For the love of a hamburger!

 At our house in the summer, and actually year-round because we are in Texas, the grill is a go-to for any type of cooking. You name it, and we have tried to grill it.

One of our favorites is definitely the hamburger. Can anyone deny that a big juicy homemade hamburger is a staple of summertime? Even with 15th day in a row over 100 degrees I still feel like sweating it out over the grill for a hamburger. A hamburger to me is a blank canvas with a multitude of possibilities, almost as an actual blank canvas would be to an artist.

Choose the meat (portobello's are just as delicious), toppings, bread style, and condiments that you like and you have a delicious burger.

I was sent a link to a top 10 list on how to make a better burger and I cannot let keep it to myself. At the 'A hamburger today' tab of the 'serious eats' website, they have everything one would ever need to know about where to get a burger, different types of burgers, and even a 'Burger Lab' on how to build your own better burger.

A summary of their top 10 steps to a better burger from Seriouseats.com:

1. Grind Your Own Beef
2. Keep Everything Really Cold
3. Weigh and Size Your Patties
4. Use a Thermometer
5. Season Liberally
6. Do Not Salt Beef Until Patties Are Formed
7. Flip Your Burger as Often as You'd Like
8. Don't Futz With Your Meat
9. Choose Your Bun Wisely
10. Don't Let Anyone Tell You What to Put on It

Check it out and may your next burger be juicier, tastier, and better than the last!

 Pictures also from seriouseats.com

The Abriendo Inn Bed and Breakfast

Last month my husband and I were lucky enough to travel to Pueblo, CO for his brother's wedding. It was a beautiful, quaint, historic town and it was a perfect mini vacation. We got to stay at a bed and breakfast called "Abriendo Inn" http://www.abriendoinn.com/. If you have never stayed at a B&B you should give it a try. Usually, they are locally owned and operated and breakfast is included in the nightly rate of the room. We have stayed at a few in our travels and all have been great but Abriendo takes the cake!

 The front of Abriendo Inn

Dining room, entry, and stairs with stained glass windows

Abriendo Inn has been rated the best bed and breakfast in many Colorado publications. It is a historic home with 10 rooms to choose from, each with their own style and decor. The house has a big porch that we spent quite a bit of time relaxing on, and a beautiful neighborhood to take a walk around. The staff is wonderful and made a wonderful wedding weekend for the whole family.

Of course, I wouldn't be talking about the Abriendo Inn without mentioning their delicious breakfast. I have some pictures below and they offer some recipes on their website. It was delicious!

Breakfast #1: Oven poached eggs with herbed cream cheese on top of Mexican style beef on corn polenta with homemade herb bread and scones.

It was sweet and savory and I am definitely going to start poaching eggs in the oven.

Breakfast #2: Vegetable frittata with herbed skillet potatoes, bacon and homemade apricot bread.

Again a delicious start of the day!

Find your kitchen style

Recently, I took a tip from a friend and her blog post about finding your design style through a quiz online (Cardigan Junkie).  I looked and found a quiz that will help you find your kitchen style. Take this quiz on kitchens.com and let me know your results. Do you like what it came up with?

I took the quiz a few times and got the same answer each time. I am very pleased with the results. Maybe one of these days I will get one close to this.

My Results:

Country Kitchen - From Kitchens.com
Natural is the name of the game when it comes to your kitchen.
Your home’s country charm can extend beyond a farmhouse design. From rustic Northwest mountain homes to New England cottages, the country style manifests itself in natural wood furnishings and handmade items. Look toward plank doors or simple paneled doors done in natural and rough-hewn woods like pine, alder or maple.

 

Tips for your kitchen - Trash Bowl

One of the best tools I have found for my kitchen is a big, cheap, plastic bowl. I set it next to my cutting board, and use it like a trash can on the counter, instead of going back and forth to the big trash can when I am chopping. This 'Trash Bowl' allows me to make only one trip to the trash can instead of 50 and it saves me a ton of time and energy.

I have to admit I got this idea from Rachael Ray along with some others. Stay tuned for some more tips for your kitchen. Try it out and let me know if it works for you!