Stuffed Burgers for the Grill

The Blue Door Pub

The 4th of July is Thursday and it is probably the biggest day for grilling hot dogs and burgers in the USA.  So to get ready for the day, I took a little research trip.

The Food Network has a show called Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!  Guy Fieri goes to towns all across america and finds places that offer great food.  Well I checked out the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and found one that hit the spot.  It's the The Blue Door Pub and just click on this name and check out their website and menu.  This one is in St. Paul and well worth the visit.  There is one in Minneapolis too.  They do stuffed burgers.

I had their Blucy which is stuffed with Bleu Cheese and Chopped Garlic.  It tasted great.  We also had their Beer-battered Green Beans and Cry Babies for sides.  The beans are served with ranch dip and what a way to get your vegetables in the diet.  The Cry Babies are beer-battered onion pieces about the size of your thumbs last joint.  There was a sauce served with them but I can't remember what it was.  I'm a ketchup person with breaded/battered onions.  They were very good too but the green beans won me over.

Izzy's Ice Cream

If you get to the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, please check this place out.  It's in a neat neighborhood too.  A couple of antique shops next door and across the street.

About six blocks away is a place to stop at after your meal at the Blue Door Pub.  Izzy's Ice Cream makes and serves homemade ice cream.  Again, just click on the name for their website.  What a great way to end a meal or day.  Remember, there is always room for ice cream.

I recommend that everyone get out and look for and try local neighborhood establishments because you will find some great places to enjoy a meal and the company.  Life is too short not to get the most out of it.  But do remember to do things in moderation.

I have two stuffed burger recipes for you this week.  The first is a "Bacon & Cheddar Stuffed Burger" to try. Now I'm using a cheddar cheese that I found this past week at Costco.  It's a "Steakhouse Onion Cheddar" with actual pieces of onion in the cheese.  I love onion so it was a natural for me.  But do try different bacons and cheddar cheeses to find the mix the scores with your tastes.

The second recipe is for a "Pimento Cheese Spread Stuffed Burger."  It's from my childhood memories of all the things I'd do with the pimento cheese spread.  You need to try bringing some of those old flavors you loved back into your cooking.  Just use your imagination and taste-buds.

Happy "4th of July" and "Happy Cooking" too.