Western Burgers and Beer Battered Onion Rings

I've always been a pretty big component of "Why go spend a lot of money, when I can make it at home?". Especially when we're trying to save a bit of money for a vacation, or other big ticket items I would much rather go ahead and make the exact same dinner we'd have out just right at home.

One of my favorite meals out are hamburgers. I know, I'm one of those girls with simple tastes but it's true. And a good western burger makes me super happy! That's a burger with BBQ Sauce, bacon, cheese and a big old onion ring on top!

The same burger also goes for over 10 bucks if you get it with onion rings at any of the restaurants around here. Why do that when I can make two of them per person plus onion rings for around 10 bucks total?!

So if you're craving a good restaurant burger at half the price... well...

Let's get started shall we?

I don't have pictured the buns or the flour. I just didn't have room!

But as weird as it may be, we're going to start out with a marinade for our meat!

This starts with 1/2 cup of your favorite beer...

3 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce...

1 Tablespoon of Seasoning Salt...

And about 3 to 4 dashes of Tabasco.

Then go ahead and just whisk it all together, until well combined.

I know it looks weird... very red. But trust me, it makes the burgers this nice juicy full flavor. Really gives an extra kick to a burger that you didn't know you needed!

Now just slowly pour the marinade over the meat...

And let it start to soak in. About halfway through you're going to flip the meat and it's going to soak that marinade up like a strange sponge.

But that's what we want!

Now, while you are waiting for that, go ahead and fry up about half a pound of bacon....

Or a whole pound, depending on how much bacon you want on your burger. Let it drain. And then set it aside.

Now we're going to go ahead and flip the meat. Set it aside as well.

Time to make the onion rings!

Go ahead and cut an onion or two into fairly large rings. You don't want them too small, or the batter won't stick well to the ring.

Then very carefully separate the rings.

Carefully! The less that break the better!

Now let's go ahead and make our batter.

You're going to want to put 3 eggs...

1 cup of flour...

1 Tablespoon of Seasoning Salt...

And 1/3 cup of the same beer you used for your marinade (In fact just keep that bottle around...)

And begin to mix it together until it's nice and combined.

It is going to be lumpy! But that's okay...

Because now pour in the rest of that bottle of beer!!

Yes. We are trying to get the onion rings drunk.

Stir until well combined. It's going to be slightly runny.

Then go ahead and gradually stir in another cup of flour.

I mean gradually too. Otherwise that flour is going to go everywhere and you're going to realize your bowl isn't big enough and you need to switch to another bowl...

Because you know. That's what I did.

So don't be like me!

Anyway... go ahead and dunk your onion rings into this batter, making sure to cover them completely.

Let them drip off the batter a bit, then dunk them into 375 degree oil.

Please don't mind my oil, I need to change it!

If you don't have a deep fryer a stock pot with vegetable oil will also work for this, just on your burner.

About 2 to 3 minutes later, go ahead and flip the onion ring so that the other side will cook.

Then remove! Paper towels would be good, let them drain a bit.

Then go ahead and set these aside, or while you are cooking them, make your meat into the desired size patties you would like.

Then heat up the same pan you made your bacon in, draining out some of the bacon fat first.

Then once that pan is heated put your burger patties in!

Don't move these for at least 2 minutes. Let the one side get a nice crust!

Then go ahead and flip.

Let them cook just like you would then any other burger patty.

And don't think you have to pan fry these. You can do them however you generally do burgers. We just aren't allowed to have a grill here on our patio since we currently live in an apartment.

Then I go ahead and let my burgers rest a bit, so that it doesn't lose the juices!

Now, go ahead and get out your desired buns...

And place your burger patty on, and your desired cheese. I'm using American here, but Cheddar, or even Pepper Jack would work!

Then place on your bacon...

And your favorite BBQ Sauce! I like Sweet Baby Rays myself.

And finally pick out your favorite onion ring and gently place it on top...

And that's it!

A restaurant quality burger at half the price. And trust me... you'll be doing this quite often once you figure out the formula!

Don't be afraid to experiment! And hey, if you do... I'd love to hear about it!!

Western Burger Marinade

1/2 cup your favorite beer

1 Tablespoon Seasoning Salt

3 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce

3 to 4 dashes of Tabasco Sauce

Mix together ingredients with a wire whisk until well combined. Pour over meat, and allow to soak in, turning meat over halfway through. Form into patties and cook.

Beer Battered Onion Rings

2 Cups of Flour (Separated)

1 Bottle of Favorite Beer

1 Tablespoon Seasoning Salt

3 Eggs

1 to 2 Large Onions

Mix together 3 Eggs, 1 Cup of Flour, 1/3 Cup of Beer and Seasoning Salt. Mix together until well combined, then add remainder of beer. Mix together until smooth, then mixing in the second cup of flour gradually until smooth. Set aside.

Cut onions and separate into large rings. Dip into the wet batter, making sure the ring is completely covered. Dip into 375 degree oil, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Monkey Bread Mini Cakes

When it comes to inventive things for brunch, I love throwing out just the most random things ever and watching people's faces light up. Growing up I always loved Monkey Bread, but I always hated how it would just sit in the middle of the table and you had to reach if you wanted any.

So how exactly could I change that up? Well, I messed around with it a bit and came up with Monkey Bread Mini Cakes!

Individual Monkey Bread. How can you not love that? And with a frosting that is delicious and makes it look like a breakfast cupcake!

Let's get started, shall we?

There's not much to Monkey Bread. For a breakfast bread that always amazed me as a child there just is not much to it at all!

So first, you want to melt your butter. I like doing it in a glass measuring cup (make sure it's microwave safe) because it's then easier to pour over the breads...

Just go ahead and set that aside.

Then in a big bowl mix up 1/2 cup of sugar...

And 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon.

Then take a fork or spoon and really mix it together well, making sure there's no major clumps of either sugar or cinnamon.

All in all it should end up looking like this:

Now go ahead and open up your can of biscuits and get out a good clean pair of scissors.

That's right I said scissors.

Stop looking at me funny!

Just get out your clean scissors and cut the biscuit in half.

Then cut the halves in half.

Then dump them all into your sugar and cinnamon mixture...

And toss them around a bit!

Now, in a greased cupcake pan (6 to 8 large preferably!) press in 5 quarters in the bottom of each cup.

Then pour just a bit of melted butter over each.

You don't want to drown them... and you're going to want to split the butter evenly amongst the cakes (and remember that each cake will get 2 shots of the butter. The middle, and on top).

Now for the next layer, you're going to want to take the biscuit and cut it in half... then cut that half in half...

Then cut that half in half!

Yes folks, we've gone to an 8th of a biscuit.

Now go ahead and press in about 8 to 10 8ths into the top of each cup.

Pour just a little bit of butter over the top...

And then top with a spoonful of the sugar and cinnamon mixture. This will give the top just a little bit of crunch!

Then pop these in the oven in a 350 degree temp for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While those a baking however, let's go ahead and make some good cream cheese frosting!

Simple enough right?

Just take your 1/2 cup of powdered sugar...

1/2 container (or 4 oz) of cream cheese...

And mix them together until smooth with a good hand mixer.

Then add anywhere from 1 to 3 Tablespoons of milk, depending on your taste and how creamy you'd like your frosting.

And mix again until smooth!

Super simple right? And hey, our mini cakes are done in the meantime!

Look at those bad boys. They tend to explode all over the place, but it's in such a good way.

Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then go ahead and take them out of the pan.

Now trust me. These are good just like that. Sweet and gooey and oh so memory invoking.

But I like to take things just a step further.

Go ahead and get a big old spoonful of your cream cheese frosting...

And slather it on the top!

Oh man that looks like breakfast to me!

Talk about a little wedge of deliciousness.

You'll have your brunch guests asking you for your autograph, it's that good.

Just... trust me on this one.

Monkey Bread Mini Cakes

2 cans (7.5 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 stick butter or margarine, melted

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 to 3 Tbsp. milk

Heat oven to 350°F.

Cut each biscuit into quarters.

Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Add dough quarters, in batches; toss to coat.

Place 1/2 the biscuit pieces in greased large cupcake pan (6 to 8 cups); drizzle with 1/2 the butter. Cut remaining quarters in half and place overtop of first layer. Drizzle with remaining butter. Sprinkle with any remaining cinnamon-sugar.

Bake 20 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean and top is golden brown. Cool in pan 5 min. then remove using a fork or knife.

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in small bowl with mixer until well blended. Add 1 1 Tbsp. milk; beat until well blended. Blend in enough of the remaining milk until glaze is of desired consistency. Drizzle over warm cakes.