Cranberry Burgers with Balsamic Sauce

Hi ya! I hope you had a great weekend. If you remember, I had a wedding I had to sing at. By the way, thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Saturday, after tossing and turning all night cause I was really worried about not being able to sing, I tested my voice and yes, I still had Laryngitis. I called a friend and we got someone to fill in for me. I still played the piano. I just didn't sing. It worked out fine.
I left my window in the car open Saturday night. Sunday morning on the way to church as I was driving along Skinker Blvd. and Forest Park, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a squirrel inside sitting be my back window. Anyway, it scared the **** out of me. hehehe. I pulled over and opened my back door on the passenger side and went around the car to the other side and opened that door to scare it out. It ran out and up an oak tree. I went by the tree, looked up and started scolding the squirrel for living in my attic for the last year. I continued to tell it that I hope he stays in the park and never comes back. I told it that next time, if it did come back, I would drive him someplace I couldn't find my way back to.

About this time, a jogger was jogging past me and gave me this look like I was nuts. When I tried to tell him about the squirrel, he just picked up speed. He was too far away from me to explain and I didn't feel like shouting because I had Laryngitis. So, I just got back in my car and drove off to go to church. But not before giving my a couple toots goodbye to both the squirrel and the jogger.

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The Recipe

Here's another super recipe for burgers. Especially if you like cranberries. Let's do it!

Cranberry Burgers with Balsamic Sauce

1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
2 pounds ground chuck
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
1/3 cup canned, whole berry cranberry sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
6 slices thinly sliced red onion
6 firm, hamburger buns, preferably sourdough

Soak dried cranberries in a small bowl with hot water for 10 minutes to soften them.
Drain and coarsely chop berries.

Mix 1/2 cup of chopped white onion, presoaked cranberries, garlic powder, ground chuck, and pepper in a large mixing bowl until incorporated, but with a light hand to avoid compressing meat too much.

Divide mixture into six equal portions and form patties and set aside. Prepare a medium hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover or preheat a gas grill to medium high.
In heavy medium skillet over medium high heat, melt butter until bubbling. Add remaining chopped white onion and 1 tbsp of rosemary and saute until onion softens, about 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth, cranberry sauce and balsamic vinegar. Stir until sauce melts, about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to boil and reduce, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reduced enough to thickly coat spoon, about 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Mix mayonnaise and remaining 1 tsp of rosemary together in a small bowl and set aside.

Place patties on grill rack and cook, turning just once, about 4 minutes on each side for medium rare.

In last 3 minutes of cooking patties, place hamburger buns, cut side down, on outer edges of rack and toast to desired crispness.

To assemble burgers, spread cut side of buns with rosemary mayonnaise. Place a burger on each bun bottom and spread burger with cranberry balsamic vinegar sauce. Top with slice of red onion and cover with bun top.

Notes: We love to make these burgers when we go camping in the fall, even the reduction sauce is very easy and all ingredients pack well. I make my meat mixture ahead of time, and pack in baggies.

Buon appetito!

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Rescu-Pup's Corner
Laugh & Learn with Rescu-Pup

Mighty Minds, do you remember when your ol' pal R. Pup and Ziggy Cat were trying to get rid of the "Picnic Messer-Uppers"? We were having such a great day in the park when these bad little guys showed up and nearly ruined everything! All right, M.M. Squad, show us what you learned on your week's trip to "Bug World" (I remember you screaming not to get on the bus to "Bug World", but it was fun after all)...The "Picnic Messer Uppers" are...
1. Ants
2. Termites
3. Litterbugs...
Scrawl to the end for the answer!!

Well, today we are back at Picnic Park with a great new lunch..."Kieto's Spicy Ottoman Kabobs", and we have put charcoal in the grill by the picnic table. Ziggy Cat is throwing the Frisbee--it goes farther and farther, and R. Pup runs faster and faster...when suddenly the frisbee hits something real long...it goes round and round, round and round...IT'S ON A REAL LONG NOSE!...and the long nose is on something big, gray and fuzzy...COMING OUT OF THE BUSHES...COMING CLOSER AND CLOSER...AAACK!!!

Waving to us with his long claws, the long-nose monster says, "Guys, I'm starving! Don't worry, I would never eat you, and I can't eat those great-looking beef sirloin kabobs on the grill... GOT ANTS?? That's my kind of food..." We'll see you on Wednesday with more of the story--Bet you can tell what kind of animal just walked out of the bushes...

(Answer--The "Picnic Messer-Uppers" are 1. or 3.)

I'm proud to be your friend, Rescu-Pup

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Our Friends

I only got 1 comments on my story. Heck, I thought it was pretty clever.

Hi Kieto, Wacky story just your style- a compliment! Thanks for smile. Sorry about cold,throat,etc. Will pray harder. I think you will be OK for weekend. Faith my friend. Went for blood work at 7AM- rain in NJ. Hello Mom, In prayers and with Love and Faith , Marion

I LOVED YOUR STORY, KIETO, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: CAN YOU GIVE ME A HINT? lol... FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I COULD NOT FIND YOUR VOTE FOR ME.COM, EITHER, OR I WOULD HAVE VOTED...COULD YOU SEND ME ONE? MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU FOR THE WEDDING, AND YOUR SONG...SAY HI TO MUM AND ZIGGY FOR ME, AND HAVE A VERY GOOD DAY, jeanne

Thanks Marion and JEANNE. I read it to several people at the courthouse and they laughed. Maybe they were being nice. Yea. That's it. HA! tc, Kieto

ps. Moral. Look both ways before you cross the street.

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See ya Wednesday!!