Nothing screams summer like a home-cooked plate full of delicious food enjoyed out on the deck as you watch the sun drop below the trees. Now that August has rolled around, I’m trying to soak in every last bit of these summer evenings!

Sometimes when the days are long, it’s hard to want to put in the effort to make a big tasty meal. SO, when I can find a few recipes that are super simple and go together perfectly for a quick and delicious meal, it’s always a win. 

If you’re trying to hold onto the last remnants of summer like me and need some fresh and fun ‘summery’ meal ideas to enjoy with your favorite people, I have the most delicious menu + recipes that I’ve put together for you - perfect for hosting friends any night of the week! 

Just keep scrolling to see my recipe for the most amazing gourmet burger (psst.. the perfect excuse to try out our homegrown beef that we’re now selling!) as well as the easiest cucumber salad, and some Oatmeal Carmelita Toffee Bars inspired by @thesaltedsweets. 

Enjoy!! 

DRCC Gourmet Burgers (serves 3 - double or triple recipe depending on number of guests) 

1 lb dry aged ground beef (found here) 

3 slices cooked bacon

Cheese of your choice (we love cheddar or blue cheese!) 

House Seasoning (recipe: 1/2 cup salt, 1/4 cup pepper, 1/4 cup garlic powder) 

Optional toppings: candied jalapenos, onion strings, bbq sauce, magnifisauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles. ketchup, mustard, mayo, 

Your favorite buns (we like the homemade buns from our local grocery store!) 

• Start by cutting your beef into 3 equal portions. Pat the beef into a patty making sure to have the thickest part of the patty around the outsides so it cooks evenly! Or, purchase our pre-made hamburger patties here!
• Season both sides of your patties liberally with house seasoning.
• Place hamburger patties onto a hot grill. Depending on how you like yours (we like ours a little pink in the middle!) flip after about 3-4 minutes. You'll know its time to flip when you see the juices start to pool on top of the burger.
• After flipping, place the cheese of your choice on top. Grill another 2-3 minutes.
• Take burgers off of the grill and let them rest with aluminum foil covering them for 4-5 minutes (this is the hardest part!!!)
• While your burgers are resting, butter both sides of your bun and place onto a griddle until browned. (This is where the magic happens!!!)
• Now you assemble the burger to everyone's liking, or have bowls of each topping in a buffet style so everyone can build their own how they like it! 

Our favorite: toasted bun + burger + bacon + blue cheese + onion strings + bbq sauce + candied jalapenos for me + pickles for him! 

Cucumber Salad (pairs great with DRCC burgers!) 

4 large cucumbers

1 tablespoon salt

1 large vidalia onion 

dressing: 

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

2 teaspoons fresh chopped dill

• Peel cucumbers. Cut in half and take a spoon to scoop out seeds from the middle (this is optional, but I prefer it this way!) 
• Slice cucumbers about 1/2 inch thick. Toss cucumbers in salt and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out some water. Drain in colander. 
• Meanwhile, halve and slice your onion. 
• For the dressing, whisk together vinegar, sugar, sour cream, pepper and dill weed.
• Toss all ingredients together into a bowl and cover tightly. Store in the fridge for several hours before serving, preferably overnight. 

Pro tip: We always use garden fresh cucumbers for this salad! It's a great way to use your own if you grow them, or support a local farmer at your farmers market! 

Oatmeal Carmelita Toffee Bars (adapted from a recipe from @thesaltedsweets) 

3 sticks butter 

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

2 cups old fashioned oats

2 cups milk chocolate chips (I use ghirardelli) 

4 Heath bars (put into ziplock baggie and use rolling pin to crush them into bits) 

1 jar (12 oz.) of your favorite caramel sauce (I use smuckers salted caramel!) 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. 
• In a stand mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, salt and soda. Mix in. Add flour and oats, mixing until combined. 
• Press half of the dough on the bottom of the pan, bake for 9 minutes. 
• Top warm bars with toffee bits, chocolate chips and caramel sauce. Finally, place dollops of remaining dough on top (don't worry about it spreading evenly over the top!) Bake for 18 additional minutes. 
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with flaked salt. 

Tip: It's best to make these the day before you'd like to serve them so they can completely set up before cutting. 

Feel free to tag us on Instagram so we can see how this delicious spread turns out for you!!