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Well, it is a truth universally acknowledged ... we all adore Colin Firth as the comments from my previous post attest. I had mentioned him winning at the Golden Globes on Facebook the other day and got similar agreement. That smile of his. Ok, while on the subject of all things yummy ~ I fixed burgers for dinner tonight. Not just any burger but a recipe from Rachel Allen, the Irish chef. She talked me through the recipe via her new recipe iPhone app and it was very simple, and delicious. The app converts from UK Metric to US Imperial which is most helpful. I must say it was odd at first having her talk the steps but her voice is so charming and pleasant; I could have cooked for hours. However, there were hungry folk in the house so you know how that goes. You slave away in the kitchen and then put it on the table and they gobble it up and then it's the next day's dinner and you're at it again. So here's the recipe should you find yourself craving a really, really good burger.

Burgers with Guacamole and Crispy Bacon and Cucumber Relish
adapted from a recipe by Rachel Allen
*I omitted the guacamole because no one here eats that.

For Cucumber Relish:
1 Cucumber, medium sized, unpeeled and thinly sliced (I used a seedless English cucumber and peeled it otherwise people would protest about the skin)
1 Onion, small, peeled and chopped thin
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 Cider Vinegar

Mix cucumber and onion in bowl and add sugar, salt and vinegar and mix well to combine. Store in a sealed jar in the frig for an hour or overnight.

For Burgers:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper
1 lb ground beef
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives and fresh parsley (total)
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 large egg, beaten
2/3 cup breadcrumbs

Place olive oil in saucepan; add olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and sweat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Mix with remaining ingredients and shape into patties. Brown both sides in skillet and cook to done in oven at 350 degrees until desired inside color.

Serve on toasted burger buns with crispy bacon and cucumber relish. My word is this good eats. The cucumber relish is fantastic and the burger flavor is fantastic with its ingredients within. Yum!

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I've found a nice spot to display my new sampler. The response for the chart has been fast and I'm delighted that so many others delight in its sweet verse and antique motifs. I'm working away on the next Clara design so hope to have that available soon.


Time for evening tea and then the kitchen will be closed for the night. Thank you for spending some time here with me today. I rather fancy having Colin Firth's handsome face on the blog now so pop in anytime and have a look; he's sure to make your day flutter by with a smile.