Red, White and Blue Sangria on Day 6 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 with our Final #Giveaway!

Welcome to the final day, Day #6 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.

With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. For the past six days we have been serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day.

We hope you enjoyed all of these wonderful ideas and thank you for tuning in each day. We have great prizes up for grabs and you will not want to miss out on any of the days! Be sure to check out previous days out here. Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

I'm finishing up this week with a refreshing drink - Red, White and Blue Sangria.

Traditonally, sangria is made with fruit (citrus and apple), brandy and red wine.  This {patriotic} favorite of mine uses raspberries {red}, blueberries {blue}, rum and sparkling {white} wine for a refreshing alternative.

Using frozen raspberries eliminates the need for ice to keep these tasty drinks cold on a hot summer day!

Before you get to my recipe, you will want to check out the rest of my blogger friends who've participated in this great event and show them how much you've enjoyed this week... drop them a line and show some love!

• Grilled Garlic and Basil Rubbed Pork Chops by From Gate to Plate 
• Mango Lassi by The Haas Machine 
• Shrimp and Corn Salsa Shooters by It's Yummi 
• 15 Barbecue Favorites by Summer Scraps 
• Greek Pork Kebabs with Tzatziki by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Favorite Popcorn Balls by Forty Eighteen 
• Making Memorial Day a Family Affair by Bits of Ivory 
• Sea Breeze Punch by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Steak Sandwich Stackers by Lady Behind the Curtain 
• Memorial Day Whoopie Pies by The Freshman Cook 
• Steak Verde Tacos by Clarks Condensed 
• Red, White and Blue Sangria by Love in the Kitchen 
• Sriracha Coleslaw by It's a Keeper 
• Lemon Pomegranate Punch by Food Lust People Love 
• Peanut Butter Cup S'mores by Little Dairy on the Praire 
• Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs by Like Mother, Like Daughter 
• Vintage Patriotic Book Craft by We Like to Learn as We Go

Red, White and Blue Sangria

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup of fresh blueberries
• 4 oz. vanilla flavored rum
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 bottle of sparkling wine

Instructions

Mix the fruit, rum and sugar in a glass pitcher. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

Let the fruit and rum mixture sit for at least 10 minutes, or up to an hour.

Pour in the sparkling wine, and serve immediately.

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We've reached the end of our week long journey helping you prep for Memorial Day, but before you go we want to offer you a $150 gift card to Amazon. How awesome is that?! We're talking a $150 smackaroo's to buy all of  your Memorial Day necessities. Whether it's a new grill, grilling utensils, cookbook, new cookware, or decor.. we've got you covered! It's really easy to enter.. just follow along in the Rafflecopter!  Good Luck and thank you for partying along with us this week!

 Rafflecopter a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad on Day 5 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014

Welcome to Day #5 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.

With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. Each day we will be serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas.

Tune in each day starting with Monday, May 12 and ending on Saturday, May 17. We have great prizes up for grabs throughout the week so you will not want to miss out on any of the days! Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

Today I'm bringing you another old family favorite.  This salad is super easy, super quick and {you may have guessed} super tasty!

We had a version of this cucumber salad hundreds of times in the summer when I was a kid.  This is a great one when it is hot {San Diego has been extraordinarily hot this last week - hot, dry and windy}.  You don't have to turn on the stove or oven or ever be in the kitchen very long.  Cool and delicious, this is just what you want for those hot summer dinners!

Before you get on to the {super easy} recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the Kick Off to Summer Week bloggers below!

• Lemon Brookies by From Gate to Plate 
• Easy Red Wine Strawberry "Coolers" by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Memorial Day: How to Make a Wreath by Lil Huckleberries 
• Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches with Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Perfect Fresh Lemonade by Forty Eighteen 
• Sparkling Cupcakes by Lady Behind the Curtain 
• Seaside Pasta Salad by The Freshman Cook 
• Crumb Topped Blueberry Pie by It's a Keeper 
• Peanut Butter Mousse Pie by Life on Food 
• Fiesta Fruit Slush by Little Dairy on the Praire

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients (4 cups)

• 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups green grapes, halved
• 2 cups thinly sliced peeled cucumber

Instructions

In a salad bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, water, cucumber, and grapes.

Cover and chill, stirring occasionally to blend flavors, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Spoon onto plates to serve.

{If you are not serving this right away, replace the water with ice cubes - this will keep the salad cool and fresh.}

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Crispy Potatoes and Fennel on Day 4 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 with a #WorldMarket Giveaway!

Welcome to Day #4 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.


With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. Each day we will be serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas.

Tune in each day starting with Monday, May 12 and ending on Saturday, May 17. We have great prizes up for grabs throughout the week so you will not want to miss out on any of the days! Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

Today I am sharing Crispy Potatoes and Fennel.  I think fennel can be a very interesting vegetable to use.  It has a strong sharp flavor when raw and works well in a salad when sliced very thinly.

But did you know you can cook it?

This recipe is the perfect blend of creamy potatoes and spicy, anise-y fennel which has been mellowed by braising it in milk. And is there anything better than potatoes with cheese crisped up in the broiler?

Before you get on to my recipe and to the giveaway, we've just passed mid-week and we're still rolling out more Memorial Day ideas for you! Look at all these awesome ideas the rest of the Kick Off to Summer Week bloggers have put together!

• Macaroni Egg Salad by From Gate to Plate 
• Summer Fruit with White Chocolate Dip by Summer Scraps 
• Grilled Caesar Salad by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Firecracker Cupcakes by It's Yummi 
• Pasta Salad by Forty Eighteen 
• Red, White and Blueberry Cups by Bits of Ivory 
• Cowboy Coffee Cake by Lady Behind the Curtain 
• All American Burger by The Freshman Cook 
• No-Bake Cookie Butter Cookies by Clarks Condensed 
• Crispy Potatoes and Fennel by Love in the Kitchen 
• Asian Grilled Chicken Skewers by It's a Keeper 
• Potato Salad by Life on Food 
• Outdoor Water Games by Play. Party. Pin.

Crispy Potatoes and Fennel

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds new potatoes, cut into irregular 1.5" to 2" chunks
• 2 fennel bulbs (about 1.5 pounds) – trimmed (with tough or bruised outer layers removed), then cut lengthwise into wedges about 1.5” wide (leaving core intact)
• About 2 to 3 cups of milk, or enough to cover the vegetables
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan reggiano
• Olive oil

Instructions

In a 3 to 4 quart pan, combine potatoes, fennel wedges, bay leaf, and fennel seed. Add enough half-and-half to fully cover the potatoes and fennel.

Season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Over medium-high heat, bring the half-and-half to a simmer, then lower heat to just maintain the simmer.

Cook until the potatoes and fennel are soft and tender, about 20 minutes. Take off the heat. The potatoes and fennel should be fully cooked at this point.

While potatoes and fennel are braising, preheat broiler to medium-high. Generously coat the bottom of a ceramic baking pan with olive oil.

Remove potatoes and fennel wedges from the half-and-half with a spider or slotted spoon, and transfer them to prepared baking pan.

Taste the potatoes and fennel for seasoning – if you need more salt or pepper, add them now. Toss with olive oil and parmesan reggiano. Arrange the potatoes and fennel wedges in a single layer to promote even browning.

Place the baking dish under the broiler (about 6 inches away from the source of heat). Broil for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and fennel are caramelized and crispy around the edges.

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Today's sponsor for Day 4 of Kick Off to Summer Week belongs to World Market. World Market has everything! From furniture, accessories, food and drink; everything you need for entertaining! They have beautiful multicultural pieces that are so unique and stylish (from over 50 countries!).

World Market has something for every room, every theme, every occasion, and every season - and let me tell you their Gourmet Goodies are fabulous! I seriously wish I could win this fabulous prize! Did you know you can follow World Market on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter? Yup, now you do :).

 We are giving away a $100 World Market Gift card to ONE of our lucky readers. Get excited because it just might be you! Enter in the Rafflecopter widget below. (Please be patient, sometimes the widget is temperamental and slow)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 **Giveaway runs May 15 until May 22, 2014 at midnight EST. Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Winner must be 18 years of age or older. No cash value available**

**Disclaimer: This giveaway is being sponsored by World Market. #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 bloggers have not received product or been compensated as part of this giveaway!**

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Mom's Rhubarb Crisp on Day 3 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 with #GourmetGarden Giveaway!

Welcome to Day #3 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.

With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. Each day we will be serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas.

Tune in each day starting with Monday, May 12 and ending on Saturday, May 17. We have great prizes up for grabs throughout the week so you will not want to miss out on any of the days!  Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

Nothing says summer to me like my Mom's Rhubarb Crisp. Sweet and tart, with a crunchy top, then with a little bit of cream on top, this dessert is the definition of summertime heaven.

Before you get to my recipe and to the giveaway below, be sure to check out the rest of the #KickOffToSummer2014 awesomeness below!

• Lemon Honey & Rosemary Grilled Chicken Skewers by From Gate to Plate 
• Sausage & Veggies Tinfoil Dinner by Summer Scraps 
• Baked Rosemary Garlic Fries by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Homemade Natural Bug Spray by The Haas Machine 
• Memorial Day Festivities by Lil Huckleberries 
• Corn Cob Jelly by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks 
• Marshmallow Fruit Dip by Forty Eighteen 
• Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookies by Lady Behind the Curtain 
• BBQ Invitation Printable by My Daylights 
• Rhubarb Crisp by Love in the Kitchen 
• Mixed Berry Sweet Rolls by Like Mother, Like Daughter 
• Liberty Embroidery Pattern by Bits of Ivory 
• Red White and Blue Trifle by We Like to Learn as We Go 
• Chickpea Tabouli by Food Lust People Love 
• Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cookies by Life on Food

Our sponsor for today is Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices. If you enjoy cooking with fresh ingredients you will just love Gourmet Garden! Gourmet Garden herbs are organically grown then simply washed, chopped, blended and packed into tubes to maintain the herbs freshness and nutrition. With Gourmet Garden you will be able to keep fresh herbs in your fridge for months with no waste. They have a variety of herbs such as Garlic, Basil, Cilantro, Chili Pepper and much more! You can find Gourmet Garden in the fresh produce section of your supermarket. Be sure to keep up-to-date with Gourmet Garden Herbs & Spices on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Gourmet Garden has so graciously offered up a cooler full of herbs and spices perfect for you next cooking and baking experience. Your cooler will include 4 ounce bottles of:

Garlic Basil Chili Pepper Dill Oregano Cilantro Ginger Italian Herbs Parsley Lemon Grass

Rhubarb Crisp

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Keywords: dessert rhubarb summer

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Ingredients

Topping

• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• ½ Cup raw rolled oats
• 1 Cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ Cup butter or margarine, melted

Rhubarb Filling

• 4 Cups rhubarb, cut in ½ inch pieces (about 1 ¾ pounds)
• ½ Cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Cup granulated sugar
• ½ Cup water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Make topping

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats and brown sugar, mixing well. With a fork, stir the butter into the mixture, to make a crumbly mixture.

Make Rhubarb Filling

In a lightly greased 8” x 8” x 2” baking dish, combine rhubarb, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and ½ cup water. Stir mixture to mix well.

Sprinkle topping evenly over filling: bake uncovered, 35 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and rhubarb is tender.

Serve warm with light cream or ice cream if desired.

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And now for today's giveaway!!

Disclaimer

 **Giveaway runs May 14 until May 21, 2014 at midnight EST. Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Winner must be 18 years of age or older. No cash value available**

**Disclaimer: This giveaway is being sponsored by Gourmet Garden. #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 bloggers have not received product or been compensated as part of this giveaway!**

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Grilled Stuffed Flank Steak on Day 2 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014

Welcome to Day #2 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.

With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. Each day we will be serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas.

Tune in each day starting with Monday, May 12 and ending on Saturday, May 17. We have great prizes up for grabs throughout the week so you will not want to miss out on any of the days! Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

I love my grill in the summer.  And I've always been a steak kind of girl.  When we got our choice for our birthday dinner?  I chose steak on the grill.  {Thanks Dad for braving the Minnesota winters to give me the perfect birthday meal!}

These grilled flank steak pinwheels are beautiful and, despite a few detailed steps, fairly easy to make.  I was worried that the cheese would melt and slide right out, but it crusted on the outside and was deliciously melty in the inside.  Divine!

I love to try new cuts of steak as well.  Flank steak has a fantastic flavor - but does require proper preparation and proper cutting.  This cut is best with quick cooking - and the butterfly, stuff and roll in this recipe allows for just that.  Follow the instructions to make sure you cut it the right way, and you will have an amazing meal!

Flank steak is very popular right now, and not always easy to find.  You can substitute skirt or hangar steak if you can't find flank.  And if you can't find any of those, London Broil will work.  Just be sure to butterfly thinly and against the grain.

Before you check you my recipe, be sure to view all of the other Kick Off to Summer Week 2014 participants for more Memorial Day ideas!

• Soft Butterscotch S'more Cookies by From Gate to Plate 
• Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies  by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Patriotic Quinoa Salad by It's Yummi 
• Salmon Burgers by The Haas Machine 
• Summer Letter Set by Summer Scraps 
• Creamy Corn Salad by Forty Eighteen 
• Classic Potato Salad by Clarks Condensed 
• Mini Cake Mix Sandwich Cookie Bites by Lady Behind The Curtain 
• Grilled Stuffed Flank Steak by Love in the Kitchen 
• Sun-dried Tomatoes - How to by Food Lust People Love

Grilled Stuffed Flank Steak

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 - 20 minutes

Keywords: grill entree beef summer

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Ingredients (serves 4 - 6)

• 1 can (8 ounces) roasted green chiles
• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 whole flank steak, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
• 4 ounces thinly sliced habanero jack cheese

Instructions

1. Combine chili powder, cayenne, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl and mix with fingers to form a paste. Set aside.
2. Lay steak on a cutting board with grain running parallel to the edge of the counter (the stripes in the steak will be parallel to the edge of the counter - this will make it so that it will be easy to cut and tender to eat).
3. Trim left and right edges to form a clean rectangle and reserve scraps for another use. Hold steak flat with your non-knife hand and, with a sharp boning knife, carefully butterfly the steak, leaving the back edge attached by 1/2- to 1/4-inch of meat. Open up steak and flatten the seam gently with your hand to form a large perfect rectangle.
4. Rub chili paste into exposed surface of steak. Layer with the chilies and cheese, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and the bottom.
5. Carefully roll the steak away from you (the grain - or stripes - should run width-wise), tightening as you go until it is rolled into a cylinder. Let it rest with its seam-side down.
6. Tie the beef tightly with twine, spacing the ties evenly every 1 1/2 inches. Insert a skewer through each piece of twine. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut between the ties to make the pinwheels. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place the pinwheels on the hot side of the grill and cook without moving until well charred on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip steaks and char second side, about 3 minutes longer.
8. Transfer to cooler side of grill, cover, and cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 120°F for medium-rare or 130°F for medium. Transfer to a platter, let rest for five minutes.
9. Remove the string and skewers carefully. The pinwheels will stay together as long as you are gentle in your plating. Serve while hot.

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Tuesday's Table for May 13, 2014

Summer is upon us this week - we're having crazy hot weather.  And this puts me in the mood to use my grill.  And maybe my ice cream maker.  Just in time to start plannig for Memorial Day actually!

<center> <a href="http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/p/tuesdays-table.html" target="new"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_v75srsCQV_KCkh-PdU51jywq62t3RKYSLT3k1hatjAsRKSJF5FMG0yQ5aGanF6fOFzmPxEIaC-yr6W_WmNE88UaA-CsiixlvHwSf8vbR45UgapWXbQN9TgpK15hqc3xmEb0Hw/s1600/TuesdaysTable150x150-horiz+peppers.gif" /></a></center>

This week's feature is Annies Home's Crepes Suzette!  I just love crepes.  We once had some in Paris that were amazing, and these look just like that.   You need to head over and see her site.

Please grab a button  - and thanks so much for sharing!

And now it's time to fill Tuesday's Table.  What kinds of delicious and creative things have been coming out of your kitchen lately?  I can't wait to see them!

For this week's party, only a few guidelines:

• Please share as many links as you like, but only if you haven't shared them here before
• Add a link back to Tuesday's Table (or grab a button above!) so others can join in the fun
• Follow me via Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, RSS or Bloglovin (see my sidebar!)

No other requirements, but visit the other links here, and I'd love for you to sign up for my email reminder here!

And now, for this week's link party!

An InLinkz Link-up

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Private Selection’s Burger Nation: My Ultimate Burger

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Private Selection. All opinions are 100% mine.

Burger Nation Sweepstakes

Nothing tastes like summer to me as much as a fantastic burger straight from the grill.  We all have a favorite burger, and every region has its own special flavors and tastes. One of my personal favorites is my own California Burrito Burger.

The California Burrito is a San Diego creation that takes a traditional carne asada burrito and adds fries.  Sounds strange, tastes fantastic.  I love burgers and thought it would be great to make a tasty burrito into a fabulous burger - and thus the California Burrito Burger is born!

{You can find out my secret recipe for this treat below.}

I've shared mine, but what is your favorite burger?  Private Selection®, provider of artisan-inspired gourmet-quality meats, cheeses, bakery items, desserts, and baking and cooking ingredient without the premium price, and The Kroger Family of Stores want to hear what makes your local burger the best in the nation. Plus, they’ll give you a free dessert just for sharing!

The Mason Jar Desserts are available in 10 delicious flavors, including Cherry Crumble, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Brownie, and Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

All it takes to receive a coupon for a free dessert is to submit a recipe, quick tip or enter the sweepstakes. And when you enter the sweepstakes, you have a chance to win The Weber® Summit® E-670™ LP Gas Grill - a stainless steel backyard grilling machine that could soon grace your patio! To enter, click on the "Burger Nation Sweepstakes" then select your local retailer from the drop-down list. Simply fill out the entry form and you’re all set! You can come back and log in to enter once a day, every day, until June 6, 2014.

Private Selection is a premium private-label brand and their artisan-inspired products can be found exclusively at the Kroger family of stores and affiliated stores such as Fred Meyer, QFC, Fry’s, JayC, Ralphs, Baker’s, Dillons, Pay Less, Gerbes, City Market, Owen’s, Smith’s and King Soopers. {Find a store near you: Store Locator} Their products include bakery items, deli meats, gourmet cheeses, meats for crafting your ultimate burger, baking ingredients, cooking ingredients and so much more.

Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Offered only to legal residents of the 50 U.S. including D.C. (except FL, NY, RI, AK and HI), 18 or older. Void in and to residents of FL, NY, RI, AK and HI, and where prohibited by law. Participants must have a participating Kroger Shopper Card which may be obtained without cost. Begins on or about 9:00 a.m. ET April 28, 2014 and ends on or about 8:59 p.m. ET June 6, 2014. Limit 1 entry per person/Shopper Card account/household per day, across all banners. Limit 30 total Sweepstakes entries per person/Shopper Card account/household during the Promotion Period. For prize details, odds of winning, and limitations, see complete Official Rules.

Like Private Selection® on Facebook

Follow Private Selection® on Pinterest

California Burrito Burger

by Susan Zentmyer

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Ingredients (6 Burgers)

Blended Asada Mixture

• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 jalepeno peppers, seeds removed and chopped
• 2 handfuls of chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 1/2 limes

Burger

• 2 pounds Private Selction® ground sirloin
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Blended Asada Mixture
• Vegetable oil, for brushing the grill rack
• 1 bag, frozen French Fries (like Ore Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries)
• 6 Kaiser rolls, split

Instructions

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

Prepare the oven baked french fries according to the package.

To make the blended Asada mixture, place chopped onion, jalepeno peppers, ciltantro, cumin, salt and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients 3-4 times until a thick and course consistency is reached. Set the mixture aside.

To make the burgers, combine the ground sirloin, salt, black pepper and the blended Asada mixture in a large bowl. Mix well, but avoid compacting the meat by handling the mixture as little as possible.

Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties. When the grill is ready, brush grill rack with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Place the patties on the grill rack and cover. Cook the patties for 5-7 minutes on each side for medium.

When the patties are just about done, place the Kaiser rolls cut side down on the outer edges of the grill rack to lightly toast.

To assemble the burgers, place a burger patty on each bottom roll, cover with crispy fries and top with a tablespoon of salsa. Complete the burger by placing the remaining roll half on top. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Day 1 of #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 with #PickYourPlum Giveaway

 Welcome to Day #1 of Kick Off to Summer Week, a multi-blogger event co-host by Lauren of From Gate to Plate and Summer of Summer Scraps.

With summer quickly approaching and Memorial Day in a few weeks, we wanted to make sure you had plenty of ideas for your Memorial Day activities. Each day we will be serving up a variety of different appetizers, main dishes, desserts, decor, printables and more all centered around the up-coming Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy all of these wonderful ideas.

Tune in each day starting with Monday, May 12 and ending on Saturday, May 17. We have great prizes up for grabs throughout the week so you will not want to miss out on any of the days! Follow #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 on Twitter to keep up to date with all of our spectacular ideas and giveaways!

View all of the other Kick Off to Summer Week 2014 participants for more Memorial Day ideas!

• Margarita Grilled Shrimp Skewers by From Gate to Plate 
• Cherry Limeade by Summer Scraps 
• Turkey and Grilled Pineapple Burger by Keep it Simple, Sweetie 
• Place of Honor by Lil Huckleberries 
• Edible Patio Table Centerpiece by Bits of Ivory 
• Easiest Ever Grilled Chicken by Forty Eighteen 
• Ranch Burgers by Lady Behind the Curtain 
• Strawberry and Candied Almond Spinach Salad by We Like to Learn as We Go 
• BBQ Banner Printable by My Daylights 
• Red White and Blue Fruit Pizza by Like Mother Like Daughter 
• Star-Spangled Muffins by Food Lust People Love 
• German Potato Salad by Denise Designed

Sponsor Information

Our sponsor for Day 1 of Kick Off to Summer Week 2014 belongs to Pick Your Plum! We are so excited they joined us today. Pick Your Plum is an amazing deal site that features products from all over the world.

New deals occur each morning at 7:00 AM Mountain Time. Some of these fab deals go so fast you might miss out on them because the deals are always so great! Pick Your Plum features clothing, home decor, crafting, party supplies and other fun surprises! You can follow Pick Your Plum on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Today's Pick Your Plum Prize Pack includes TWO $50 Plum boxes full of PYP awesomeness! (Seriously wish I could enter in this too because this prize is totally awesome!)  **Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Winner must be 18 years or age or older. No cash value available.**

**Disclaimer: This giveaway is being sponsored by Pick Your Plum. #KickOffToSummerWeek2014 bloggers have not received product or been compensated as part of this giveaway**

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Butterscotch Brownies

Did you know that today is National Butterscotch Brownie Day?  {Did you know that there is a National Day of Some Food for every day of the year?  Seriously - check this out!}

Butterscotch Brownies are like blondies (one of my all-time favorite desserts) with a special added ingredient.  Butterscotch chips.  I love butterscotch chips.

Best part?  {well, the best part is the taste, but the second-best part?}  They take almost no time to put together!  15 minutes to gather the ingredients and stir together, then 30 minutes to cook.

And then?  Little golden bars of heaven!

Celebrate National Butterscotch Brownie Day with these today.  You'll be the hero of the day!

Butterscotch Brownies

by Susan Zentmyer

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients (48 bars)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 11-oz. pkg. NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels, divided
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs.

Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels and nuts. Spread into ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining morsels.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

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Tuesday's Table for May 6, 2014

Mother's Day is coming up and I've got my sights on a fantastic brunch.  One that I don't necessarily have to  slave over all Mother's Day morning!  

<center> <a href="http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/p/tuesdays-table.html" target="new"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq_v75srsCQV_KCkh-PdU51jywq62t3RKYSLT3k1hatjAsRKSJF5FMG0yQ5aGanF6fOFzmPxEIaC-yr6W_WmNE88UaA-CsiixlvHwSf8vbR45UgapWXbQN9TgpK15hqc3xmEb0Hw/s1600/TuesdaysTable150x150-horiz+peppers.gif" /></a></center>

This week's feature is Lori's Culinary Creation's Two-in-One Breakfast Quiche!  A different breakfast on each side of the pan - brilliant!  And it looks like a perfect item for my Mother's Day Brunch menu.   You need to head over and see her site.

Please grab a button  - and thanks so much for sharing!

And now it's time to fill Tuesday's Table.  Are you hosting a Mother's Day Brunch and have some great recipes to share? I can always use some great inspiration, and y'all always come through with it!

For this week's party, only a few guidelines:

• Please share as many links as you like, but only if you haven't shared them here before
• Add a link back to Tuesday's Table (or grab a button above!) so others can join in the fun
• Follow me via Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, RSS or Bloglovin (see my sidebar!)

No other requirements, but visit the other links here, and I'd love for you to sign up for my email reminder here!

And now, for this week's link party!

An InLinkz Link-up

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