OUTSIDE-IN BACON CHEESEBURGERS WITH GREEN ONION MAYO

6 slices bacon, chopped
4 green onions
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (E.V.O.O.), for drizzling
1 ¾ pounds ground beef sirloin
1 ½ T. Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ T. Montreal Steak Seasoning
¾ pound extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1 C. mayonnaise
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 crusty Kaiser rolls, split
6 leaves crisp romaine lettuce

Preheat grill over high heat. In a medium pan, brown bacon and drain . Brush scallions with a little E.V.O.O. and grill on a hot grill (I actually grilled mine in the same saucepan that I browned the bacon, in a little bit of the bacon grease) 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat to cool.

MAKE THE BURGERS: Combine ground beef with Worcestershire sauce and steak seasoning and mix well. Divide meat into 6 equal parts. Combine grated cheese and cooked bacon. Take a portion of the ground meat in your hand and make a well in the center of it. Pile in cheese and bacon, then carefully form the burger around the cheese and bacon filling. Make sure the fillings are completely covered with meat. When all 6 large patties are formed, drizzle with E.V.O.O. and place on a hot grill. Cook 2 minutes on each side over high heat, reduce heat (or move to warm area of grill) and cook burgers 7 to 8 minutes longer, turning them occasionally. Do not press down on burgers as they cook. Transfer to a plate and let them rest 5 minutes before serving.

MAKE THE MAYONNAISE: Chop cooled, grilled green onions and add to a food processor. Add mayonnaise and cumin and pulse-grind the onions and mayonnaise together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I don’t have a food processor, so I just chopped the green onion into small pieces and mixed the other ingredients together with the green onion and it worked out great.)

Place burgers on crusty Kaiser buns and top with crisp lettuce leaves and a slather of green onion mayonnaise.

GRILLED CHICKEN SHISHKABOBS

1/2 C. olive oil
4 T. lemon juice
4 cloves garlic , minced (or 2 tsp. minced garlic)
2 T. chopped parsley
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
16 small mushrooms
green and/or red pepper; cut into pieces
red onion, cubed
skewers

Combine oil, lemon juice and seasonings in a large Ziploc bag. Add chicken and marinate for several hours. Skewer chicken pieces alternately with veggies. Broil or grill kabobs 10 to 15 minutes, brushing with marinade. Bring reserved marinade to a boil and serve with kabobs, if desired.