Swiss Cheese Burger Recipe

Summer is Cheeseburger grilling time. Usually I like melted American or Cheddar cheese on my burgers, but lately it's Swiss Cheese. 

Swiss cheese is more pungent than American cheese. I get it cheaply from my local Latin grocer, Superior. With its distinctive holes, Swiss cheese is easy to spot. It takes a little longer to melt than American cheese.

Swiss Cheese originated in Emmental, Switzerland. It's said that the larger the holes, the more pungent the cheese. The cheese colors are pale yellow to almost white. Don't feel cheated by the holes since it's usually sold by weight.

I add Swiss cheese to my Pastrami and Corned Beef sandwiches. Try it in a Grilled Swiss Cheese Sandwich.

I've been getting discount ground beef from my local supermarket, Ralphs Grocer. These days anything around $5 per pound is a good deal. If the ground beef is red in color, I'll take a chance on discounted ground beef. I won't buy grey or browning beef. I have, on occasion, bought nice bright red ground meat at a doscount, only to find that it's brown in the middle...ugh. 

I like my burgers not too big, so I form the patties into 1/4 to 1/3 pounds - make your burgers as large as you like.

Try not to press on the meat too much, keep it a little loose. You can make the meat patties thick or thin. Of course, the thinner the patty, the quicker it will cook. I add salt and pepper to the raw hamburger patties before grilling. I tend to add more pepper than salt, but season the hamburger any way you like.

What do you like on a summertime grilled Hamburger? When I invite the neighbors over for a patio party, I have to remember to put out ketchup. I like typical mustard and mayo on mine. My local Dollar Tree has these condiments for the right price.

Lettuce, sliced tomato, and pickle are my other hamburger toppings. I also add sliced onion if I have it in the crisper. All these ingredients still come cheaply.

My method of grilling hamburger is to cook one side until it is charred, then flip it over and cook it to the desired doneness, usually in a reduced amount of time. Cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the grill. I use a gas grill set to medium heat - it usually takes about 7 to 10 minutes total for a medium-done hamburger, with a little pink in the middle. Increase time for a well-done hamburger.

I add cheese right when I flip the burger so it melts all the way. In my video recipe, I leave the barbecue grill top open for filming, but normally the top is down when I add the cheese so it melts quick enough. It's up to you how you grill a hamburger.

Anyway you grill it, try my tasty cheeseburger version with Swiss Cheese for a change of flavor.

Swiss Cheese Burger - Recipe Video            Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 23 seconds.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef - I bought a one-pound package and divided it into 4 segments, about a 1/4 pound each. Make the hamburger patties any size and shape you like.
• Swiss Cheese - One slice per hamburger patty is enough for me. You can add more if you like.
• Salt & Pepper - to your taste. Add any favorite seasonings.
• Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle - add any combination, or all three. It's up to you; add what you like, or have on hand. I sometimes add sliced onion, too.
• Mustard, Mayonnaise - or any favorite condiment, like ketchup. 

Directions

Form hamburger patties any size you like. I make mine in the 1/4 pound range. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fire up the grill. I use a gas grill set to medium heat. Use any grilling method you like.

Let the grill heat up for a couple of minutes, then add the hamburger patty(s). You may want to spray the grill with cooking oil if your grilling grates are wide. With thin grates the hamburger patty is easy to flip without sticking.

While the hamburger grills, I will slice the tomato and pickle (if needed). Shred lettuce. Get out your favorite condiments, like mayo and mustard.

My grilling technique is to cook one side of the hamburger until it is darkly charred and brown, then flip it over for a shorter cooking time, until it is done the way I like it. Cooking time will vary, but usually 7 to 10 minutes total is enough time. Keep the grill closed during part of the cooking time for more smoky flavor.

If you try to char each side of the hamburger, it can easily dry out, unless that is the way you like it. If the patty is a fat one, then you can probably char each side. 

I like my hamburger patty with a pink middle, but not too raw.

Add the Swiss cheese when you flip the burger so it has time to melt. This is when I close the grill for a minute or so.

I have a water spray bottle handy for flare-ups. If your hamburger has a high fat content in the 70% to 80% lean meat range, the extra fire flare-ups may burn the patty.

The hamburger I purchased was extremely lean, almost too lean for my taste, but it was on sale.

When the hamburger is almost done, I will toast the hamburger buns. You can make your burgers with buns right out of the package.

When the hamburger is done, build your Swiss Burger the way you like it.

I make mine with mustard and mayo slathered on both sides of the bun. I add the hamburger with cheese, then pile on lettuce, tomato, and pickle.

You can't go wrong with a fat, loaded, and grilled  Swiss Cheese Burger.

National Potato Day - Recipes and a Reviews

The most humble and one cheap veggie is the tuber or potato. I can get Russet potatoes for way less than a dollar per pound. So there is every reason to celebrate National Potato Day. Be sure to click on any recipe name to see the tasty original blog post recipe.

I'll start my potato recipe roundup with the most soul-satisfying Mashed Potatoes. I make mine the easy way with just boiled potatoes, milk, butter, a lot of black pepper, and a touch of salt. I always serve them with my Thanksgiving Turkey.

Here's my video below (Click on the recipe name above to see my photos and recipe text.)

Carrying on the Mashed Potato theme, my next recipe is from across the pond (Great Britain,) Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie.  Potatoes are at their best when playing second fiddle to the main ingredient, often it's meat.

It's a hearty one-pot meal that has it all. Ground meat, green peas, carrots, onions in a bath of au jus gravy, and topped with mashed potatoes...it's so good. Once assembled, you finish the Shepherd's Pie off in the oven to get a browned topping. The prep work is straightforward, just some veggie chopping and pre-cooking the meat, veggies, and mashing potatoes. See how I do it below.

You can't get more red, white, and blue than a picnic-style chilled Potato Salad. I still make it quite often, too. My version is a Classic Potato Salad. 

Again, the ingredients are cheap, simple, and easy to get. I like the added crunch of finely chopped raw onion and chunks of celery. I make mine extra decadent with the addition of chopped boiled eggs. 

For your next picnic or backyard BBQ, make a cool batch of my Classic Potato Salad. 

This is one of my most controversial recipes, and it's called Mom's Cajun Potato Salad. Mom came to visit me in Los Angeles and I got her to make it. My Mom lives in Louisiana, and she knows her Cajun cooking.

When I saw what she was doing, I had to point out to her that she was making Mashed Potatoes, not Potato Salad!

Well, we had it out and she won, of course, I should have known better butting heads with her. I'll let you make the call if it's mashed or salad-style after watching the recipe video below.

Originating in Central and South America, the potato comes in many varieties and colors. I like red potatoes, but orange sweet potatoes are especially delish. Lately, I've been grilling them more than typically baking in the oven. 

You can grill them just like you would a regular Russet potato. They soften and char quickly and easily. So next time you're at the grill, throw on sliced sweet potato and make Grilled Russet and Sweet Potatoes.

My Cajun nephew Zak works as a cook and learned a great Sweet Potato Hash to go with his classic Blackened Fish recipe. It's a 2'fer you can check out below.

You'll find these Breakfast Potatoes at truck stops and diners just off the interstate almost everywhere. This potato recipe sautes chunky potatoes with a veggie mix of bell pepper, onion, and garlic. They're also called Skillet Potatoes and Home Fries.  Make a big batch, and they reheat fine the next day, too.

I like spuds fried, boiled, and grilled, in the morning, noon, and night. For breakfast, I'll grate a potato to make Old School Hash Browns. 

You may think I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel for this Cheap$kate Deal of the Day review of canned Corned Beef Hash from years ago - you know, I kinda liked it, really.

I can't argue with you here; I guess you get what you pay for. But, you know, this canned potato and meat breakfast side is not too bad...really. You can read my review/taste test by clicking right here - reading is believing!

Speaking of Corned Beef, here is a classic St. Patrick's Day dish of Corned Beef and Cabbage - with potatoes, of course.

I make mine with cabbage, carrot, and red potatoes. Normally expensive corned beef drops to half price or less during the holiday. I cook the corned beef first and finish up the dish by boiling the veggies in the broth until tender.

It's actually a very easy recipe to make, just watch it below to see for yourself.

Ribeye Steak and Red Potatoes may be my favorite oven-broiled combination. I usually start the potatoes first because I slice them thick. 

After one side of the potatoes are browned, I throw on the Ribeye. When it's cold outside the oven does double duty by warming up the kitchen, too!

A most unusual tuber is a Yuca. It looks foreboding, but when boiled, it is super tender and very mild in flavor. I first had them at L.A.'s premier Cuban Restaurant, Versailles, served with white rice, black beans, and roast pork.

I buy Yuca from local Latin groceries and even at 99c Only Stores in the frozen deli cases, all peeled and ready to reheat.

I have a most delicious and tangy recipe called Yuca and Mojo Sauce with Onion. 

I had a neighborhood restaurant I would frequent on Sunday mornings for an espresso and a Spanish Omelet to go with my Sunday L.A. Times newspaper. 

A Spanish Omelet is simply scrambled eggs with sliced potatoes. You should sauté the potatoes first, as the eggs only take a couple of minutes to cook.

I have a great Fritatta to start your day. Again, it has sliced potato, but with a Latin pepper called a pasilla or poblano. But don't worry as they are not spicy. They are more like a sweet red or yellow bell pepper.

It's basically an omelet as well, that's finished with a layer of cheese and baked in the oven under the broiler to get a nice cheese-charred topping.

And let's not forget the French Fry, or Chips, as they call them in England. 

The trick to a crispy Fry with a soft center is to fry them twice. Check out my video below of Fish and Chips, and at the end of the video, I show you the frying technique.

I'm always coming up with recipes that include the common potato. So do check back for more eats that feature the most versatile spud.

Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dog - Recipe

One of L.A.'s most popular sandwiches is the #19 from Langer's Deli,  which is  stacked with pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw. If they can put coleslaw on a Pastrami Sandwhich, then I'm going to put it on a Hot Dog...with Chili, too! My Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dog is outrageously scrumptious. In these Dog Days of Summer, cool it town with crunchy Coleslaw.

Also called a Slaw Dog, they are popular in West Virginia and North Carolina. And, they're made with two types of coleslaw dressing, either mayo, or a more sour vinegar version. My version is the creamy mayo Coleslaw.

I like greasy Chili on my wieners, and a pile of cool Coleslaw brings it over the top. In my video I finish it up with a squeeze of mustard. 

I use Chili from the can, no beans, and it's not too expensive. A typical can has 4 to 6 serving on typical hot dogs, depending how loaded you make them. I have a Homemade Beef Chili Recipe a click away, here.

I'm not particular about brands of canned chili. Sometimes they are watery and sometimes thick. Just add water or simmer to thicken. The beef canned chili I've tried is made with ground meat. I've tasted poultry and vegan chili, and they're pretty good. 

I make batches of Coleslaw and usually have leftovers, so it was natural to use it up on my hot dogs. If the addition of Chili is too much for you, then leave it out.

Coleslaw is easy to make if you have Packaged Coleslaw that's raw, shredded, and ready to use. The typical package includes green and purple cabbage, plus shredded carrots. 

     

Add mayonnaise, and you have a creamy  Easy Coleslaw. I usually leave out salt, but add plenty of ground black pepper. It's okay to use your favorite Coleslaw Recipe.

My Easy Coleslaw Recipe is at the end of the video, or you can click here to see my blog post with photo illustrations and recipe text. 

Most Hot Dog ingredients are still a decent deal. Even chain supermarket grocers have sales on tube steaks. Since I usually steam or grill the hot dog buns, even discount "day old buns" are tasty -  when done my way.

I like to steam my wieners, but you can grill or fry them. I also steam the hot dog buns for a minute, but do watch carefully as the bun can get soggy really fast. (Because I often buy day-old buns, they can be dry, so a little steaming brings them back, softly.)

To assemble, just top a bun and cooked hot dog with a pile of warm Chili and cool Coleslaw. You can add any additional toppings like mustard and pickle relish.

These days it's easy to make vegan versions using tofu dogs and vegan chili, so everyone can join in. 

The whiplash from meaty hot Chili, and cool Coleslaw, makes this hot dog recipe a tasty winner. Any time you make Coleslaw, save a bit for my latest hot dog recipe. 

Try serving  Chili & Coleslaw Hot Dogs some sports game day and see if your guests give you a high five - I think the odds are in your favor!

Hot Dog with Chili & Coleslaw - Video             Play it here. The video runs for 3 minutes and 6 seconds. 

To view or embed from youtube, click here.

Ingredients

• Hot Dog - Any type, like beef, pork, poultry, or vegan. 
• Hot Dog Bun - I like to steam mine. Okay to grill or serve right from the bag.
• Chili - I use chili from the can, no beans. My Homemade Beef Chili Recipe is here. I've also tried tasty vegan chili.
• Coleslaw - About 2 heaping tablespoons per hot dog, or enough to top a hot dog.

Directions

I place a steamer basket in a pot with an inch or so of water. Add the wiener(s) and bring the water to a low simmer, then cover the pot. I like to steam mine until plump, about 5 minutes. If you are steaming a lot, then check the water level to refill as needed. 

A rice cooker, with water added, works quite well. The normal rice cooking cycle last about 25 minuts - for hot dogs in the rice steamer basket, reduce time to 10 minutes, or until the weiners are plump.

Heat the canned chili in a pot until hot. Depending on the brand of chili, sometimes it's too watery, so I simmer the chili to a gravy consistancy, and sometimes the chili is too thick, so I add a little water to thin the thick, meaty, gravy.

I like Coleslaw with mayo, but you can make it your way. Some recipes call for a vinegar based Coleslaw. Keep Coleslaw chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

I also steam hot dog buns until pillowy and soft. I put a bun or two right on top of my steamed hot dogs, cover the pot, and steam the bun for a minute or so. A quick toasting softens them quite nicely, too.

Assemble the Hot Dog, and top it with a couple of tablespoons of Chili and Coleslaw. I added Mustard, too.

Easy Coleslaw Recipe

Ingredients

1 Package Cabbage & Carrot - shredded. About 14 ounces or 6 cups (loosely packed.)

Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup. Regular, lite, or vegan. Okay to add a tablespoon at a time to reach desired creaminess.

Black Pepper - about a teaspoon of black pepper. I like an extra pepper taste. Okay to add some salt, too. I find mayo is salty enough

.

*Recipes with real mayo should be kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Do not leave Coleslaw in direct sunlight.

Directions

Add a 14-ounce package of shredded cabbage and carrot to a large bowl. Okay to make a 1/2 recipe, since the average Coleslaw Package has a lot of  shredded cabbage and carrot. 

I start with a quarter cup of mayo and mix well. Okay to add a tablespoon of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. 

Finally season with pepper. Add a little at a time and taste Coleslaw. A  tablespoon of pepper is about right. I do like extra fresh ground black pepper. Okay to add or leave out salt -- mayo is salty enough for me.

Finally, mix well. Taste and add more pepper or mayo if needed.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make it a day ahead, you may need to add a tablespoon or two of fresh mayo, to bring Coleslaw back to normal creaminess. Once mayo is mixed into Coleslaw it will break down a bit overnight and may sweat out some water, do drain if needed.