4th of July: Burgers on the Grill and Peach Blackberry Cobbler a la Mode

This year for the 4th of July, I had my friends come over for a cookout. As host, I volunteered to supply the drinks and hamburgers, and also wanted to take a stab at making a dessert. So here are the two recipes I used that made my day a success...I think they both turned out excellent (as the pictures show!).


I had to call my dad to get advice on how he makes his hamburgers. He informed me that his secret is using BBQ sauce (whoops...haha), keeps the burgers tender and juicy for a long time. So I added the hamburger meat along with some Kraft BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a little soy, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I think that's it...). I made these into patties, stuck my thumb in the middle to help it cook more even, and grilled it until they were done. For my first attempt, it seemed like quite a success. Everyone devoured them and I got lots of compliments. Hooray!


What would the 4th of July be without some form of cobbler? I felt for once, I should finally attempt to make one. I found blackberries on sale, and consulted FoodNetwork for ideas on how to make the cobbler to begin with, and stumbled across a recipe for a peach and blackberry cobbler. YUM! So that's what I attempted, with a few modifications thanks to Mae Mae's expert cobbler-making advice.

Ingredients:

• 8 to 12 peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups blackberries
• Frozen pie crust (~4), defrosted (should be soft and spread-able)
  
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 300F. In a bowl, combine the peaches, flour, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt, tossing gently. Carefully fold in the blackberries.
• Spread pre-made pie crusts around 8-cup baking dish, covering all the sides. Reserve ~1 crust to be cut into long thin strips for a lattice on top.
• Pour peach and blackberry mixture into baking dish over the crust. Cover with strips of crust.
  
• Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter. Place the cobbler on a sheet-pan to catch any juices that may boil over. Bake until the top is golden brown and juices are bubbling, ~1 hour. Let cool slightly before serving.
  
• Serve warm with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

These were both quite a hit as a combo. The burgers were tender and juicy, and altogether delicious (thanks again, Dad!). I was surprised as to how much they shrunk while cooking, but I'm proud of myself for not burning or undercooking a single one on my first try. The cobbler was awesome with the ice cream, although my peaches were not quite ripe (going to the farmer's market or roadside stand next time) and it was a little bitter (will probably add more sugar and sprinkle some on top also). Of course, I had to call Mae Mae for some tips on it, which is why my baking temperature was less than the recipe itself. Will definitely make another one!