With Memorial Day Weekend now behind us, the summer months are officially here. That means it’s time for beaches, golf, pools, parties, and barbecues.

All summer gatherings require some amazing, delicious food – which is something that our team knows a thing or two about.

To help get you ready for your next summer party, family gathering, or relaxing Saturday meal, our team wanted to share their favorite recipes with you! Below are 2 recipes to try this summer: Butterflied Leg of Lamb and Gouda Burger Bites.

Butterflied Leg of Lamb

When buying the leg of lamb, you can ask the butcher to butterfly it for you. Most places will do this free of charge.

I would recommend marinating the meat for at least 24 hours to get the most flavor, and use an Hawaiian Teriyaki sauce. My personal choice is Maui Mountain Teriyaki Sauce from World Harbors (be sure to add a ½ cup of water, as it is pretty thick and spicy!).

•½ onion
•4 cloves of peeled garlic
•2 tablespoons of rosemary leaves
•Zest of 1 lemon
•1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•Kosher salt and ground black pepper
•1 boneless leg of lamb, 5-6 pounds, butterflied

It’s best to rotate the meat in the marinade at least once during the 24-hour period. It’s also important that the grill be hot initially to quickly sear both sides, then reduce the heat to slow cook the lamb. Be sure to turn frequently to prevent blackening on the sides of the meat. The meat comes out best when prepared medium rare to medium.

You can also roast potatoes and veggies on the grill right alongside the lamb. They’ll get some of the amazing flavors that come off the lamb. Enjoy!

Gouda Burger Bites

It’s a small cheeseburger slider without the unnecessary carbs. Also, they are easy to make and bring to your next potluck BBQ as a fun appetizer.

This recipe should be able to make 8-10 burgers: •8-10 large skewers

•1 pound of ground beef or turkey
•½ cup Italian panko seasoned breadcrumbs
•1 large egg
•2-3 cloves of minced garlic
•1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
•1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
•Himalayan sea salt and ground pepper (for taste)
•100-day aged gouda thinly sliced and cut into squares (or any cheese you prefer)
•1 bunch of butterhead lettuce
•8-10 cherry tomatoes
•8-10 pickle chips
•1 jalapeno (sliced into thin slivers) **optional**
•½ avocado (sliced into thin slivers) **optional**

1) In a large bowl, combine meat, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, Worcestershire, mustard and S&P. mix until fully combined, then form into a meatball (about 8-10).

2) Cook on the grill or in a large skillet until done.

3) Top meatballs with the gouda (or other cheese) and melt.

4) Layer each skewer with the meat/cheese, then top off with a piece of the lettuce, pickle, slice of jalapeno, slice of avocado, and tomato.

5) Enjoy!!

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