bbq

It's hot. Not as hot as it was this time last summer (and I have an A/C now), but it's still that kind of hot that hits you like hot laundry or a damp towel, and there isn't really much to do besides laze around and eat endlessly. So that's what I did most of today. The most important part is that I made Juicy Lucys!! Basically it's a pocket of cheese inside the hamburger patty (made by smooshing two together). I didn't make my own patties because I wasn't sure how my burger stitching technique would hold up, but now that I know, next time I'm making my own. And adding bacon bits to the cheese. :)

Cheese oozing out of the patty

 We bought a pack of mini patties and two packs of regular patties from Trader Joe's. The mini-patties worked out best because after each patty has been flattened, it turns into a pretty hefty burger. The regular patties were monsters. I used colby-jack cheese. I watched a few videos and I think it's best to use just a regular old block of cheddar or some sort of yellow cheese. American cheese is too processed and will be runny, fancy cheese won't melt as well, but that in-between cheese like this is just melty and stringy enough.

Sealing the patties together

Before the table became littered with way more food 

Grilling round 1

Hot dogs and grilled green onions

There were pineapple chicken sausages and artichoke chicken sausages too.

My burger! You can see the cheese bubbling out a little bit, plus tomatoes, lettuce, grilled onions and mayo, ketchup and spicy but not so spicy mustard

 My first bite into the cheese part

Grilled flatbread with leftover grilled vegetables and artichoke sausage

Grill round 2 or 3

Hot dog with cheese, grilled peaches, and a grilled pepper

Feels like summer is really really here now