Grilled Jalapeno and Bacon Burgers

I decided to grow jalapenos in my garden this year, so I planted ONE plant and got over 12 jalapenos! Thankfully, my husband and I really like spicy food so using up all the jalapenos wasn't going to be a problem.

This burger is a favorite of ours and is sooo good. You can control the amount of heat according to your preference. I like to use one jalapeno (with minimal seeds) per one pound of hamburger (to make four 1/4 pound patties). You can use less or more if you want.

Grilled Jalapeno and Bacon Burgers
(generously adapted from Rachael Ray)

Serves 4

1 lb lean ground beef
1 jalapeno pepper
8 slices of bacon, divided
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
4- Slices cheddar cheese
Avocado slices, optional
Onion slices, optional


Spray the grill with non-stick spray and then preheat to medium-high heat.

Cook bacon (not too crispy) and drain on a paper towel. Chop 4 slices of the bacon into small pieces. Reserve the remaining 4 slices.
Remove the seeds from the jalapeno and then finely chop.

Mix together the ground beef, chopped bacon, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Press the beef mixture into 4 equal sized patties.
Grill the patties for about 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the patties). Melt a slice of cheddar cheese on the top of each burger a couple of minutes before the burgers are done.

Serve burgers on toasted buns with one slice each of reserved bacon. I like to add slices of avocado and a few thinly sliced onions on top of mine as well. Enjoy!

Garlic-Lemon Marinated Grilled Chicken

Summer is almost over for us (our kids will be back to school in just over a week) so I decided to share with you a couple of our favorite, easy summer recipes.

My husband and I love grilled food, so we use our grill throughout the year, even when there is four feet of snow on the ground. Grilling in the summer is our favorite though because we can grill almost every night. My husband considers himself to be a master griller because he claims to be able to grill almost anything, and strives to achieve perfect grill marks every time. I'm not sure about the master griller part, but he does cook some of the nicest looking meat I've ever seen! :)

Here's one of my go-to marinated grilled chicken recipes. It's easy to throw together and has a really nice, subtle, but noticeable flavor. You can alter any of the ingredients to your liking or add more/different herbs to change the flavor a bit.

Garlic-Lemon Marinated Grilled Chicken

Marinade--
For every 4 boneless chicken breasts:

3 T extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves fresh, minced garlic (small to medium in size)
2 T water
1 1/2 T lemon juice (fresh is best)
1/4-1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper


Combine all of the marinade ingredients.
Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag or glass dish with a cover. Pour marinade over chicken, coating each piece well. I like to pierce the meat a few times with a knife so the marinade soaks up better.
Marinate in the refrigerator for a least an hour, but I think the best flavor is achieved after the chicken has been marinating for most of the day (6 hours or so).

When ready to cook, spray grill with non-stick grilling spray (if desired) and the preheat to medium-high heat.
Remove chicken from the fridge and place on paper towels. Gently dab off any excess marinade.
Grill chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes or so (6-8 minutes on each side).
Enjoy!

Teriyaki Grilled Pork

It was such a beautiful weekend here in New England. Totally made me wish I was camping. Soon, Jen, soon!
The super nice weather made me crave grilled summer food, so for dinner one night I decided to whip up my super quick and easy homemade teriyaki sauce, and use it to marinate some boneless pork spareribs. Major yum!

Homemade Teriyaki Marinade

(makes about 1 cup)

1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
* 1 1/2 - 2 lbs pork, chicken or steak tips

Combine all of the ingredients except for the meat, in a small saucepan.

Over medium high heat, bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat, pour the sauce into a heat proof bowl or measuring cup and refrigerate until luke warm (about 20 minutes).

Place rinsed meat into a single layer of a shallow container or into a resealable gallon-sized plastic bag.

Pour marinade over meat and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours, turning the bag or meat a few times during that time.
Remove meat and discard marinade. Grill meat until desired doneness and then enjoy!