Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Wife brag moment. Every time that my Andrew and I travel somewhere, when he says he's going to go to the airport restroom or grab a bottle of water before the flight, he ends up coming back with food magazines for yours truly. Actually, as I type this, I think he's actually buying them for himself, because whatever I make, he gets to imbibe on. Sneaky man....I think I'll still keep him. One of his recent purchases was a compilation of "best of" recipes, and this lasagna recipe is based on one of their "best ofs". Who doesn't love lasagna? A compilation of bolognese and creamy ricotta cheese, what's not to love? 

Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach Ricotta

Bolognese:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 oz. chopped bacon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lb. ground beef (80/20)
• 1 1/2 cup dry white wine (or vegetable broth)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup organic tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves

Spinach Ricotta:

• 2 15-oz. containers ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 organic eggs
• 16 oz. frozen spinach leaves, thawed and chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• lasagna noodles
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese for topping

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the bacon, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 10-12 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. 

Add in the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a sturdy spoon, until no pink remains, about 6-10 minutes. Pour in the wine (or broth if using), milk, tomato paste, and thyme. Stir until combined, bring to a simmer and cook until most of the liquid has been cooked down, about an hour.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, milk, and eggs. Mix in the spinach, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Reserve 1 1/2 cups in a separate bowl for the top layer.

If using dried noodles, cook until al dente and just pliable. If using no-bake sheets, just soak in warm water for 3-5 minutes until slightly softened. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Pour a little more than 1 cup of the bolognese sauce on the bottom of the pan and spread out evenly. Lay down 2 sheets or 3 lasagna strip noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the main spinach mixture, then 1 cup bolognese sauce, and top with 1 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese. Repeat with  another layer of lasagna noodles, spinach, bolognese, parmesan. Top with the remaining bolognese sauce, 1 tbsp. parmesan, and the last noodles.

Spread the reserved 1 1/2 cups spinach ricotta mixture on top and then sprinkle 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese. Cover loosely with foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake until warmed through, 45 minutes-1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes if you want those crispy edges.

Allow it to cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe originated from Epicurious

Taco Dogs

Because it's Memorial Day Weekend, and well, because I love a good hot dog (obvi), I decided to make us all an American classic, with an Arizona twist. Nitrate free, all-beef hot dogs snuggled up in a sweet Hawaiian roll, then topped with taco-seasoned ground beef, and some classic taco toppings. Tacos + Hot Dogs = LOVE. What are you making for Memorial Day Weekend?

Taco Dogs
Makes 4

Ingredients:

• 4 nitrate free beef franks
• 4 hot dog buns (I prefer Hawaiian sweet roll hot dog buns, they are my not-so secret weapon)
• 1 tsp. oil
• 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. salsa
• shredded lettuce
• shredded cheddar
• crushed tortillas chips
• hot sauce

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add in the ground beef, breaking up with a spatula, then add in the chili powder and garlic powder, and salsa; cooking until no pink remains. 

Meanwhile, heat up your grill and grill the dogs until hot all the way through. Remove from the heat and place into hot dog buns.

Top with the ground taco meat, shredded lettuce, cheese, tortillas chips, and hot sauce. Devour!

Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese for 2

When I first met my husband, he had to moved from the east coast out to Phoenix for work, and being the newcomer to Arizona that he was, he would find his favorite meals from different places and just rotate them throughout each week. Sundays were usually pad thai, a rough day after work called for the "big-ass burger", and when he was craving comfort food in the form of Italian food, he always ordered his beloved pasta bolognese. Now I don't expect this to ever take the place of his favorite take-out spot, BUT I did try and re-create our own version made with slow-cooked short rib. And I have to say, it is pretty damn divine if you ask me. I think that the key ingredient was using freshly made fettuccine noodles, instead of the dried, but I;m not about to get all Ina Garten on you and tell you that you must spend your entire afternoon making homemade pasta noodles. Dried will be just fine if you prefer. Any way you serve it, it's going to be delicious. It's freakin' pasta!

 Short Rib Fettuccine Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless beef short ribs
• 2 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup wine
• 1 1/2 cups broth
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• parsley or chives for garnish
• fettuccine noodles

In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Strain out the bacon and set aside, but leave the bacon grease in the hot pot.

Sear the short ribs in the bacon grease until browned on all sides, then place into a crockpot. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic to the bacon grease and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add in the wine and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Then add in the vinegar, broth, and tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the ribs in the crockpot and add in the cooked bacon. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8-10 hours until fork tender and shreds easily.

Once the meat is done, add in the cream and parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. Cook the fettuccine according to the boxed ingredients or use fresh-made if your market offers it (preferred). Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta and garnish with parsley and or chives. 

Maple Balsamic Chuck Roast

I have to admit, that there are not many dishes that I make multiple times. Being a food blogger, I am always trying top find new, creative ways to make food, so sticking to the same recipes time and time again is something that I struggle with. But when I find a really good one, I break all of my natural blogging instincts and just go with it. I have made this roast twice in the past 2 weeks, which is a record for me. Something about the way the meat becomes so perfectly juicy and tender in the sweet and tangy sauce makes my taste buds sing. My secret ingredient (which is not so secret anymore because I just posted it on the internet for all to see ), is Dijon mustard. It adds the perfect kick of flavor to my favorite dishes. Try it out next time you make meatloaf, or a salad dressing and see what you think!

Maple Balsamic Chuck Roast


Ingredients:

• 2.5-3-lb. boneless chuck roast
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1/3 cup organic maple syrup
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 cup vegetable or beef broth
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. high heat cooking oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Season chuck roast all over with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a bowl, mix together the coconut aminos, syrup, vinegar, mustard, broth, garlic, and onion. 

Heat oil in ovenproof dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Sear roast for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned all over. Add in the sauce, cover, and place in the oven to roast for 2 1/2-3 hours until the beef is tender and pulls apart with a fork. 

Serve hot with roasted vegetables.

Toss vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper, and toss in a couple of stickS of rosemary or thyme. Roast vegetable mixture (I prefer sweet potato and carrots) at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes until cooked through.

Beef Ramen Yakisoba

Real talk, I love ramen. Even though my college days of being forced to eat ramen because I spent my paycheck on new jeans and can't afford anything else are way behind me, I still get the craving for a bowl of chicken-flavored ramen. But I also crave jazzing it up a bit, and getting a little more adult in the kitchen. Enter Beef Ramen Yakisoba. For this recipe we actually just want the ramen noodles and not the flavor packet, so feel free to buy whatever flavor you want, but the packet will have to find use somewhere else. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a flavor-packed meal on the table in under 30 minutes, and you'd be surprised just how good ramen can be!

Beef Ramen Yakisoba

Ingredients:

• 3 packages ramen noodles, discard the seasoning packets
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 green onions, sliced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook ramen noodles until softened. 

Meanwhile, in a large non-stick skillet, cook the beef, breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains. Drain on a paper towel and set aside. In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and cook the bell peppers and onion until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

Add beef back to pan with veggies and add soy sauce. Drain cooked ramen noodles and add to the skillet. Toss to coat the noodles in the soy sauce and mix well.

Serve in bowls, garnish with sliced green onions. 

Sausage & Pepper Calzone

I tried my hand at my first ever calzone, and I have to say that it was an instant hit in our house. It's no secret that my fiance loves all things food, especially pizza. So what's even better than pizza? Stuffed pizza! I took the traditional sausage and peppers combo and filled a pizza dough ball full of it, baked it, and served it with some homemade marinara sauce. It was perfectly cheesy, yet crispy at the same time, and made for excellent leftovers the next day. If you're looking for something hearty to serve on a cold night, bundle up and make this calzone for yourself. 

Sausage & Pepper Calzone

Ingredients:

• 1 ball pizza dough
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2/3 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 tbsp. pizza seasoning
• marinara sauce for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

Heat a large sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Add the cooked sausage to a bowl, and place the pan back over the heat. Cook the onions and peppers in the oil left in the pan from the sausage. Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened.

Roll out pizza dough to create a 12x6-inch rectangle. Place onto a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese down the middle, then add the sausage and peppers on top. Top with the remaining cheese.

Fold one side of the rectangle over to cover half of the filling. Brush the whisked egg onto the folded side, and then fold the remaining side on top to close the calzone. 

Brush more whisked egg on the top and sprinkle with pizza seasoning. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese in melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minute before slicing and serving. 

Bahn Mi Burger

Who needs a break from Thanksgiving recipes? Raise your hand. Any hands raised? I know mine aren't, but I assume that your pinterest is flooded with turkey tips, side dishes, pies, and more, so why not mix it up a little just before the big day! We all need to eat in preparation for the "big meal", so I chose something hearty like this burger. I recently made these burgers for Andrew since I know what a huge fan he is of the classic Bahn Mi flavor, but I wanted to give it a little twist (surprised, aren't you? Sense the sarcasm here). I took the traditional carrot, cucumber, and cilantro toppings and placed them atop a juicy burger, complete with Sriracha mayo, because what Bahn Mi is complete without a big old spoonful of that deliciousness?  

Bahn Mi Burger

Ingredients:
Makes 4 Burgers

• 2 lbs. 85/15 ground beef
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 burger buns, split
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. white vinegar
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp. Sriracha hot sauce

In a small bowl, sprinkle the sugar and pour the vinegar over the shredded carrots. Place in the fridge. In another small bowl, whisk together the mayo and Sriracha and place in the fridge.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat, and in a medium bowl, mix together the beef, chili powder, mustard powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Form the beef mixture into 4 large burger patties. Cook the patties, for 4 minutes on each side, for medium. During the last minute of grilling, place the buns, cut-side down on the flameless side of the grill, just to get a little crisp.

Slather the prepared Sriracha mayo on one half of all of the buns. Place the burger patties on top, then garnish with the carrots, cucumbers, and fresh cilantro. Serve hot.

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Yesterday I kicked off my week of Southwestern Thanksgiving dishes on the blog. And what is Thanksgiving without stuffing? However, I don't like to bake my stuffing inside of the bird, so I guess  you would consider this dressing? Whatever, it will always be called stuffing to me regardless. Who cares about correct grammar and titles, when you've got this delicious chorizo and cornbread dish? Side note: I used to LOATHE stuffing as a kid. Like, wouldn't let my mom touch my plate with it. Like, what kid doesn't like baked bread casserole? Trust me, I grew out of that stage, and am a stuffing LOVER. The fresh herbs bring out so many flavors, and the butter, and the broth...mmmmm!! Plus, this makes a huge heaping dish, so you are sure to have some leftovers for the days to come! 

Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of day old cornbread, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 lb. beef chorizo
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. dried thyme
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

In a medium saucepan, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a spoon, but leaving some larger chunks. Once cooked, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain off the extra grease.

In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add in the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add in the cilantro, sage, oregano, and thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the drained chorizo back into the pan. 

Add 2 cups of the broth to the hot pan with the chorizo/veggies and bring to a boil. Add the cornbread to a large mixing bowl, then pour the boiling saucepan mixture over the cornbread. Toss the mixture with a large spoon to coat the cornbread. If the mixture looks too dry, add the remaining 1/2 cup of broth. 

Add the stuffing to a 9x13-inch dish and sprinkle with the sliced green onions. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes until the top is crispy. 

Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs with Sriracha Ketchup

I have a confession to make. I am not a huge ketchup fan. Like french fries only. But my fiance on the other hand is a ketchup fanatic. Like has asked restaurants what they put in their ketchup so he can try to re-create it at home. So when the amazingly talented (and stunning to boot) Joanie Simon asked me if I wanted to try out some of Traina Foods' sun-dried tomato ketchup, I knew I had to bite the bullet and try it out for myself. I had to swallow my pride and admit, that this was some damn good ketchup! We especially enjoyed their Sriracha flavored version, which added a spicy kick to the not overly sweet taste of the sun-dried tomatoes. Plus, anything stuffed with cheese, like these meatballs, can only be enhanced with such a fine condiment. 

Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs with Sriracha Ketchup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 85/15 grass-fed ground beef
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• pinch of salt & ground black pepper
• block of medium cheddar cheese
• Traina Sriracha Ketchup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

In a bowl, mix together the beef, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper with your hands. For 6-8 flattened disks out of the beef mixture (depending on how big or small you want them).

Cut the cheese into 1/2-inch squares, and place in the middle of each disk.

Then form the meat around the cheese and seal, to form a meatball.

Place the meatballs into a muffin pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes until the beef is cooked and the cheese has melted.

Serve hot and topped with Traina Sriracha Ketchup. 

*While I was provided with ketchup from Traina, I was not paid. Recipe and reviews are my own. 

Slow Cooker Venison Chili

Life is good when your realtor is also a hunting expedition guide. Anytime their freezer starts to get a little full, we get dibs on some amazing wild game. If you do not have access to venison meat, or just oppose it and would rather use chicken, pork, or beef, please be my guest. I'm all about diversity and making recipes fit in to your lifestyle, so long as your bellies and hearts are full. Make a big pot of this for this weekend's games and feed a crowd, or have leftovers for a couple of days. The choice is yours! That's what I love about chili, simplicity. Also, the toppings. I'm a onion, cilantro, sour cream, tortilla chip girl myself. Is it just me, or do the toppings make or break a dish?

Speaking of comfort food, I am headed to the land of endless corn fields, you guessed it, Iowa. I'm taking a little break to visit one of my bridesmaids who just had an adorable little daughter, and to get some much needed girl {read: wine} time. We will be back to our regularly scheduled program on Wednesday!Catch out my adventures on insta! 

Slow Cooker Venison Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. venison backstrap, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 ornage bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1.2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 12-oz. bottle beer (I used an amber ale)

Garnish Ideas:

• minced jalapeno
• chopped cilantro
• diced red onion
• guacamole
• sour cream
• crushed tortilla chips
• shredded cheese
• Crumbled cornbread

Add the venison, bell peppers, onion, garlic, spices, and beer to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the venison is extremely tender.

Serve hot with garnish. 

Grilled Steak Chopped Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

You guys ever have those weekends that you know you will never forget? Usually if I have a weekend off, it consists of running every errand possible that I wasn't able to do during the week, and then catching up on stuff around the house (laundry piles up faster than I think). But now that I have had a slight schedule change in work, I am gracious to be having all weekends off from now on. So instead of hustling the weekend by and cramming as much as humanly possible, I took the time to slow down, just a little bit. We enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite local spots, grabbed a beer after, and even spent half of Saturday soaking up the sun by the pool (hello gorgeous wedding tan, using SPF, of course). Saturday night I had the absolute pleasure to be on the judging panel at Scottsdale Spice Fest, where we hand selected a chef to move on to the World Chef Challenge in Florida this fall. Sunday was lazy, complete with a farmer's market breakfast hash and Netflix. Uncomplicated and perfect. Just like this salad. I love having so many different textures in one meal. The crunch from the tortilla chips really pairs well with the creamy avocado, and well, I don't have to tell you how delicious steak is. 

Grilled Steak Chopped Salad
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 6-oz. steaks
• 1 tbsp. oil (I used avocado oil)
• 1 head romaine lettuce, rinsed and chopped
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• crushed tortilla chips for garnish

Avocado Cilantro Dressing

• 1 large avocado, peeled and seeded
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves only
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to high heat. Meanwhile, take your meat out of the fridge and season the steaks with oil, salt and pepper on both sides. Add the corn, bell pepper and steaks to the hot grill. Cook the steaks for 4 minutes, then flip over to the second side and grill for another 4-5 minutes for medium. Turn the corn and pepper occasionally during this time. Remove the meat and veggies from the heat and allow the steaks to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the steaks rest, shuck the grilled corn from the cobbs and chop the red bell pepper. In a large serving bowl, toss together the lettuce, beans, corn, bell pepper, mango, and avocado. 

Carefully slice the steaks against the grain into 1/2-inch slices. Add to the salad bowl, and toss with the avocado cilantro dressing*. Serve with crushed tortilla chips for an added crunch.

*To make the dressing, puree all of the listed ingredients until smooth. 

Meatball Pasta Bake

Nothing beats a good, classic pasta dish. Take spaghetti and meatballs for instance. It usually takes you to a place from your past. For me, it's my mom's kitchen. A large pot of pasta, topped with just enough sauce to coat the noodles, and a side of meatballs, chopped into quarters, then mixed in, to accompany each forkful of spaghetti. This is just like that, only not. I know, right? I took all of your classic ingredients, but baked them to melty-cheesy (totally just made that word up) perfection; complete with meatballs baked right in the pasta. Let me repeat. In the pasta. Oh, and don't forget the wine!

Meatball Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pasta noodles
• 3/4-lb. pre-packaged meatballs or homemade
• 1 jar of your favorite marinara, or homemade
• 1 8-oz. ball of mozzarella cheese, shredded
• fresh basil leaves, sliced for garnish
• wine, for drinking!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9x9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook the noodles for half of the time recommended by the package directions. They will continue to cook in the oven, so avoid overly soggy noodles by cutting the boiling time in half.

Once the noodles are done, add them to a large bowl along with the cooked meatballs and the sauce. Fold in half of the mozzarella cheese and then pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then turn up the heat to broil and cook for another 2-4 minutes, until the cheese on top begins to get nice and crispy (this is how you get those those crunchy edges).

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. This way the sauce finds its way into all the crevices in the pasta, and also so you don't burn the roof of your mouth!

Open-Faced Grilled Caesar Burgers

I'm going against the grain today with this meaty Monday post. Last week my fiance flew out to Indiana to help his sister drive out west where she will be starting a summer internship in California today. She spent the past week with us in Arizona, where we took her to some of our favorite restaurants, went bridesmaid dress shopping, binge-watched the entire season of "Grace and Frankie" on Netflix, and she even took home 1st place in our 3rd annual bocce ball tournament. And today is her birthday! Amidst all of the excitement, we chose one night to lay low and make dinner at home, since they did just drive across the country and all. These open-faced burgers were a great call, and they're totally healthy 'cuase they're topped with salad. Smothered in caesar dressing. Whoops. Oh, and don't forget about the bottle of wine and the Dairy Queen blizzards we had as well.

Open-Faced Grilled Caesar Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf french bread, halved lengthwise
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 lb. ground beef (I use 85/15)
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/3 cup caesar dressing

Preheat grill over high flame, about 400 degrees. 

In a bowl, toss together the romaine and the caesar dressing. Place in the fridge until ready to serve. 

In a medium bowl, season the ground beef with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese. Mix to combine, but be mindful not to over-mix the meat. Form into 4 even-sized burger patties.

Grill the burgers for a couple of minutes before flipping to the other side for 1-2 minutes more, for medium, longer for more done-ness.

Remove the burgers from the heat and allow to rest for a couple of minutes while you grill the bread. Slather the melted butter on the cut-side of the bread and grill until lightly crisp and warm. Cut into fourths. Top with the cooked burgers and caesar salad. Serve warm.

Happy Birthday Rachel!!