Wrapping Up a Busy Summer

Sorry for the delay in recipe posting! I haven't had much time in the kitchen this month. We've had a busy August. We traveled up to Michigan for some much needed R&R on the beautiful white sand beaches of Traverse City and Glen Arbor. We sampled (and bought) way too much wine from various Leelanau wineries. Our favorites include Ciccone Vinyards (Madonna's Dad), Chateau Chantal, and Chateau Grand Traverse. Another favorite store of ours is The Cherry Republic, they have so many neat jellies, sauces, jams, salsas, and treats! After we got back to Indy, we of course had to go to the Indiana State Fair for some deep fried food on sticks, and grilled cheese sandwiches from The Dairy Barn! August also brought us the release of American Teen , which I was looking forward to seeing because it was filmed in my hometown, and I know a few of the families featured in the film. I personally loved the film, and felt it was a real and true view into the heads of most teens during high school. Go see it!

So now that I'm back and have a little time in the kitchen, I'm hoping to get my blog going again. Although I will be in Virginia a couple of times over the next few weeks for work, so I apologize in advance for another brief hiatus! If anyone has any recommendations for things to do in Richmond, VA, be sure to tell me!

I've recently joined a group of girls called The Dinner Divas, and hope to be trying out as many recipes as possible with the ladies! This first recipe was a winner. Perfect for summer, fresh and delicious!

Chicken Cobb Burgers

For the burgers:

8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

4 burger buns, split

1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices

1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers:
Heat the grill to medium. Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high.
Form the meat into 4 (6-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer.
Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette:
Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld. Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Source: Bobby Flay