Perfect Hamburgers and Ketchup-Whole 30!

I love hamburgers. To me they are the the epitome of summer; grilling, summer nights outside, enjoying family and friends.

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In Texas, summer lasts almost all year round, so having potato salad a burgers for dinner didn’t seem strange on a hot November night (High of 85! It’s definitely not soup weather!)

Ketchup Ingredients
Ketchup Ingredients

I try to avoid corn (I have a weakness for buttery popcorn), it is hard to find an affordable ketchup without sugar or corn syrup. I found a ketchup recipe a few years ago, and I liked it but a half a cup of chopped dates seemed like a lot of sugar to me. Plus does ketchup really need to be sugary?

ketchup

Not at all! Mr. Z loves this ketchup, and it is the perfect topping for a bunless hamburger. I hope you enjoy this simple ketchup recipe, along with this simple Hamburger recipe.

spices-for-burgers

The Ketchup has options to be vegan, onion free, and Low-FODMAP! If you haven’t tried warm ketchup, do it, LIFE CHANGING!

cooking-the-burgers

We currently do not have a grill. (Mr. Wonderful is getting a new smoker for Christmas! Shhh!) Plus, setting it up and prepping the charcoal for hamburgers is more work than I want to do, we use my George Forman Grill I got as a high school graduation present! (I am not telling you how long ago that was…) Cooking them this way is fast and we can have grilled burgers all year round.

burger-2

Perfect Hamburgers and Ketchup-Whole 30!
 
Prep time
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This simple ketchup recipe will replace the traditional store bought sugar and corn syrup filled ones. The accompanying hamburger recipe is perfect for topping with your homemade ketchup. Adding just enough flavoring these hamburger are much better than just a meat patty.
Ashley Teare:
Recipe type: Whole 30
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 burgers
Ingredients
  • For the Ketchup:
  • 5 large dates, pits removed (about 60 g)
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 14.5 oz can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, diced
  • ½ cup Bone Broth (or water for vegan or onion free/FODMAPs)
  • 2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Garlic granules*
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder*
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp Allspice
  • For the Hamburgers:
  • 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 TBSP Dijon Mustard
  • 1 TBSP Almond Flour
  • 1 tsp Garlic Granules
  • ½ tsp Onion Powder
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. For Ketchup:
  2. Make sure the pits are removed from the dates, chop or leave whole.
  3. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan bring to a low boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and Simmer for 10 minutes.
  4. Pour the contents, CAREFULLY, into a blender and blend until smooth.
  5. Return the saucepan and simmer for an additional 30 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved.
  6. For Hamburgers:
  7. Place the beef in a large bowl.
  8. Add the Dijon Mustard.
  9. In a separate small bowl, add the remaining spices, mix and then add to the beef.
  10. Mix well and shape into 4 patties, about 3 inches in diameter and about an inch thick.
  11. Grill or pan fry.
Notes
FOR KETCHUP:
VEGAN OPTION: Use water or vegetable broth
FODMAPs: Omit dates and onion powder, replace the garlic with 2 tsp of garlic infused oil in the ketchup. Simmer the ketchup for a minimum of 30 minutes.

 

What we did: November 7 to 13

This last week was fairly uneventful. I am going to purposefully avoid taking politics because, well yeah. I voted, and not for Trump. That’s as much and as far as I want to go.

I have been working on Mr. Z Christmas stocking. I am not sure I am going to finish it, but I am trying my hardest to get his stocking finish for Christmas this year.

christmas-stocking

We also canned some pumpkin! Peeled, cubed, boiled, and pressure canned! I hope to use some for pumpkin pie this holiday season. We found a volunteer seedling, so we planted it. Maybe Texas will give us pumpkins in May!

volunteer-pumpkin

Since, we are cycling often, and sometimes it can rain without notice, I wanted to find a more permanent home for the trailer. Without garage, I had to get creative. It is a little bit of a hassle, but it stays dry, and no bugs.

bike-trailer-new-home

We also, rescheduled our family pictures. I found an AMAZING photographer. She was amazing with Mr. Z. She sent me some proofs and I can not wait until I get the finals!

family-pictures

What We Did: Nov 1-6th

It is November! Where we used to live that meant heavy coats, cold rain, and possibly a snow flurry. Now, in Texas, we are enjoying cooler temperatures and sudden thunderstorms.

Our week started out with me finally giving in and getting into the doctor about my allergies. I usually have been able to just live through the week or two of cold like symptoms. Now, in Texas, everything is bigger, and that means allergies are bigger too. Doctor prescribed me some steroids and 90% of my symptoms are gone. I have now joined the throng of seasonal allergy sufferers.

The next day, I was back at the doctor’s office, but this time with Mr. Z. He is a pretty good kid, and rarely gets so sick I have no idea what to do. It also one of those times where I just freak out, I can’t call my mom to be reassured, and I personally feel weird calling other “mother” type figures in my life with questions. I tried to wait it out, but I called the office to see what they would suggest and they asked me to bring him in.

Now, when you bring your sick kid to the office, I feel like magically they resolve every single symptom and start bouncing off the wall. Well this visit was just like that. It is so frustrating to me because, now I feel like I am that over reacting helicopter parent, which I try not to be.

Anyway, so we canceled our family pictures we had scheduled for the weekend and took a nice and easy weekend. Which was good because it rained all day Saturday.

Sunday biking

Overall our week was gloomy like the fall weather, but Sunday we had a little excitement. We have started riding our bikes to church, it is about a mile away, just straight down the street. Mr. Z looks forward to it, and my hippie dippie inter-soul is happy to save the environment just a little. Well, we didn’t check the forecast before leaving, and as we walk out of church, it starts raining and thundering. So we pedal quick as we can home and luckily made it home before the downpour and the lightening and thunder. Mr. Wonderful, didn’t make out so lucky. He stays for choir practice, and we had a little miscommunication. Now I need to find a good dry cleaners.

Movie time

We also started a new Sunday activity! Popcorn and movie after church, while we wait for daddy! It was fun, and we probably ruined dinner eating popcorn right before, oh well!

Popcorn!

We also did a couple of recipe tests! One I have plan to get out before Thanksgiving.

Recipe testing

Pasta Sauce!

One of our weekly go to meals is pasta night. Which is then followed by pizza night, using leftover pasta sauce.

When we were first married, I tried to make pasta sauce “from scratch”. It was terrible. So I called my mom and got her recipe. I still couldn’t get to taste right. I gave up, and resorted to purchasing overpriced cans of flavored tomato product  pasta sauce.

Although, I do not use this recipe, I keep it. It is just a little reminder of my mom.
Although, I do not use this recipe, I keep it. It is just a little reminder of my mom.

One day a came across a recipe that said it was guaranteed to produce the perfect sauce every time. I tried it, it was so crazy simple, and we liked it! Of course after trying I had to tweek it, and make it our own. Now, I think it is way better, and still crazy easy.

We love the sauce: plain, with meat balls, with homemade pork Italian sausage, on pizza, to dip for Pao Bread, over pasta, over zoodles, over carrot noodles, you get the point, it is the best all-purpose pasta sauce.

pasta-1

This sauce makes a big batch, about enough for the month, like I said we have it weekly. I like to do it in the crock pot, and my small one (4 quart) is the perfect size for it. The sauce freezes perfectly, and will last “indefinitely” according to the USDA. Be ware that the longer you store it the quality will go down.  ALWAYS, always follow good food safety guidelines. The USDA has a great resource here.

There are two ways you can make this, on the stove (quicker, but it will need more attention) or in a crock-pot (dump and go, it’s a no brainer). If we don’t count individual cans, this recipe has a 10 ingredients. Gather them up and a can opener, cause it is Pasta Night!

pasta-two

You will need two onions, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, cracked black pepper, 4-14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (or two 28 oz cans), one 28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (not sauce), 12 oz tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil (or dry).

ingredients-pasta-sauce

Turn your crock pot onto low, and add a good layer of EVOO to the bottom (about 1/4 cup). Slice up your onions, now they don’t need to be sliced pretty or even, and throw that in. Add the garlic, about 2 tablespoons, maybe 3 whole cloves. I stopped buying whole garlic, cause I can’t stand the smell on my hands for the whole day, so I get the jar of minced garlic. Add the rest of the spices, a generous mounded tablespoon of sea salt, a mounded teaspoon of cracked pepper (not ground black pepper), 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and 12 fresh leaves of basil, or about 1 teaspoon dry basil. Give it all a stir and add the cans of diced tomatoes, tomato puree and tomato paste.

spices-and-onions

Let this cook for about 6 hours, stirring occasionally if you are home. I like to crack the lid of the crock-pot about halfway through so some of the liquid will evaporate off.

crack-the-lid

This will give you a chunky sauce or you can puree it all up with a stick blender or in a blender. Be careful, the sauce will be HOT! We tend to like it thick, so I puree it and the simmer it a little longer on high with the lid cracked.

Freeze extra in quart size zipper bags. Lay them flat in the freezer and they will defrost quickly! I put about 2.5 cups of sauce in a bag to freeze and get about 4 bags of sauce.

Simple Pasta Sauce
 
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This is a simple, no fuss pasta sauce that is sure to become your go to for pasta night.
Ashley Teare:
Recipe type: Sauce
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 10 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 small onions, sliced
  • ¼ c extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or whole
  • 1 heaping Tablespoon salt
  • 1 heaping teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 12 leaves fresh basil (or dry about 1 tsp)
  • 4-14 oz cans of diced tomatoes (or two 28 oz cans)
  • 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree (not sauce)
  • 12 oz tomato paste
Directions
  1. Turn your crock pot onto low, and add a good layer of EVOO to the bottom (about ¼ cup).
  2. Add in the onions, garlic, and spices.
  3. Stir and add the remain cans of tomatoes and tomato paste.
  4. Cook for about 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
  5. If you like a chunky sauce serve as is.
  6. For a uniform texture, you can puree it all up with a stick blender or in a blender. Be careful, the sauce will be HOT!
Notes
For stove top:

Add the EVOO and heat until shimmery, add the onions and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and spices and stir until fragrant, add in the tomatoes and tomato paste. *add in the fresh basil after the tomatoes*
Simmer on low for about an hour.

 

 

 

What We Did This Week: Halloween Edition

This week’s ‘What We Did’, will cover a little more than a week, because I can’t save Halloween for next week! Maybe I should change these to ‘What We Did This Weekend’, cause our week is pretty boring.

christmas-presents
Started a simple blanket for Mr. Z

Wednesday we went to JoAnn’s and spent too much money on Christmas present stuff. And I started Mr. Z’s Halloween costume.

sewing-halloween-20161027
Finshed Mr. Z’s costume with just the right amount of bobbin!

Friday, our MOMS Club had a little Fall/Halloween Party. The kids played and we all ate some yummy and fun halloween treats. Some of the kids also did a skeleton craft. We brought ‘Spiders’ on the Log (recipe at the end!).

moms-club-party

craft-time

a-ghost-and-his-alien-skeleton
Mr. Z made an alien skeleton with multiple heads.

Saturday, our church did a little community Truck or Treat in the parking lot and Mr. Z got to go and enjoyed himself. At the end, he was SWEATING!! It was 85 outside at 6 pm! Such a strange thing for us for Halloween.

trunk-or-treat

truck-ot-treat-2
Hot and tired, “I just take a little rest right here.”

Sunday morning, Mr. Z and I loaded up and drove down to my mom’s parents to spend some time and to take Mr. Z trick or treating.

We had a great time, and even though the whole time Mr. Z kept asking to go home, he didn’t want to leave when it was time to come home. I am grateful that our move to Texas has brought us close to family. Mr. Z doesn’t get to grow up knowing my mom, but he gets to know her parents and a couple of her siblings that live close.

 

‘Spiders’ on a Log! This is really ants on a log, we just called them spiders because it was Halloween. I am always surprised when people tell me they never heard of this snack before. So now, world, enjoy a classic after school snack!

spiders-on-a-log-1

All you need to some celery, peanut butter, and raisins.

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Wash and cut the celery stalks into “logs”, about 3 inches long.

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Fill peanut butter.

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Top with Ants! or Spiders! (or really with raisins!)

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ENJOY!

 

'Spiders' or Ants on a Log
 
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A classic after school or afternoon snack that you or your kids can enjoy
Ashley Teare:
Recipe type: Snack
Ingredients
  • Celery
  • Peanut Butter (or nut butter of choice)
  • Raisins
Directions
  1. Wash and cut celery stalks into 3 inch "logs"
  2. Fill with peanut butter.
  3. Top with raisins (ants/spiders).
  4. Enjoy!