Hamburgers and Highballs!

Summer is in full swing, and I am LOVING spending time outside. I’m gardening, walking my four furry little ladies and of course entertaining! As you know I like to keep entertaining simple and stress free, especially when it comes to hosting a casual outdoor gathering such as a backyard cookout. 

Last summer I wrote about a fun and easy grill-side plant-based hot dog bar. This year I’m taking that same idea and swapping out the “pups” for plant-based burgers. There are some excellent meatless burgers that work well for grilling. My fave is Beyond Cookout Classic Plant Based Patties.

Serving burgers this way is sooo easy. You just set up a table with fresh rolls and all your toppings, grill the burgers and let your guests have fun assembling their own creations. Of course, you will want to offer all the traditional burger toppings like ketchup and mustard, but you can make it even more fun by adding some interesting toppings.  Have some “store bought” offerings on hand too, like “Wickles Spicy Red Sandwich Spread,” or “Mt. Olive Mild Pickle Salsa.” You can even make some yourself in advance, like my Roquefort Cheese Burger Butter, or Quick Pickled Purple Onions. 

Of course, you will want to serve a fabulous cocktail to liven things up. I have just the thing for a summer gathering, my Lavender and Lime Gin Rickey. The Gin Rickey is a time-honored tall drink or “highball” traditionally made with gin, lime juice and club soda. In my version I add some lavender syrup which pairs nicely with the lime juice, making this libation even more refreshing. I also swap out the club soda for seltzer.

I hope you enjoy these recipes. As I always say, have fun in your kitchen (or backyard) cooking or making drinks for the people you love, and remember…

it doesn’t have to be perfect,
it just has to taste good! 

The Lavender Lime Gin Rickey

These are the amounts I like to use but feel free to add more
lime juice or lavender syrup to your taste. You can make your own lavender syrup but there are some very nice brands out there.
My preference is made by Portland Syrups.

I.5 ounces of premium gin. I love Bombay Sapphire
London Dry Gin for this drink.

½ ounce of fresh lime juice 

½ ounce of lavender syrup

Plain or lime-flavored seltzer

Lime slices for garnish

Directions: 

Pour the gin, lime juice and lavender syrup into an ice filled “highball” or “Collins” glass and stir. Pour in the seltzer to fill the glass and garnish with a lime slice or two. Cheers!

Roquefort Cheese Burger Butter

½ cup of softened plant-based or non-salted dairy butter 

½ cup of crumbled Roquefort cheese

1 small garlic clove minced

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of black pepper

Directions: 

In a small bowl, mash all the ingredients together until well combined. Scoop the mixture onto one side of a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log shape. Twist the ends and refrigerate until firm. Cut into slices to top your burgers as they come off the grill.

Burger Bar Toppings Ideas

Here’s a list of my favorites to get you started;

Avocado slices or guacamole, pickled jalapeno slices, sliced tomato with basil pesto, Siracha flavored mayo, sautéed mushrooms, a platter of various cheeses. Oh, and Roquefort Burger Butter and pickled purple onion!

Quick Pickled Purple Onions

½ cup of softened plant-based or non-salted dairy butter 

½ cup of crumbled Roquefort cheese

1 small garlic clove minced

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of black pepper

Directions: 

In a small bowl, mash all the ingredients together until well combined. Scoop the mixture onto one side of a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log shape. Twist the ends and refrigerate until firm. Cut into slices to top your burgers as they come off the grill.