White Cheddar-Bacon-Pimiento Cheese Stuffed Burgers

For Memorial day I was going to make plain old burgers, but as I was rummaging through my fridge, I saw I had a big block of white cheddar left over from another recipe.  A light bulb went off in my head and  I immediately looked in my cabinet and sure enough, I had a couple of jars of pimiento peppers because I am nothing if not a person who keeps a well-stocked pantry.

A well-stocked pantry is a happy pantry, I always say.

So I threw together a huge batch of white cheddar  pimiento cheese and added some bacon just because it was a holiday.  Delish.  (And may I add that this cheese spread is fantastic with Kettle chips?)

I had 5 pounds of ground chuck, so I made 16 patties.  I layed 8 of them out on a baking sheet and placed a huge, I mean huge scoop of  pimiento cheese spread in the middle of each of them.  It was unfortunate for me that I ignored that teeny, tiny voice in my head that was saying "Lorie, that is WAY too much pimiento cheese spread."

Shhhhhh tiny voice.  I know what I'm doing.

I also didn't listen to that teeny, tiny voice earlier today when I was baking a strawberry cake and filled the pan way too full because I wanted nice, fluffy layers.

Self cleaning an oven when it's a 100 degrees outside and your air conditioner is already working as hard as it can is not fun.

Everything was fine with my giant burgers until I started grilling.  As the meat started shrinking, they burst open and oozed cheesy, white lava all over my brand spankin' new grill.

But, and this is a big but, they were some kind of good.  Everyone absolutely raved.  And I think the recipe can totally be salvaged by using only 4 pounds of meat and a much smaller scoop of cheese spread. 

So here are some things to consider:

-This makes way more pimiento cheese spread than you will need to stuff the burgers.  Cut the recipe in half or don't cut it in half and use it on sandwiches or as a dip.  Or eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl when your husband isn't looking.

-The wine, onion, Worcestershire sauce combo is my basic seasoning for burgers of all kinds.  I usually use a Cabernet Sauvignon.

-I loved the onion-poppy seed ciabatta rolls for the buns.  I like a nice quality bun for burgers even if I only have plain patties.

-I am a home cook and I make lots of mistakes in the kitchen.  Like over-stuffing burgers and over-filling cake pans.  Sometimes, though, my mistakes are delicious.

That is all.

White Cheddar-Bacon-Pimiento Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Printable Recipe

Pimiento Cheese Spread:

3/4 cup mayonnaise

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 heaping cups shredded white cheddar cheese

2 (4-ounce) jars diced pimientos, drained

6 slices cooked bacon that has been finely crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Patties:

4 pounds ground chuck

1 small finely chopped or grated onion

 1/2 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or other)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons kosher salt

4 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Vegetable oil for brushing on grill rack

8 large good quality buns (I loved onion-poppy seed ciabatta rolls)

Lettuce, onion, tomato slices and condiments

Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the cheese, pimiento peppers, and bacon.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  (This will make way more than you will need for the burgers.  Makes a great dip or sandwich spread.)

To make the patties, combine the beef, chopped onion, wine, Worcestershire sauce, 4 teaspoons salt, and 4 teaspoons cracked black pepper in a large bowl.  Handling the meat as little as possible, mix well.  Form into 16 equal portions and shape the portions into patties.  Lay 8 patties on a large baking sheet that has been covered in wax paper or foil.  Place a small amount of the pimiento cheese spread (about a tablespoon) in the center of each patty.  Place the remaining patties on top of the cheese and pinch the sides of the meat to seal well.

Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil.  Place patties on grill rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 5-7 minutes on each side for medium.  Toast buns on grill rack the last few minutes of cooking.  Dress burgers with lettuce, onion, and tomatoes and your choice of condiments.  8 burgers. 

White Bean and Roasted Veggie Chimichangas with Three-Cheese Sauce

 
So I have a double whammy today.  First, since it's strawberry season here in Mississippi, here's a quick little three ingredient recipe idea.



















You will need some Nutella, fresh strawberries, and some good bread, like say a loaf of ciabatta (my preference) or maybe a loaf of French bread.  Cut the bread into slices and toast on a baking sheet under the broiler until golden brown.  Spread some Nutella on the bread, then top with sliced strawberries.  Place under the broiler just until the strawberries are warm and start to sizzle.  (This is tricky because if you don't watch it, the Nutella can get black really quick.  A kitchen torch would be so much better for this job if you have one.)



















I'm telling you, my daughter and I just love this and it's so quick and easy.  You could even use a whole grain bread to bump up the nutrition factor, but I prefer a chewy bread.

















Alright, here's one of my latest recipes, White Bean and Roasted Veggie Chimichangas with Three-Cheese Sauce.  I seriously need to incorporate vegetables into my diet, but I struggle with this.  I loved the way this turned out the other day.   These chimichangas could be topped with something much less fattening than a cheese sauce, but I wanted something creamy and rich on them to cut all the healthy.  Just kidding.  Can you tell I need a diet makeover?  But yes, they could be topped with something lighter like a salsa; however, there is nothing really Mexican about them except for the tortilla and the name.  This would be a great recipe to make your own and stuff anything in them that you had in your refrigerator.  These veggies are what I had in mine.

White Bean and Roasted Veggie Chimichangas with Three-Cheese Sauce

Printable Recipe

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Nonstick cooking spray

8 large (10-12 inch) flour tortillas

Three cheese sauce:

1 1/4 cup whole milk, plus more to thin out if necessary

1 (8-ounce) container chive and onion cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/2 cup gorgonzola crumbles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the zucchini, squash, bell pepper, and onion on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.  Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and thyme.  Toss with hands to evenly coat, then spread into an even layer.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables start to get golden.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the cannellini beans.  

Spray another large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.  Heat the tortillas in the microwave until they are warm and pliable.  Place about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture into the center of one of the tortillas. Fold the right and left side of the tortilla over the filling, then fold the bottom edge over and roll up tightly.  Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.  Brush the chimichangas with the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Cook the milk and cream cheese in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and smooth, whisking often.  Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted, then stir in the gorgonzola.  (If cheese sauce is too thick, thin out with a tablespoon of milk.)

To serve, place 2 chimichangas on each plate.  Drizzle with the cheese sauce.  4 servings.

Coconut Cream Pie

Hi all!  I just found out I am a finalist in Cooking Channel's Perfect 3 Contest.  My entry is a coconut cream pie, affectionately titled "Lorie's Ultimate Coconut Cream Pie."  This pie is very near and dear to my heart because, after having many failures with coconut pies, I started experimenting and I managed to create what was my idea of the ultimate coconut pie.  To me, a good coconut pie has to have a nice, flaky crust and a smooth and luscious thick cream filling that tastes like coconut, not just like vanilla pastry cream that has coconut stirred into it.  To top it off, I simply must have freshly whipped and sweetened cream because I'm a whipped cream girl, not a meringue girl.

I would love it if you would take a look and if you think it sounds like something you might like, cast your vote for me.  Grand prize is a trip to New York in June to film a segment with Kelsey Nixon for the Cooking Channel.  Voting goes through May 26 and you can vote up to ten times a day.

I will be back soon with another recipe!

Lorie's Ultimate Coconut Cream Pie