Talya Tate Boerner - grace grits and gardening

New house. Crazy busy.

August 25, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This is an exciting and busy time for John and me. We close on our new (old) Fayetteville house today which I know we will love, love, love. I say old because it was built in 1876! We are fortunate to have found it thanks to our amazing realtor-friend, Paula Larson of Crye-Leike, who has our back, knows what we like and is willing to put up with us. (If you have real estate needs in NW Arkansas, I highly recommend Paula!)

Also, we have a contract on our beloved Dallas house. I don’t want to jinx it (knock-on-wood), so that’s all I will say about that.

And I have an editor! I will be working with a professional editor in December (she’s in high demand and has edited books for one of my favorite authors). My manuscript is in her hands. This makes me nervous-excited.

Everything seems to be falling into place.

The next few weeks will be crazy busy with Arkansas Women Blogger University coming up in Rogers. (I’m in charge of Instagram, so be expecting a flurry of IG-ing. And, if you aren’t following me on Instagram, I hope you will.) Then I’ll be back in Dallas packing up Worth Street to move our belongings to Fayetteville. By the time this all happens, it will officially be Fall. Football. Tailgating. I have a few Razorback football tickets. WPS!

I’ve joined both Ozark Writers League and Ozark Creative Writers and look forward to getting involved.

Lots going on. All good things:)

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Things we find. Things we keep.

August 21, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Decluttering a house to sell and move is time consuming work. It is also entertaining, like signing on for an unintentional treasure hunt.

Here are a few of the interesting (to me) things I’ve found while cleaning and packing.

My original Cinderella watch.

I’ve had this watch since I was about six years old, but I haven’t seen it in years and years. It came with a porcelain Cinderella figurine (long gone). I found this in Kelsey’s jewelry box. Somehow it migrated from the Bat Cave.

And what a landslide of memories.

While cleaning out Kelsey’s closet (which was originally Tate’s until Kelsey left for college), I had completely forgotten we marked height inside on the door frame. Tate’s height dated 10/06/2003 was 4’4″. He was ten years old. I showed this to him a couple of weeks ago, and of course we measured him again for old time’s sake. Now at age twenty-one, his mark is way above Kelsey’s highest mark (taken in 2006).

The new owner will have to paint over this because I can’t.

I also found these photo strips. John and I never pass up silly photo booths. These go back to before we were married.

Left-to-right from younger days to most recent. My favorite is the one that includes Tate.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Change is like that: you are no longer where you were; you are not yet where you will get; you are nowhere exactly.”
― Lionel Shriver

Musical Pairing:

Fleetwood Mac – Landslide

Grilled Basil Burger Recipe

August 19, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Looking for a special burger recipe for Labor Day (or any day)? This grilled basil burger recipe is it! John has whipped up these burgers several times this summer. I’ve been planning to share his recipe for weeks, but here we are nearing the end of August, and I’m just getting around to it. One bite and you’ll taste what you’ve been missing. I apologize in advance for waiting so long.

John at the helm of his Big Green Egg. Basil burgers and spicy sausage…

John uses a Big Green Egg, but I am confident this burger recipe will turn out great on any grill or smoker. Also, we highly recommend Ozark Oak Hardwood Lump Charcoal made in Yellville, Arkansas. John swears by this hardwood charcoal which adds a light, smoky aroma and doesn’t overpower the food. If you live in Arkansas, look for it at your local grocery store. In Dallas, try Jacksons Home and Garden or Elliot’s Hardware.

Okay, without further delay, let’s move on to the recipe.

This flavorful burger is Italian inspired with sun-dried tomatoes, Italian red wine and Fontina cheese. My homemade basil pesto (in lieu of traditional condiments) adds a fresh flavor. Of course, you can add your favorite fixings when it’s time to build your burger, but I recommend tomato, red onion and arugula. (I added pickled radishes because I had them in my fridge—that’s the odd looking reddish-orange thing in my first picture). We used grill sourdough which added a light touch. Sometimes regular hamburger buns add too much bread for my taste.

If you give this a try for Labor Day, let us know what you think!

Grilled Basil Burger

Print Recipe

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds freshly ground sirloin
1/2 pound freshly ground pork
1/4 cup medium to full bodied red wine
1/4 cup lightly packed minced fresh basil
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup fresh Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
2 heaping Tablespoons minced garlic
sourdough bread slices
Italian Fontina cheese or other white cheese such as Gruyere, Provolone, or Gouda
Arugula leaves
Tomato slices
Red onion slices thinly sliced
Fresh Basil Pesto recipe HERE

Method

Mix first eight ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties or sliders. Mix thoroughly but avoid over-handling / over-compacting meat.
Let patties rest thirty minutes at room temperature before grilling.
Prepare medium-hot fire charcoal grill. When grill is ready, brush rack with vegetable oil so that meat doesn't stick. Place patties on rack, cover, cook, turn only once until done to preference, approximately 5 minutes each side (depending on size). Immediately before removing from grill, top with cheese.
Let burgers rest for five minutes.
Brush sourdough with olive oil; grill lightly.
Spread basil pesto on bread. Add toppings of your choice such as tomatoes, red onion slices, arugula, etc.
Enjoy!