Saucy Orange Habanero Burgers

What a ride this Saucy Mama trip has been! Just a little over 2 weeks ago, a package of sauces, marinades, and one very tasty mustard arrived at my door. It was up to me to come up with a recipe worthy of competing in the 2015 Saucy Mama Contest. This contest will be someone's ticket, a Golden Ticket, to the 2015 World Food Championships taking place in Kissimmee, Florida. Can you imagine what a fun and scary ride that will be?!

Those of you who know me know that I have a thing for a touch of orange in my food. From breads, to pies, to sweet rolls, there isn't much I haven't sprinkled with some orange zest. It's no wonder that the bottle of sauce that stood out from rest for me was Saucy Mama's Orange Habanero Wing Sauce. It just sounded like it was going to be awesome. Boy howdy, with its slightly sweet, slightly hot, and slightly orange deliciousness -- it is awesome! I just couldn't resist building an entire meal with this stuff....

As you can see, I made some good, saucy choices....

The criteria for creating the perfect Saucy Mama recipe are that the recipe must be easy to replicate, family friendly, great for parties, and, above all, delicious. It came to me that the one food that encompasses all of these things might just be the hamburger. Think about it.....hamburgers come in all shapes and sizes, some fancy, some sloppy, and all delicious. Yup. I was going to make a hamburger.

My first creation: Orange Habanero Candied Bacon

My final recipe turned out to be a compilation of three easy, and very flavorful parts...a sweet, candied bacon, a spicy, orange-y ketchup, and fresh, crispy onion strings, all piled on top of a basic, juicy burger. May I present Saucy Orange Habanero Burgers!

The Orange Habanero Ketchup is the bomb! I've even used it as pizza sauce!

Saucy Orange Habanero Burgers

Orange Habanero Candied Bacon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel

1/3 cup Saucy Mama Orange Habanero Wing Sauce

12 slices thick-cut bacon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray a cooling rack with cooking spray and place in sheet pan.

Mix the brown sugar with the orange peel and place in a shallow bowl. Brush the both sides of each side of bacon with the wing sauce. Place the bacon in the bowl with the brown sugar and toss to coat. Make sure the bacon is evenly coated. Place the bacon in a single layer on top of the rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bacon is slightly dark. Watch carefully after 20 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn. Carefully remove the bacon from the rack and allow it to cool on a sheet of parchment. The bacon will crisp as it cools.

Orange Habanero Ketchup

1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup Saucy Mama Orange Habanero Wing Sauce

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

Combine all of the ingredients in a small, heavy saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture just comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Orange Habanero Onion Strings

1 large, sweet onion

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Saucy Mama Orange Habanero Wing Sauce

1 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups canola oil for frying

Use a mandolin or very sharp knife to slice the onion into very thin rings. Place the onion rings in a medium bowl. Stir together the buttermilk and the wing sauce. Pour over the onions, covering completely. Allow to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, whisk together the flour, orange peel, salt, and cayenne pepper. Place the oil in a heavy saucepan. Heat to 375 degrees F. Using tongs, scoop up a portion of the onion rings. Dredge them in the flour mixture, shaking off the extra flour. Place the onions in the hot oil. Use the tongs to push the onions around, breaking up any clumps. Fry for a minute or two, or until golden. Remove to a paper lined plate to drain and repeat, in batches, with the remaining onions. Cover to keep warm.

Hamburgers

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20 blend

Freshly ground pepper and Kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

4 slices provolone cheese

4 good quality hamburger buns, split (click here if you want to make your own)

2 tablespoons butter, softened

assorted lettuce leaves

Carefully form the ground chuck into 4 patties, making an indentation on the top of each burger. Season each patty with pepper and salt. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet or grill pan until it begins to shimmer. Add the burger patties and cook for about 4 minutes. Flip the burger and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Top each burger patty with a slice of the cheese, cover and continue to fry until the cheese is melted. Spread the butter over the cut side of each bun. Grill the buns until they are golden brown.

To assemble the burgers, place lettuce leaves on the cut side of each bottom bun. Top with a burger patty. Spread a tablespoon or two of the ketchup on top of each burger. Add bacon slices and a handful of onion strings, then top with the remaining bun halves, toasted side down.

Wish me luck...my competitors are a talented bunch!

Want to win your very own 3-pack of Saucy Mama condiments? Simply visit my last post, Orange Habanero Candied Bacon, and enter via the RaffleCopter widget. Have fun and keep it Saucy!

Dark Chocolate and Orange Muffins....#Recipesfromtheheart

"Today's event is being hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen of Juanita's Cocina. They teamed up with their blogger friends to help raise awareness and support for Cancer and Hospice today in memory of Kim's dad. We encourage everyone to read the posts and share their own experiences with cancer. We also would like to encourage everyone to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Cancer Society and also to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. Hospice was a key element during Kim's father's battle with cancer. They made it possible for Kim to care for him at home. So please show your support and donate if you can. You can also contact your local Hospice and donate directly to them if you wish. A little goes a long way!"

Cancer awareness is a subject near and dear to my heart, as well. My mother passed away from complications of cancer (she had both ovarian and colon cancer) when I was just twenty years old. Last year, I lost both my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law to breast cancer. Since my mother-in-law's mother also had breast cancer, there are three generations of women in my husband's family that suffered from it, making me fear for my daughter. Cancer in our family isn't limited to females though, as my father-in-law succumbed to lung cancer soon after my husband and I were married.

When you read Kim's story of her and her father's journey through cancer, you will be heartbroken. Cancer not only robs it's victims of their health, it also robs the victim's entire family...of their sense of well-being, for lack of a better word. It is tough, tough, tough to care for an ailing human being, but when that person is a parent or other family member it is so draining. I thank my sister for being there for my mother through the very end. I was in college and barely aware of all she went through. My time came many, many years later when I cared for my mother-in-law.

My mom in the kitchen...I love to remember her this way.

I pondered for a while over what kind of recipe I should share for a cancer awareness post. Should it be healthy? Should it be something a cancer patient could eat? In the end, I decided that it might be too difficult to decide what a good food for a cancer patient is...there are way too many variables. Let's concentrate instead on the caregivers or the family members that are involved with caring for someone with cancer. For sure they could always use a pick me up, no? So, I decided that a treat was in order. These muffins, full of dark chocolate and fresh orange flavor, may not be health food but they sure are tasty and will be a welcome treat for anyone.

Dark Chocolate and Orange Muffins
Printable Recipe

1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest, divided
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3.5-4 oz. premium dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg, room temperature
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.; line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon of the orange zest with 1/4 cup of the sugar; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup sugar together. Stir in the chopped chocolate; set aside.

4. Add the buttermilk, the egg and the orange juice to a large, microwave safe measuring cup. Use a fork to blend the mixture. Microwave for about 30 seconds, or just until the mixture is at room temperature; stir in the melted coconut oil, the vanilla, and the remaining orange zest.

5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula until just blended. 

6. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups. Sprinkle the orange-sugar over the tops of the muffins. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Two of these bars of chocolate from Trader Joe's were perfect....

Please check out the stories of all of the #recipesfromtheheart bloggers. You are sure to be inspired:

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Home-made Strawberry Topping by Cravings of a Lunatic

Chili Verde by Juanita's Cocina

S'Mores Brownies in Jars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Dark Chocolate and Orange Muffins by The Dutch Baker's Daughter

Boston Cream Pie by Pass The Sushi

My Fathers Day Recipe Round Up by Curry and Comfort

Tropical Smoothie by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts

Mini Gugelhupf by Masala Herb

Sauteed Strawberry and Sugarsnap Salad by Cook The Story

Cranberry Cashew Breakfast Muffins by In Fine Balance

Arugula Salad with Sundried Tomatoes and Mushrooms by Crazy Foodie Stunts

Spicy Beef Sliders by Katie's Cucina

Thai Red Curry Soup by Damn Delicious

Suman (Sweet Rice and Banana Leaves) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Fresh Vegetable Salad by White Lights on Wednesday

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Sundae by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Cinnamon Chip Cookie Butter Bars by The Messy Baker

Berry/Cherry Fro-Yo Ice Cream by Cookistry

Honey Beer Bread by Hungry Couple

Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Pancakes by The Spiffy Cookie

Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars by Sweet Remedy

Cookies and Cream Brownies by Cooking in Stilettos

Blueberry Lemon Cake by Roxana's Home Baking

Angel Cake by Ninja Baking

and

Knit (or crocheted) Grey Brain Cancer Mustache Pin by Knit, Purl, Damn!

Now, to add a little excitement to our cancer awareness post, look at what KichenAidCanada has agreed to give to one of our readers (!):

"Enter for your chance to Win an Artisan® Series KitchenAid®  Stand Mixer in the color of your choice (there are 26 to choose from) as well as an Ice Cream Maker Attachment. A sweet choice for all,  this creative attachment features the largest ice cream bowl capacity in the industry. Prepare 2 quarts of ice cream, sorbet, gelato or other frozen desserts. We're pleased to announce the giveaway is open to Canadian residents, as well as U.S. Residents. Winner will be chosen and announced during the pinchatlive event, described below. Winner will also be notified via email and has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond another winner will be chosen. 1 Stand Mixer and 1 Ice Cream Attachment are being given away as a group, not 1 per blog just to be clear for our readers. 

There are bonus prizes for the pinchatlive event. We are giving away 1 Vanilla Infused Gift Box Set, 1 Lemon Infused Gift Box Set and a $30 Amazon Gift Card.  In order to participate in this event follow the Pinterest Board #recipesfromtheheart. Hop on the Pinterest board on June 22 at 2 pm Est to follow along. We'll ask questions and those who comment are entered to win the bonus prizes. There will be a G+ Hangout on Air during the event as well. Winners of the pinchatlive event must be Canadian or U.S. residents.

Visit Facebook.com/KitchenAidCanada and click on the “More than a Mixer” tab to explore all 12 attachments available for the KitchenAid® Stand Mixer."

a Rafflecopter giveaway

KEMPS® FAMILY TRADITIONS Ice Cream Flavor Contest

One of the perks of this blogging hobby of mine, is that I am sometimes invited to some awesome events. Recently, I was invited to participate in the launch of KEMPS® Family Traditions Ice Cream Flavor Contest. It was held at the KEMPS®plant in Rochester and I was really happy to accept the invitation. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control kept me at home on the big day. I missed an opportunity to meet Theresa Mauer (Joe's mom!), a few other bloggers, and KEMPS® own ice cream guru, Logan Julstom. Most importantly, I missed the excitement of the launch of this fun contest. Don't worry, though--I'm going to share the info with you. 

We all have family traditions, right? What is yours? And most importantly, how can you make it into ice cream? If you have a delicious family tradition, simply mix it up into an ice cream idea and you could win $2500! How fun is that?

If you happen to live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota or South Dakota, then this contest is for you. But you have to hurry--there's only 5 days left!!

Simply click on this link: KEMPS® Family Traditions Ice Cream Flavor Contest and enter your idea!

 KEMPS® was good enough to send me a goodie bag since I was unable to attend the event. While I missed tasting last year's winner (omg...it had MINI-DONUTS in it!), they did send me a carton of the 2011 winning flavor, Land of 10,000 Licks--Sweet Cream Vanilla Ice Cream with thick ribbons of Salted Caramel and Salted Caramel Toffee Bits. 

Holy Salted Caramel--this was awesome!

Just a few things I think you should know about  KEMPS®:

 ~Kemps works with 17,000 farm families and 100% of the profits go to them.

~ Kemps products are sold in Minnesota, parts of Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas and frozen yogurt is sold throughout the Southeast.

~ Kemps produces 70 million gallons of milk at three milk manufacturing facilities across Minnesota

~Joe Mauer and his mom Theresa have been spokespeople for Kemps since 2010.

~At last year's Minnesota State Fair over 20,000 ice cream samples were passed out.

~ Cows have a very keen sense of smell--they can smell something 6 miles away!

I know that I want to be at the Minnesota State Fair to try samples of the finalist flavors. The winner will be announced on August 28!

What family tradition can you mix up into a great ice cream flavor?

Eggs Florentine on Golden Polenta (low cal and gluten free)

Last year, when Saucy Mama ran the "Fab with Five" contest, I thought it might be the most difficult contest that I could enter. Create a recipe using only five ingredients, including one of Saucy Mama's delicious sauces or mustards? Luckily, the sauces turned out to be so good, that it really wasn't all that difficult. While I didn't win, I had such a great time coming up with recipes that I was one of the first in line to sign up for this year's contest. This year the theme is "Skinny Mama" and we, some 50 bloggers, are to come up with low cal or gluten free recipes....healthy stuff. Yikes. The last recipe I posted was for Carrot Cake Pancakes. I wasn't so sure I could do this. Then, the box of mustard arrived in the mail.

You can win a selection of three mustard's...see how below!

Holy Cow! We received the three mustards in the picture, plus three others. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard, after all....

Since my last recipe was a rather caloric, albeit tasty, breakfast entree, I thought I would start with a healthier breakfast idea.

Eggs Florentine on Golden Polenta with “Skinny” Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Saucy Mama Tarragon Lemon Mustard or Champagne Honey Mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon water

12 oz prepared polenta, cut into 8 1/2" rounds

3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

1 (6 oz) bag baby spinach leaves

8 eggs, poached

Salt and pepper to taste

First, mix the yogurt, mayo, mustard, lemon juice and water together; set aside.

Heat two teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the polenta slices and fry them over medium/low heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crispy. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm.

Add an additional teaspoon of oil to the skillet and add the fresh spinach. Saute for 3 or 4 minutes, or until wilted and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the spinach from the skillet. Spoon the mustard sauce into the warm pan and cook for about a minute until heated through.

Arrange two polenta slices on a plate. Top each slice with 1/8 of the spinach and a poached egg. Drizzle the sauce over the egg; repeat for each polenta slice. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. This recipe will serve 4, two eggs each.

I love a nice runny yolk, but if it's not your bag, simply cook your egg longer.

Not sure how to poach an egg? Watch Alton Brown do it here:

How easy was that? And thanks to the Saucy Mama mustard, the sauce is tasty, gluten free, and low in calories. In fact, you can eat two of the eggs with sauce for about 325 calories! Not too shabby.

Now, how about that giveaway? Saucy Mama is generously giving away a three pack of mustards to one of my readers. Simply leave a comment telling me what kind of recipe you would use your Saucy Mama mustard in and you will be entered . On Wednesday, February 29th, Saucy Mama will open the voting polls on her Facebook page, and you, our readers, will decide which 10 recipes will be in the final judging. For additional entries, simply vote for the recipe that you like best, and come back here to let us know you voted for your favorite. Winners will be chosen using Rafflecopter on or about March 7th, 2012. Good luck and enjoy all of the creative entries!

Disclaimer: I was given a Saucy Mama box of condiments in order to create this recipe. All opinions, as always, are my own.