Coffee Rubbed Venison Bacon Burger

This juicy & flavorful Coffee Rubbed Venison Bacon Burger is sure to quickly become your new go-to burger recipe this summer...

This recipe first appeared on the Bridgeport Farmers Market Let's Get Fresh site.

I am on a mission once again this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing mostly locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market. I started this locally inspired recipe series in the summer of 2017, and I am thrilled to be continuing the series this year as well. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market. 

For the month of July, I am sharing the recipe for this juicy & flavorful Coffee Rubbed Venison Bacon Burger. For those who are not familiar with cooking with venison, it is deer meat. 

And deer meat tends to be on the leaner side with very little fat & with a slightly gamey flavor. My remedy for both of these predicaments? Thick cut local bacon, of course! ;)

10 Pickling Recipes You Need to Try This Summer

Savor that fresh garden goodness just a little bit longer with these 10 Pickling Recipes You Need to Try This Summer...

Can you all believe that summer is already starting to wind down? My daughter starts back to school next week, and I am just flabbergasted that this coming weekend is our last full weekend of summer break. 

I mean, where does the time go anyways? I wish I could preserve those last little bits of summertime & save them for later when the cold months of winter come around. 

While I may not be able to make the warm days of summer last any longer, I can stretch out the fresh yummy goodness from those backyard gardens & local farmers markets with these 10 pickling recipes that I am sharing with you all today.  

From tried & true homemade pickle recipes to pickled peppers & even peaches, there is a recipe below that will help you savor that summer goodness just a little longer. Maybe even right up until the leaves start to change color & fall off of the trees. ;)

If you are hesitant about canning your pickled creations, no worries. Most of the recipes I am sharing with you all below are refrigerator recipes, meaning no canning is necessary. But if you would like to try your hand at canning any of these pickling recipes, then be sure to check out my canning tips for beginners & snag a basic canning set by CLICKING HERE. 

Summer Harvest Potato Salad

The freshest locally grown potatoes & veggies come together perfectly with a super simple 3 ingredient fresh basil dressing in this Summer Harvest Potato Salad...

As you all may recall from the recipe I shared for my Farmers Market Frittata last month, I am on a mission this outdoor farmers market season to show you all how you can create a delicious recipe purchasing only locally grown & raised produce and meats at your local farmers market this summer. Each month I will be sharing a recipe here to the blog inspired by and featuring some of my own personal favorite fresh & local finds from my local market. 





For the month of July, I am sharing a fresh & lightened up potato salad recipe with you all. I am all about homemade potato salads for backyard BBQ's and summer picnics. 

But we all know that traditional potato salad recipes usually tend to be heavy and loaded with mayonnaise (which is big no-no when the hot summer sun is pounding down on your picnic table). 

For this Summer Harvest Potato Salad, I combined the freshest in-season locally grown potatoes & veggies with a super simple 3 ingredient fresh basil dressing.

Foodie on a Budget- Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs

During my most recent visit to the local farmers market, my husband and I purchased flank steak from a local cattle farm.  Flank steak is not usually the most desirable cut of beef, I know.  But it is extremely affordable and with the proper marinating, can be just about as tender as a filet mignon.  The farm we purchased our steak from raises grass-fed cattle, free of growth hormones and antibiotics- what I like to call the “good stuff”. 

In a prior visit to the market, I had picked up basil and parsley plants from a local greenhouse and a jar of local honey. 

So what can I make with grass-fed flank steak, my own basil and parsley, and local honey?  An amazing Italian Marinated Flank Steak with Fresh Herbs.  This flank steak has a great flavor (no steak sauce needed) and is so tender that a steak knife is not required.  Just in time for the summer grilling season. 

To make my Marinated Flank Steak, you will need:

• 1.5 lb flank steak
• 1 small shallot (or 2 cloves of garlic), finely chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup of red wine (or balsamic vinegar)
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup local honey
• 7-8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• Small handful of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• ½ tsp of black pepper
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Whisk together the shallot (or garlic), olive oil, red wine (or balsamic vinegar), soy sauce, honey, basil, parsley, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl.  

Pierce both sides of the flank steak repeatedly using a fork.  Place the flank steak in a gallon size freezer bag.  Pour the marinade mixture over the steak in the bag and seal.  Massage the marinade into the steak, and then place in the fridge.  I marinated my flank steak for 8 hours, but you could marinate it anywhere from 2 hours to overnight.  Once the steak is marinated, take it out of the bag and season it with salt and pepper.  Cook over a hot grill for about 4-6 minutes on each side.  It is best to cook a flank steak medium-rare to medium.  Cooking it more done than medium will result in a tougher steak.  When the flank steak is cooked to your preference, let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes before slicing.  This will ensure that that the juices stay put where they are supposed to be- in the steak.  Slice the steak in ½ inch slices diagonally against the grain of the steak, and serve immediately.