18. find the best burger utah has to offer.

via craig stephens.

i'm nearing the end of my time for 27 things. in which case it's time for me to do a little accounting!

i'm sure i've talked about the mind of a chef here before. it's one of my favorite television shows. i'm SO intrigued by these food-geniuses. oddly enough, you can find me marathoning this documentary/travel/history/science/food series any given friday night. i'm obsessed.

david chang was the show's premier chef. season one encompassed the mind of david chang, founder of the momofuku restaurant group and 2 michelin star holder. needless to say, i'm a big fan. i look forward to the day i dine at one of his establishments.

combine my love of david chang with my love of burgers and imagine my delight upon finding this "burger manifesto" in lucky peach, last month. it's basically just a list of things david chang DOESN'T like about burgers. i similarly tried coming up with things i didn't like about burgers, but could really only come up with one:

a bunch of fancy stuff; arugula and candied bacon confuses my mouth.

really i'm pretty simple. good cheese, good meat, good burger. oh, i guess i have one criteria:  that the burger have a sense of the americana if you will. i'm talking mustard, ketchup, meat and bun, with good fries and a diet coke on the side. this, to me, is the perfect combo. if you can follow it up with a yummy shake, it's the cherry on top. ok so, 

top 3 in utah

1. tony burger - this place is cheap. and if you go in, you will come out smelling like a burger for the rest of the day. which is a good thing i guess. at tony burger, you have lots of options, really good fries, and coke products with crunchy ice. they also have shakes with BIG straws (very important). all i know is that if i'm in the mood for a burger fix, fast, tony burger has my back, EVERY time.

2. salt lake burger company - ok i love this place. and many of my loved ones do, but i have heard some negative reviews. what i like MOST of all about s.l. burger co., is that you have a ton of options here. they have a salad-bar-type jive going on where you can order any burger, specialty or plain-jane, and then add extras at a bar in the restaurant. the bar has veggies and sauces. it just makes me feel like i could have ANY combination on my burger. i usually get my burger with bleu cheese and then add veggies and dijon mustard. i love it. they have good fries too, and yummy fry sauce. and, oh yes, shakes. always shakes.

3. hire's - i grew up going to hire's. it's a salt lake favorite, but more importantly, it's a DAD favorite. whenever we would meet up with my dad for lunch when i was a kid, we'd go to hire's. for YEARS i never ordered burgers at restaurants, because i only liked my dad's home-grilled burgers. i remember going out with some friends in my teen years and having a friend say "you don't get the big h?!?! are you crazy?!?!". at which point, i tried the burgers (cause peer pressure ya know?) and never looked back. for me it's the big h combo with fries (topped with cheese if i'm feeling extra hungry), a large diet coke (hire's has THE best crushed ice in the biz), and the big h burger. it's a down and dirty burger - classic, hole-in-the-wall diner, greasy. the bun is really floury, the meat is ... greasy, there's one piece of iceburg lettuce and a slice of (usually unripened) tomato, american cheese (gross), and for sauce, a heaping tablespoon of frysauce (hire's secret recipe obvi!). so simple and yet, so damn good!

i thought a lot about #18 this year, find the best burger utah has to offer. and i guess what i learned is that i am always in search of the best burger, not only in utah, but in the WORLD! i am currently and will forever more be constantly seeking out the best burger. cause i love burgers. 

11. perfect the ultimate sunday dinner.

last sunday i decided to finally buckle down and make that sunday dinner i'm always talking about.

the menu:

- lemon & garlic roast chicken

choice ingredients: rosemary takes food to the next level. and coarse kosher salt should be put on everything. plus it makes me feel legit putting handfuls pinches of it here and there.

the chicken, the lemon, the rosemary, the garlic. missing is the bbbuuttteeerrr!!!

i apologize for the quality of this picture, but i had to document that i actually had my hand inside a chicken. and ... it was too much.

the before ...

and the after. what a beauty!

- fresh lemon limeade

- roasted vegetable medley

made up of produce mostly picked from our garden. not pictured are the beets, carrots, and onions which really brightened things up. i think this was the best dish. i have a thing for veggies right now.

- twice baked potatoes

- and a chocolate souffle for dessert

i had the most fun making this. and BOY WAS IT GOOD! 

the help:

- my sous chef, dad

i can't put into words my love for this guy ^^^ i mean, he spent his whole sunday (even skipping his nap) helping me with my goal. don't get me started on how talented he is and how he can and DOES just about anything he wants. and then he teaches me. thanks pop.

the table:

the take-back:

- well, i learned that cooking a big, fancy meal is harder than it appears. i think i was cooking for 4 hours straight. the other hard part is making sure that everything is done and hot by the time your guests show up. let's just say that i need some practice with time-management. 

overall it was a great experience and i had a lot of fun. and really, that is all i wanted anyway. that and the chocolate souffle.

hello hot dog/what i eat at work: red hot.

the title of this post is reminiscent of one of the cutest vines EVER!, no?

i mostly hated hot dogs cause you're suppose to. processed meaty parts stuffed into a synthetic casing ... on a bun. but i can hide my love no longer. 

i love hot dogs and i don't care who knows it!

the gourmet hot dog scene that has recently hit salt lake isn't hurting either. i've mentioned dexter's dogs, and of course, j dawgs is finally making it's way to salt lake. and on friday, emily and i ventured over to the newly opened red hot.

looks ginormous right? i have to admit that it was pretty big. i had a hard time fitting my mouth around it without losing half the toppings. i got the chicago dog with sport peppers, mustard, neon relish, pickle, tomato, and celery salt. the menu suggests a steamed dog for this version, but i opted for grilled. oh, i forgot to mention the hot dogs are kobe beef. kobe beef is a specialty beef made from spoiled cows. picture a nice cow spa with a steam room and masseuse, that's your kobe beef.

^^^ this was my first chicago dog experience and i quite liked it. i dig the pickle and tomato and i just LOVED the neon relish. i will have to try some of their other options, but for now, i prefer dexter's; they're cheaper and have a nice special sauce.

and to round out this hot dog love poem, a video:

Hot Dog & the City from uji films on Vimeo

I WANT ALL THE HOT DOGS!

have a happy pioneer day.

summer things.

this past winter in utah was BRUTAL. i remember going to st george in march and feeling this glorious warm sensation on my skin. it took me a minute to remember that is what the sun feels like. you can imagine my excitement then, upon seeing 90 degree pink on my blue app. here are a few snapshots of my recent days (realizing as i add them that they are mostly of food) ...

first home-grilled burger of the year. the stuff dreams are made of.

 

PROUDly got this fire started after ... maybe 45 minutes of attempts. it felt good.

yellow field near willard bay.

#whataview!

memorial day breakfast. my veggie omelet with feta was the PERFECT way to celebrate.

grilled brussel sprouts.

cutest lil' fresh picked strawberries!

wild strawberries near provo upper falls.

poppa and i at provo upper falls, up mirror lake highway. 

summer has been good to me thus far. looking forward to (at least) one trip to st george, 2 trips to california, and saying "paige gets home next season".

odds/ends.

look at this shapely post! it's what's left over from my week.

- bought my swimsuit >>> the chosen one (which was really hard because THIS one was only $35!!! ... and while i was looking for those links i found another!! i'm so conflicted).

- i'm dying, DYING! over these rifle paper co. iphone cases. DYING!

- i can't seem to shake my desire to eat out like every single day this week. currently craving 1) o'falafel chicken shwarma, 2) habit burger onion rings 3) anything at cubby's 4) and last night i think i may have had the best ceasar salad of my existence at pizzeria limone.

- how great are these arrested development posters? may 26th can't come soon enough.

- i too have come to terms with the fact that i am an iceaholic and endorse these suggestions on the best fix.

- salt lake's bike share program opened on monday. now if only the weather would cooperate.

- and another beehive announcement: red butte garden's 2013 outdoor concert series. yessssssss!!!

happy weekend!!

courtney and julia.

my happy birthday julia child! meal. taken with instagram.

happy birthday to julia child!

did you know that my childhood dream was to be a chef? i swear that up until i was in jr high i played restaurant with my little kitchen. and even still, my dream life would consist of me saving the world through cookies. 

so you can imagine my admiration for the great julia child. she turns 100 years old today. in celebration of her life, emily and i decided to cook dinner tonight julia style. here's what i'm cookin up:

mustard marinade with pork loin chops*

1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 pork lean thin cut boneless pork chops
non-stick cooking spray

1. in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients through the lemon juice. whisk and slowly pour in oil to emulsify the marinade.
2. brush each pork chop on all sides with the marinade. place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour.
3. heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. spray with non-stick cooking spray and add the pork chops. sear until deeply caramelized on the first side before flipping them to caramelize on the second side.

cauliflower and broccoli cheese**

1 small firm cauliflower

1 small head of broccoli

3 1/2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup bacon

1 cup tomatoes, sliced and quartered

salt and pepper to taste

1. chop the bacon and fry over a gentle heat until golden brown.
2. meanwhile, wash the cauliflower and broccoli, divide into florets and add to a large saucepan of boiling water. put the cauliflower in the boiling water and the broccoli on the top as the broccoli generally needs slightly less time to cook. simmer for about five minutes, test every 2 minutes until cooked. drain through a colander and set the colander on the original saucepan, in a warm place to drain as you make your sauce.
3. melt butter, then add flour and mile to make a roux. let simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.
4. add 2/3 of the grated cheese to create a thick bechamel sauce. taste and season.
5. lay the sliced tomatoes in the base of a warmed, large, ovenproof dish. scatter over the bacon and add a third of the cheese sauce. arrange the cooked cauliflower and broccoli over this then pour the remaining cheese sauce and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. place in the oven on broil for 5 minutes to brown.

vichy carrots***

3 (or so) julienne carrots

1 tbsp butter

a sprinkling of sugar

2 tbsp water

balsamic vinegar

1. put the carrots in a pan with the butter, sugar and water. 
2. cook on high heat, shaking occasionally, adding more water if necessary (all the water should have evaporated when the carrots are ready.
3. add a little balsamic vinegar before serving.

*via cookeatshare
**via cottagesmallholder
***via joannasfood

favored fall facets by cassie

cassie.

{paige's bff/hippest person/music aficionado}

1. don't think i'm trying to portray myself as a sophisticated intellect, although this will probably prove to you that i am a sophisticated intellect: my first favorite thing about fall is ... STARTING SCHOOL. sure, i love summer as much as the next teenish adult, but after a while 3 months of minimum wage work makes you start to worry that "retail shift leader" is your career, and you realize you have not learned one thing all season besides how to get down a mannequin using the long hook without killing a customer, and you just freak out and can't thing of anything more lovely than sitting down in a challenging class learning like a hungry scholar.

2. my next fall love is HEARING WHAT KIDS WANT TO BE FOR HALLOWEEN. at that age its one of the biggest, most influential decisions of the year. i remember planning and debating-what costume will allow me to squeeze the very most fun out of the one time in the year i can legally demand adults to give me candy all day? heck, i don't know why i was so worried, that sounds like it would be fun even if i was wearing a kilt.

3. THE CANDLE SMELLS. fall candle smells are the best of all four seasons. some might argue for winter, but sometimes gingerbread sugar cookie candy cain yum yum can be on the tipping scale of too much, compared to the subtle perfection of apple crisp, pumpkin spice, or cinnamon stick. love it.

4.since food obsession/consumption is second only to gaining a body and making it to the celestial kingdom on the "why i was born" list, it makes sense that one of my faves would be PUMPKIN DELIGHTS/EGGNOG. pumpkin delights = such things as: my grandmas's pumpkin rolls, or courtney's mom's pumpkin pancakes that i have thought about weekly since she made them a year ago. and although eggnog is often associated with christmas, it becomes available fall time. FINALLY. in my opinion, it should be a year round staple. {BTW for fans: look for "pumpkin nog" this year. combines the best of both worlds.}

5. and finally, i love fall because it has the exhilarating feeling of being ON THE VERGE OF SOMETHING. christmastime is the best time of the year for a lot of reasons, and since fall is so close you just get a little tingly sometimes realizing what's ahead. it's like being on the verge of winning the jackpot, or flying to the moon. the build-up is almost as good as the outcome.

**wow cassie, you are such a sophisticated intellect. no really, that list was the BEST and i couldn't agree more with all of the things on that list except for the eggnog.

what can i even add to this?

i know what i'll add, i'll add what i did on this, the first weekend in october.

-see mission loves

-roast things with mission loves

-make bed all smokey by sleeping in it with out desmokyfying myself first

-BEST bike ride

-watch conference

-go to conference

-be late to conference

-eat pumpkin pancakes

-eat chili

-eat sunday roast

-eat homemade doughnuts

it was good.

favored fall facets by mother.

alisa kaye.

{mother of mine/world's greatest cook/lover of the food network and hgtv/future "my grand kids are better than yours" bumper sticker owner}

1. cooking and eating pumpkin goodies

2. wearing sweaters and boots

3. fall colors

4. chili cookouts

5. singing harvest hymns in church

**mom, i really enjoy your cooking pumpkin goodies too. please don't hesitate to make your pumpkin chocolate chip muffins ASAP!

my mom's pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are one of my favored fall facets. october 2008, my senior year of college, consisted of eating one with every meal. when i ran out, i knew it was time for a trip back home. so good.

{image via here.}

BEST muffin to eat between september and november

{mother's pumpkin chocolate chip muffins}

1 3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup chocolate chips

in a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. make a well in the center. combine egg, pumpkin, milk, and oil. add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.

stir just till moistened; batter should be lumpy. stir in chocolate chips. grease muffin cups or line with paper bake cups; fill 2/3 full. bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or till golden. remove from pans; serve warm. makes 10 to 12 muffins.

enjoy!

the peach smoothie of my dreams.

{not peaches, but you get the point.}

twice this week i have ended my day with a peach smoothie. and now i'm obsessed. i can't ever go back to who i was before the peach smoothie.

to join in my ecstasy, blend:

2 whole peaches {preferably the kind that you bought the previous weekend at your local farmers' market}
1/2 cup greek yogurt
2 cups milk
1 lid full of real vanilla
dash of salt
2 handfulls ice

smooooooothie.

state fair rompin.

{the cop dog - a hambuger patty between two slices of doughnut. yum?}

the last time i went to the fair i was in high school, accompanied by katie, jentri, and lynsey. i'm pretty sure we just looked at the pigs, then left.

but i'm changing my ways. this year i intend to take full advantage of all that the utah state fair has to offer. and according to my recent readings, it offers quite a bit {see photo above}. where else would you find a maggot melt sandwich, fried kool aid, chocolate covered ants, and fried butter?

it ends on sunday. any takers?

a sweet treat.

i hear cupcakes are on the outs and pies are on the ins.

in what? just in.

to celebrate their being in {and also to celebrate lara's marriage to stephen}, we had a tasty pastry party.

{annie is utah's pioneer woman. we use her when we want to eat good things. which, incidentally, occurs daily. her key lime pie was no exception to the goodness she brings to us every time we see her.}

{paigey pie.}

{libby, paige, and i discussing the greatness of pie. susan and perky are probably discussing the same thing.}

happy marriage lara!

such a vacation.

how to wrap up a summer:

-swim

{an audrey dive.}

{a paige dive.}

{a courtney dive ... not a dive.}

-watch arrested development

-las vegas shopping spree

{what great statuary ...}

{hot and sweaty, cramped ride home. but with cuddle fuddle, so it was ok.}

-sing joni mitchell's californina {x10}

-eat

  

-eat more

-be hot in 100 degree weather

-play game {x10}

-see movie {x3}

-go on summery, nature hike

  

  

-visit fruit stands

-a little audrey helps too

happy end of summer.

i hope it was all you hoped for.