Father’s Day Menu

Time to honor dear old dad with a great meal.  These are equally popular as cookout dishes or something you can prepare in your kitchen.  You may recognize the onion rings if you have spent any time in English or Irish pubs.  The dessert is easy enough that the kids can help.

Maple Bacon Cheeseburger

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds ground beef
• vegetable oil for the grill
• 12 slices bacon, halved
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 buns
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
• 12 slices colby jack cheese
• pickles or other condiments

Directions:

• Form ground beef into 12 thin patties. Refrigerate on a cookie sheet for at least 30 minutes.
• Cook bacon until crisp and remove to a plate. Reserve bacon fat and drippings.
• Return the bacon to the skillet in a single layer and drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with pepper. Cook until glazed on both sides and remove.
• Preheat grill and coat grates slightly with vegetable oil.
• Brush cut sides of hamburger buns with a small amount of bacon fat.
• Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce.
• Season patties on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Cook patties on the grill to desired degree of doneness. Top each with a slice of cheese.  Toast the buns on the grill.
• Assemble the burgers allowing 2 patties per burger and top with bacon.

Kabobs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken, cut into cubes
• 1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 2 inch slices
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 1/2 cups whole mushrooms

Directions:

• Mix teriyaki sauce, honey, garlic powder, and ginger in a large, resealable plastic bag. Place chicken, beef, bell peppers, onion, and mushrooms in the bag.  Be sure all the items are coated. Squeeze out excess air and seal the bag.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grate.
• Discard marinade.
• Thread meat and vegetables onto skewers, allowing a small space between items so they cook completely.
• Grill skewers until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 8 strips bacon
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 pound potatoes like fingerling or minis, halved
• 5 scallions
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:

• Cook the bacon until crisp.
• Transfer bacon drippings to a small bowl. Add mustard, sugar, and vinegar to warm fat and squeeze juice from the lemon half.  Whisk to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside in a warm place.
• Put the potatoes in an even layer in a microwave-safe baking dish. Add 1/4 cup water and cover with plastic wrap.  Steam the potatoes on high until just tender, about 3 minutes.  Discard water.
• Place potatoes in a large bowl with whole scallions. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
• On a grill preheated to medium, put the potatoes cut side down. Grill until caramelized and tender.  Meanwhile put the scallions on the coolest area of the grill and cook but do not char.
• Cut scallions into 1 inch pieces. Add potatoes from the grill.  Crumble the bacon and add to the potatoes and scallions.  Add parsley.  Drizzle with dressing.  Toss well.  Add flaked sea salt for garnish.

Tobacco Onions

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetable oil, or as needed
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced into rings

Directions:

• Mix flour, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl. Add onion slices and toss so that all the rings are coated well.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees.
• Working in batches, remove some of the onion rings and shake off excess flour. Carefully lower into the oil and cook until golden (tobacco-colored).
• Remove and allow to drain on paper towels and crisp up.

Lemonade Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 ounce) lemon cake mix
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup lemonade
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup lemonade
• 3 or 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

• Combine cake mix, vegetable oil, lemonade, and eggs and beat about 2 minutes. Pour into a prepared pan.
• Bake in an oven preheated to 325 until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan.
• In a small sauce pan, combine powdered sugar, lemonade, lemon juice, and butter. Cook until butter is just melted, stirring often.
• Use a skewer to poke holes in the cake. While the cake is still in the cake pan and slightly warm, pour the glaze over the cake.  Allow to cool for 15 or 20 additional minutes or until most of the glaze has been absorbed.
• Serve with whipped topping or whipped cream.