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Food Network Kitchen says, “When a grilled burger is called for, this one (The Best Grilled Burgers) is our go-to. We season only the outside of each patty right before grilling to help a build a nice crust. Our trick for forming the patties is a real time saver, especially if you are cooking for a crowd. You can also form them the day before; place in an airtight container with parchment paper in between to help with party-day prep.” Terry Mehlhorn, who rated the recipe a 5 out of 5, said, “I love thick slices of red onion on my burgers… both hot and sweet and the added crunch makes for a perfect burger!”
I love potato salad, and I am going to try Marvin Woods’ potato salad, because in just looking at the recipe, it looks pretty good. I may just change his sweet pickle relish to dill, and I might just have to add a teensy bit of finely chopped sweet onion. He says, “Potato salad is one of the most-requested dishes for potluck dinners and other large gatherings. A couple of professional tips for you when making your potato salad: Try using new potatoes, because they tend to hold their shape better than most other potatoes. After you boil the potatoes, let them cool all the way down; the potatoes will absorb too much dressing if they are hot.” And he adds that this dish will last for up to 10 days in the refrigerator. Potato salad won’t last more than a day or so at my house; I’ll make sure of that!
Weightlifter Bryan Jacob of Alpharetta, Georgia, opts for this sweet-and-savory pizza based on his favorite selection at Everybody’s Pizza, near Emory University in Atlanta. Sliced into thin wedges, it’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer. He submitted this tasty recipe to Southern Living’s 1996 Annual Recipes.
Mississippi Mud Cake… yummy, yummy, in my tummy! We have Southern Living’s recipe for this renowned delicacy from Southern Living All-Time Favorites, including directions for the chocolate frosting.
THE BEST GRILLED BURGERS
Recipe from Food Network Kitchen
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds ground chuck (80/20)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for the grill grates
Four 1-ounce slices Cheddar (optional)
1 large red onion, cut into four 1-inch thick rounds
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
4 slices beefsteak tomato
4 seeded hamburger buns
Mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, for serving
8 dill pickle chips
Prepare the grill for medium-high heat.
DIRECTIONS:
1) Form the ground beef into four 8-ounce patties. A quick and easy way to do this is to divide the meat into 4 piles. Place a pile on the top of a deli container lid. Take a second deli container lid and place the top of it against the meat. Press down evenly and firmly and watch as a perfect patty forms. Repeat with the remaining meat. 2) Make an indentation in the middle of each patty with your thumb to keep the burger from shrinking as it cooks. 3) Sprinkle each patty on both sides with salt and pepper. 4) Lightly brush the grill grates with oil. 5) Grill the patties, indentation-side up, until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes. 6) Flip and cook until marked and slightly firm, about 4 more minutes for medium-rare. 7) For cheeseburgers, top with 1 slice cheese during the last minute of cooking if desired; cover the grill to melt. 8) Remove to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. 9) While the burgers cook, place the onion slices on the grill (try to keep them together in a disk). Cook until they are golden on one side, about 4 minutes, then flip with a metal spatula and sprinkle generously with salt. Cook on the other side until the onions are lightly charred and softened through, about 4 minutes, and transfer to a plate. 10) Right before serving, toast the buns cut-side down on the grill. 11) Top the bottom bun with a burger patty and layer with grilled onion, lettuce and a slice of tomato. 12) Spread the inside of the top of each bun with some mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup. Arrange the pickle chips on top. Flip over to top the burgers and secure with a toothpick if desired.
POTATO SALAD
Recipe from The New Low-Country Cooking
By Marvin Woods
INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1) Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water just until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool completely. 2) Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine. 3) Taste and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. 4) Serve chilled. 5) Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
SOUTHERN LIVING’S HAM-AND-PINEAPPLE PIZZA
Recipe from Southern Living’s 1996 Annual Recipes
INGREDIENTS:
1 (12-inch) refrigerated baked pizza crust
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup pizza sauce
2 cups chopped smoked ham
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, well-drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1) Brush pizza crust with olive oil and spread pizza sauce evenly over crust. 2) Top sauce evenly with ham and pineapple; sprinkle with cheeses. 3) Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is lightly browned. 4) Yield: 1 (12-inch) pizza. 5) NOTE: For pizza crust, we used Mama Mary’s, available in the refrigerator section of your local supermarket.
MISSISSIPPI MUD CAKE
Recipe from Southern Living All-Time Favorites
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
1 (10.5 ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
Chocolate Frosting
DIRECTIONS:
1) Whisk together melted butter and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. 2) Stir in flour and chopped pecans. 3) Pour batter into a greased and floured 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. 4) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. 5) Remove from oven; top warm cake evenly with marshmallows. 6) Return to oven, and bake 5 more minutes. 7) Drizzle Chocolate Frosting over warm cake. 8) Cool completely. Makes 15 servings. 9) Note: Substitute two (19.5-ounce) packages brownie mix, prepared according to package directions, for first 7 ingredients, if desired. 10) Stir in chopped pecans. 11) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 12) Proceed with marshmallows and frosting as directed.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING
Recipe from Southern Living All-Time Favorites
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
DIRECTIONS:
Beat all ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Makes 2 cups.