I don't participate in a lot of group events; I just really like doing my own thing and not feeling any pressure to perform according to a schedule. When I do participate? It's for fun; pure and simple. To that end I have my own monthly Progressive Eats where we move from blog to blog instead of house to house with the dish we've each decided to bring to the party.This month it's all about the cookout. Hosted by Jenni Field and her blog Pastry Chef Online, participants have got you covered with foods to be cooked and consumed outdoors, something I love to do all summer long; how about you?
I also recently joined a new baking group started by my friend Kelly; Baking on the 15th is meant to be a challenge and with choux pastry our first effort (we made this Strawberry Choux (Cream Puff) Cake) and a souffle for next month, this effort might kill me. I'm at 6200'...challenging enough! Come join us whether you have a blog or not; all you need is a love of baking and an adventurous spirit!
The third group I love is an annual event organized by Kita at Girl Carnivore. It's all about the burger. Burger, burgers and more burgers! Thirty days of burgers; each day with several bloggers offering their own unique take on a burger they have made and loved. There is beef, lamb, turkey, veggie and more...you really must check all of them out. Even if I do think my Blue Cheese Bison Burger with Bacon Caramelized Onions would be hard to beat!
Many, many thanks to all of the sponsors for their contribution to the success of this event each year and for providing great products we believe for prizes during the Burger Month 2017 celebration.
PRIZES:Follow along on Instagram with #GirlCarnivore & #BurgerMonth to see every burger recipe featured! Check Girl Carnavore daily for new over the top burger recipes and earn more chances to win!
Because Burger Month 2017 and our Progressive Eats Cookout event happened in the same month I decided to make a burger and dedicate this post to both. While I do love the occasional steak ( this one is my all time favorite presentation) and certainly pull a ton of chicken off of the grill each year, I am still and forever will be a fan of the burger. The truth is that the burger itself is sort of like the lettuce in a salad...it's a good base but it's the condiments that make it or break it.
The first year I participated in the Burger Month event, I made these Lamb and Goat Cheese Burgers with Cabernet Sauce using lamb from the American Lamb Board. A lamb burger is finished with a beautiful Cabernet sauce and then topped with goat cheese and crispy onion rings. I want another one NOW!
I followed that unique burger with one I recreated after visiting Ted's Montana Grill. The Canyon Creek Burger is amazing and once you have a burger that combines jalapeno with a sweet jam, I promise you will love it too! Why yes, that is a fried egg!
My venture with Burger Month 2016 last year resulted in re-creating another restaurant special. Smashburger offers this Spicy Cowboy Burger occasionally and I happened by one night when it was available. The spicy did it for me but honestly I could get used to that notion of onion rings on a burger...they are the bomb! I was especially proud of my homemade Sesame Hamburger Buns; they were SO perfect!
I decided to highlight bison this year since they are an animal found widely in Colorado. I've been here for 30 years and remember the first time we drove to the mountains and saw a herd on the side of the mountain. It was moving; to think that these animals have survived such mass slaughter at the hands of man. They are now making a comeback and carefully managed herds and better health practices have seen a rise in their numbers.
In my area of South Denver, there are a couple of farms within an hour distance where you can purchase fresh bison meat but I'm seeing it even more widespread the last few years where I've located it at two grocery stores and our local Costco. Bison at Costco...is that something available at yours?
I decided to try another re-creation albeit with a burger I've never actually had! When a friend accompanied me to Ted's Montana Grill to sample menu items, while I enjoyed the Canyon Creek Burger shown above, she decided to order the Blue Creek, a Bison Burger that had Blue Cheese and a tasty combination of grilled onions with bacon on top. I've long wanted to get back for one of those but decided instead to put my own spin on it for today.
We are after all, PROGRESSIVE Eats right? I forged ahead with a recreation that included Bison, Gorgonzola Cheese and an amazing combination of bacon, onions, and red wine that resulted in a topping so tasty I had to hold myself off from finishing it with a spoon! Yes, I've still called it a Blue Cheese Bison Burger but for me, Blue Cheese and Gorgonzola are interchangeable and I more often have the bit less pungent Gorgonzola in my fridge. Use either one for preparation; both would be great.
Bison is not gamey but it is lean. While there is some fat in the meat I was taking no chances so I put in a bit of the fat that was rendered from the bacon. These burgers cook FAST and if you're the well done type? Don't do bison, it really should be only cooked to rare or medium rate; any more and they will dry out to the point of ugh. Better to substitute with a fattier meat and just use the ground beef you usually buy for burgers.
Serves 4 Burgers
15 minPrep Time
35 minCook Time
50 minTotal Time
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Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Enjoy more Dishes from our Progressive Eats Cookout!
Appetizers
Main Course
Side Dishes
Desserts
And don't forget to hop over and ENTER TO WIN! some great prizes from Burger Month 2017!So much food. So little time. Get on it! 🙂
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Our menu this month features recipes that have one special ingredient in common - TEA! We had a lot of fun creating them, and hope you'll enjoy trying them, too. Our event this month is hosted by Jenni who blogs at Pastry Chef Online. Our menu includes everything from beverages to bread, an entree to sides, and of course some desserts so we can finish on a sweet note.
If you're unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.
