Bobby Flays Green Chili Burgers

4 burger patties, slightly dented in the middle, lightly salt & pepper
2 poblano green chili peppers
2 tbsps. canola oil
4 slices muenster cheese

Brush poblano chili peppers with canola oil

Place burger patties and poblano peppers on a hot grill.  Cover burger patties with the rest of the canola oil.

I placed these more towards the back and turned up the heat for peppers but kept the heat low for the  burgers.  Grill the peppers about 10 minutes each side or until they're very soft and kinda flimsy.

After you take the peppers off the grill cover with a towel for a few minutes just to retain some of the heat and steam, this will make the skin easier to peel.  Starting at the stem, make a cut all the down to the end.

Cut off the stem along with as much of the seeds as you can pull off.

Discard the stem and seeds in your "thank you for coming bowl" (that's what Chef, Anne Burrell calls the trash bowl)

Take each pepper and start peeling off the skin from all sides.

Voila!

Place a poblano pepper slice on each burger.

Top each with a slice of muenster cheese.  Burgers are ready as soon as the cheese is melted.

Don't they look deeelicious?  You can eat them just like this or in between a hamburger bun with your favorite fixins'.  

I saw Bobby Flay grill these burgers on tv the other day and I literally was drooling.  I knew I had to make them like real soon.  I love green chili peppers and all things spicy (Mexican side of me) and he just made these the peppers and cheese jump right out of the tv screen for me.  I couldn't wait to get home to start grilling them as that's all I had thought about while at work today.  Much to my dismay, it wasn't as wonderful as I had thought :(   I couldn't taste the pepper hardly at all, not even the spiciness.  It was a good burger but I was disappointed that the pepper didn't stand out, at all.  Oh well.  Nice try.  Any suggestions anyone?

Classics Revisted - Savory Minestrone Stew and Raspberry Basil Tea

I've been so in the mood for my Minestrone Stew but did not want to make it or eat it until we had a "Fall" like day.  You know, one of those cool, crisp, chilly days.  This weekend was supposed to be near one of those days and I couldn't wait any longer.  I had hubby go to the store for me the other day and gave him my list for my stew, so excited for the weekend to get here.  We've had a gorgeous weekend, pretty clear and not so humid as it has been so even if it wasn't my picture perfect type of "Fall" day, that's okay, the stew hit the spot for everyone, including my "meat and potatoes" man.  This stew for some reason, came out really thick and savory and ohhhhhhh. so. good!  I served it with some of my "Rosemary Buttered Rolls" and another classic favorite, Raspberry Iced Tea with Fresh Basil.  Click on each said item and it will take you to the recipe and directions.

I didn't cook today's stew in my crockpot like the original recipe, instead I just simmered in my dutch oven for a couple of hours which works just as well.  

I didn't take step by step pictures like I usually do only because I forgot.  Something I 've been doing a lot of lately......so here are some pictures of today's stew, rolls and tea:

The stew is stewing.

As the stew is stewing, time to prep the rolls.  Chop the fresh rosemary with sea salt.

Sprinkling fresh rosemary and salt on buttered rolls.  Bake in oven.

Fresh baby spinach getting ready to put it in the stew - this is when you smile :)

Add the fresh baby spinach to the stewing stew and stir - this is the healthy part of this stew :)

I tried to get as close as I could with my Blackberry camera so that you could smell and take a bite!

Once the rolls are out of the oven, butter again.  Go ahead, do it!  They'll melt in your mouth, I promise that!

Iced Raspberry Tea with Fresh Basil.  I know, I know, it's crazy but don't judge!  Try it first, this will make it to the top of your list of sweet teas.

Dinner's ready, come and get it!!

Minestrone Stew??  Yes, please.

I have shared this recipe with:

Stone Gables - On the Menu Monday
The Tablescaper - Seasonal Sundays
Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays

*UPDATE* - 9/12/11

Took some leftovers to work.

Ever heard that leftovers are better the 2nd time around?  Let's just say, I'm ready for a nap

Abraham Lincoln

“that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people , by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” - Abraham Lincoln

Decorating for the Season

I'm "decorating" for the season.  Not around my house quite yet, not at my office, but here in my blog.  I have this urging desire that my blog needs to change along with the seasons.  I thoroughly enjoy playing with my paint program and am getting the hang of making and creating my titles, buttons and such.  The only drawback about all this is to make sure my design stays current and changes as the seasons do.  It would be most embarrassing to have my Christmas "decorations" still up around Valentines Day, wouldn't you say? :)

Posting this pic on 9/12/11 - just to show I did do a little bit of decorating in my office.  This bunch of beautiful fall flowers serve a two-fold purpose.  One is to make my office look pretty and seasonal, two is the flower stems are taped (with green florist tape) to some cheap pens.  They work and the idea is that they never "walk away" - especially here in my office, because no coach or football player want to walk around with a pretty flower on their pen but then, I take that back - every now and then I have a wiseguy ;)

'Tis the Season - Football Season That Is

OUR FRONT DOOR WREATH

'Tis the season!!  and no, I don't mean Christmas (even though I'm almost ready for Christmas once this heat-wave goes away)....any ways..... It's FOOTBALL season, highschool, college NFL - it doesn't matter, 'Tis the Season!!

CHICK CAVE

Our front door is next to our "Man Cave" or "Chick Cave" . . . ., yea, the woman in the house have taken over

The bottom left picture is taken from inside the Chick Cave

The bottom right is a plaque on one of our walls

(This room was intended to be a "sunroom" back when the former owners built it, it has eight vertical windows facing the front.

Two identical twin shelves are on each side of the french doors that lead into the dining room.

Perfect spot for all our favorite college knick-knacks and sentimental keepsakes.

Top left picture:  NE Patriot Potato Head (our daughter is a big time NEPat fan and has nothing to do with QB, Tom Brady.......yea, right!)

Top right: NE Patriot Musical Bean Bag and Liberty Flames life size helmet

Bottom left:  My hubby's Liberty mini-helmet and momentum from our boss, pic of DeMoss Hall at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

Bottom right: Momentum clock from our boss, and 2007/08/09/10 Big South Conference Championship rings 

This is our wall of miscellaneous pics.

Top row LtoR:  Samkon Gado - Former Flame to RB for the Green Bay Packers - had a stellar rookie season with the Packers in 2005 with rookie records that are still holding | Vince Redd, former Flame playing for the NE Patriots in 2008 | Rashad Jennings, former Flame currently RB for the Jacksonville Jaguars

Middle row LtoR:  Pat Tillman - left the NFL to become an Army Ranger soon after 911 - who tragically died under friendly fire.  He's our hero, especially for the Army soldiers in the family. |  NE Patriot Tom Brady and Wes Welker - best throwing receiving duo threat in the NFL | NE Patriot QB, Tom Brady

(I am personally a Dallas Cowboy fan but somehow our daughter's idol, favorite player, Tom Brady and his team, the NE Patriots have taken over - my hubby's a Giants fan b/c he' from NY.  My son and I are the only Cowboys fans in the family and I will soon dress this room up as I get more DC stuff.

Bottom row LtoR:  Our daughter's bear dressed up in NE Patriot jersey - and of course he's wearing 12 | I was able to snatch this picture before it was pitched out.  It's of the Liberty Flames, first game after 911.  They held the American flag up with pride | The wall and part of the shelf

Miscelllaneous stuff

Top left:  Every.  Every Chick Cave or Man Cave needs a bass fish

Top right:  Picture my daughter gave me as a gift - she bought it at the local mall - it's my boss and some of my football sons

Bottom left:  Rites of Autumn - The history of college football.  I bring this book out every season ever since I got it.  I love reading it and looking at all the old pictures.from the late 1800's back when it all started.

Bottom right:  Some of my few favorite football movies (Rudy, Brian's Song, We are Marshall, Game Plan, Titans) and my most favorite tv series which I watch every season, COACH.  I have season 1-4 and am still waiting for seasons 5-7 to come out!!  Wish they'd hurry!!!!

Left:  The dvd cover/binder the first COACH tv series came out in, made out of synthetic pigskin - isn't it the coolest??

Middle:  The binder is open and it came with the Minnesota Fighting Eagles playbook - so cool!!!

Right:  All my football dvds safely tucked in but at hands reach when I'm ready to watch them anytime between a game or two.

THE CHICK CAVE

This is our first year watching football in our "Chick Cave" so to say the least, it is exciting - to have a room dedicated to all things football is truly a blessing!?!  Some may question that :) heehee.   So for whatever team you root for, have a great and fun season!!  If you're in the area, please stop on by and feel free join us for some good food and all day football on the weekends!!

I shared this at:

Kristen's Creations - Thursday's Creations

#6 Mary Ellen's Recipes - Pound Cake

2 sticks butter
5 large eggs
1 cup solid shortening
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour - sifted
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla or lemon flavoring
1 tsp almond extract
Grated rind of 1 fresh orange

Cream butter, shortening and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time.

Sift flour if you haven't already (I also added the baking powder in)

Add flour, a little at a time so that it won't explode all over the place

Add the milk and flavorings.  Scrape down the sides every now and then so that all the ingredients mix thoroughly

Pour into well greased tube pan.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes

What's this you ask?  It's my "clean as you go" method.  Never done it?  You should try, it will make life easier

Don't forget to wipe down the mixer, it'll give it a longer life.

WOW!!  Do you think I may have filled the pan up too much?

Unfortunately, it was a little too much that I had to end up trimming off the excess.  I realized that it was because I used a Bundt pan and not a tube pan which I believe holds more.  Oh well.

and as you can see, I didn't grease the pan enough so some of the cake stuck to the pan.  I could say this cake was a flop only by the way that it looks but once you tasted it, it was thick, moist and deeeelicious.  No complaints from anyone :)

I love a thick moist cake.  Yum!!