Holiday and relaxation don't usually mix for moms. You're cooking. You're watching kids. You're getting the supplies, the table cloths, the citronella candles, the accessories ready for the final cookout throw down (while everyone else sits around with drinks and smiles and conversation). So the last thing you need is a complicated dip, casserole, or side dish recipe. Enter some new twists on old faves this Memorial Day! :) It's amazing how much a different type of cheese, for instance, can completely elevate the flavor of our old friendly burgers into something almost-gourmet. Well, if you won't tell, I won't either! :) +++++++++++++++++++

In this article: 

1. the burger

2. the fries

3. the dessert

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the burger

While moms often avert world catastrophe several times per day by finding that binky, the beloved blankie, and calmly sweeping the child up and away from the other kid obliviously swinging their bat, I too have solved a world problem. How to get bacon in every bite of a bacon cheeseburger. It usually goes down like this... There's the burger with bacon on top looking all BEAUTIful and tasty. (Notice this is even an upscaled attempt from traditional bacon on top because in this photo, I've wrapped it around the burger in an attempt to ensure bacon in every bite. Again, another fail) Bite one, YUM. Bite two and the bacon is pulling and either completely comes off the burger OR comes off in your hands. Mess and a bacon-free burger. No bueno. Enter... the SOLUTION to end all bacon fiascos. The solution that guarantees a bacon-filled bite with every bite or your money back! Prepare yourselves. View the ultimate bacon cheeseburger:

Simply by chopping the bacon strips and distributing them evenly on the burger before melting cheese, one can guarantee bacon in EVERY BITE, and the bestest, tastiest, homerun burgers in the neighborhood. This will change lives. Alter destinies. Enliven societies. AND wow your guests and tastebuds.  Add any or all of the following suggestions to blow minds even further: a high quality raw gouda cheese, grassfed ground beef, and pastured bacon.

Recipe per serving:

1 grilled burger 3 strips bacon, chopped 2-4 slices gouda at room temp (enough to cover the burger) On each burger, evenly distribute the chopped bacon on top. Cover with cheese and return to the second rack of the grill, the corner of the grill, or in the microwave for ~45 seconds, until the cheese melts to the desired consistency! Breathe in the awesomeness.  

the fries

It's easy to forget how fresh herbs completely transform drab dishes into pizzazz-filled conversation starters, "HAVE YOU TRIED ____?! HERE, eat it NOW!" (Open faced gasping with delight. How could food be sooooo delicious???? AND good for you? Yes, I calmly pat your shoulder, it's true.) Who doesn't love french fries?! These are probably the tastiest fries I've. EVER. EATEN. IN. MY. LIFE. Seriously. They are inspired from a local restaurant in walking distance from our house conveniently called The Local. Tasty, delicious, but also fried in vegetable oil. So I created a healthy version at home. Simple, easy, done. Another party winner. It's hard to believe that simply adding rosemary and pepper could bust open barriers and reunite loved ones, but it's true. If your mind could be blown any further, it's here and now.

Here's personal haystack fries for every person. YUM and bite-sized! Hard to eat just one.

here's how to make them:

1 large peeled white potato per 2 people Cheese grater, mandoline, or food processor with grater setting Tallow, ghee, coconut oil, duck fat, or a mixture of these options 2-3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (per potato) sea salt fresh pepper   Peel one potato per two people. Grate it into strips with the cheese grater, or run it through a mandoline or food processor to get strips similar to the ones shown. In a small or medium sized pot, heat ~1/2 cup ghee and/coconut oil (I used 1/2 tallow, 1/2 ghee this time) over medium to medium high heat. You want it to be deep enough to completely submerge each "stack," yet not waste much because we'll toss this fat at the end. 2.5-3 inches deep should cover it. I use a smaller pot for this. Once the oil is sizzling, add a small handful of potatoes and allow to fry for 30-60 sec or until light golden brown. Use a fork to bring them together after a few seconds. Scoop up each batch with a stainless steel strainer, slotted spoon, or the fork and place on a plate covered in paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, and liberally with rosemary. Try not to eat them all before the main meal! If the oil gets too low, add more. If you are using coconut oil, it is completely normal to "foam" at the top. When you are finished toss the leftover oil. Frying at high temperatures can damage healthy fats after an extended amount of time. So tossing them after one use prevents that from happening, unlike restaurants that often use the same oil for weeks! Yuck! NOTE: I DO NOT recommend ever making fries with canola oil, peanut oil, or other vegetable oils as they are highly inflammatory!  

the dessert

Forget making dessert yourself. Get everyone else involved! Make a tray with all the supplies for these tasty patriotic fruit kabobs and let them have at it. Tasty, less sugar, and less work for you. Oh, and did I say tasty?

here's what you'll need:

skewers - if there are children, non-spiky ones are best! watermelon, chopped bananas, chopped blueberries   Mix and match and enjoy! Simple. Easy. Done!   May your long weekend be restful, joyous and blessed with enriching memories. And may your food be always nourishing health, relationships, and lives!

What will you be trying? Leave a comment below sharing your favorite recipe and any you'd add to this list! :) Can't wait to get more ideas!!!

  **************************************************************** Gerilyn Burnett helps women achieve the body, energy, and impact they desire by implementing healthy lifestyles they love! She specializes in helping Christian women cultivate health to the glory of God. Her own journey from miserable, fat, stuck, and tired to fit, confident, vibrant, and delicious make her uniquely suited for this mission! She has a knack for creating contagious healthy experiences and providing the needed support and accountability that turn diets into lifestyles and dreams into realities. Get started on your journey to vibrant vitality for life here.