Now for burger lovers - Using a 1/3 cup scoop, divide your ground beef into mounds. Flatten each mound between pieces of waxed paper, creating a 4” patty. Place half of your patties aside. These are your “toppers”. Sprinkle other burgers with salt and pepper, prepared mustard or ketchup, onion slices, and shredded cheese. Now take your toppers and place them over your burgers. Press together edges all around to seal in all those burger fixins inside. Grill over hot coals about 10-15 minutes, flipping very carefully. When done to your liking, place on grilled buns and enjoy. Maple flavored baked beans, potato salad, and hot fudge sundaes and you have a meal fit for a Backyard Grill Fest.

I’d like to give you more recipes but my neighbors are sending conflicting smoke messages. Got to go - have fun and enjoy! ©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 April

1 quart of plain vanilla ice cream, not ice milk

1-1/2 cups milk

1 tbs. of your favorite instant coffee Chill your glasses in a freezer for about 15 mins. Spoon 3 tbs. chocolate syrup into each glass. Add some ice cream that is slightly softened. Quickly blend in coffee crystals into warm milk. Do not boil milk but it must be sufficiently warm to mix well with instant coffee. Let this mixture cool. Pour your milk mixture over ice cream and use shaved chocolate sprinkles to add extra flavor. Serve with a straw and a dollop of whipped cream.

Demitasse: Measure 3 tbs. instant coffee, or to taste, into your coffee server. Add 2 cups boiling hot water. Serve your coffee in tiny cups with cream and sugar on side. (Fruit flavor) Add 1 tsp. orange juice for each cup of coffee in your server. Or if you are not sure your guests prefer a fruit flavor, pass twists of orange rind.

Cafe-au-lait: 1 cup milk

1 cup light cream 3 tbs. instant coffee

2 cups boiling water Warm milk and cream over low heat until hot - but never to boiling. Beat with an electric mixer until foamy and pour immediately into a warmed pitcher. Dissolve instant coffee in boiling water. Pour into a separate pitcher. When serving, fill cups from both pitchers at same time. This joins two together to blend to just right consistency.

Serve and enjoy.

Cardamom Coffee: Place two crushed cardamom seeds in bottom of each coffee cup. Fill with hot coffee, a little on strong side. This gives your coffee a wonderfully warming spicy aroma.

When you invite guests over for coffee, they are expecting not only a great cup of coffee and a special something to go with it, but warm hospitality and friendly conversation. So get together with friends and family and invite them to “come over for coffee” and give them something they don’t expect by using any of special coffees above. Drink up and enjoy! ©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002