Marieke Smoked Gouda Turkey Burgers

Football and Fall is upon us, therefore grilling on Sunday is mandatory. Marieke Smoked Gouda holds up very well in these turkey burgers. By cubing the cheese, rather than grating, you get big gooey melty bites. I served these with a kale and butternut squash hash, so I didn't feel the need to add any veggies to the burger... sometimes a burger just needs to be naked. May induce food coma and/or saying explicit words out loud.

Burger Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
4 healthy dashes of Worcestershire sauce
8 oz Marieke Smoked Gouda, 1/4 inch cubes

4 whole wheat buns
Lucky Layla Butter, room temp

*Yields 4 burgers

Directions:
Combine burger ingredients in a large bowl, mashing with your hands (you just gotta get in there). Form 4 patties. Make an indention with your thumb in the center of the patty to prevent burger bulge. Grill over medium high heat, about 10 minutes per side. Dress buns with butter and lightly toast on the grill. Assemble and serve with your favorite mustard.

Homemade Parmesan Popcorn

Now that I'm a mom my social life is no longer spent on a bar stool. I look forward to a quiet Friday night at home with my fam and a good movie. No movie night would be complete without popcorn and I'm not talking about the trifold bag or expanding foil ball kid stuff. This fancy popcorn is worth the extra effort and the possibilities are endless. Use your favorite cheese and let the rom coms roll!

3 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
1/ 2 cup popcorn kernels
1-2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons Lucky Layla Butter, melted

3 oz SarVecchio, about 1/3 cup grated 

1-2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions:
Place the oil, popcorn and salt in a large seasoned cast iron skillet. Make a tent with heavy-duty aluminum foil and cut a few small slits in the top. Cook over medium-high heat and shake constantly. Continue shaking until the popcorn finishes popping, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully remove the foil. Drizzle butter over the popcorn and add grated cheese and parsley. Serve warm.

Texas Gold Peach Pies

With Fall around the corner, it's time I do something with the Summer peach harvest I have been hoarding in my freezer. Who doesn't love a handmade, mini pie? English and Texans alike, believe pie is better with some melted, bubbly cheddar on top. My other secret weapon is adding some fresh lemon or orange zest to my filling, to add brightness. *When it comes to pie dough, I have to admit Martha's pate brisee has never done me wrong. If you're pressed for time the store bought, roll out kind is great too. Personally, I will not touch pie if it's not ala mode. This Summer I discovered you can throw some Bellwether yogurt in the freezer and boom: rich, creamy frozen yogurt!

*Pie pastry
1 tablespoon all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or orange zest
2 ripe peaches, skins peeled and chopped
1 handful of golden raspberries
Lucky Layla Golden Butter, cold
4oz Texas Gold Cheddar, shredded
1 cup Bellwether Vanilla Yogurt, frozen

Heat oven to 375. Dust surface with flour to roll out pie dough. Using a 4 inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 6 circles. Place circles in a standard muffin tin, gently pressing to the edges. Reserve extra pie pastry for a heart or lattice to top mini pies with. For filling, combine 1 tablespoon flour, sugar, zest, peaches and raspberries. Divide filling evenly, top each pie with a few tiny slivers of cold butter, remaining pie pastry of desired shape and lastly, a generous pinch of cheddar. Bake for about 25 minutes, until tops are golden and fruit filling is bubbly. Serve warm pies with frozen Bellwether yogurt.

Yields 6 mini pies

Truffled Pepato Risotto with Roasted Beets

This week we found ourselves asking the question: "is it too soon for risotto?"... I can honestly say I'm glad Labor Day is behind us. I love everything about Fall. In Houston, it's a unique season, you can go swimming one day and wear a scarf the next. I look forward to Fall inspired recipes and enjoying some dining al fresco. Bring it on!

1/4 cup Stella Sola Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 1/2 cups chicken stock, warmed
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoons Lucky Layla Butter
4 oz SarVecchio, grated
4 oz Pepato, grated
4 red beets
Truffle oil (for garnish)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat evoo over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent. Meanwhile warm stock in a pot. Once the onions are translucent, add the rice and stir until toasted and opaque, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add wine to the rice and add a ladle of the stock and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continue adding the stock a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, about 1 hour. While risotto is cooking, prepare and roast beets. Wash and peel whole beets, place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until tender. When beets are cooled and risotto is done, use a mandolin slicer to make thin slices of beets. When risotto is cooked to your desire, stir in the butter and cheese until well mixed. Top plated risotto with beet slices and a splash of truffle oil.