Saucy Mama Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Burgers

Hello #GinnyBites fans! The time has finally come. I am now able to share my original burger recipe that I created for the Saucy Mama World Food Championships 2017 qualifier! I was 1 of 25 foodies chosen to compete and create an original recipe using my choice of Saucy Mama products for either the burger or the bacon category. I chose BURGER!! Yummo!

The 6 Saucy Mama products I chose to work with. So much potential! MMM!

Saucy Mama is looking for 1 more chef to complete their 6 teams this year at the WFC in Orange Beach, Alabama this November. Will it be me? Who knows! But it is so fun to try. 

Me competing at WFC 2016 with my Cubano Cristo Sandwich
(Image from: https://www.facebook.com/WorldFoodChampionships/
photos/a.386724011360054.92900.194780627221061/1372358002796645/?type=3&theater)

As many of you already know, last year was the first time I made it into the WFC. Back in 2015 I tried for the first time to earn a Golden Ticket through this same Saucy Mama contest using my Miso Slaw Burger recipe. I did not get in that year but it was truly a delicious journey. Then, in Summer 2016 I entered the WFC Taste of America Challenge on Instagram with my Hot Ham & Wild Rice Sandwich and won the spot for my home state of Minnesota AND a free ticket into the competition. It was the most amazing experience and I am so very proud of Team #GinnyBites.  Now that I have had a taste of this whole food sport "thing"...I am totally hooked! I hope you enjoy this fun recipe AND I will have my fingers and toes all crossed, sitting on pins and needles, just waiting to hear if I am the chosen one, LOL! Wish me luck and PRETTY PLEASE SHARE! And after you check out this recipe...Don't forget to scroll down for a chance to WIN some tasty Saucy Mama products of your very own! Who doesn't love a good ol' GIVEAWAY!?

My inspiration!

The recipe in my head that I decided to run with is a buffalo chicken salad stuffed burger. It's big. It's messy. It's delicious. And just a little bit spicy. Now how fun is that?! The Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce from Saucy Mama is soooo flippin' good. Think Frank's Redhot wing sauce...only WAY better! Once I tasted it I knew this crazy idea I had could really come to life. It is a must try, truly.

Literally dripping with flavor!

Saucy Mama Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Burgers

Recipe (serves 4)

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Salad:

1 cup cooked chicken (chopped)

1 celery stalk (diced small)

1/4 cup red onion (diced small)

2 T mayo

3 T Saucy Mama Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce

3 T Saucy Mama Poblano Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

cracked black pepper

For the Burger Patties:

2 lbs ground beef

cracked black pepper (generous amount)

1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 T minced garlic

1 T Saucy Mama Creamy Horseradish

Extras:

4 Onion buns, buttered and lightly toasted/grilled

8 slices sharp cheddar 

Romaine lettuce leaves and sliced tomato for 4 burgers

extra blue cheese crumbles

Directions:

1. Combine all chicken salad ingredients in a bowl very well and set aside.

2. Combine all burger patty ingredients very well and form 8 patties about 1/2" thick.

3. Lay out 4 of the burger patties and place a heaping 1/4 cup of chicken salad in the middle of each one, leaving 1/2" of burger around the edges. Cover each with the other 4 prepared patties and pinch/seal the patty edges together to hold in the chicken salad.

4. Cook the burgers on a grill pan on medium/high heat for @ 16 minutes, flipping them every 4 minutes and rotating for nice grill marks on both sides.

5. After the last patty flip, pour 1 T of Saucy Mama Spicy Garlic Wing Sauce onto each patty and then place 2 slices of sharp cheddar on each burger. Turn off heat when done and let rest for a few minutes.

6. Butter and toast the Onion Buns and then spread Saucy Mama Creamy Horseradish on all 8 buns halves.

7. Build the 4 burgers from the bottom up: Bottom bun, lettuce, stuffed burger patty with cheddar, tomato slice(s), crumbled blue cheese, top bun.

And bring the napkins!

*** Wish me luck! And share, share, share!  ***

And now for the GIVEAWAY!!! 1 lucky winner will receive 3 Saucy Mama products of their choice! Only excludes olives and the Apricot Ginger Mustard. Winner will be chosen on June 22nd, 2017! So check back to see if YOU won...and try not to drool!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

National Trail Mix Day

Thank goodness for an easy national food holiday today. This mama is super tired! Last night was my eldest son's 18th birthday (eek!) and I think I went to bed around two in the morning. I played chauffeur for him and his pals to the casino. Actually had to get up and go to work in an office today. Whew! It was a blast last night but oh boy...so tired.

I made a very basic trail mix. Typically it would be M&Ms, peanuts and raisins. I like mine a tiny step up from that (in my opinion). I used M&Ms, cashews and Craisins! Mmm!  I like it much better. And I honestly should have used dark chocolate M&Ms instead....that would have been the best for me personally.

Hope your Wednesday is going swell. Come on back tomorrow for National Cherry Popover Day. I have never made them and truly have no idea what I am going to do. Busy week. We'll see.

National Banana Split Day

Did you get to enjoy a Banana Split today? It is National Banana Split Day after all!!

Today was a very special treat for me and my three littles. Our hometown ice cream shoppe Two Scoops was kind enough to let us swing by today for a little tasting to celebrate! Ice cream for lunch?! Yes please! A huge thank you to Cherie and Rick, the owners, for making me the coolest mommy of the day!

The lovely Lisa was on duty today and built us our delightfully sweet treat scoop by scoop. So fun for the kids to watch.

It was very tasty and the kiddos enjoyed every last bite. Plenty for everyone!

Two Scoops offers 20 fun flavors at all times and they rotate through over 130 flavors! There is always something new to taste and fall in love with during each visit.

If you are ever looking for a yummy gift to give, there is plenty of colorful sweets to choose from!

Go ahead and splurge for the hand-dipped and sprinkled waffle cone. So good!

If you live in or near Anoka, MN then you already know about this cute little shop. You have already met the owners, so friendly and welcoming. A couple who loves to support their community whenever they can. But if you aren't and plan on visiting anytime soon, you simply must make Two Scoops a stop along the way. Old town charm and fresh new flavors. Simply the best.

Thanks again for a great day!

- - - - -

Here are some links so you can plan your visit them soon!

Website: http://twoscoopsmn.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwoScoopsMN/?fref=ts

National Peach Pie Day & National Waffle Day!

It's my first double whammy day! Wahoo! Today is both National Peach Pie Day AND National Waffle Day! I thought it would be a great opportunity to make a dish that represents both delicious treats. I imagine they will go very well together. Am I, right?

What I created is a combination of both a crispy waffle "crust" bowl filled with peach pie filling. And a little dollop of cool whip never hurt anybody!

What do you think?

My Peach & Waffles Pie!

If you are making this and serving it right away, just make the waffles, make the filling, assemble it all and serve immediately. If you are like me, and prepared it the night before, make the waffles and the peach pie filling and then refrigerate until morning. Assemble in a pie dish in the morning and heat in a 350° oven for 7-10 minutes until heated through and the waffles are crisp again.

When my little ones woke up and saw that THIS is what mommy made for breakfast today...well, excited probably isn't the most accurate word choice. Scrumptious!

You can find the waffle recipe that I used HERE. And the peach pie filling recipe HERE. I would definitely use both of these again!

Hope you enjoyed this fun dish today. Make sure to come back tomorrow. The kiddos and I are going to visit Two Scoops in Anoka for a tour and tasting to celebrate National Banana Split Day!

National Vanilla Custard Day

Before this I had never made a custard. I know. Crazy, right? It honestly just never came up. In all my 26 years of cooking (Eek!) I never had a reason to make something so simple as a custard. This is one of the many things I am looking forward to the most during this year long national food holidays project. A great opportunity to try out some new things, not only by tasting them but by adding them to my cooking abilities, as well.

So, I went online to try and find a good vanilla custard recipe to use. I was immediately drawn to one claiming to be the "ultimate" vanilla custard recipe. I mean, come on. The ultimate has got to be good. But once I started reading the recipe and information I decided that it was a little too fancy and complicated to use as a beginner recipe. I am not impervious to failures in the kitchen and decided a basic vanilla custard would be a more realistic starting point.

Here is the link to the recipe I chose: Basic Vanilla Custard Recipe

It turned out creamy and delicious. My three youngest children really enjoyed eating it. I think they are starting to realize, just a few days in, that mommy's new "adventure" is going to be fun for them, too. I even added some sprinkles on top for a little visual appeal. Because let's face it, plain 'ol vanilla custard is really kind of boring to look at.

This was so easy to make. Looking back, I probably could have gone for the "ultimate" custard. I will definitely play around with custard in the future, though. The only change I made to their recipe was substituting the 2 Tbsp of cornstarch with 5 Tbsp of flour. I accidentally used up the last of my cornstarch on our previous family dinner, forgetting that I needed it for this particular recipe. It turned out good anyway. (Thank goodness!) Next time I may try using a different flavor extract for a tasty twist. Maybe orange or almond. Mmm!

Thanks for stopping by and come on back tomorrow for National Ice Cream Pie Day. I won't give away the flavor yet but I am pretty excited to break out my ice cream maker. My kids are gonna freak!

National Rum Day

Why is the rum always gone?! A common problem in my world. And don't tell me that you didn't read that in your head with your inner Johnny Depp as Captain Black Sparrow voice.

It's National Rum Day today! I do love me some rum. Especially the spiced kind. Captain Morgan is usually the rum of choice around here, happened to have a bottle on-hand. What better reason to create a fun rum cocktail recipe to share with you all today. A celebratory cocktail even. Because this girl just found out yesterday she got into the World Food Championships this November in Orange Beach, Alabama!!! I qualified for a spot during the World Food Championships 2016 #TasteofAmericaChallenge. I was the winner for Minnesota in this qualifier event and am competing in the sandwich category at WFC. So very pumped right now!

On with the rum, though! I am calling this little cocktail A Pirate's Life.

Now, I really wanted this to be in a martini glass but I went to the store and two different neighbors' houses last night to find one with no such luck. It would be so much prettier as a martini. But, whatcha' gonna do? It was tasty anyway.


A Pirate's Life Recipe

2 oz spiced rum
3 oz pineapple juice
splash of french vanilla creamer

Shake well with ice
Strain into a martini glass with a cinnamon and sugar rim (don't skimp)

sprinkle with 1 tsp toasted coconut



And there you have it, folks. Something sweet and fun to sip on. Enjoy and I'll see you back here tomorrow for Vanilla Custard Day! Mmm!

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day

It's here! It's finally here! Today is the big day and the beginning of my year long national food holidays journey. I will be cooking, baking, eating, drinking and blogging my way through a whole year of food holidays! This is a BIG project for me and I am excited for and up to the challenge. Not only will this be a whole lot of delicious fun but it will also be a great way to spread the word about my personal chef business and my local food related charity. I can not wait to see where this food adventure takes me! Super glad you are along for the ride.

August 15th is National Lemon Meringue Pie Day! This excites me because I am very picky about my pies. I prefer pies without large chunks of fruit in them. So, a cool and creamy lemon meringue is right up my alley. What a fun and tart summer treat!

For this pie I chose the recipe from the tried and true Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. You know, the old red and white checkered one your grandma used to have? Maybe your mom? Well, that's where I got mine anyway and I use it quite often. It's old, beat up and beautiful...as it should be!

Below is the link to the current version of this recipe from the official BHG website, including the lemon filling, meringue topping and flaky pastry crust. The only difference between this recipe and the one from my old book are the meringue ingredients. Online it states to add 1 tsp lemon juice to the egg whites and sugar. In the book it states to use a 1/2 tsp vanilla and a 1/4 tsp cream of tartar instead. That latter is what I did.

BHG Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe

Pastry crust and lemon filling

Meringue is amazing, by the way! Many years ago I found it rather intimidating to make but now that I know what I am doing and feel confident, I will not substitute. It is just too yummy! If you are scared to make a meringue topping and choose the cool whip method instead, no big deal. Still very good. But, there is something to be said about a nice fluffy, sticky, perfectly golden meringue topping that really brings authenticity to a homemade pie. Totally worth the extra few minutes. Just go for it! I also like to use a spatula to make designs in the meringue before baking. Gives it some dimension once it is cooked and golden.

Meringue before baking

So, there it is. The first of many days to come! Come on back tomorrow for National Rum Day. I am mixing up an original recipe for it even...and am going to go eat some pie now!

Testing Testing 123...

Test blog post. Working on layout, needed an example. Thanks for stopping by, though. Are you as excited as I am!?

Coming soon!