’s a new kid in town. Sheet pans, too, lend themselves perfectly to one pot (or in this case, one pan) meals—the heroes of weeknight dinners.

Quick, delicious, and easy (in planning, preparing, and clean-up) sheet pan dinners can be built a million ways and are completely customizable to your family’s favorites.

1 pound uncooked sweet Italian sausage links, roughly chopped
3 medium sweet red peppers, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 hot dog buns, split
6 slices provolone cheese


Preheat oven to 375°. Place sausage pieces in a 15x10x1-in. sheet pan, arranging peppers and onions around sausage. Drizzle olive oil over sausage and vegetables; bake, stirring mixture after 15 minutes, until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, 30-35 minutes.

During last 5 minutes of baking, arrange buns cut side up in a second sheet pan; top each bun bottom with a cheese slice. Bake until buns are golden brown and cheese is melted. Spoon sausage and pepper mixture onto bun bottoms. Replace tops.

Here's an awesome dinner if you're in a bit of a rush and need to throw something together quickly. These "sheet pan" recipes have been all the rage these last few years.  Seems to be anything we can pull together quickly and tastefully is the only thing fits into our busy lifestyles today.

If you've got a local produce store, this can be one thrifty dish as you can buy only the amount needed for this recipe.

2 medium potatoes, cut into wedges
3 large fresh Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
3 large radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh sugar snap peas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, softened
Lemon wedges and tartar sauce, optional


Preheat oven to 450°. Line a 15x10x1-in. sheet pan with foil; grease foil.

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add melted butter, garlic salt and pepper; toss to coat. Place vegetables in a single layer in prepared pan; bake until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven; preheat broiler. Arrange vegetables on one side of sheet pan. Add fish to other side. Sprinkle fillets with tarragon and salt; dot with softened butter. Broil 4-5 in. from heat until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 5 minutes. If desired, serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

Need something thrifty, yet tantalizing for Father's Day?  Give this one a shot!  All you need is a side of linguine, and you're all set for the special day.  

1 large egg
1/2 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
4 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets (about 10 ounces)
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, optional


Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly coat a 15x10x1-in. sheet pan with cooking spray.

In a shallow bowl, whisk egg. In a separate shallow bowl, stir together the next five ingredients. Dip chicken breast in egg; allow excess to drip off. Then dip in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere. Repeat with remaining chicken. Place chicken breasts in center third of baking sheet. Spritz with cooking spray.

Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread broccoli in a single layer along both sides of sheet pan (if broccoli is frozen, break pieces apart). Return to oven; bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler. Spread marinara sauce over chicken; top with shredded cheese. Broil chicken and broccoli 3-4 in. from heat until cheese is golden brown and vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with basil.

This is a "real" man stick-to-your-ribs recipe that Dad will definitely enjoy for Father's Day.  You can beat the thrifty ingredients and the sublime all-around-taste at the last bite that will leave you dashing for seconds, 

• 3/4 pound lean ground beef 
• 3/4 cup finely shredded potatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

Combine the first six ingredients. Shape into four patties; press to flatten slightly. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown patties on both sides; drain. Add tomato juice. Simmer, covered, until a thermometer inserted into meat reads 160°, 20-25 minutes. Remove patties to a serving platter; keep warm.
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Whisk flour into water; gradually add to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Spoon over patties. Serve immediately.

Here's a quick and easy treat this summer that can be put together in minutes.  Filled with nutritious items, these one-pot meals are a necessity of summer fun.

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6 ounces uncooked whole wheat linguine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pd. pork tenderloin, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 head of broccoli florets removed, stems cut into one-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Cook linguine according to package directions; drain and keep warm. Whisk cornstarch into soy sauce and broth until smooth; stir in green onions.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; stir-fry pork 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; cook and stir until pork is browned, 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add broth mixture to skillet; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, until broccoli is crisp-tender, 5-8 minutes. Stir in pork; heat through, 2-3 minutes.
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Serve over linguine; sprinkle with sesame seeds.