The 3 Alarm Vegan Bacon Cheeseburger

Hot.

There is a monster of a heat wave hitting NYC right now* which I have to admit is cramping our style a bit. There are all these great fruits and berries hanging out in our local farmer's markets and grocery stores that I want to bake into pies and various other treats but all my will to turn on that oven has been... well to be honest... punched in the face.

So it would seem ironic that we would post a burger that is "Hot" but these spicy burgers give you room to get creative and take less than 20 minutes to make. They also gave us a chance to combine a bunch of awesome vegan things we've finally been able to locate in our new home :

• Gardein Beefless Burgers - If you haven't had these yet you need to try them! They have to be the best vegan burgers we've had in forever. Sorry Boca - but no one forced you to change your vegan burgers. We still love you Boca and plan on eating you regularly but really I think we are prepared to go on record that The Shannons love Gardein Beefless Burgers more than sunshine (especially right now).
• Lightlife Smart Bacon - It's no secret we love a great fake bacon. We like to mix it up and use smokey tempeh sometimes but sometimes it's nice to have something really crispy and super smokey. That's when you want smart bacon.
• Daiya Pepperjack Cheese - I don't think I need to tell you how awesome Daiya's vegan cheeses are but I feel like I should let you know as a friend that if you haven't tried the pepperjack yet... you're missing out.
• Rick's Pick Hotties (spicy sriracha-habanero pickles) - We found these last weekend at the farmer's market and have fallen in love with them. I mean pickles made with sriracha. Here's some great news for you folks not in NYC - you can order them online!

About now, your elementary schooling has kicked in and you're saying "Um, that's only 2 alarms."

You are correct my learned friend. We decided to use sliced jalapenos for our 3rd alarm but really that is the beauty of this burger... you can add as many alarms as you want and make them whatever you want! Here are just a few suggestions for other alarms you might want to try :

• Pepperoncinis
• Spicy Kim-Chi
• Any of the millions of Hot Sauces out there including the beloved Sriracha
• Chipotle Peppers
• Hot Salsa (obviously)
• Wasabi
• Smart Deli Pepperoni
• Spicy Mustard
• Jerk Sauce made with Red Scotch Bonnet Pepper

If you have any more suggestions - Please share! We'd love to hear about hour favorites.

So ask yourself... Are you ready see how many alarms you can handle?

* Seriously everyday the cats look at me and ask : "Mommy why did you bring us to this bad place? I'm melting." - with their little gestures of course - not vocally. I haven't been driven insane by the heat yet.

Vegan Double Taco Burgers = A Cure for What Ails You

So last weekend, Dan got sick. I had to miss the prom and stayed home to watch Dr. Who. No, you didn't travel back in time. We're talking NYC's infamous Veggie Prom. I know I could have gone on my own, but it's just a part of our relationship. We treat each other the way we'd want to be treated, and I wouldn't have been thrilled if he had gone off to dance the night away while I was stuck home suffering. So I stayed home and we made Double Taco Burgers.

Now I'm not sure if this a recipe as much as combo trick. A few months ago, I was shopping with my friend Marta, who you might remember her from such adventures as The Danannie Wedding and Vegan Tuna Casserole. We were checking out a new grocery store in Norfolk and found a series of skillet sauces created by Frontera and Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayless... and heaven to Betsy,* one of them is vegan.

Be sure and read your labels - There are 2 green packets. One is vegan - the other isn't. You can see the ingredients list in this post from The Kitchn.

This sauce even uses agave nectar instead of honey for sweetness. So I got one and tested it out. That night we used it to make some Gardein chicken tacos, but this weekend we took it one step further. During my grocery store scouting, I found these skillet sauces in NYC too, and picked some up for occasions just like this weekend... times when we needed something fast and friendly and absolutely fabulous.

We needed Double Taco Burgers! During a time when nothing seems to be going right Double Taco Burgers are here to make it all seem a little less something. I mean, setting up the cable/internet in a brownstone has turned out to be a challenge designed for the Macgyvers of the world. We had so many cables and cords running through our apartment it looked like Hoth. Then Blogger dies, taking blog posts and comments with it. SIGH. Yeah - we needed some thing to fill our bellies that wasn't going to lead to a lot of dishes and was super quick.

OK - I'm going to say it. I mean I have to right?

Help us Double Taco Burgers. You're our only hope...

The Betty Crocker Project : Bacon Cheeseburger Hash

I recently read an article written by a woman who had been married for five years and worked in the wedding-planning industry. She started with a brief summary of their courtship. Of course, it had the arc of any good love story. There was the lighting bolt "love at first sight", the standard "we broke up once", and the "happy ending" wedding. But that's when she pointed out that, well, obviously that's not the end. She listed off all the things she would never experience again: first kisses, the declaration of romantic interest (that doesn't make it sound very exciting), and all the little humorous anecdotal stuff that comes from getting to know each other. She mourned over the loss of adrenaline rushes and, well, plain-old stupid-ass drama. Can you tell where I'm going here?

(This is where I deleted a whole section about all the first kisses I've been excited about in my past, but now make me shudder... back to our story.)

Last night, I made vegan Bacon Cheeseburger Hash for my husband--and although we had the Hiroshima of epically passionate first kisses, there's another kinda of poetry that comes from our home, and the ongoing love affair that is our life together. One that doesn't make me cry, or stay up till 3 AM watching cartoons and thinking of all the things I did wrong or choices I could have made differently.

Somewhere in this skillet dish that combines two soul mates--bacon cheeseburgers and french fries--I'm finding something pretty special. More special than the "meat cake" Cheeseburger Lasagna, and the mythical Cheeseburger Pie? Hmmmm... hard to say. Everything is special in its own way. I do know that this dish only takes about 20 minutes and makes enough for 2 large portions (or 4 probably-healthier portions). I also know that it was a big hit around the Shannon house last night, and will live on long after The Betty Crocker Project has gone down in history.

The Betty Crocker Project : Caesar Salad Burger

A while back, I kinda freaked out about the vegan version of Betty's Caesar Salad Dressing. I mean, I talked about it for days. When people came over for Passover, I talked their faces off about how much I loved this salad dressing. Seriously - no faces! I publicly broke up with Paul Newman because of this salad dressing. This salad dressing is that good.

So, I was sitting there looking at this package of Match Vegan Ground Burger and my heart began to skipping around my chest. Caesar Salad Burgers? I'm in!

Was it all I dreamed it would be? Yeah - I think it was.

Does this recipe make a lot of food, so much so that Dan and I will eating leftover burgers today? Yes. Yes, we will be eating burgers for the next few days. Not that I'm complaining. I just ran out of quesadillas.

I think this burger could doll up a BBQ and bring something new to the traditional veggie burger. This week, IDA featured a bunch of Meet The Shannons 4th of July BBQ ideas. If you haven't seen it yet, take a minute to read it. I contribute to the newsletter and blog a lot, so be sure and check them out!

OK. Enough chatter. Let's eat!

The Betty Crocker Project : Pizza Burgers

I woke up this morning with a song about Spider-man and Pizza Burgers in my head.* See, many people know they like Spider-man, but they aren't really sure why. Of course, there are the obvious things:

A. The trademark Spider-man flying-through-the-skyscrapers artwork. Let's face facts: it's sweet. It makes you feel like the wind is hitting your face when Spider-man chases The Green Goblin.
B. Witty banter
C. He's one of the first teenage super heroes who acted like an actual teenager. He's cocky (when he's Spider-man), makes bad choices, and is a sucker for some long-legged blondes and redheads.
D. He was also one of the first teenage superheroes who wasn't just a sidekick.

But is that really why we like Spider-man?

I think we like Spider-man because we like Peter Parker. He's a good friend and son (or nephew or whatever). Peter Parker, like the our loyal little friend the veggie burger, can always be counted on.

I have no idea how many veggie burgers I've eaten over the years. We travel a lot, and we take comfort in knowing that more and more places have a friendly neighborhood veggie burger these days. They've become a trusted friend to vegans everywhere.

Saying that, if veggie burgers are Peter Parker, the Pizza Burger is Spider-man. This burger kicks butts in a boldfaced, saucy style. It's a show-off; but who cares? It's AMAZING!

Pizza Burgers

• 4 Vegan Veggie Burgers (we went with Boca Vegans, but there are a lot of different types to choose from)
• 1/2 Red Onion (sliced)
• 1/2 Small Green Pepper (chopped)
• 2 Tablespoons of Pizza Sauce per Burger
• 2 Teaspoons Black Olives per Burger (sliced)
• 4-5 slices of Vegan Pepperoni per Burger
• 4 Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Daiya Mozzarella Cheese per Burger (shredded)
• Oregano and Red Pepper Flakes to sprinkle over the top
• Serve with some Pepperoncinis for a little something extra
• Olive Oil and a Dash of Liquid Smoke for cooking

Preheat oven to 400.

In your cherished little cast iron skillet, heat Olive Oil and a dash of Liquid Smoke at a medium heat. Add the Veggie Burgers. Once they start to brown, add Red Onions. Flip the Burgers a few times until they're brown on both sides. If the Onions are done cooking before the Burgers are done, you can always pile them on top of the Burgers to flavor the Burgers a bit.

While the Burgers and Onions are cooking, put your Sandwich Buns on your trusted pizza stone, open and face-down and in the oven. Remove when they're slightly toasted.

Take the top half of the Buns off the pizza stone and set aside. Flip the bottom half of the Bun over and put the Burger on there. Now, stack the Pizza Toppings on the Burger in this order: Pizza Sauce, Fake Pepperoni, little bit of Daiya Cheese, cooked Red Onion, Green Peppers, Some Daiya Cheese, Black Olives, and some more Daiya Cheese. Put the Pizza Burgers back in the oven to bake.

It should take around 10-20 minutes for the Daiya Cheese to melt. It depends how much you put on. Keep an eye on it, and remove from the oven once the Daiya Cheese is melted.

Sprinkle some Oregano and Red Pepper Flake over the Daiya Cheese and put the top half of the bun on.

Don't forget: with the great power comes great responsibility. So don't take the Pizza Burger for granted. It may seem simple, but that doesn't mean it won't rock your face.

*Pizza Burger... Pizza Burger... Does whatever a Pizza does. Wealth and fame... he's ignored... being amazing is his reward. Look out! There's a Pizza Burger.

The Betty Crocker Project : Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Lasagna

A few years back, I was looking at this absolutely just astounding website for MEAT CAKES with my friend Sarah (some of you may know her as the poster grrl from our facebook fan page Vegan Foods = Joy). Gross as it was - and believe me some of them were just sick - We were having a pretty good time coming up with some vegan versions of our own "Meat Cakes". My favorite was little tacos shaped like cupcakes with guacamole frosting sprinkled with green onions and black olives. I was actually inspired that day to create the infamous Fake Bacon Onion Ring Cheeseburger "cake" but then one of us had a realization : Most of these so called "Meat Cakes" were just weirdo versions of lasagna with some candles and spray cheese flowers.

The second I saw this recipe - I knew. I was making a vegan "Meat Cake".

If you are following along in your own Betty Crocker Cookbook, you'll see that there aren't really any vegetables in this recipe. I mean does canned tomato sauce really count as a vegetable? I had pulled some fresh tomatoes out of the fridge to add - I mean - cheeseburgers have slices of tomatoes - right? But here's the thing with a "Meat Cake" : Not unlike regular cakes, "Meat Cakes"  aren't solid until you bake them. If there is too much moisture - they don't get solid. SO! I didn't do it. I may try to tinker with it in the future but because I did have to tinker with this one quite a bit to add flavor and of course replacing the ricotta and taking out the eggs - WELL - this recipe is without a doubt, no compromise, assuredly, beyond question, clearly, a super undeniable "Meat Cake". 

ENJOY! Please eat with a salad. *

The Betty Crocker Project : Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

I can remember being a little eater and reading recipes on the side of products and cans of vegetables for pretty random things like Cornflake-Covered Pork Chops and Cheezy Corn Wiener Roast made from those mysterious "Cheese Food" substances that never made their way to our kitchen. I never grew up in a home where my mother would allow us to eat food that she said "wasn't really food". So I would read these recipes as if they were a sneak peak into what was on dinner tables all over America being served by Non-Italian mothers that didn't think Ragu tasted like catsup. . . which it does. . . but that's a tangent for another day.

So one of the more exciting parts of this project ( for me anyways - I suspect Dan is being a really good sport ) was making some of the more random, creative and oh so very American - Brand Suggesting - Cross Promotional Concoctions. . . such as this true classic : THE IMPOSSIBLY EASY CHEESEBURGER PIE!

Now - Anyone who has ever been to our house to eat or watch a movie  - whatever - knows I like to research things. I like going into really anything with a little bit of a heads up of what to expect. Surprises are for people who aren't prepared. So I looked into this so called "Cheeseburger Pie". . . and guess what? This is a REAL THING. I found little old ladies sharing their recipes via websites I'm pretty sure their grandkids made and several recipes designed for bachelors and Southern Food Enthusiast with raving reviews from folks filled with cherished childhood memories of making this dish from a recipe on a Bisquick or Velveeta box. AH-HA! I KNEW IT!

It was surprisingly easy to Veganize this recipe and I have to admit it was also pretty good. I would wholeheartedly suggest giving it a try. It would be a great thing to bring to a potluck or BBQ - especially one with meatier guests.

• 4 Vegan Boca Patties 
• 1 Large Red Onion ( chopped )
• 1/2 Teaspoon Braggs
• 6 Slices of Tofutti American Cheese Slices
• 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
• 1/2 Cup Original Bisquick
• 1 Cup Soy Milk 
• 2 Eggs worth of Ener-G Egg Replacer
• Olive Oil for cooking
• A Few Dashes of Liquid Smoke
• Margarine for greasing the glass pie plate

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a  9 inch glass pie plate with Margarine - You can also use a cooking spray.

Heat the Olive Oil and Liquid Smoke in a cast iron skillet - add Boca Burgers and Red Onions. Brown the Burgers and Onions. Once the Burgers start to get a to soft - chop them up into bite size clumps with your metal spatula. Stir in Braggs. Cook until the Onion is translucent and Burger clumps have crispy edges ( be sure and scrap up any Burger that is sticking to the skillet - those are the best parts ).

Spread in pie plate. Slice up 4 Tofutti Cheese Slices and sprinkle on Boca Burger pieces.

In a small bowl, stir in the remaining ingredients with a wire whisk until blended.Sprinkle the Nutritional yeast over the Burger pieces and Cheese and then pour the Bisquick mix into pie plate - over Burger pieces and Cheese.

Slice up the remaining 2 Tofutti Cheese Slices and Sprinkle of the top.

Bake about 25 minutes or until you can poke the center with a toothpick and have it come out clean. 

I ate mine with a side of dill pickles. Dan ate his with mustard and catsup. It is a Cheeseburger after all and I have to admit  - it was everything I always knew it would be!