Happy Monday!  The weather is supposed to be pushing 90 today, which means, let the BBQs begin!!  Summertime (well, just about anytime for Crosby, my hubby) means time for some finger-lickin' BBQ. 

We were definitely inspired by the sun yesterday and decided to BBQ some burgers.  Now, in honor of Celiac Awareness Month (which starts tomorrow), we couldn't just make mediocre burgers.  We had to go all out, and we did!



Gourmet BBQ Burgers
Ingredients:

• Grass fed ground beef (anyone find this for less than $6.99 lb.?!?!...if so PLEASE share!)
• Mas Guapo organic seasoning
• Sharp cheddar cheese slices
• Red onion slices
• Applewood smoked bacon (love Trader Joe's!)
• Tomato slices
• Udi's Gluten Free whole grain hamburger buns
• Condiments (we like mustard, ketchup and relish)

If you haven't tried Mas Guapo seasoning, trust me, you are MISSING OUT!  Since buying this seasoning for my hubby for Christmas we have been addicted to this stuff (I think he's even added it to our eggs! Ha!). 

Directions:
Pretty simple (just like we like it!).

1. Sprinkle the ground beef with Mas Guapo (as much as desired), mix together and form into patties.
2. BBQ that mess (I'll have to ask the hubbs to chime in here with any tips...this is his department!).  Add sliced cheese towards the end, if desired.
3. Slice the onions and BBQ those too (man did this transform our taste for onions!  Delish!).
4. Meanwhile, the Mrs. is cooking the bacon so it's ready when hubbs is done BBQin' (or visa versa...whatever your strength in the kitchen, or on the grill, go with that!  We like to cook together, but that's just us).
5. Pile it all together and enjoy!

We paired our burgers with a simple salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, & sunflower seeds) and potato chips. 

*Note: One thing we forget was our yummy, ripe avocado that was just sitting on the counter waiting to be sliced!  Shoot...don't make that same mistake. :)

And now...for the reveal!  Trust me, it was as delicious as it looks. 



I can honestly say, that was likely the BEST burger I have ever eaten!
Thank you Mas Guapo for transforming the flavors in our kitchen.  And most important, thank you Crosby for being the best BBQer around!!!

Have you ever tried to write when your head is congested?  Man is it difficult. 

This Food Free Friday post is dedicated to Kleenex...my saving grace this week! :)

*Image from stampedpapercoblog.com

I've had this cold/flu business off and on for a few weeks now and it's totally clouding my brain.  I've got all these great posts I want to write (like a recap of Nourished, A Food Blogger Conference, and the GFAF Expo) yet I can't pull my thoughts together.  Even worse, I've got some great recipes I want to try, but I'm so exhausted I can't even consider it. 

I've felt like the posts I have written were painfully compiled and just not quite where I'd like them to be...  Can anyone relate?  Does the snot in your head cloud your thoughts too?  Ha...I know that's disgusting, but it just made me giggle!

However, the positive side of this is I've been napping like crazy, so I'm beginning to feel like I'm catching up on my sleep! Yay! Even better is I've been able to see even more how loving my husband is. His work has been crazy, yet he's been taking care of me as best he can when he's home. 

So, I want to know.  What do other writers/bloggers do when their minds are clouded by illness?  Do you all just squint your eyes at the blaringly white computer screen and write what you hope to be something legible? 

Please share...just not your germs! ;)

Anyone else suffering from a "case of the Monday's" today?  It's only 9:30 and I'm already ready for a nap.  Granted, that's likely due to being sick all weekend (lovely congestion just doesn't want to permanently leave...we're going on a few weeks here! Come on!), but regardless of being sick or not, Monday's are usually lazy cooking days in our house.  Are we the only ones?

Doubtful, considering the above famous coined phrase from Office Space ("case of the Monday's").  If we're feeling that way I work, I doube we gain crazy energy when facing making dinner at home.  Side note, if you have not yet watched the movie, Office Space, you should add it to your list ASAP! ;) 

Anywho, as I sit here with my clouded brain, I can't help but be grateful for...quick, easy, and delicious meals!  On today's menu, quesadills and layered bean dip! 

Check out the layered up quesadilla... hubby made these! Fat & delish!

Quesadillas
Ingredients:

• Brown Rice Tortillas (we prefer Trader Joes brand)
• Mexican Shredded Cheese Blend
• Turkey Lunch Meat (sliced) or Cooked Chicken (shredded)
• Butter

Directions: (just in case)

1. Coat the outside of a tortilla, lightly, with butter.
2. Turn the tortilla over, fill half with desired amount of cheese and meat.
3. Fold in half and place on a nonstick pan over medium heat.
4. Cook until both sides are crispy.  And...done!  Make as many as you need.

Layered Bean Dip
Ingredients:

• Refried Beans
• Guacamole (again, we prefer Trader Joes brand)
• Plain Yogurt (or sour cream if you don't like yogurt)
• Salsa (Trader Joes garlic salsa is delicious!)
• Shredded Cheese (optional if you want to cut down on your dairy)
• Sliced Olives
• Tortilla Chips (I know I reference Trader Joes A LOT, but we are addicted to their organic tortilla chips with no salt!  Seriously, no salt on the chips and they're delish.  We get plenty of salt from the rest of this dinner, and you don't even miss the salt on the chips.)

Directions:

1. Heat refried beans, in a small pot, over medium heat. 
2. Use a small glass dish to layer your dip in (bread pan size tends to work for 2-3 people, a larger 8x8 square dish or pie dish for 4 or more).
3. Layer following the above ingredient list: beans, guacamole, yogurt, salsa, cheese, olives.  And...done!  Dip in your chips and enjoy!  You may want to dish some up into containers for lunch tomorrow before you dig in, or you may eat it all tonight! :)

Dinner is served! *Don't forget tortilla chips.

This dinner is a fail safe guaranteed to go quickly and keep your tummies happy. 

*Note: Whenever Crosby and I make this (or any other dish) we always make enough for lunch the next day.  I don't know about you and your family, but we definitely don't get up early enough to make lunch in the morning.  I barely give myself enough time to make some toast and slap almond butter on it! :)

So, what's your fail safe, quick dinner?  We'd love to add it to our menu, so PLEASE SHARE! :)

Time for Food Free Friday! 

Today I wanted to take some time and highlight some gluten-free beauty products that I am loving.  I don't know about you, but I spend maybe fifteen minutes getting ready for work. For me, the longer I can sleep in the better.  My typical morning goes as such:  alarm goes off, hit snooze 2-3 times, fly out of bed, brush my teeth, do my make-up, do something with my hair, throw on some clothes (ok, I do have to pause and say I am one of those crazies who spends 10-15 minutes picking out my outfit the night before!), grab breakfast and lunch (again, night before packing is a MUST for this gluten-free gal) and run out the door!  That being said, I am always excited for ways I can shorten my beauty routine.

Enter in these two gems.  I came across both in just the last two weeks and they have already trasformed my day! :)  Don't you just love a good product that you can trust and that seems to make your life easier?  I do!

Nars Eyeshadow base

Eyeshadow base-This smudge-proof eyeshadow base from Nars is amazing!  Seriously, since using this primer it seems like my eye shadow has just improved dramatically.  I'm just obsessed with how much longer my eye shadow stays on.  Usually, by the end of the day my eyes are a bit irritated and my eye shadow is creased and wearing off.  Well, no more!  I was impressed when Love, my trusty Sephora employee, recommended it as the one thing in Sephora she would most DEFINITELY buy (can I just say though, that comment leads me to believe she recieves free products...summer job at Sephora!?!?Hmm...not a bad idea!).  Now, after two weeks of use, I would have to agree.

RAL Nude Peppermint Lipgloss

Lipgloss-I know I've spoken a lot about my friends at Red Apple Lipstick and how amazing their products are.  Well, I'm here to do it again because I just can't get enough!  I recently got my hands on their Nude Peppermint Lipgloss (thanks for the recommendation Jay!) and I'm hooked.  This stuff is incredible and again, going with today's theme, shortens my beauty routine.  This lipgloss has the perfect hint of color to make you feel like your look is "done," AND because it's a lipgloss you've got that awesome lipstick/lipgloss look acheived in one easy step.  To add to that, this stuff is peppermint flavored...added bonus baby!

So, now that you knows what's got me tickled this week, what beauty products make you happy?  I love learning for others and trying out what they like (that's how I came across the above, people!). 

Also, if you're curious about certain products, let me know.  I'm always down for an excuse to try something new! :)

What's the best thing about beef jerky? Why the beef of course! :)

Ha, ok I must apologize for the cheesiness! I'm a little loopy today. Must be Spring Fever coupled with the taste of an ever closer summer vacation (about 30 school days left...not that I'm counting!). I must admit though, as the weather warms up I just start getting ancy. It's funny because I start to do silly things in my class, like take them outside to read (I teach high school English), just because the sunshine makes me happy! Or get REALLY excited about Romeo and Juliet and make them memorize the Prologue! Ha, this time of year is just so fun!



Anyways, back to the beef in beef jerky. While my initial statement may be cheesy, it's true. Who wants to eat beef jerky that's made out of some kind of "meat-like" substance?

That's where Slant Shack Jerky comes in. This group of friends created a quality jerky out of sustainably raised grass-fed beef. With the hubby and I being avid organic food eaters you can imagine the excitement! We just want to make sure the bulk of our food is top quality (just a personal choice).

And oh my goodness, you can taste the quality in this jerky! I was extremely impressed from the first bite! They have a slogan on their information card that reads, "We're confident you'll love our jerky as much as we do - just make sure you get some before we eat it all." Ha, I need to make sure I save some for the hubby to try! Must not open the second package! ;) So stinkin' tasty!

As soon as I opened the package I was impressed by the smell of the jerky alone! It smelled a little sweet, almost like maple syrup, which got me excited! I don't like many powerful favors of jerky, so the slight hint of a flavor excited me. The taste proved even more impressive. It's hard to describe (I think I need to go to food critic school to improve my "food tasting" repertoire of words), but for now I'll go with delicious, while a mix of spicy and sweet. Overall, definitely something worth trying!

Now, I do have to say, it did seem to be a little extra chewy, but the extra little jaw workout is totally worth it. I'll have to wait and see what the hubby's thoughts are...maybe I just have a wimpy jaw!

Let me leave you with some cool facts about this neat company as posted on their site. Check out the info below...they have an AWESOME option where you can customize your own flavor! So cool!

Make sure you leave us a comment telling what flavor you tried, or created.

Info from site:
<i>SlantShack's Build-a-Jerky feature offers customers the choice of either 100% grass-fed or USDA Choice beef, and a variety of unique marinades, spice rubs and glazes. For jerky like you’ve never tasted before, mix and match flavors including Maple Syrup, Garlic Powder and SlantShack’s signature Jerk McGurk’s Wild RubDown to create your own customized meat treat.
Since we opened for business, we've been named one of the Top Ten Jerkies in America by Maxim, given 5 stars by Best Beef Jerky, featured in The Atlantic, Serious Eats, The Village Voice, The Wall Street Journal, and Food Republic, and generally adored by customers throughout the land. </i>