We’re in that in between where the weather tells us it’s summer but the calendar reminds us that school is still in session, deadlines loom, and we have three weeks to pack up six years of life in this house before we move it all to a new home. But we are indeed Seattleites because here, no matter what the calendar says or how long the to-do list is, when the sun is out you get outside. We have endured the gray months in order to revel in these sort of evenings where light lingers well passed bedtime and dinner demands to be enjoyed outside.

To-do lists exist and can not be ignored but they can be put on hold for the sake of sinking into an adirondack chair and taking a moment to simply enjoy the day rather than slog through it one check mark at a time. I, for one, will take any chance I can get to cook dinner over a fire while enjoying a cold glass of rosé in the sun. Especially when dinner is a very herby lamb burger capped with a grilled tomato, arugula plucked from the garden, whipped feta, and a soft bun. These are the meals and moments that power the to-do lists.

The lamb, however lean, is rich, packed with protein and nutrients and earthy in flavor. Lamb and herbs are both champions of spring and when combined into a burger and met with a hot grill it marks the intersection of spring and summer. Which, I might add, makes this a perfect contender for a Memorial Day BBQ. The burger is simply adorned with whipped feta (whipped with olive oil until creamy and light) peppery arugula, and a tomato seared over the grill to encourage sweetness and to create a texture that melts into the burger. This is the sort of burger that calls for a soft bun; a brioche or potato roll are both great contenders.

I do hope that your plans for this holiday weekend teeter more to the side of savoring than that of to-doing.

*A hearty thank you to the TRI-LAMB Group for sponsoring this post and thereby giving me the opportunity to create this burger which will become a regular on our summer rotation. Check out their Facebook page or Instagram for more great lamb recipes. As always, the words and the recipe are mine.

Spring Herb Lamb Burgers with Whipped Feta and Grilled Tomato

Serves 4

This recipe is really quite simple and can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. Use whatever mix of fresh herbs you have on hand keeping to mostly the light leafy ones like mint (lamb LOVES mint) parsley, chives, dill, basil, etc.

There's a bit of olive oil added to meat to tenderize and add in a bit of fat. I love the how lean lamb is but for the grill a bit of fat helps to ensure the burgers stay tender and juicy.

8 ounces feta

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound ground lamb

1 cup fresh herbs (such as basil, mint, parsley, and dill), finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large tomato, sliced

4 burger buns

fresh arugula or other leafy green for serving

Combine the feta and 3 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and process until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.

In a medium bowl combine the ground lamb, fresh herbs, garlic, kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.

Form into four 4 ounce patties.

Grill over high heat until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.

Remove the burgers from the grill and set aside.

While the burgers rest, brush the tomatoes with the remaining olive oil and place on the grill. Grill until char marks appear and the tomato just starts to soften, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the heat of your grill.

Grill the buns until toasted then spread the whipped feta on both halves. Add the lamb burger then top with a grilled tomato and fresh arugula.

Judging by the bug bites, dirt under their nails and their olive skin deepening to a color much like browned butter I say that we’ve been doing summer right; according to the unwritten rules of childhood summers. They’ve spent evenings camping (with more to come), sat out by countless fires, had their (almost) fill of s’mores, shot bb guns at magic hour, plucked peaches straight from the tree then consumed them until more dirt clung to their sticky hands and faces. And that was all just last weekend.

While my coffee sat brewing this morning, before the 4 minute timer signaled the time for the plunge, I stood at the fridge with pen in hand eager to mark off the items on our summer to-do list. “Only three items to check off?! But we’ve been so busy.” At first I felt a tinge of disappointment for the paintings I’ve yet to paint, the swim lessons we’ve yet to complete, the water taxi to West Seattle we’ve yet to take and the meals I’ve yet to teach the kids. But then I stopped myself because first of all, although the PR pitches and Back-to-School sales announce the impending start to school season and subsequently fall, it’s only the beginning of August which means there is much more summer to be had. More importantly I refuse to let some unmarked boxes on a to-do list that I created when I had very little idea of what the summer had in store determine the success or demise of these sun-filled days. The list was created not as a religious chart of must-do’s but as an idea generator on those days when we feel a little lost. It was to give our summer direction. But I don’t need a list to tell me (or not tell me) that we’ve done and are doing summer right.

I’m not much of a planner but having three kids has taught me that planning is no longer something I can caste off because it doesn’t come naturally to me, oh no, we have no choice but to plan. But whenever possible I still like to hold those plans with open hands free to alter them slightly or throw them to the wind if the day asks for it. I do love the satisfaction of marking things off of the plan, so much so that sometimes I’ll write things on my daily to-do list that I’ve already accomplished just so I can put a big gratifying check next to it. But I refuse to let that satisfaction rule the success of our day. I don’t want to say no to something because it wasn’t on the list. Life doesn’t work that way.

There are still things that I’d like to do that sit unmarked on our list of summer to-do’s but I’ll use them as motivation rather than law. Today I’m thinking we’ll cross off “have a lemonade stand”  but if a picnic to the beach seems a better way to spend the day then we’ll do that instead. Maybe at the end of the summer I’ll write a list of all the things we did do then with great joy check off each and every box next to the item.

No matter how we choose to spend this day, I’m feeling incredibly grateful for these days, I know they are a gift and I intend to treat them as such.

As promised, I have the second in a series of three grilling recipes and videos to share today. I’m so glad there is much more summer left so you have time to enjoy these plank-grilled salmon sandwiches. There’s a bit of grilled bacon in there too, along with a red onion relish that is sweet, tart and tangy with briny capers tangled in between the purple lacy onions.

Enjoy the video and recipe then head on over to Porter & York to order your salmon and have it delivered right to your door.

Also, while you’re clicking around the internet I wanted to point you in the direction of One Kings Lane and the stunning (I almost said beautiful but I used up that word in the salmon video) sale they created around our trip to Charlotte, NC. It’s only available for the next couple of days so go there quickly. (There’s also a video and in it I attempt to play golf. It’s okay to laugh, I do it often.)

Plank Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

Serves 6

2 1/2 pound fillet of King Salmon (available at Porter & York)

salt & pepper

2 heaping tablespoons dijon mustard

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

12 strips bacon

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

3 cups arugula

6 brioche buns, halved

1/2 cup mayonnaise

cedar plank, soaked for at least an hour

Preheat your grill while you prepare the salmon.

Set the salmon on the soaked plank then season with salt and pepper. Spread the dijon on top then finish with the dark brown sugar.

Grill the salmon for 20 to 30 minutes or until the flesh is firm when touched and flaking.

After 10 minutes on the grill lay the bacon directly onto the grill and cook until crisp on both sides, about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Remove the salmon and bacon from the grill then let the salmon rest while you prepare the burgers.

Slather the brioche buns with mayonnaise.

Cut the salmon into 6 or so burger-size pieces. Place a piece of the salmon on the bottom bun then top with avocado, arugula and bacon. Finish with the red onion relish and then the other half of the bun.

Red Onion Relish

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons red wine

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ cup drained capers

In a medium pan over low heat, add the olive oil.  Add the red onion and salt and saute for 15 minutes or until very soft, stirring frequently until done.

Add the sugar, wine, thyme leaves and vinegar. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid is syrupy. Fold in capers. Cool, then store in a jar in the fridge.

*Thanks to Porter & York for sponsoring this post and letting me create whatever I wanted with their gorgeous meat.

It has been decided, in my mind, that burgers should have an extended season. I admit there is little better than a burger with the faint taste of a charcoal grill, slathered with mayonnaise and cheese, pickles and onions. Said burger is enjoyed while your feet are dipped in a child’s pool to cool from the hot summer sun, but I want a burger extension.

I want to eat them while the wind unravels the leaves in jewel tones, off their tender branches. I’d love to eat a burger sitting next to a flickering fireplace while watching the snow gracefully fall outside. I would even eat one when the first tip of asparagus pops through the nearly frozen earth.

The principle remains the same – bread, patty and a few carefully selected accessories to pull it all together. But the recipes are a sign of the season.

This time of year our burger is a far cry from our frequent Summer variety. In place of the meat we blend a mixture of white beans with sweet and acidic sun-dried tomatoes as well as fresh rosemary whose sturdy branches are holding firm against the new set-in chill. A soft bun or hearty bread create the foundation. To that we add stone ground mustard, arugula and pickles. I’m sure a bit of cheese, perhaps feta or creamy goat, would be a welcomed addition. Either way it is a burger that Summer would be proud of.

White Bean Burgers with Rosemary and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

makes 4, large or 6-8 small burgers

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbl fresh rosemary, chopped

¾ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

pinch chili flake

2 eggs

Pre-heat your oven to 375*F

In a large bowl or a food processor add the beans. Mash them up a bit while still maintaining some bits of bean. Add to this the remaining ingredients except for the eggs. Taste for seasoning then add the eggs. Let this sit for 15 minutes or so. During this time the bread crumbs will soak up a bit of the moisture. The mixture will be wet but still able to form a patty, similar to ground meat actually. If the mixture feels dry at all add a bit of olive oil to moisten. If too wet add a bit more panko.

Line a sheet pan with parchment and a bit of oil or pan spray. Form four patties and place in a 375*F pre-heated oven. Bake 10-15 minutes on each side. Serve on crusty bread or a hamburger bun with spicy mustard, pickles, and greens (I like arugula).