Teriyaki Burgers

I am back! I know, I said that before. But I am really feeling into my groove now.
I was inspired by my sister, who stopped blogging to spend time with her family. I am not going to stop blogging, but I am going to stop living/cooking for my blog. I am going to make what I want to make, and when it seems blog worthy - you will get a post. I just didn't like the fact that I "couldn't" make a favorite dish because I had already posted the recipe. I still love to experiment and new foods - so there will always be something new - just maybe not as often as before.

Okay, now to the food. These burgers! Oh! These burgers are delicious, and they couldn't be easier!
Thanks to Marta's delicious salad recipe, I had some leftover Soy Vay. Hannah told me to just use it in burgers. They were moist, flavorful, and easy! Really. You don't need a recipe, but I'll give it to you anyway. They were so delicious I didn't need any ketchup, mustard or other sauce -- and that's saying a lot from a ketchup lover!

Teriyaki Burgers with Grilled Pineapple

1 lb lean ground beef
3-4 Tbsp Soy Vay, or other prepared teriyaki sauce

Combine ingredients and divide into four patties, shaping them so the center is a little thinner than the edges. (I learned this from Rachael Ray - this makes them cook evenly and so when they bulge, you have a flat rather than ball-shaped patty). Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, flipping once, or until desired done-ness.

We topped them with grilled pineapple, tomato, and lettuce. That's actually kind of a lie because we don't have a grill - I faux-grilled them. I sprinkled each pineapple ring with some brown sugar and then put them under the broiler until the sugar was dissolved and started to caramelize, maybe 3-5 minutes.

Bruschetta Burger

Almost three weeks ago when I posted last, I assumed I would be back into the swing of things. Well, that obviously was not what happened. I haven't really had much to post because I haven't really made anything new. I have made easy, family favorites that I have already posted, or my mother-in-law made dinner for us. Oh it was so nice having my mom and then my mother-in-law here!
I am still having a little hard time adjusting to the life of a mother of two. I will confess that I have had a few hard days after my mother-in-law left trying to figure out how I would do it all - the housework, the cooking, taking care of a newborn, and entertaining a toddler without the television. I cried. I whined to my husband. I told myself "Enough!" I made some goals. I got organized (a bit). And I am feeling better about things. It is 3pm and I am still in my pajamas - but that's okay because today I have vacuumed, tidied up, done the dishes, made dinner, played Memory and playdough with my toddler. That may not seem like much, but for me, I think that isn't too bad!
Yesterday I was inspired when I saw a cooking show (what I watch when I am nursing sometimes) make bruschetta. My basil plant has been growing well and I thought that I would do something with it. So I decided to make an Italian Burger with a Bruschetta topping.
I am still trying to loose some "baby weight" (although these last few pounds are from the first baby, not the second). So I am trying to make things a little healthier now. I made these burgers with ground turkey and instead of fries, we had zucchini sticks and dipped them in marinara. I was pleasantly surprised with the whole meal!

Italian Turkey Burgers with Bruschetta Topping

For the Bruschetta (recipe from my friend Jenny):

4 Roma tomatoes, cubed
2 Tbsp fresh basil (I used about 10 leaves)
1/4 c grated Romano cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
seasoning salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, cheese, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, seasoned salt and ground black pepper.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.

For the Burgers:

1 19oz package of ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
Seasoning Salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients until well incorporated, but don't overmix. Test the seasoning by taking a teaspoon of the mixture and cook. (see here) Adjust seasoning as needed. Divide meat mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape into patties. Cook on grill or skillet (medium high heat) until done.
Top with bruschetta topping and a toasted bun. Serve with zucchini "fries" - cut zucchini into the french fry shape, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast under broiler until browned.

If you have leftovers:

Crumble meat over a bed of lettuce, top with bruschetta and use the bruschetta liquid as your salad dressing. Delicious! (that was my lunch today!)

South of the Border Turkey Burger

Last night was burger night. This is a treat at our house. We don't have burgers for dinner too often. My little girl was so excited! Mostly because she thought fries always accompany burgers... so I whipped up some quick fries to go along with the carrot sticks. It was a big hit. Lou ate almost her whole burger, and AC said it was his favorite burger I have ever made.
This is a really simple and delicious recipe.  Plus it is ready to go in less than 30 minutes. And if you don't like spicy stuff - no worries, this isn't hot at all. Actually, I would have liked a little kick; next time I will probably put half a seeded, diced jalapeno in.

South of the Border Turkey Burger

1 1/4 lb ground turkey
1 small can diced green chiles
2 green onions, sliced thinly
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt
pepper

Preheat frying pan over medium high heat with a thin layer of olive oil. In a bowl, combine all ingredients until evenly distributed through meat but careful to not overmix. Divide into four patties. Cook until center of burger reaches about 170-175 degrees. Let rest about 5-10 minutes. Top with Cilantro Lime Mayo (see recipe below) and your favorite toppings. I think avocados are a must with these!

Cilantro Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayo (I use fat free cause I can't tell a difference in taste)
2-4 Tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
1 green onion
pinch garlic powder
1 tsp lime juice (or more to taste)
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Stir ingredients together. Adjust seasoning to taste. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tip:
To test the burgers for seasoning, take a small pinch of the meat and fry it up. It only takes a minute or two to cook and it well worth it to adjust salt, heat, etc.

The Ultimate Burger

For the fourth of July, we got together with my sister's family and had some delicious food. We made salsa and burgers and had corn on the cob and watermelon. It was the perfect summer meal. I bought popsicles for dessert, but my brother-in-law doesn't believe something is dessert unless it has chocolate, so they bought a delicious Boston Cream Pie.

I made the burgers and brought lots of delicious toppings: bacon, provolone (no plastic "cheddar" allowed in this family), grilled pineapple, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and avocado. Of course I couldn't decide which to include, so I did them all!

Looks yum doesn't it? Although, it was hard to eat by the end -- I had to use a fork and knife. PS - this is how we like burgers in our family (at least the girls): a little meat with lots of toppings!

Burger Tips:

Don't use a low-fat burger meat - you need the fat to hold it together.
Add some flavor, just throw in some sauces, spices that you like. But I always recommend Worcestershire.
For these burgers I put tomato paste, BBQ seasoning, mustard, and Worcestershire.

What do you like in/on your burger?

Independence Day - Hawaiian Style

The Fourth of July is a favorite holiday of mine - time with family, water fights, fireworks, and BBQs. I am inspired by my vacation to the Aloha state to do something a little different than the normal burger.









Teriyaki Pineapple Burger
1 1/2 lbs 80/20 ground beef (don't go too lean - the burgers need the fat to hold it together)
3 Tbsp prepared teriyaki sauce
1 tsp ground fresh ginger
1-3 tsp chili garlic sauce (that red stuff you see at the Chinese restaurant)

Carefully mix the meat, teriyaki sauce, ginger, and garlic sauce with a fork, but do not mash it. Lightly form each hamburger and lightly press into a patty shape. Don't work the meat too much or it will be chewy.

Slice pineapple into rings. Place pineapple rings and burger patties on a heat grill. Grill pineapple on each side until nice little grill marks appear. Do not move them until those marks are there. Cook the hamburgers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until almost done. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the hamburgers to rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately. Place on prepared buns with pineapple and other favorite toppings.

Makes 4 burgers