Smoky Cheeseburgers with Yammy Fries

Can the "powers that be" be right? Has Spring come to stay? I can hope for that one. My patio furntiture is all in place, my barbeque is in it's rightful place. The barbeque is usually "man's world" ...but move over men...Valerie is here!!! My new barbeque is a thing of beauty, with its shiny stainless steel exterior and it's infrared roast cooker...can't wait to roast a spit chicken. I found the largest barbeque that my deck in the condominium would allow...still leaving plenty of room for the patio furniture and friends.

There was a time when I would barbeque all year round. I was out in the rain, the sleet, the hail..the snow.... nothing would keep me from my appointed task. If Spring has arrived then to speed up the process I have been flashing up the barbeque whenever the feeling moves over me. First it was the ribs for the Royal Foodie Joust and now Smoky hamburgers the quintessential and classic barbeque food. Roll on summer!!!!!!!!!!!!

In the heat of the summer my barbeque becomes invaluable. It is too hot in the kitchen to cook up a storm, so, instead of eating cold cuts and salads I turn on the side burner and cook up fresh veggies and stirfries, bake bread, make pizzas and even cakes and brownies in the barbeque. Experimentation is the key. The best thing about the barbeque there is little or no cleanup. No wonder it is man's world...wink...wink...sorry all you men out there :D We are just smart enough to make a delicious meal with the least amount of effort so we can move on to other things!! What a concept!

So to start my barbeque season off right I christianed my barbeque for the 2nd time with hamburgers. Cheesy ,barbeque sauce laden, dripping on your pants, juicy burgers with yam fries and oven baked onion rings. I'm sure there will be many more barbeques to come!!!!!!!!!!!

**Smoky Cheeseburgers with Yammy Fries**

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup chili sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 T cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic,

Mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced cremini or button mushrooms

Patties

2 pounds (907 g) extra-lean ground sirloin
2 - 4 T water

freshly ground pepper

2 T of the barbeque sauce
8 slices soft, whole-wheat hamburger buns
8 light cheddar cheese slices (in this case Provolone because it is what I had on hand)
Other burger toppings as desired: ketchup, mustard, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, bacon, etc

Yammy Fries

2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (see Tip)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
4 x medium sweet potatoes
3 T olive oil

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Barbecue Sauce :To make sauce, blend together all sauce ingredients in a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes. Blend in food processor or blender until smooth. Let cool.

Mushrooms: Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in non-stick skillet. Add mushrooms and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Patties: Preheat gas grill to high setting. To make patties, combine beef, 2 to 4 T water, and 2 T barbecue sauce in a large bowl. Mix gently using your hands. Shape meat into 8 patties. Make a small indentation in the centre of each patty with your thumb to ensure even cooking because the burger swells during cooking.

Brush grill rack lightly with oil or spray with cooking spray. Grill burgers over hot coals until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook them or they’ll be dry. Baste both sides of burgers with barbecue sauce during last couple minutes of cooking.
Top with cheese slices, close lid, count to 10 and remove from heat! Serve burgers on whole wheat rolls with sautéed mushrooms and your favourite burger toppings.

** Yammy Fries**

Combine all spices: grated parmesan cheese, ground cumin, chili powder, paprika chipotle, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder, in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Wash potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Do not peel them if you desire. Slice each potato into french-fry-like wedges (about 10 fries per potato, depending on the size of the potato). Toss fries in a large bowl with olive oil until well-coated, then toss with spice blend.

Spread fries evenly on a non-stick baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 8 minutes. Turn fries over and bake an additional 7 minutes, or until tender. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your fries. Make sure you don’t over-bake them, or they’ll be soggy.