Sweet Hamburgers

Sweet Hamburgers

This is a recipe on how to sweeten your hamburgers.  If you have ever eaten at Swensons and wondered what they put in the hamburgers I have the answer.  It is brown sugar!  

Ingredients:

Hamburger 

Brown Sugar

Mix brown sugar into your raw hamburger meat.  I usually just throw a handful in depending on how big my burger will be.  If I was to measure it the measurement would be about 1 tablespoon for every 1/4 lb of hamburger.  Add more or less depending on your preference.  

 Tips & Tricks

• Add my sweet pickles to make the perfect burger!

Rigatoni

Rigatoni

This is the easiest Rigatoni to make.  It has also been a hit at every function I have taken it to.  I also had someone once tell me that he only eats his wife's rigatoni but decided to try mine and he thought it was amazing.  It is my mom's recipe.  She always makes it with italian sausage.  I make it with meatballs.  

Ingredients:

1 lb Rigatoni Noodles

1 large jar of Ragu (I am a Prego girl but Ragu in this Rigatoni is what makes the taste)

1 tbs Oregano

1 tbs Minced Garlic (lightly browned in frying pan)

Italian Sausage or Meatballs (Optional)

Crock Pot

Put the sauce in your crock pot. Stir in your oregano and garlic.  I used 4lb of sauce and 1 lb of pasta in the pictures shown.  This made it more saucey (if that's even a word) than usual.  I would usually use 2-3 lbs sauce for every 1 lb pasta.

If you are adding in meat you may add this in now.  If you have frozen meatballs you can throw those in as is.  They will thaw in the sauce.  Let this simmer on low from a few hours to all day.  

Remember to occasionally stir your sauce.  About 1 hour before serving put your cooked pasta in and turn up the heat.  

Continue to stir occasionally until ready to serve.  

Tips & Tricks

• If you prefer to make your pasta ahead of time like me once you have cooked your pasta, drained, and rinsed it place it in a plastic zip lock bag and store in the refrigerator.  You can even do this a day ahead of time if you are having a big event or dinner.

Sweet Pickles

Sweet Pickles

If you love pickles and things that are sweet these pickles are right up your alley   These are a homemade recipe that has been in our family for as long as I can remember   They are amazing on hamburgers or even just to eat on the side.  We never have a cookout without them!

  

Ingredients:

1 Jar Hamburger Dill Slices

1 cup Sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

First you will need to drain the juice out of the pickle jar.  Then dump in your sugar and vinegar   Put the lid back on you jar and leave sitting out on the counter for a day or so or until the sugar is dissolved   During the time that the pickles are sitting out periodically shake the jar to spread out the sugar and vinegar.  Once the sugar has dissolved store your pickles in the refrigerator.

Tips & Tricks

• Are the pickles all gone and you want to make more?  Save the juice.  The next time you make a new jar of pickles remove the juice in the new jar and pour in the juice from the used jar.  Don't add in the whole amount of sugar and vinegar.  Just add in a little bit. and leave out until dissolved. 

• Add my recipe for sweet hamburgers to make the perfect burger!

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Cinnamon Honey Butter

A twist on my honey butter recipe.  This is comparable to the butter served at the Texas Roadhouse.  This is so easy to make.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Blend together butter and honey.  Add in cinnamon.  Gradually add in Powder sugar.  Mix until all ingredients are blended well.  Refrigerate.

Honey Butter

Honey Butter

If you love honey butter you are going to love this recipe.  If it also comparable to the butter served at Golden Corral.  It is so easy to make.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Butter or Margarine

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions:

Blend together butter and honey.  Gradually add in powder sugar.  Mix until all ingredients are well blended.  Refrigerate.

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll

Who doesn't love pumpkin roll?  It is a must have for fall.  Every time I make this I hear I love pumpkin roll but it is so hard to make.  To me this is one of the easiest and one of my most favorite things to make!  It takes 2 things, a good recipe and a good technique.  Well I am here to tell you I have found both.

As you will see below I do not use a jelly roll pan or a baking mat.  They are not needed!  If you have them then great.  If not don't sweat it!  Just follow me.

To start with you will need the following ingredients....

Cake:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin purée


Filling:
8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup powdered sugar
6 tbs butter (room temperature)
1 tsp imitation vanilla extract


Supplies:
1 - 15" x 10" cookie sheet with sides or a jelly roll pan (if you have a larger cookie sheet with sides          that will work too)
Clean towel
Parchment paper or wax paper


Let's begin!

Let's make the cake.

First using your blender or hand mixer mix together all the ingredients for the cake EXCEPT for the flour.  It doesn't matter what order.  I like to dump in the wet ingredients first then add the dry.

Second gradually add in the flour.  Mix until all ingredients are blended well.  I like to let my mixer run for a couple minuets.  Do not be alarmed that it is runny.  It is supposed to be this way.

Prepare you pan.  You will need to cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Cut off extreme excess but leave a little sticking up on edges.  I like to spray the cookie sheet first with Pam.  I do this because it helps hold the parchment in place while I pour and spread.

Now spread the cake batter on to he cookie sheet.

Bake it in the oven for 11 min at 375.  You may need a few more minuets depending on you oven.  If you used the larger cookie sheet you will need less time because it thinner.

While it is in the oven I prepare my towel.  You will need a towel at least the size of the pan.  I lightly dust a towel with flour and then shake off the excess.

Once cake is done remove it from the oven.

Lightly dust the cake with flour.  Lay flour side of the towel down on the cake.  Pull the towel tight and flip the cake onto the towel.

Remove the parchment paper from the cake.

While still hot roll the cake up in the towel and let cool.

Time for filing!

Mix cream cheese,  butter, and vanilla until well blended.  Gradually add powdered sugar.  Mix until well blended   I like to set on a medium speed for about 3-5 min.

Unroll cake and spread filling onto cake.  Try to keep it away from the edges a bit because when you roll it it will spread outward.

Roll you cake back up and wrap in plactic wrap.

Put in refrigerator overnight.  Feel  free to sprinkle top with powdered sugar before serving.

Tips & Tricks

• Make your pumpkin roll unforgettable by using 1 1/2 - 2 times the filling. 
• Try using dental floss to evenly slice your pieces before serving.