Turkey-Mushroom Burgers

I'm a big fan of grilling, and barbecues in general, but since I don't do the beef thing and I'm a total hot dog -snob, I have to be a little creative.  Might sound like I'm complaining, but no.  I actually see this as a blessing because that means I get to experiment with delights such as this.  Some turkey burgers have a tendency to be a tad on the dry side, but the mushrooms in this one keep your patty nice and moist.  If that sounded at all dirty to you its time you get your mind out of the gutter and into the kitchen!  Bust out the grill, baby - you're gonna love 'em!

Turkey Mushroom Burgers

adapted from delish.com

Ingredients

1/2 - 3/4 c. quick oats

8 oz. white mushrooms, wiped clean & finely chopped

3 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. lean ground turkey breast

1 large egg

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 Tbsp coarse-grained mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat.  add onion, garlic & mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.  add to the oats and let cool completely, 15-20 minutes.

2.  Preheat grill to med-high heat.

3. add ground turkey, egg, dill, mustard, salt & pepper to the mushroom mixture & mix well w/ a potato masher (definitely use the masher!  I wasn't going to, but did on a whim & it worked like a dream!).  With dampened hands, form the mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties, using about 1/2 c. for each.

4. Oil the grill rack.  brush the patties w/ the remaining 1 tsp. oil.  grill until no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes per side (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 165 degrees). meanwhile, split buns & toast on the grill for 30-60 seconds.

***Don't forget to leave your comment HERE (before August 1st) to win the Wild Bill's Gourmet Seasoning Give Away!***

{TWD} Chewy, Chunky Blondies...better than you know what!

Mmmmmmmmm...

Oh, my.....

There are hardly any words to describe this...this...its more of an experience than a dessert.  No, there aren't any words to do it justice.  Just sounds.  It'll have you moaning and curling your toes before you've even swallowed your first bite.  Seriously.  So rich, and absolutely just too much to handle in the middle of the day.  You have to eat this at night, otherwise you'll feel guilty.  Don't ask why, its just one of those things.  Eat it while its still warm and gooey from the oven.  But its just as sinfully delicious the next day. 

p.s. only share this with the ones you truly love, or people will get the impression that you care more for them than you really do.  Its that good.

Chewy Chunky Blondies

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Click HERE to visit Nicole of Cookies on Friday for the complete recipe.

***I left out the walnuts, but put in both heath bits AND butterscotch chips.  Divine.***

TWD: Birrrrthday Brrrownies for Jan

I'm a little tardy with this post (it is called Tuesdays With Dorie, afterall), but I'll explain myself at the end of this post.  Prepare yourselves to be green with envy.

All of my life I've pretty much known two kinds of brownies:  1) the Betty Crocker red box mix, which I love, and 2) dry, cakey homemade brownies from other people's kitchens.  My mom was strictly a Betty Crocker gal, and so I grew up on her side.  I still take her side on pretty much everything (excluding her stance on Donny Osmond, Barry Manilow, and the fact that she thinks I stole all of her movies when I moved away from home - I only brought with me what I bought myself or was given as a gift.  so there.), but the fabulous Dorie Greenspan is luring me over to the dark side of brownies made from scratch at home.  The only two recipes I've tried have been Dorie's from her cookbook Baking: From My Home to Yours, and neither have disappointed in the slightest.  My baking club, Tuesdays With Dorie, that is centered around this very cookbook had the pleasure of whipping up Brrrownies this week, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect!  The recipe calls for a heavy dose of York Peppermint Patties.  My mom is a die-hard fan of Junior Mints.  I know they aren't the same, but they're pretty darn close, and that's good enough for a lady who deserves the best.  Especially on her birthday!  I surprised my momma with a plate of these delights as she came out of work today.  She loved them.  I'm sure you'll love them, too.  Click here for the complete recipe.  Its short and sweet, and the fruits of your minimal labors will be totally worth it!

Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love love love you!

I was living in a dream yesterday, so I had to postpone the brrrownies just one day.  I went with my family to see the Sir Paul McCartney LIVE in concert!  My parents are both huge Beatles fans, but my dad especially loves them, so you know I was raised right.  My parents' "song" is Let it be, and one of my favorite memories of my dad is singing along while he played Hey Jude on the guitar.  Dick's family had different musical taste (not that there's anything wrong with that...except that there kind of is), so the concert was kind of a music education/appreciation experience for him.  And that's kind of ironic because he's so musically talented!  Anyway, here is a glimpse at one of the greatest nights of my life.  Seriously.

goat cheese - stuffed mushrooms

Being the cheese-lover I am, you'd think I'd have been all over the goat cheese scene for a long time, but no.  This dish was my introduction to the creamy, dreamy stuff.  And now I'm hooked for life!  Another little nugget:  Dick swore when we first met that he hated mushrooms. Hated them.  Fast forward to the day I made these babies, and he devoured those shrooms like it was nobody's business.  He's been a self-proclaimed mushroom-eater for about a year now, and there's no going back.  When we open our minds (& mouths) to new foods, the odds are that life will get much more delicious!  I baked these in the oven, but if you're trying to beat the summer heat you can always plop them on the grill!

Goat Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms

A Rachel Smith original recipe

Ingredients

8 oz white mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

stems of mushrooms, roughly chopped

4 oz. goat cheese crumbles

2 green onions, chopped

garlic powder to taste

Directions

1. preheat oven to 375

2. combine chopped mushroom stems, goat cheese, green onion & garlic powder in a medium bowl.

3. place a heaping spoonful of the goat cheese mixture in the cap of each mushroom.

4. on a prepared baking sheet, bake mushrooms approximately 20 minutes, or until cheese is melty & slightly browning & mushrooms are tender.

Chicken Tikka Masala

When we were first married, we went without having television for about a year.  I may have been a better person at that time because of it, or at least more productive.  Fast forward 3 years, and Dick earned major points by surprising me with Dish Network in our new apartment because I was absolutely dying without my Food Network Channel!  I don't know about you, but I get sucked into the Food Network to the point where before I even realize it 3 hours have passed and I have a list of new recipes to try that week in my hand.  I subscribed to the FN magazine while we were without cable, and I'll continue to get it because its literally like having a brand new cookbook come in the mail every month!

Anyway, last week Bobby Flay won a Chicken Tikka Masala Throwdown, and while my mouth was watering I knew that I had to try my hand at this delicious Indian dish.

This turned out to be one of my favorite recipes that I've made in awhile, but I must give a warning:  It is super spicy!!!  I even cut back on what the recipe called for and was sweating at the table while we ate!  With that said, the leftovers I took for lunch the next day were PERFECTION.  I think next time I make it I'll halve the spices - & I like spicy foods.  Just keep that in mind when you try this one. 

So, next time you're feeling like some Indian take-out, but are wanting to save some money, this is your go-to recipe! 

Chicken Tikka Masala

From somewhere in cyberspace

Ingredients

1 c. plain yogurt

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

4 tsp. salt, or to taste

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 Tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. paprika

3 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

1 c. heavy cream

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 tsp. cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, & 4 tsp. salt.  Stir chicken, cover, & refrigerate for 1 hr.

2. Cook chicken over med-high heat until juices run clear & mostly cooked through.  Remove from heat & set aside.

3. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.  Saute garlic & jalapeno pepper 1 minute.  Season w/ 2 tsp. cumin, paprika & 3 tsp. salt.  Stir in tomato sauce & cream.  Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.  Add chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter, & garnish with fresh cilantro.  Serve with brown rice.

Red, White & Blue Mashed Potatoes

In the spirit of Independence Day, I decided to be festive with our food.  I'm so grateful for the freedoms I enjoy living in the good ol' U.S. of A, including the freedom to enjoy just about whatever hobbies I choose.  I'm talking about cooking here, people!  It seems like a little thing, but it makes me truly happy.  I hope your holiday weekend was as wonderful as mine has been!  And I hope you enjoy these potatoes, too!  Not sure why the skins in my potatoes look green in this picture, but I promise you they didn't taste green!

Red, White & Blue Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

5 medium russet potatoes, cleaned & chopped into 1-inch cubes

3 cloves garlic, smashed

6 oz bacon

1/2 - 3/4 c. blue cheese crumbles

1/2 - 1 c. milk (I used skim w/ great results!)

Directions

1. put potatoes & garlic in a large pot, and fill with water until water is 1 inch above the potatoes.  Boil until tender, but not too mushy.  Remove from heat & drain water.

2. while potatoes are boiling, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy.  Drain fat from bacon & chop into small pieces.

3. with a potato masher, mash potatoes and garlic.  Adding milk until you've reached desired consistency.  While mashing, add bacon and blue cheese so that they are mashed in with the potatoes.