According to Ventura Foods, bacon is found on 54.6% of all menus and leads the pack as the most popular burger topping. Transform boring into bold by topping your Fire River Farms burger patties with this beloved ingredient.

Yield: Serves: 4

Prep: 20 minutes Grill: 28 minutes 

Ingredients:

4 slices smoked bacon
1½ pounds ground chuck
¾ plus 8 teaspoon salt
¾ plus 8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small red onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (1-ounce) slices sharp Cheddar cheese
4 burger buns
¼ cup mayonnaise
4 green leaf lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato
¼ cup coarse ground mustard

Directions:

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat.

2. In large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 12 minutes or until crisp, turning occasionally. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate to cool; cut slices crosswise in half.

3. In large bowl, gently mix ground chuck, ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper until well blended but not overmixed. Form mixture into four ½-inch-thick patties.

4. In medium bowl, toss onion, oil and remaining 8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place 12 x 16-inch sheet aluminum foil on work surface; place onion in center of foil. Bring top and bottom of foil sheet together over onion; crimp together and fold down over onion. Double fold both ends of packet toward onion.

5. Place onion packet on hot grill rack; cover and cook 20 minutes. Place burgers on hot grill rack; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes longer or until internal temperature of burgers reaches 160°, turning once. About 2 minutes before burgers are done, top burgers with bacon and cheese, and place buns, cut side down, on hot grill rack; cook 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and buns are toasted.

6. Spread bottom halves of buns with mayonnaise; top with lettuce, tomato, burgers, onions, mustard and top buns.

Approximate nutritional values per serving: 587 Calories, 34g Fat (11g Saturated), 103mg Cholesterol, 1562mg Sodium, 27g Carbohydrates, 2g Fiber, 39g Protein

Chef Tips

Be gentle when mixing the ground chuck with the seasoning. Overmixing can make the burgers dry and tough.
To prevent the burgers from bulging in the center during cooking, press down in the center of each patty with a thumb to create a depression.
Use a spatula rather than tongs to flip the burgers to prevent releasing the tasty juices from the burgers and drying them out.

Poblano peppers make the perfect serving vessel for a Cinco de Mayo entrée stuffed with enticing Mexican-inspired ingredients like black beans,Mexican-style cheese blend, salsa, and sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1½ pounds ground beef
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1¾ cups canned diced tomatoes with juice
1¾ cups rinsed and drained canned black beans
4 green onions, thinly sliced
6 medium poblano peppers
¾ cup Casa Solana Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
¾ cup Casa Solana Salsa
6 tablespoons sour cream

Directions:

1. In sauté pan, cook onion in oil over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add beef, coriander and cumin, and cook 5 minutes or until browned, breaking up beef with side of spoon. Stir in tomatoes and beans; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in half the green onions.

2. Leaving stem-end intact, cut lengthwise slit along 1 side of each pepper; remove seeds and membranes being careful not to tear peppers. Stuff peppers with beef mixture; cover and refrigerate.

3. To serve, place pepper on sheet tray coated with pan spray; top with cheese. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve topped with salsa, yogurt and green onions.

A Cinco de Mayo celebration isn’t complete without tortilla chips served with guacamole. Add ready-to-serve and easy-to-customize guacamole to your menu, or create your own for a fresh signature dip perfect for a fiesta!

Yield: about 3 cups

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
½ small red onion, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
8 medium Casa Solana Avocado Halves, cut in half
1 small jalapeño pepper, stem end trimmed
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Coat garlic with 1 teaspoon oil; toss onion with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl. Roast garlic and onion on sheet tray coated with pan spray at 400°F for 10 minutes.

2. Drizzle avocado and coat jalapeño pepper with remaining 2 teaspoons oil; place avocados and jalapeño on sheet tray with garlic and onion. Roast 15 minutes longer, turning jalapeño once.

3. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic from skins; dice onion and finely chop jalapeño. With fork, mash avocado, garlic, lime juice and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl; fold in tomato, cilantro, onion and jalapeño into avocado mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight before serving.

Fish tacos meet the demand for food that is both healthy and delicious. Use tacos as the platform to showcase a variety of fresh ingredients like grilled tilapia, avocado, onion and salsa in these zesty fish tacos.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Juice and zest of 2 limes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus additional whole leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, cut in half
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
8 (6-inch) Casa Solana Flour Tortillas
1 cup shredded red or green cabbage
1 cup pico de gallo salsa
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sliced green onions

Directions:

1. In small bowl, whisk lime juice, lime zest, garlic, jalapeño, sesame oil, cilantro, salt and pepper. Place fish in large bowl and pour lime juice mixture over fish. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

2. Remove fish from marinade; reserve and refrigerate ¼ cup. Refrigerate fish on sheet tray, covered.

3. To serve, enclose fish, red onion and some marinade in foil packet. Bake foil packet on oven rack at 375°F for 10 minutes or internal temperature reaches 145°F.

4. Fill tortillas with cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream, fish with red onion, green onions, and cilantro leaves.

 Attract a wide range of customers with an intriguing Mushroom Meatball appetizer made using versatile ingredients from Jade Mountain.

Yield: 20 meatballs

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 ounces whole baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces whole white mushrooms, sliced
5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large egg
1 cup quick cooking oats
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons Jade Mountain Soy Sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. In sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook 12 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and golden brown; cool slightly and chop into ¼-inch chunks.

2. In large bowl, whisk egg; gently mix in oats, walnuts, cheese, onion, parsley, soy sauce, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, mushrooms and remaining 2 tablespoons oil until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes. Form mushroom mixture into 1½-inch meatballs; place on sheet tray, cover and refrigerate.

3. To serve, bake meatballs on parchment-lined sheet tray at 425°F for 15 minutes, turning once.

Fuse Jade Mountain soy sauce and ginger with trending tropical flavors for a fresh take on steak in this Island Grilled Beef recipe.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

4 garlic cloves
¼ cup diced yellow onion
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup pineapple juice
6 tablespoons Jade Mountain soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 boneless beef loin sirloin or flank steaks (about 2½ pounds)

Directions:

1. In blender, purée all ingredients, except steaks. Place steaks in large bowl; pour marinade over steaks. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 or up to 12 hours.

2. Remove steaks from marinade; reserve marinade. Grill steaks over medium heat 12 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135°F for medium-rare, turning once and basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice steaks diagonally across the grain.

Serve some AM love with delectable ready-to-mix pancakes from Baker’s Source, with a hint of maple cream cheese syrup.

Yield: 1 gallon batter

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups maple syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2-1/2 pounds Baker’s® Source pancake mix
3 cups buttermilk
2-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons red food coloring

Directions:

1. In blender, blend cream cheese, maple syrup and butter until smooth. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.

2. In large bowl, prepare pancake batter with pancake mix, buttermilk and water as label directs; whisk in cocoa powder and food coloring until combined.

3. To serve, spray flat top griddle, preheated to 325°, and 3-1/2-to 4-inch heart-shaped heat-proof cookie cutter(s) with pan spray. Place cutter(s) on griddle and ladle batter into cutter(s). Cook until air bubbles have developed; flip and cook 2 minutes. Serve pancakes topped with Maple Cream Cheese Syrup

Give your breakfast hash a Southwestern twist with petite sweet potato dices cooked with chorizo, black beans and jalapenos.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients:

2 cups SYS IMP Petite Sweet Potato Dices
4oz Chorizo
¼ cup Corn
¼ cup Black beans
¼ Sliced Jalapeños
1 Poached egg
1 oz Creamy avocado sauce

Directions:

Sautee ingredients and top with poached egg and serve with creamy avocado sauce on the side

Naan is one of the latest in the trend of traditional, authentic, global/ethnic ingredients and stands out as a sandwich carrier in this veggie-lover recipe.

Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 1 minute
Servings: 1

Ingredients:

2 ea. Buttermilk Naan with Caramelized Onions
1 Tbsp. Minor’s GreenLeaf™ Basil pesto
3 Slices vine ripened tomato
4-6 slices Grilled seasoned zucchini slices
¼ C. Fresh baby arugula
1-1/4 oz. Sliced fresh mozzarella

Directions:

1. Toast buttermilk naan with caramelized onions in toaster, oven or on a grill or griddle

2. Lay naan on work surface, flat side up. Spread pesto on one naan and top with tomato, zucchini, arugula, fresh mozzarella and the second naan

3. Serve.

The ultimate mashup between a breakfast and comfort dessert can be enjoyed any time of day.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 Baker’s Source Blueberry Lemon with Almond Granola Streusel Parfait Muffins, cubed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup white chocolate chips, melted
½ cup fresh blueberries
2 cups vanilla ice cream

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350°. Spray sheet tray with pan spray; spread muffin cubes in single layer on prepared tray. Bake 8 minutes or until slightly crisp; cool.

2.In medium bowl, whisk egg, egg yolk, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt until combined.

3.Evenly divide muffins cubes into 4 (8-ounce) ramekins; evenly pour egg mixture over the top. Press muffin cubes down to immerse egg mixture; let stand 5 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°.

To serve, drizzle 1 bread pudding with 1 tablespoon melted chocolate; top with 2 tablespoons blueberries and ½ cup vanilla ice cream

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. SYS IMP Crispy Potato Flats
2 C. Pico de gallo
2 C. Queso sauce
4 oz. Shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 C. Guacamole
1/4 C. Sour cream

Directions:

1. Cook fries according to package instructions.
2. On large serving plate, layer half the fries. Top with half the pico de gallo, half the cheese sauce and half the shredded cheddar jack cheese.
3. Place the remaining fries on tope and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
4. Garnish with guacamole and sour cream.