the fifth of July

Yesterday, Saturday, the day after the big holiday, my sister and I made a trip to the lake where our folks have a cabin.  We picked Saturday because that was the day that our brother was also making the trip so we would all be there at the same time.  It worked out nice.  The weather was beautiful, we had time to do a little shopping in town and had some great food.

For lunch we had pretty typical summer party food.  I have no pictures but my mom makes a mean taco salad and it is something that I don't make so it is always a treat.  My dad was manning the grill and we had brats, along with potato salad and a couple other salads and fresh melon, strawberries and grapes and Lisa's macaroni and cheese. (recipe Sweet corn mac and cheese) 

For supper we had a chance to use a hamburger gadget that Jack brought along to make stuffed hamburgers.  A patty is placed in this mold and there is a top that when pressed into the patty makes a depression that can then be filled with a fun stuffing.  A second patty is placed on top of the stuffing and then pressure is applied again to make a thick patty which completely encloses the filling.  The patty is popped out of the mold and Jack, with help from Lisa, took a moment to go around each burger pinching the seams to discourage leaking of the filling and then they went on the grill.

This patty is getting stuffed with mac and cheese and chili

Stuffed and plain patties on the grill.

We stuffed ours with Lisa's mac and cheese and we added some chili to one.  They turned out great.  Jack did a great job on the grill.  The hamburgers were cooked perfectly.  The filling was the right temperature and even though they ended up shrinking a little during the cooking they still hung over the edge of the bun.  All in all a  very satisfying sandwich and fun to do. 

My sandwich.

A few more food pictures.

 

 

Lisa's boozy watermelon appetizer (melon, run and mint)

my contribution, cupcakes in patriotic wrappers

steamed zucchini topped with crab salad