cajun style burgers and homemade ice cream

With school almost out and warm weather here, I'm craving all things BBQ! Today's food for thought friday features recipes perfect for your backyard BBQ menu. Fire up that grill!

Cajun Style Burgers
1 lb ground beef
3 T dry bread crumbs
1 egg
3 green onions, chopped
1 T Cajun seasoning
1 T prepared mustard
1/4 c barbecue sauce
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
4 slices Cheddar cheese

Preheat grill for high heat. In a medium bowl mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, green onions, 1 T Cajun seasoning and mustard. Form into 4 patties. In a small bowl blend the barbecue sauce and 1 tsp Cajun seasoning. Cook the patties 5 minutes per side or until well done. Place a slice of cheese on each burger and allow to melt. Serve with seasoned barbecue sauce.

Grilled Corn on the Cob
6 ears corn
6 T butter, softened
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Peel back corn husks and remove silk. Place 1 T butter, salt and pepper on each piece of corn. Close husks. Wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the prepared grill. Cook approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is tender.

Bush's Baked Beans
1 - 2 cans Bush's Baked Beans, your favorite flavor

Open can and pour contents into saucepan. Cook beans over medium heat until warm. Serve. (Okay, this really isn't a recipe but Bush's Baked Beans are one of our favorite BBQ side dishes!)

Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
2 c 2% milk
2 c heavy cream
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 c miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl stir together milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract and peppermint extract until the sugar has dissolved. Color to your liking with the green food coloring. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. After about 10 minutes into the freezing, add the chocolate chips. After the ice cream has thickened, about 30 minutes later, spoon into a container and freeze for 2 hours.

The summer night is like a perfection of thought.

--Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)