An American classic with a Creole twist on a soft potato bun instead of noodles or potatoes. You will need a knife and fork for this one and um some tater tots…
Sometimes I think back and remember what we used to eat as kids. A couple of weeks ago I was being a little nostalgic and was thinking about hanging with the neighbor kids and our parents going out. We would all get dropped off at one of the neighbors house, it didn’t matter whose house, but TV dinners (you remember the tin foil wrapped dinners, pre-microwave era) would be put in the oven and all of us would have a fun night together (mostly flicking peas at each other). I remember the Salisbury steak for some reason. I don’t remember particularly liking it, maybe it was the “pea flicking” or maybe TV dinners meant that Mom and Dad were out and we could misbehave! Regardless, all good memories. Fast forward 35+ years, I decided that I’d try making Salisbury steak with a Southern twist! I had a pot luck party to attend so my first version of this came in the form of meatballs, yep, you know me and my meatballs! Second version of this came in the form of sliders, yep, you know me and my sliders! I’m a small portion kind of eater now so both versions suit me just fine! Do what you want, either way this a super tasty version of an old classic recipe!
Recently I was lucky enough to go up to the mountains and do a fall foliage hike! We had plans to go flying but the weather didn’t cooperate so hiking and a little four wheeling was in order! We hiked a trail around Twin Lakes. A beautiful area near Buena Vista and at the base of the road that goes over Independence Pass (the back road into Aspen). It was perfect time to see the leaves changing. The aspens were totally glowing and the overcast day seemed to make it more perfect! Our hike took us out to the “ghost resort”, Inter-Laken. Yep, not a ghost town but a ghost resort. Who would ever thought! I had no idea that this place even existed but it does. The forest service has taken over the site and has been restoring the buildings. You can even go inside one of the houses. So cool! The wood work inside the caretakers home was so beautiful that I could only dream that it would be my home! If you are ever Colorado and want a really gentle hike to a historic site, this is the place to go! The Inter-Laken trail is about six miles round trip and takes about 2 hours out and back but plan a little more time to explore the ghost resort!
- [br][b]For the Burgers[/b][br]
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbs garlic, minced
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs Creole mustard
- 2 tsp Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp pepper
- [br][b]For the Gravy[/b][br]
- Olive oil
- 2 tbs butter
- 1 onion sliced thin
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tbs garlic, minced
- 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbs Creole mustard
- 1 tsp Creole seasoning
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 tbs flour
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- In a large bowl add the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, Creole seasoning and pepper. Mix until incorporated. Make 5-6 patties from the mixture. Heat up the grill to a medium high heat and cook burgers for about 3 minutes per side or until a slight char is on the outside. They don’t need to be cooked through. Remove from grill and set aside.
- In a a large saute pan, coat the bottom with olive oil and add the butter. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic. Season with the Creole seasoning and pepper.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Add the beef broth and cook for a few minutes until the sauce becomes thickened. Add the hamburger patties and cook on medium low heat for 15 minutes. Add the parsley.
- Serve with slider buns or over cooked noodles if you prefer.
Here is another variation! Meatballs! I love the meat balls as you know! I just sauteed them instead of the grill and added them to the sauce to cook through! Great for a party!
Just pulled my garden for the summer. Are you kidding me? This is everything! It was such a weird summer with too much rain early on and cool nights all summer that nothing grew! I did have tons of zucchini and yellow squash though and my tomatoes were abundant! So it wasn’t a total loss and oh! I’ll be eating acorn and butternut squash all winter!
The reflection from the lake was simply beautiful! I love the clouds, mountain and trees. So still.
The trees were “glowing”! So pretty!
A quintessential Colorado picture…
The “ghost resort” Inter-Laken on Twin Lakes. This was the original lodge. Pretty neat!
The original care takers home at Inter-Laken. We could actually go inside. The wood work was stunning and this home actually had a working bathroom! Something out of the norm for the late 1800’s.
The little “houses” up front were actually chicken coups! Pretty nice “digs” for chickens!
Taking a dip. Look Ma! I can swim!
The colorful tree lined road up Independence pass.