Welcome to the 3rd Monday in February. So is this Washington’s Birthday? Is it a combined celebration of Washington and Lincoln or do we honor all those who have held the highest political position? Yes, sort of and maybe.
Originally, our young country celebrated Washington’s Birthday, February 22, even while George was still in the White House. Following his death in 1799, February 22 became a day of remembrance. For many obvious reasons, George Washington was venerated as the most important figure in American History. This held true in 1832, when America marked the centennial of his birth, and again in 1848, when the construction of the Washington Monument first began. We came together as one nation, to honor and celebrate our sense of Patriotic Pride. It wasn’t until 1879 that Washington’s Birthday became a legal holiday. Even then, it was only a holiday in the District of Columbia, seat of the Federal Government. By 1885, the whole of the country recognized February 22 as a National Holiday.
The shift from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents Day began in the late 1960s. It really wasn’t so much an expansion to include Lincoln’s birthday as it was a shift in how holidays were celebrated under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. In other words, rather than celebrate the birth of our country’s first president, we gave ourselves a 3-Day Weekend. Conveniently, we could celebrate two birthdays with one national party. It would be like our family’s January Birthday Celebration. Once upon a time we had so many people born in January that we had one big party. Now that we’ve scattered to the four corners of the world, and some are no longer with us, the need for a single party has past.
With all the woke politics, I think the only reason we haven’t done away with Presidents Day is because it’s a 3-Day Weekend. Any excuse to go shopping on a paid day off, right? I’d say it’s a safe bet that if we simply tipped our hat to George on February 22 instead of enjoying a paid holiday, those so hell bent on doing away with honoring the past would have Presidents Day wiped from the public calendars. Oh, and one more thing – after this, the next Federal Holiday isn’t until May. So enjoy that day off while you can, America.
When it comes to an All-American Meal, what could be better than a Burger and Fries? Burgers are like people – all variations of the same dish yet uniquely different. This burger is in keeping with Patty Melts – except the bread is different, the cheese comes from a goat and the onions deliver a little kick. Yeah, it’s good!
Texas Toast Spicy Burgers
1 Yellow Onion
1 (4 oz) can Diced Green Chilies
1-1/3 lb Ground Beef
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
8 slices Texas Toast
4 tablespoons Butter
4 tablespoons Barbecue Sauce
4 tablespoons Goat Cheese, soft
Peel and slice onion in to rounds. Break apart. Place onions in a skillet, sweat for about 8 minutes or until just beginning to brown and soften. Add green chilies to the onions. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
Divide ground beef into 1/3 pound sections. Form each into an oblong burger patty just slightly larger than the Texas Toast. Season patties with salt and pepper.
Heat griddle to medium. While the griddle warms, lay Texas Toast on a cutting board. Brush each slice on 1 side with butter, turn and brush with barbecue sauce.
Grill burgers for 5 minutes or so per side on a hot griddle. When burgers are ready, place 4 slices Texas Toast on the griddle, buttered side down, barbecue sauce side up. Place grilled burgers on bread slices. Crumble goat cheese on top of the burger patties, top with onion mixture. Place remaining slices of Texas Toast on top, buttered side up. Grill until golden, flip and continue to grill another 2 minutes or so.
Serve with fries and enjoy.
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