Aloha, Dinner

My husband and I are trying to eat less red meat, but the other night we were both craving burgers.  The solution was his suggestion with my own culinary twists, and we both found ourselves absolutely satiated.

Hawaiian Turkey Burgers 

We used ground turkey for this recipe, but ground chicken or ground beef would also be good.  We ate these on whole wheat buns but they would work on a regular bun, a Hawaiian King bread bun, or even on a salad with pineapple chunks and a barbeque sauce-based dressing.  This makes 5 burgers.

• 1 package ground turkey (mine was 1.2 pounds)
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I put 1 whole wheat bun in the food processor)
• 1 egg (I used the egg white equivalent of 1 egg)
• 1/4 cup onion, diced
• 1 green onion
• 3 tablespoons bottled teriyaki sauce
• Two pinches ground ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Ground red pepper to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, if pan frying the burgers
• 5 buns (I used whole wheat)
• 1 can pineapple rings, or fresh pineapple slices
• 1/2 onion, slice in rings
• Your favorite barbeque sauce

Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, diced onion, green onion, teriyaki sauce, ginger, garlic powder, red pepper, and black pepper together in a medium mixing bowl.  Use your hands, or a large spoon to mix everything together evenly.  Form five burger patties from the ground turkey mixture.

Place the burgers on a grill, or in a large skillet with the olive oil over medium heat if you’re using your stove, and cook the burgers until they are firm and the juices run clear.  Meanwhile, cook the onions in a small skillet or saute pan over medium heat until they are wilted and golden brown.  Quickly grill the pineapple rings, or heat them in a skillet until the outside is a light brown and caramelized.  Stack your burgers by layering the patty, pineapple, grilled onions, and barbeque sauce between the buns.  

These burgers came together very quickly and were a nice way to change up the basic burger routine.  Bacon strips would be good on this as well, if you’re looking to add something else.  The sweet pineapple and tangy sauce are summery toppings for a juicy, big-mouth burger.  Enjoy…

Gobble It Up

I love biting into a tall, juicy burger but I also try to keep my meals healthy and low in fat.  My compromise for this is a turkey burger, thick with meat but leaner than ground beef.  Last night I cooked up some turkey burgers at home, and they were just as flavorful and satisfying as any regular beef burger.

Ground Turkey Burgers

The main concern with using turkey in a burger is to keep it moist, since it will need to be cooked all the way through.  I add a bunch of ingredients to keep these from getting dry, but another thing you could add is a pile of cheese stuffed and sealed in the center of the burger.  Also, for my bread crumbs I just threw an old hot dog bun in the food processor and ran it until it became fine crumbs; you’ll want to use fresh bread crumbs as opposed to dry, since again, these need all the moisture they can get.

• 1 package ground turkey (mine was 1.2 pounds)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons mustard (I used spicy brown with horseradish)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh, flat leaf Italian parsley
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Dash cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients except for the olive oil into a medium-sized mixing bowl.  With your hands, combine everything together until thoroughly combined.  Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Form about 5 patties from the ground turkey mixture and add them to the pan, turning the heat to medium-low.  Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your burgers.  Carefully flip each burger and cook on the second side for about 4 minutes, or until firm and cooked through.  Serve on buns with lettuce (I used arugula), a slice of tomato, your favorite cheese (I was indulgent and slathered some Boursin garlic and herb spread on mine) and a dollop of barbeque sauce.

Even my husband and his friends like these turkey burgers.  They are extremely moist and full of flavor and are much more heart healthy than the standard beef variety.  This recipe will also make about 10 ground turkey sliders (mini burgers), which work great on the soft, Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls.  I urge you to try ground turkey next time you’re thinking of making burgers, they are an easy switch to a healthier diet.  Enjoy…

Carolina In My Mind

My husband’s very favorite barbeque place is a simple, fast food-style joint in east North Carolina and southern Virginia called Smithfield’s.  Smithfield’s serves up pulled chicken sandwiches with a distinct east Carolina, vinegar-based barbeque sauce that is tangy and spicy and just right with cool cole slaw.  This recipe is my attempt at recreating this sandwich at home with my crockpot, and it comes pretty darn close.

Pulled Chicken Barbeque with Vinegar Barbeque Sauce

The recipe below made enough sauce to cover 1 package of chicken in my crockpot but can be divided or doubled if needed (the chicken I cooked made about 4-5 sandwiches).  If you prefer pulled pork, subsitute a cut of Boston butt pork for the chicken. 

• About 1.5 pounds bone-in chicken, frozen
• 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients together except for the chicken until well combined.  Place the frozen raw chicken in the bottom of a crockpot.  Pour the vinegar sauce over the chicken making sure the meat is completely submerged, cover the crockpot, and turn it on to low.  Allow this to cookfor at least 8 hours.  If you are short on time, turn the heat to high and cook for about 3 hours.  Remove the chicken with tongs and shred with two forks (it should fall apart easily).  Ladle about 1-2 cups of the sauce over the pulled chicken.  Serve on a bun with your favorite cole slaw.

This chicken was tender and lean and the sauce is light with a definite kick.  I recommend going with the cheaper, softer buns to use for these sandwiches instead of the thick bakery-style bread.  This makes a crowd-pleasing game day meal, and easy weeknight dinner, and leftovers to look forward to.  And after having the vinegar version of barbeque, you may never go back to the sticky sweet ketchup-based kind.  Enjoy…

Oktober-Fiesta

One of my favorite fall traditions is Oktoberfest, and there is actually a surprising amount of Germans in Texas.  There is a great nearby festival that I’d love to one day visit, but the trip wasn’t in the cards for us this year.  Instead, we decided to have our own Oktoberfest in Kingsville, with a certain south Texas spin on the occasion.

Beer Bratwursts With Peppers and Onions in Flour Tortillas

 

These brats are boiled and then cooked either on the grill or in a skillet.  I’ve only used the beer brats, but there are other varieties that would also be good.  For the tortillas, look for the soft flour kind that are often used for fajitas.  As far as the peppers go, use whichever color you like – I like the bright yellow, red, and orange colors the best for this dish.

• 1 package beer bratwurst (my package had 5 brats)
• 5 flour tortillas
• 4 bottles or cans of beer (or enough to boil the brats in a large pot)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1/2 large onion OR 1 small onion, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (plus 1 tabplespoon extra virgin olive oil for non-stick pans only)
• Spicy mustard (we like the spicy brown mustard with horseradish)

In a large covered pot, bring the beer to a boil.  Add the bratwurst and let them cook until the brats are gray in color and a bit swollen looking. 

If you are using a non-stick pan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet or saute pan and add the bell peppers and onion.  Cook over medium or medium high heat and toss until softened. 

While the peppers and onion are cooking, heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat and transfer the boiled brats to the pan.  Turn the brats to brown on both sides and remove from the heat. 

Since we have a gas stove, I heated and lightly browned each tortilla directly on the burner over a low open flame.  Alternately, you could heat them in a small dry skillet before serving.

I had my first brat-in-a-tortilla in Texas and I think I’m forever converted.  Fill each tortilla with a brat, some spicy mustard, and a pile of sauteed peppers and onions for a wonderful new Texas way to celebrate German heritage.  The tortillas are less filling than buns and they really just go well with the brats and veggies.  This is a great buffet-style meal for a group and a perfect Oktober-feast, served with hot German potato salad and a cold German beer.  Enjoy…

That’s A Wrap

Since my husband had a late night on base last night and an early class today, I thought he could use a little something extra for breakfast this morning.  In south Texas there is a large supply of chorizo in the grocery stores and I usually like to pick some up to keep in the freezer.  Mexican chorizo is different from Spanish and Portuguese chorizo in that it is sold fresh and will need to be cooked.  Unlike the Spanish and Portuguese versions, which are dry-cured, firm, and ready-to-eat, Mexican chorizo is a crumbly ground pork sausage that has a bit of smoky spice. 

Chorizo, Egg, and Potato Breakfast Burrito

This is a simple breakfast that is easily adjusted to feed one person or a group.  The list of ingredients below makes enough for about 4 hungry adults.

• 2 cups diced potatoes (even, bite-sized pieces)
• 12 ounces Mexican chorizo
• 6 large egss
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste
• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (if needed)
• 4 whole wheat flour tortillas
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Salsa (your favorite kind)
• Sour cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cool, salted water.  Cook over high heat until fork-tender.  Meanwhile, remove the casings from the chorizo by running a paring knife down each link lengthwise and peeling off the outside lining.  Discard the casings.  Cook the chorizo meat in a small or medium skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling until completely cooked.  Once the meat is done, transfer it to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Leave the grease in the skillet.

Place your tortillas on a baking sheet and spray with the cooking spray.  Place the baking sheet in the oven to warm the tortillas while you finish cooking the rest of the meal.  The cooking spray will ensure that your tortillas are malleable and won’t crack or break when you roll them.

When your potatoes are fork-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to the skillet in which you cooked the chorizo, adding the olive oil if there isn’t enough rendered pork grease.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic poweder to taste, and cook over medium-high heat until browned and crispy.  Meanwhile, in an unheated medium saute pan or skillet, add your egss, milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste and whisk together.  Cook over medium heat, scrambling as the eggs firm.  Add the green onion and cilantro just before the eggs are finished cooking and stir to incorporate them evenly.  Remove the tortillas from the oven.

To assemble, lay some scrambles eggs in the middle of a warmed tortilla.  Top with skillet potatoes and crumbled chorizo.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and top with a few spoonfuls of salsa.  Wrap and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

This is a complete burrito that can really be eaten for any meal of the day.  It is a substantial and savory meal all wrapped up in one, with melty cheese, fluffy eggs, crispy potatoes, spicy sausage, and verdent greens.  Enjoy…

A Brand New Burger

As the summer days dwindle (ok, maybe not here in Texas, but still) I wanted a dinner that evoked the essence of summer meals.  To me that means burgers, corn on the cob, and fresh vegetables.  This post comes courtesy of one of my best friends and college roommate, Becky, who used to join me in the kitchen back in school.  To be honest, I was a bit skeptical looking at her list of ingredients but I trusted her taste buds and was very pleased with the outcome.  Even the guys liked it!

Barbeque Turkey Burgers with Curry and Monteray Jack

This is absolutely a new one for me, and a keeper for sure.  It may seem odd to put some of these ingredients in a burger but just go with it – you will be surprised at how these turn out.

• 1 package ground turkey or chicken (my package was 1.2 pounds of ground turkey)
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, ground (I used my food processor but a coffee grinder would also work)
• 4 ounces monteray jack cheese, grated (mine had jalapenos in it and was extra tasty)
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup diced onions or shallots
• 1/4 cup fresh, flat leaf, Italian parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I only went with a dash of this, since I had the jalapeno cheese)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Whole wheat buns
• Barbeque sauce (your favorite kind), tomato slices, and romaine lettuce for toppings

Mix all of the ingredients except for the buns and toppings in a medium or large bowl.  My cheese was kept frozen (I keep my extra cheeses in the freezer so that they last longer) so it was extra easy to grate in my food processor.  Form 6 patties from the meat mixture and cook on the grill, grill pan, or skillet over medium heat.  These will need to be cooked all the way through so keep your heat low enough to not burn the outside without cooking the inside.  Ground poultry patties usually don’t stick together as well as beef ones do, so flip these guys with care.  Toast the buns and serve with the lettuce, tomato, and barbeque sauce.

We ate these with corn on the cob (Tip: Add sugar to your boiling corn water for sweeter, more tender kernels) and fresh, steamed broccoli.  I usually dress my greens with a bit of butter, salt, pepper, a shake or two of garlic powder, and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. 

These burgers are different than anything I’ve ever had.  They are extremely moist and have a touch of both heat and spice, complemented by the sweet tang of the barbeque sauce.  Thanks, Becky!  Enjoy…

Curried Away

One of the things I’ve learned about being a military spouse is that there are always potlucks to attend.  Last night I was able to go to a Spouse Club ‘social’ in the neighborhood and I decided that this time I would make a light but savory appetizer: 

Curried Chicken Salad in Mini Phyllo Cups

I was a bit apprehensive heading into this ambitious cooking forray (assuming that I would be cutting and baking my own phyllo cups for the first time), but I happened upon pre-baked mini phyllo cups in the frozen food section of my local grocery store.  What a find!  These nifty little guys come in packs of 15 and need only 10 minutes of defrosting before you serve them.  Here’s what to look for:

 

For the chicken salad, you will need:

• 1.5-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup nonfat, plain yogurt
• 3-4 teaspoons curry powder (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 mango, diced (into small pieces)
• 3/4 cup lightly salted cashews, chopped
• 1 cup red, seedless grapes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chropped
• 3 whole scallions, chopped

I put the chicken broth and chicken breasts in a large saucepan and added enough water to cover the meat.  While I poached the chicken until it was cooked through, I started making the dressing.  I mixed all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl, leaving the cashews out until right before I was ready to fill the phyllo cups.  Tip:  When adding the honey, spray your measuring spoon with non-stick spray first to prevent the honey from sticking to the measuring spoon.  Once the chicken was done, I cubed the meat into tiny bit-sized pieces and added it to the dressing mixture.  I finished these steps in advance, allowing the flavors to meld in in my fridge for a few hours.

Right before I filled the mini phyllo cups, I added the chopped cashews and stirred the mixture thoroughly.  Using a fork, I filled 30 mini phyllo cups with a bite-sized amount of the chicken salad and had plenty salad left over for sandwiches or salad toppers this week!  Enjoy…

Wine and Dine Me

Welcome! 

For my inaugural blog post I have decided to showcase some of the foods I made for a recent wine and cheese party.  I’ve read about the rules of cheese tasting but, seeing as I was feeding some hungry men, I went outside the traditional guidelines and made an assortment of hearty snacks, each introducing a new type of cheese.  I ended up with the following menu:

Traditional Cheese Platter

I went with three types of cheeses (our selection in town is limited, so I chose Cheddar, Smoked Gouda, and Creamy Havarti).  I set out red grapes, pears slices, honey, and fig preserves as accompaniments, and served it all with crackers and baguette slices.

Tomato Mozzerella Finger Sandwiches

Next I made finger sandwiches with fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto, and pesto.  These were easy!  I simply bought the best sandwich bread I could find (I prefer ciabatta but, again, I don’t have too many options where I live), cut each roll in half, and slathered each side generously with pre-made, store-bought pesto.  I then sliced fresh balls of mozzerella and vipe-ripened tomatoes, stacked the slices on the bottom half of each roll, and topped that with a thin slice or two of prosciutto.  Once the bread tops went on, I sliced each sandwich in half on a diagonal and had an easy-to-eat finger food.

 Sliced Steak Crostinis with roasted garlic and Gorgonzola

I thought I should include some sort of red meat dish for my male company and so I decided on sliced steak crostinis with roasted garlic and Gorgonzola spread.  These require some time, but are not difficult to make at all. 

• 2 heads of fresh garlic
• 1 large baguette or french bread loaf
• 2-3 ounces gorgonzola cheese
• 4 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• approximately 1.5 pound rump roast
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette, or Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh, flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

First, I cut the two heads of (unpeeled) garlic in half widthwise and laid them on a piece of tin foil.  I drizzled them with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and wrapped up the tin foil in a pouch around them, adding a touch of water before sealing the garlic inside.  I then baked them at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  The garlic came out soft, sweet, and completely spreadable.  Once cooled, I squeezed each clove from it’s cell into a bowl and discarded the peel.  I added the gorgonzola crumbles and the fresh parsley to the bowl of garlic and mashed it all together until it formed a paste.  You can do this well in advance.

For the steak I bought a rump roast, seasoned it with a healthy amount of salt and pepper, and marinated it in the balsamic vinaigrette, worcestershire and soy sauces.  I set the oven to broil, put the two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a sautee pan on the stove top, and turned it on medium-high heat. Once the oil is ‘smoking’ hot, it’s time to sear the steak - but watch out!  The liquids have a tendency to spit at you during this part.  Allow the the steak to sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, then transfer the entire pan to the oven.  Tip: If your pan handles aren’t oven-proof, you can always wrap the handle in tin foil and they won’t melt.  Broil your steak until the internal temperature reaches 130-135 at it’s thickest part (for medium-rare).  Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for at least 10 minutes.  This not only allows the juices to redistribute within the meat (intead of leaking onto your cutting board), but the steak will also continue to cook a bit more as it rests.  Once the waiting is over, thinly (very thinly!)slice the meat across the grain to create the most tender, no-fork-needed slices. 

For the crostini part, I sliced the loaf of bread on the diagonal, and warmed the slices in the oven until toasted.  I then spread the roasted garlic/Gorgonzola mixture on the bread, and topped each piece with a slice of streak. 

Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries

Now, I can’t throw a party without some sort of dessert!  And while I loved the idea of cheesecake for a cheese party, my waistline was shuddering at the thought.  I came up with the much lighter cheesecake-stuffed strawberries and they were a hit! 

• 1 quart fresh strawberries
• 4 ounces fat free or low fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons confectioners sugar

I bought the largest, freshest strawberries I could find and cut the stem-end off of each one.  With my paring knife, I dug a little hole into each berry and set them aside.  In my stand mixing bowl I put the cream cheese, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar, and graham cracker crumbs.  I poked a hole in the bottom corner of a Ziploc bag and inserted a star pastry tip.  I filled the bag with the cream cheese mixture, piped the filling into the strawberries, and chilled until serving time!

I don’t usually throw parties like this, but I figured it would be a good way to kick off my blog experience.  Enjoy!