Sausage Burger on a Pretzel Bun

This quickie burger blew. my. mind. The pretzel bun + mustard + sausage shaped-like-a-burger was just so amazing. I whipped it up for lunch one day when I realized we had one, lone pretzel bun in the freezer annnnnd a half of a green pepper hanging out in the fridge. The stars aligned because we always have sausage links in the freezer and onions are usually a staple too. Ta-da!
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage Pretzel Burger

I made this inside on the stove in about 10 minutes, but will absolutely repeat for the grill. Also, I’ll repeat since this wasn’t a family dinner with the 1 pretzel roll we had…sorry Mr. J! It was amazing! Don’t be like me – make a bunch! Share with others!

Sausage Burgers on Pretzel Buns with Peppers & Onions (for 2)

Ingredients:

2 Italian sausage links, casing removed
2 pretzel buns
1/2 green bell pepper
1/4 onion
2 tablespoons mustard
2 slices provolone cheese (optional)

Directions:

Slice the pepper and onion into the same size pieces…so slice the pepper and then slice in half again. Saute the onions for 2 minutes in a drizzle of oil, then add in the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Form the sausage link into a circle shaped patty and pan fry in the same pan as the peppers/onions. (No real culinary reason other than to not have 2 pans to wash!)
Flip to cook through and add the peppers & onions in to keep warm until serving.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage Pretzel Burger
While the sausage cooks, toast the pretzel bun until warmed through. Spread on the mustard.
Add the provolone to the burger, if using.
Serve the burgers topped with peppers and onions.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage Pretzel Burger
Enjoy!

I really loved this. Maybe it was the simplicity. Maybe it was a 10 minute meal that was so good and just came together at the right time. That pretzel bun with the mustard was just at traditional match. 1 sausage link formed into a circle is quite thin so it cooked really quickly. Yay! I didn’t have any provolone around but thought the stretch of some mild cheese would be amazing.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage Pretzel Burger

Toasting it was necessary. Both sides can have soapboxes for whether all burger buns need to be toasted, but pretzel buns need to be treated like soft pretzels.
The. End.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage Pretzel Burger

 

Cheeseburger Layer Dip

“The Big Game” is fast approaching! I’m a bit more focused on the snacks, halftime show, and commercials with a lesser priority being the actual game. Can I say that in New England? It is the truth. I’m really just here for the snacks. Playoff games have been especially helpful for that! Just the other night I whipped up this cheeseburger layer dip as dinner during the game. Maybe it was good luck?
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip

Bacon Cheeseburger Layer Dip

Ingredients:

3/4 pound ground meat (I used ground chicken, or use beef/pork)
2-3 strips of bacon
1 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 teaspoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon mixed seasoning (I used Todd’s Dirt, or use hamburger seasoning or Mrs. Dash)
special sauce: 1 tablespoon each: ketchup; mayo; mustard; 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 tomato
6 pickle chips
sturdy crackers (wheat thins or pita) or bread for dipping

Directions:

Saute the ground meat in a large pan, and add in the liquid smoke, minced onion, ground mustard, and seasoning for the last minute of cooking.
Chop the bacon into a hot pan and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray and put the ground meat on the bottom and the crisp bacon on top.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
Add on a drizzle of special sauce. Then sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 10 minutes to melt.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
While the dip is in the oven, chop the toppings. Take the dip out of the oven for ~5 minutes before adding toppings. It should be warm, but not hot to wilt all the toppings.
Sprinkle on the lettuce, tomato, pickles, and sesame seeds.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
Serve with crackers, chips, or bread to dip.
Enjoy!

This was so fun! It was our dinner of “sports snacks”. The little one totally go it, but asked for a spoon and seemed to enjoy in a bowl rather than dipped. Add this to your menu, especially if you already have spinach and artichoke dip and nachos. I love the cool toppings with warm and cheesy dip. Perfect!

The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Dip
What are you serving for the game?

Guest Post: Portobello Mushroom Burgers

I’m so psyched to share this guest post with you today! I’d totally order this if I saw it on a menu too! This is such great timing because winter calls for flavor and decadence. These photos have me drooling. Sign me up. About the author: Ben is a former semi-pro cyclist and big eater. Now he is just a big eater. He writes about food and drink for lazy chefs at The Online Grill. Here you go!

I’m an easy meal obsessive. Some people interpret that as ‘lazy’, and they might be right, but I prefer to say that I’m just more efficient. I like my recipes quick and simple, and today’s recipe is no exception.

Lately I’ve been going through a stage of trying to reimagine popular recipes for vegetarians. From breakfast egg pizzas to spicy quorn avocado wraps, I’ve been adamant to prove that meat-free options are in no way inferior to their non-vegetarian counterparts. Perhaps this recipe today is the best example of that: Portobello mushroom burgers.
The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers

I tried these at a restaurant in London last week, and at the time the only reason I chose it is because it looked like the only thing on the menu that wouldn’t give me a heart attack. I was right, and having survived I knew that I wanted to recreate this recipe as soon as possible.

It’s been a week and I’ve already made it twice. I’m completely hooked. This recipe is my favourite thing to cook at the moment, and pretty soon it will be yours too.
So what makes this so good? Its beautiful blend of spice, herbs and honey makes it a tangy and sweet blend of pure awesomeness. Plus it packs in haloumi – my favourite meal cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers

I’m really excited to share this recipe with you guys, so do please let me know what you think! I’d love to know if any of you have made any variations of it, and I’m keen to find out if any of you don’t like haloumi… because I don’t think that such a person exists.
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers

Portobello & Haloumi Burgers

Serves 4

You will need…

1 large avocado
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 portobello mushrooms, stalks trimmed
1 garlic clove, minced
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 thick slices of haloumi
4 burger buns, cut open
Wild rocket leaves, to serve
Mayonnaise, to serve

The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers

Let’s Make This Thing!

Heat up the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. While it’s heating up, mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork or (my personal favourite) a potato masher. Once it reaches a good consistency, drizzle it with half the lemon juice and set aside or in your fridge.
Add the mushrooms to the frying pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning halfway through, or until slightly softened.
Add a little more oil to the pan (still with the mushrooms in) and add the thyme, garlic, chilli, lemon zest and remaining lemon juice. Cook for a couple of minutes, coating the mushrooms in the ingredients.
The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers
Add the honey, vinegar and ½ tsp salt and cook for a further minute, ensuring the mushrooms are as coated as possible. Then remove the pan from heat and set to one side, heat up a second frying pan to a medium-high heat and add the haloumi. Turn frequently and cook for between 2-4 minutes, until golden.
Lightly toast the buns either in a toaster or under the grill. Add the avocado between the bun bases, and top with a mushroom each, as well as the haloumi, rocket, mayo and bun tops.

The Three Bite Rule - Guest Post Portobello & Halloumi Burgers

Yum. Now, do you want to be a guest blogger? I’d be glad to have you! Feel free to reach out at emily@thethreebiterule.com  

Asian-Inspired Burgers with Teriyaki & Pineapple

Burgers on the grill can continue right up until the snow falls here in New England – or year-round in our house. The fall is a great time to grill because the air isn’t 100-degrees plus the heat of the grill. Lovely! This burger gets brushed with teriyaki sauce after it cooks and has grilled pineapple, crispy wontons, cucumbers, and a sriracha aoli. Yum!
The Three Bite Rule - Asian Burger

Asian-Inspired Burgers (for 3)

Ingredients:

3/4-1 pound of ground meat (I used ground pork)
1/2 teaspoon teriyaki marinade (double if using teriyaki sauce)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
salt & pepper
1-2 slices of fresh pineapple
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon mayo
1/4 of a cucumber, sliced thin
1/4 cup crispy wontons (found near croutons/salad toppers)
3 hamburger buns

Directions:

Preheat the grill while seasoning the meat.
Add the teriyaki marinade, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar to the meat & form into patties. Sprinkle salt & pepper on either side. Grill to desired cook- depending on the ground meat.
When the burgers are almost cooked, grill the pineapple for a minute  on each side.
Mix together the sriracha & mayo.
Brush the burgers with the teriyaki marinade and chop the pineapple.
Assemble the burgers with sriracha mayo on each bun, cucumbers on the bottom, the burgers and grilled pineapple. Add some  crispy wontons on top.
Enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Asian Burger

Teriyaki marinade is pretty strong, since it is meant as a marinade so go light when topping the burgers. Teriyaki sauce (sold near soy sauce) doesn’t have the same sticky/sweet consistency but would be good flavor if you don’t have a use for a whole bottle of marinade. I loved the flavors here and just served some edamame on the side for a quick dinner. It was GREAT for variety of flavors this week!

Psssst! Have leftover teriyaki marinade & pineapple? I’ve used both for a fun teriyaki grain bowl! I liked the subtle kick from the sriracha but might have used even a bit more. I think I had a 1:2 mayo/sriracha ratio but suggest a 1:1 above.

Burger with Smoked Gouda, Bacon, and Peach Relish

This is, hands down, my biggest kitchen-win in awhile! We LOVED this burger. The smoked gouda was such an outstanding flavor and the peach added the right sweetness. The pretzel bun was just the icing on the cake!
The Three Bite Rule - Burger with Smoked Gouda & Peach Relish

Gouda, Bacon, and Peach Burgers (for 2)

Ingredients:

2 burgers
2 pretzel buns
3 strips of bacon
1 peach
1/4 white onion (or red onion)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
salt & pepper
2 slices smoked gouda
Dijon mustard, optional

Directions:

Preheat the grill (or grill pan) for burgers and form the meat into patties.
Cut the bacon in half and pan fry until crisp then drain.
Dice the peach and onion pretty small, and mix with the oil, vinegar, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Shoot for a 2:1 ratio of peach to onion.
The Three Bite Rule - Burger with Smoked Gouda & Peach Relish
Refrigerate until serving, while the burgers cook.
Grill the burgers until desired internal temperature. Mine was pork, Mr. J’s was beef. Top with the gouda and give ~2 minutes for it to melt – it needs longer than some other cheeses.
Slice the buns and cut off some of the bun if it is too big for the burgers.
Spread some dijon mustard onto the buns, put the burger and melted gouda on, then top with bacon, then lastly with the peach relish.
The Three Bite Rule - Burger with Smoked Gouda & Peach Relish
This was suchhh a fantastic combo. I’m peach/nectarine obsessed during the last of the fresh peaches this year. The smoked gouda had a really dominant and outstanding flavor. It makes me want to use it for burgers again! I thought about grilling peach slices but thought this would be easier to eat. The little one ate the same thing but I just put the peach relish on the side. We cut out some of his pretzel bun too for ease of dicing and him eating.

This quick relish would be really good on a pork tenderloin, or a grilled portobello, or on a white fish- maybe tilapia.