Father’s Day evokes many fond memories. Dad trying to relax on his lawn chair in the backyard with us kids bouncing all around him. Giving him what we thought was the perfect gift – a tie that was too short or another “World’s Greatest Dad” coffee mug to add to his collection. He was always a good sport because the thing Dad loved most of all on his special day was the food – the charcoal grill was his domain. So in celebration of Dads everywhere, let’s get our grill on!
As an added bonus, all of these recipes use local hot pepper sauce as an ingredient. I haven’t met a dad yet that doesn’t love hot pepper sauce!
Becky Ellis
Texas Hold 'Em hamburger sliders
Texas Hold ‘Em Hamburgers
Sour cream makes these burgers super moist and pepper sauce gives them extra zing!
Makes 9 hamburgers or 18 sliders
- 2.25 pounds ground beef
- 8 tablespoons Clark and Hopkins Texas Pepper Sauce
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning
- 9 Brioche Hamburger Buns or 18 slider buns, toasted
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, pepper sauce, sour cream and Greek seasoning. Form beef mixture into 9 hamburgers or 18 sliders. Grill to desired doneness. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings.
Rachel Ray’s Pub Cheese
Rachel likes to spread her Pub Cheese on grilled hamburgers, so I thought this would be the perfect spread for my Texas Hold ‘Em Burgers.
Serves 4 - 6
- One 8-ounce brick yellow sharp cheddar, shredded (2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic (⅔ palmful)
- 2 teaspoons granulated onion (⅔ palmful)
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard (⅔ palmful)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Rach's go-to is Frank's RedHot. I like Zen Fire Roasted Poblano Pepper Sauce for this recipe.)
- 4 ounces beer, light to amber (⅓ of a bottle)
Place ingredients in a food processor and process to smooth.
Crispy Salami with Zen Mustard Sauce
Tasty and quick snack – takes only minutes to prepare. You can make this snack a day ahead and keep in the refrigerator.
- 8 ounces salami, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons Zen Roasted Poblano Pepper Sauce
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lay salami slices on baking sheet with rack (so that fat drips from rack to baking sheet). Bake until salami begins to brown and crisp, 10 – 12 minutes. Watch carefully so the salami does not burn. Remove from oven and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
Mix together sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard and pepper sauce in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Becky Ellis
Candied bacon
Candied Bacon!
Also known as "Millionaire's" or "Billionaire's" Bacon, I like it with a little bit of heat to compliment the sticky brown sugar goodness. Here's a recipe I created using a local pepper sauce:
Zen Pepper Sauce Candied Bacon
Yield: 12 pieces
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 1/4 cup Zen Fire Roasted Poblano Pepper Sauce (+ a little more if you like extra spicy)
- 12 slices thick cut bacon
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
The baking sheet is important to the success of this recipe. Use a baking sheet with sides that has a rack that fits snugly over it so the bacon fat will drip into the baking sheet.
Place bacon slices on rack of baking sheet. Brush Zen pepper sauce over each slice of bacon. Sprinkle bacon slices with light brown sugar and lightly press the brown sugar onto the bacon. Bake for 25 - 40 minutes until bacon is brown and crispy. Watch carefully while baking to make sure the bacon does not burn.
About the Writer:
Following her career in healthcare dining and nutrition management, Becky Ellis followed her passion to create Bubblybee, a champagne and food blog. Her motto is "Don't wait to celebrate! Pop the cork now!" She loves to share tips for entertaining with bubbly. Find her creative recipes and champagne tasting notes at bubblybee.net and Instagram @cocktails_w_bubblybee.