Banh Mi Sandwiches are a Vietnamese sandwich usually consisting of fragrant cilantro, spicy mayo, fresh jalapenos, pickled vegetables, and chargrilled meat.  The flavor combination is incredible and very memorable.  I have banh mi cravings often but rarely get to fulfill them.  A banh mi burger seemed like the perfect way to get my fix at home.  Chargrilled pork burgers topped with this flavorful banh mi slaw and sandwiched inside crusty ciabatta rolls are a perfect summer meal.  The slaw as written is pretty spicy but it’s a good kind of heat, tempered by the creamy mayo and chewy bread.  Serve with plenty of fries for sopping up the extra sauce.
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Here are a few recipes that I get excited about every summer:

• Strawberry Salad
• Mexican Coleslaw
• Asian Steak Lettuce Wraps
• Carnitas
• Chicken Fajitas
• Top Sirloin topped with Corn Salsa or Red Wine Sauce
• Hawaiian Martinis
• Banana Pie or Pudding
• Tres Leches Cake
• Texas Peach Cobbler

Do you have big plans for the fourth of July?  I don’t know what we are doing yet.  Houston has an amazing fireworks display but if you want to go you have to plan to spend the entire day staking out your spot.  I think I would much rather be relaxing around the grill, splashing in the sprinkler and lighting sparklers at dusk.  What about you?

Either you love biscuits and gravy-it is pure childhood comfort food for you-or it doesn’t makes a lick of sense.  I mean it’s biscuits.  And they are covered in gravy.  Yet there is something hearty and soul-satisfying about a big warm plateful of crisp fluffy biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy.  It is a filling, special occasion breakfast-which is kind of ironic considering it probably had it’s beginnings as a staple of poverty-perfect for serving a crowd after a late night or before a busy day. 
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This was one of the best shrimp risottos we’ve had.  The addition of clam juice to the typical risotto broth was surprisingly delicious.  We learned an important lesson about buying clam juice and that is: if you can find and afford fancy clam juice, it is worth it.  Expensive clam juice smells like a sweet ocean breeze while its cheaper counterpart smells a lot like a fish market.  However, if you can’t find good clam juice, don’t let it stop you from trying this recipe-we made it with one bottle good stuff and two bottles cheap stuff and it was still delicious.

Don’t let this dish fool you.  It feels and tastes rich and luxurious, but it is really a typical, easy risotto.  Plus, with only six shrimp and a splash of wine, it certainly isn’t the worst dish for your waistline.  Click here for the recipe »