Well the other week I started my hunt for the greatest gourmet burgers in the Big D. My first trip to Chip’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers yielded good results so my hopes were high as I visited the second stop on my list, Jakes Old Fashioned Hamburgers.

My first impression of Jakes was a good one. It is a family restaurant with table service and two bar areas with large Plasma screen TVs. I must admit though, I don’t count this as 100% burger house. Anywhere you have a waiter or waitress isn’t really a true “burger house” in my point of view. However, despite this fact the best part of this joint is definitely the burgers!

When I sat down and started to go over the menu I was overwhelmed with the variety of burger choices. They even had a burger of the month; which is a burger creation that isn’t on the list of already great choices! Wanting to judge based on consistency I again opted for the Mushroom Swiss Burger. When it arrived I couldn’t help but notice that the burger had been cooked with the mushrooms stuffed in between two patties with a generous helping of cheese! The poppy seed bun was not too thick and allowed for the greasy tastiness of the mushroom stuffed burger patties to fully envelop my taste buds! The burger was cooked similar to that of Chuck’s however, this one was not dried out, which is probably due to the result of being cooked with cheese and mushrooms stuffed inside. I again like the way the burger was stacked with shredded lettuce as I think that this allows for the full flavor of the burger to shine though. This burger is by far one of the best burgers I have had in a long time!

So if you’re in the Dallas area any time soon definitely make time to stop at Jakes Old Fashioned Hamburgers as it’s one of the better burger houses in Dallas!

I love California sushi rolls! The only problem is making a bunch of small sushi rolls is a pain! Especially when it comes to getting the sticky rice just right! Mine never seems to have the right amount of “sticky” quality. So I wanted to make a salad recipe (because those are a lot easier to not f* up and are a heck of a lot faster to make) that tastes just like one of my favorite sushi rolls.

I must admit that I was really surprised, and pleased, with my creation as it definitely contains all of the great qualities of a California sushi roll. The creaminess of the avocado meshes perfectly with the sweet tang of the tequila lime crab meat. If you top it off with a sesame ginger dressing you won’t be able to tell the difference between the California rolls and the salad (with the exception of the neat little bite sized rolls and rice factor). So pour a shot of sake, put on your favorite sushi shop music and slip into your Zen meditation as you enjoy this great salad!

Tequila Lime Crab Salad

Ingredients:

• 16 oz fresh crab meat
• 1/2 cup tequila lime marinade
• 1 bag fresh spinach salad
• 1 avocado pitted peeled and sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup scallions minced
• 1 cup sliced pitted Greek olives
• 1/2 cucumber sliced
• 1/4 cup shredded Colby jack cheese

Directions:

In a medium sized Pyrex dish combine tequila lime marinade and crab meat. Let marinate for 1 hour in fridge.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Bake crab meat in marinade for 12 minutes.
While crab meat is baking, fill plate with remaining ingredients. Top with cooked crab meat and cheese.

As the weekend nears I decided that I was deserving of a little treat. Heck I worked hard this week and even though I am a day early the weekend starts today!

I had some left over homemade vanilla ice cream (which recipe I will hopefully share with you at a later date) and decided that it was time for it to meet its maker (literally, as I was technically its maker). But I didn’t want this vanilla ice cream to feel unloved, so I wanted to make a sauce to jazz it up a bit (a farewell party of sorts).

I have long loved making this easy to make sauce anytime I have a craving for a sweet ice cream topper. However, the best part of this sauce is that it can be used to top so much more then ice cream! The simplicity of this sauce will call out to you every time you are looking for something to sweeten up your next dessert.

I have used this on desserts ranging from meringue to angel food cake and everything in between (including brownies be creative people!). One little trick that I have learned and recommend you do too; is to store it in your refrigerator for a couple of hours after you make it. I do this because the longer this sauce sits the sweeter and thicker it becomes! Almost like a fine wine (with obvious limitations of course). Warm it in the microwave just before use and you will have the perfect berry sauce to create a warm and gooey treat!

Brandied Berry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brandy

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

Place the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in a medium sized Pyrex dish. Spread the sugar evenly over the top. Finally, poor the brandy over the sugar covered fruit. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the refrigerator to cool.

When the rain falls it pours here in Texas. During the rainy season I love nothing more then to peruse my cook books for a recipe that I have yet to make! I haven’t been able to make sense of it just yet, but there is just something I love about cooking while it is all doom and gloom outside.

Today’s recipe comes straight out of one of my favorite cook books; The Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl. Smorrebrod is Denmark’s famous open-faced sandwich on buttered dark rye bread and is typically eaten with a knife and fork. While the traditional Smorrebrod is topped with sild (pickled herrings); there are a number of combinations that have been created over time, including this one, which I feel has more of an American twist. It’s just what this rainy day called for! They look like they are not filling, but don’t be mistaken, these two little sandwiches kept me full until dinner. They would also make for a great appetizer at your next party!

Smoked Salmon Smorrebrod

Ingredients:

For Scrambled Eggs:

• 10 large eggs
• 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces and softened
• Salt and white pepper
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter

For Assembling Sandwiches:

• ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3 slices rye bread
• 2 cups thinly sliced seedless cucumber (usually plastic wrapped)
• ¾ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
• 8 thin lemon slices

Directions:

Making the Scrambled Eggs:
Whisk together eggs, cream cheese, and salt and white pepper to taste in a bowl until cream cheese breaks up into very small pieces. Heat butter in a non stick pan over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cool.

Making the Sandwiches:
Spread butter on bread and arrange cucumber slices, overlapping slightly, on top. Spoon eggs over cucumber and top with bell pepper, salmon, and lemon slices.

This last week I had a little extra time on my hands and was relaxing out by the pool when I smelled the “oh so” familiar smell of burgers cooking on the grill (I immediately started to salivate). That got me thinking… I couldn’t remember the last time I had a really good burger. “This cannot be!” I thought to myself. I guess I have grown envious of the west coast and their superior burger culture. Maybe, it’s because of websites like AHT where each day you are drawn to read more and more about all the great burgers in California. What about Dallas?? So I decided that I was going to take quest to find the most gourmet and delicious burgers in the Big D!

What’s gourmet about a burger you ask? Well it depends on how you look at it…

Some look at it as a simple to make meal that doesn’t take much cooking skill to prepare. (Those individuals have never experienced a truly delicious gourmet burger). I weep for them. I however, look at it as a meal which is actually really difficult to master… and to me many have tried and failed miserably!

I decided to make my first stop at one of Dallas’ well known burger haunts Chips Old Fashioned Hamburgers.

When arriving at Chips you immediately get the old fashioned burger house feel. From the décor to the preparation of the burger everything is representative of the burger days of old.

I ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger while my wife decided upon a more traditional Cheese Burger. While the patty I believe was lacking in thickness (sometimes you just want a thick juicy burger) which surprised me a little and a little dry (can’t really expect more from a burger that thin), however, they more then made up for it with the stacking of mushrooms – cooked to perfection, cheese, mustard and all the toppings. These burgers are stacked perfectly on top of a poppy seed bun which I thought was a nice touch (so long as you don’t need to pass a drug test any time soon). What I liked most about this burger was its balance. There was just the right amount of mustard, onion, lettuce, tomato, mushrooms and cheese. While it wasn’t the best burger I’ve ever tasted in my life it was definitely worth the trip. The burger was large enough to leave me feeling satisfied; their fries however, are another story.

I know that this is a burger hunt and that fries really aren’t that relevant to the topic but maybe they are? I think the two go hand in hand and I would probably not have mentioned them but they were the lamest fries I have ever had (Akin to my elementary school lunch line days). While yes they were thick and crispy they lacked seasoning. They had nothing done to change them up and while many may argue that this was the way they were meant to be, I personally feel that there should be something done to create a memorable fry.

My burger hunt has begun and I must admit, if it gets any better then this I’m in for a tasty food quest!

With today being the frist day of spring and the weather has finally started to climb I wanted to make a recipe that brings me the sweet wisperings of my favorite time of year. Spring is the time of hope and promise to new beginnings as flowers begin to bloom and trees begin to bud. I made this recipe a while ago when navel oranges were back in season and it provided me with fantastic results! I have long loved the deep contrast of citrus and the nutty sweet flavor of caramel and this recipe combines these flavor combinations perfectly. If you are like me and thrilled that spring has finally arrived then this dessert should be at the top your list.

Carmalized Oranges with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 Navel Oranges
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Juice 3 oranges into a cup. Strain out pulp.
2. Combine sugar and water in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil over moderate heat.
3. Boil until sugar crystals begin to caramelize and caramel begins to turn golden brown around the edges. This should take approximately 8-10 minutes.
4. While tilting pan away from you slowly add the orange juice. The caramel will harden and steam vigorously).
5. Stir until caramel is completely dissolved and remove from heat.
6. Cut peal and pith away from the remaining oranges. Then quarter.
7. Heat butter in a nonstick skillet until hot but not smoking. Add orange slices and cook. Turning once and cook until golden.
8. Melt chocolate in a microwave until smooth.
9. Plate the oranges and cover with caramel sauce and melted chocolate.

I have long been a fan of anything that is ice cream related. This is probably why it is no surprise that my all time favorite cakes are ice cream cakes. What’s not to love? Not only do you get a frosting of some kind but you also get the rich creaminess blast of ice cream and lets be honest; who doesn’t smother their piece of regular cake with ice cream at the birthday party?

Now I know that it is the dead of winter and right now most people can’t stand the thought of eating something that is as cold as it is outside, but I have been longing for this dessert for a while. Since no one I knew was having a birthday anytime soon and the winter weather doesn’t look like it’s going to let up I decided that I should just make it for the heck of it! Yea me!

This raspberry ice cream cake has long been a favorite of mine. This is probably because I am a huge fan of raspberries especially when they are frozen. For some reason they just seem to taste all the better.

Another thing that is great about ice cream cake is the simplicity in which they are put together. Simply throw a pie crust down. Slap in some ice cream, cover in fudge. End of story! So without further ado here is the recipe for my all time favorite ice cream cake. I highly suggest that you give this recipe a try!

Raspberry Ice Cream Sundae Cake

Serves: 10

Ingredients For the Crust:

2 1/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs*
9 Tbsp. butter, melted
6 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar

For the Cake:

1.75 or 2 quarts ice cream, such as black raspberry chocolate chunk or your favorite to complement the Raspberry Liqueur Hot Fudge Sauce.
1 jar Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Liqueur Hot Fudge Sauce
Handfull of fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9” spring form pan with wax paper.
2.For the crust combine the chocolate graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and confectioners’ sugar. Then Mix until uniform. Reserve ¾ cups of the crumb mixture for the sides of the cake.
3.Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared spring form pan.
4.Bake in preheated oven 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
5.Allow the ice cream to soften about 15 minutes. Spread ice cream over crust making sure that the top of the ice cream layer is smooth.
6.Place pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours making sure the ice cream is frozen solid again before putting on the next layer.
7.Stir the jar of Stonewall Kitchen Raspberry Liqueur Hot Fudge Sauce. If it is not pourable, heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop in a small saucepan. Before pouring the sauce over the top of the ice cream, make sure it is room temperature and will not melt the ice cream.
8.Smooth the sauce over the entire top of the ice cream layer and return the pan to the freezer.

This dessert can be kept in the freezer covered 3-4 days before serving. Decorate the top of the ice cream cake with raspberries just before serving. Remove from spring form pan (making sure you remove the wax paper) and place on a serving dish. Press the reserved crumb mixture onto the sides of the cake and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips *Crumbs can be made by using a rolling pin or food processor fitted with a metal blade to crush the graham crackers

Having a nice set of knives is probably one of the most important things in a kitchen. A good knife set can save you valuable time and effort when preparing a meal. That’s why one of the most important things to know in the kitchen besides information on the food you are preparing is what kind of knife you should be using. Now, this can be sort of an overwhelming experience if you have never taken the time to learn this. I must admit the thing I hate worst about being in the kitchen is the chopping, cutting and mincing of all the ingredients before I get to add them to my pot or pan (that is why 9 times out of 10 I get my significant other to do it!). Unfortunately, we don’t all have a TV crew of 30 taking care of everything ahead of time like they do in the food shows we all love to watch. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were just bowls of nicely chopped ingredients waiting to be thrown into your mixtures? So there comes a point in time where you really just have to suck it up and learn the basics. So it’s back to basics here at the Gourmet Foodie Blog: Knife Class 101. Where we will walk you through everything you need to know in a series of articles ranging from what each knife is used for to how to sharpen your knives properly to different cutting techniques to help you slice and dice like the pros!

I believe that the first thing everyone needs to know is what all those knives in our drawers and blocks are used for! Most people will get used to using about 3 knives at first and then add specialty knives to their collections as they become more advanced in their cooking. The three basic knives I would suggest you starting out with are a heavy Chef’s knife or Santoku Knife, a smaller knife such as a paring knife and a serrated bread knife. These are probably the most versatile knifes so they are good to have around. However, there are many other types of knives each with a special purpose. I have compiled a list of knives that I have in my kitchen and what their main uses are:

The Bread Knife: Similar to a carving knife, it typically has a serrated edge and is used for slicing loaves of bread or other foods with a hard surface with a soft inside (hence the name). A good bread knife will have the offset serrated side and an offset handle to ensure the cook’s knuckles will not touch the cutting surface when the blade has cut all of the way through the food.

The Carving Knife aka (meat knife): Has long blades with a serrated or plain edge which can be rounded or pointed. This is typically used for carving and slicing meats.

The Chef’s Knife: Again this is probably the most versatile of all knives, it will come in different sizes and are typically very strong as the rigid blades make them suitable for a whole range of cutting jobs which include mincing, slicing, chopping vegetables, slicing meat, or even disjointing large cuts of beef or ham. The size of knife you choose should be related to the size of your hand and skill level. A larger hand and better skill level the larger the knife you can select.

Santoku Knife: This is an adaptation of the Chef’s knife. This knife is shorter than most chefs’ knives so people with smaller hands tend to like this knife a lot. The blade’s cutting edge is normally hardened above the latter and is sometimes optimized with “dimples” for cutting fish, vegetables, and smaller-boned and/or boneless meats. This blade design in turn allows a more acute angle on the cutting edge that makes the knife ideal for accurate cutting and thin slicing.

The Boning Knife: As its name would suggest has very strong blades that will not bend or break easily. The knife can be straight or curved; a stiff boning knife is good for boning beef and pork, but a very flexible boning knife is preferred for poultry and fish.

The Paring Knife: This small knife is one you will also more than likely be accustomed to using. It has a thin and slightly flexible blade made for easy hand work which includes shaping mushrooms, de-veining shrimp, removing seeds and cutting small garnishes. I look for a paring knife to be about 2.5”-3.5” in size with a smaller handle that give you the maximum control over the tip and edge of the blade.

The Meat Cleaver: Other than use in your occasional horror film this large, square blade knife is used for butchery. It can make short work of large bones and help you to chop your way through a whole pig or lamb in no time! However, there are thin blade cleavers. These that can be used for chopping vegetables. Make sure when using to chop through bones make sure that the thicker the bone the thicker the knife.

The Filleting Knife: This is a thin, flexible blade that is very sharp that is usually used to fillet fish. Its naturally flexible nature will allow you to press the blade at a 20 degree angle between the meat and skin with ease!

Its 5:45 and I’m feeling nervous. Extremely nervous in fact….

So far the evening’s meal has been perfect but everything could go terribly wrong from here in the blink of an eye!

I only have one shot at this and I have to get it right…. If I mess this up I could totally look like a buffoon, or worse, I could accidentally set one or more of my guests on fire…

Well… maybe it wouldn’t be too bad if that happened to the one on the right as I’m not really sure I like her all that much… but that’s neither here nor there…

I take my small sauce pan full of hot liqueur and splash it ever so purposefully down into the pan causing a small ball of flames to lap up after me. “NOW WERE COOKING!” I exclaim.

After a few moments of brief terror and some “ooohs” and “aaahs” from the dinner guests the crown jewel of tonight’s dinner has been completed to perfection. SUCCESS! I quickly dish it up and enjoy the lavish praise of my guests.

What dish could I possibly be preparing for my guests could cause such a commotion you ask?

Well if you didn’t get it from the big bold letters of the title I don’t really know what to tell you … but it’s Bananas Foster! Bananas Foster is a dish that with a little practice can be one that will impress your guests and create an atmosphere of elegance and delight! What isn’t to love about this dish? First of all you have the robust flavor of the banana liqueur mixed with brown sugar and the cooking process creates a texture that is truly to die for (well maybe to risk dying for at least).

I highly suggest that if you have the guts to stomach creating a small fire in your kitchen in front of guests (or even if it’s just you who’s going to be enjoying the satisfaction) you make this recipe at least once in your lifetime! I love this recipe so much that I can almost guarantee that Bananas Foster will be a mainstay in my dinner repertoire!

Bananas Foster
Recipe adapted from Food Networks Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon banana liqueur
• 2 under ripe bananas, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/4 cup dark rum.
• 1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions

Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, allspice and nutmeg and stir until sugar dissolves. Add banana liqueur and bring sauce to simmer. Add bananas and cook for 1 minute on each side, carefully spooning sauce over bananas as they are cooking. Remove bananas from pan to a serving dish. Bring sauce to a simmer and carefully add the rum. If the sauce is very hot, the alcohol will flame on its own. If not, using stick flame, carefully ignite and continue cooking until flame dies out, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is syrupy in consistency. Immediately spoon the sauce over bananas and serve. Serve with waffles, crepes, or ice cream.

Please be careful when preparing this meal! I would hate it if something bad happened to one of my readers. You should read Perfect Technique: How to Flambé for additional tips and tricks to get this dish right!

My favorite of all fruits is finally in season. The pineapple hands down is my favorite fruit! Not only is the color of this magnificent fruit one that reminds me of summer and happiness but the flavor is one that cannot be rivaled by any of its fruity cousins. The uses for pineapple are nearly endless. From making kabobs to adult beverages to being grilled strait up, this delectable flower cannot be beat! I must admit though one of the things I find to be the coolest (though I’ve never done it) is that you can grow an entire replacement plant and fruit from simply cutting off the top and following a few steps to get it to grow more fruit! How awesome is that? (Only downside is it takes nearly 2 to 3 years before you really get to enjoy it) But hey, if you got the time, why not? Don’t believe me? Check it out here.