Barbecued Burgers in the Crock Pot

Yesterday I threw a party in my backyard -- it was a perfect, lovely day -- sunshine, temperatures in the mid-80s, and thankfully a refreshing breeze.  My mother-in-law and her darling 24 year old granddaughter joined us all the way from Venice, Italy.  It was truly a treat to see them after 9 years. 

My cousins and their children, my Aunt and Uncle, my Mom and Dad, my brother and my nieces, along with a few wonderful neighbors and friends joined the delightful summer gathering.

The key is to have all the preparation done way ahead of time.  So for a Saturday party, the barbecued burgers were made in the crock pot on Thursday and sat marinating in the fridge in their sauce for 2 days.

I like to use organic, grass-fed beef and poultry that is free from antibiotics and steroids because if the animals aren't sick why give them all this medicine and if they are sick, well do NOT eat them!! :o)

Recipe for 40 mid-size plump burgers:

Lots of love -- remember all our food preparation picks up your emotion, thoughts and energetic vibration -- so think and feel Summer Fun and Love!

Blend about 4 - 5 pounds of meat:

• 4 packages 85% fat-free, grass-fed ground beef (I purchase at Wegmans but Tops also has Laura's beef which I like too)
• 1 package ground turkey
• 3-4 cups of bread crumbs  (I used Italian blend of bread crumbs)
• 5-7 large farm fresh eggs
• Sea salt and pepper

Chop a sweet onion (Vidalia or Mayan) and 5 stalks of celery

Saute onion and celery in olive oil (not extra virgin) and put in crock pot

I also added Garlic Scapes to the sauce --these are the shoots of the garlic bulbs growing in my garden but feel free to add some chopped garlic instead

Once all the meat is blended, form burgers and brown burgers for a few minutes on each side in frying pans with olive oil (not extra virgin)

Place burgers gently in the crock pot which already contains the Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue Sauce: (Remember Be Creative -- whatever you think would taste good, add in -- it is fun to experiment and add your creative signature -- the kitchen is a place to be creative and we are all Queens or Kings of our own Kitchens!!)

• 1 small can of Tomato Paste
• 4 cans of chopped or crushed tomatoes (I would use fresh but not in season yet)
• 1 package of Pomi brand tomato sauce (This is made in Italy of Italian tomatoes which really are the best tomatoes I have ever tasted in my life -- Pomi brand is available in Wegmans and Tops but you can use any brand of sauce)
• 1/4 cup of Worsheshire Sauce
• 1/2 cup of Ketchup
• 1/4 cup of Blackstrap Molasses (I love Molasses and it is full of iron and adds a nice zip)
• 1 bottle of Wegmans Organic Barbecue Sauce (use any kind you like or have in your cupboard)

I cook on low all night in the crock pot -- about 6 hours
I transfer to the fridge when the crock pot has cooled a bit
Then the day of the party, I put on low to heat all the way through for at least 3-4 hours

Enjoy!