Portabella Burgers and The Magic Dog

When the lodge was built here in 1983 they cleared quite a bit of the land and dug their own lovely lakes fed by a stream that flows through the property and creates a tranquil atmosphere.  If you walk toward the stream from the house you can walk over a bridge and find yourself in a little meadow with a gazebo lit with twinkle lights, a grill, and a couple picnic tables.  We had dinner out at this adorable gazebo this week.  We had hamburgers, hot dogs, portabella burgers, potato salad, skewered grilled mushrooms and roasted zucchini.  There are few things better than grilled food cooked over a real fire, not a gas grill.  There is a completely different flavor and smell to the food that is just not there when you cook with gas.

The burgers were delicious.  You just cannot go wrong with a juicy meat patty, melting cheese, ketchup, crisp lettuce, tomato and pickles on a toasted sesame seed bun.  This is close to perfection.

We also decided to grill some portabella mushrooms.  I made my portabella “burger” just as I would a regular burger, all the same toppings as my meaty burger.  I think I would trade the cheddar cheese in for swiss cheese next time.  I liked the veggies on it, but it would be tasty with just cheese.

FYI, try to buy portabellas that are ready to grill.  Scraping out the gills was quite possibly one of the nastiest tasks I have had to complete in the kitchen.  Sometimes it is OK to buy a food product that makes life easier…and less nasty.

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