I truly hope everyone enjoyed their 4^th of July. It’s such a special occasion in the USA, and I think people take it for granted, like most holidays that showcase the sacrifices it took so we could have our independence. To all the troops who served and to the ones defending our freedoms today, I thank you. Freedom doesn’t come free.

Last night’s dinner dipped back into my unhealthy stash of goodies recipes, but it was still a holiday for me (no work). Don’t we all indulge ourselves somewhat on the holidays? Our holiday weekend was spent swimming with our nieces and nephews and other family and catching a few flicks at the movie theatre. Here is my quick Movie rating guide.

Twilight – Eclipse:

They finally got one right. The actors learned how to act and the story line stayed pretty true to the book. 5 Stars

The Last Airbender:

Wow, what a horrible movie! It’s been a long time since I wanted to walk out of a movie theatre. Please don’t waste your money on this one. The acting was sub-par (not that I could ever act) and the story line was bouncy. I wish I would have got my money back. 0 Stars

Toy Story 3:

Okay, so this was a cute story and Pixar stayed true to their style. My wife and I had a lot of fun watching this one, but there is no point in seeing it in 3-D. 4 Stars

Movie Notes:

Avatar set the bar for 3-D movies and everyone else is playing catch-up. I have only one thing to say to this: if the movie wasn’t created in 3-D, don’t try and make it 3-D. We will not go to another 3-D movie until we know it was filmed for a 3-D movie.

All right, enough rambling and on to the recipe for today.

Bacon-Wrapped Burgers

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Beef

½ Onion, minced

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tablespoon Ketchup

1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper

½ Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded

¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded

4 Slices Bacon

4 Hamburger Buns

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix first 7 ingredients, being careful not to over combine the meat.
2. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes to allow all the flavors mingle.
3. Fire up the grill to medium-high heat.
4. Form the meat mixture to make 4 hamburger patties.
5. Wrap the patties in bacon like a filet mignon and secure with toothpicks.
6. Cook over direct heat for 7 to 10 minutes on both sides or until bacon is crisp and hamburger is cooked through.
7. Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite condiments and veggies.