The Best Turkey Burger

Ok so yeah there are a lot of "best" turkey burgers, but this one is really great, simple and doesnt use anything you dont have in your house. I hate when I need a pinch of something to make the whole burger and I have to spend $4.00 for it . I used my grill pan and it was nice to get something on the table so quick. They were a great flavor and juicy too!

The Best Turkey Burger

from How Sweet it Is

1-2 lbs 99% extra lean ground turkey breast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup seasoned, whole wheat bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons worchestshire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried parsley

salt & pepper to tast3

Directions:

Preheat grill or skillet.

Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix into turkey until just combined. Form into 4 patties and cook until heated through. Serve on whole wheat buns with fresh spring greens and tomatoes.

Best Turkey Burger

I recently joined Pinterest and that has given me a source for many great new recipes. I havent been cooking that many new things lately because of the holiday crunch but I have found some quick and easy meals to throw together in between all the other chaos.

This is one of those recipes you will make again and again. I adore this blogger and her writing is hysterical and her recipes delicious. It was quite the find.

The Best Turkey Burger

borrowed from How Sweet it Is

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs 99% extra lean ground turkey breast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup seasoned, whole wheat bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons worchestshire sauce

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1/2 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon dried parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill or skillet.

Add all ingredients in a large bowl and mix into turkey until just combined. Form into 4 patties and cook until heated through. Serve on whole wheat buns with fresh spring greens and tomatoes.

Zucchini Turkey Burgers

Its burger season!!!

I am always on the hunt for quick and easy burger recipes that are quick to prep and easy to throw on the grill (or grill pan) and get the dinner on the table without much effort. This is one of those meals. I am so thankful when a recipe catches my eye and lives up to its expectations. I have made these twice already and they will be a staple of our summer menu. Dont be scared of the extra veggies, they just blend right in and its a great way to get some extra green in there.

Oh and for the record this wasnt my plate, I only eat one, and 1/2 that serving of pasta salad :)

Zucchini Turkey Burgers

adapted from I Was Born to Cook

6 servings

***4 WW Points Plus***(without roll)

20 ozs. lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 zucchini, grated

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients and form into patties. DO NOT over handle meat, as it will already be delicate. Cook on grill over high heat.

Chicken Pizza Burger

Tonights dinner started with an OH SH---ugar!

I purchased my ground chicken on Sunday, and its now Friday. I never in a million thought it would have gone bad....Mama didnt check the exp. date when I bought it and it was the next day. COME ON!!!! That's just wrong. I normally always check because I have been burned before, and the 2nd time I dont check, it happens again. So just as I was prepped and ready to go I had to make a quick run to the store to get more chicken......and that chicken is good until April 2nd, which is lucky since I ate it already.

This recipe has opened up a whole slew of recipes I would like to try to incorporate the basic burger....stayed tuned for those

I also want to mention the kind of crappy picture tonight. I guess I was in such a rush to eat, I didnt notice the big smudge on the lens. I tried to pick the picture with the least blurriness, so I apologize in advance. Also, I was really hungry and didnt really care about making the picture look pretty, I wanted to EAT! I know you trust my judgement and when you read my verdict, you wont need to rely on the picture

Chicken Pizza Burger

adapted from Running Mama Cooks

***11 weight watchers Points Plus*** without roll

Serving size 4

Ingredients:

1 Lb ground chicken
1 egg
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parm
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
fresh black pepper
1/2 cup marinara sauce
4 sliced reduced fat provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Mix all ingredients together except provolone cheese and sauce. Form into 4 burgers. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Switch oven to broil. Spoon marinara sauce over burgers and cover with a slice of cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly.

If served with hamburger roll, it will count as extra points

VERDICT: I am singing this burger's praises. HOLY CHICKEN BURGER, it was so good. The points where on the high side but the serving was huge. You could easily convert to 5-6 serving sizes also and it would still be a good sized portion. I liked my big serving, I cant lie. I also didnt need a roll. I was happy with my big slice of ooey gooey cheese on top and my giant side of broccoli, and a couple of whole wheat spaghetti noodles. This is a keeper and I cant wait to make them again.....and again... in a variety of new recipes.

Apple Maple Turkey Burgers with Maple-Dijon Sauce

I am on such a burger kick. I have a slew of slew of new recipes and this one was so unique I had to give it a try. Sounds a bit odd and I had to buy some of the ingredients just for this recipe. They came together super fast, no chopping which I always like too.

DO you have any burgers that are out of the ordinary? I am always on the hunt for some new recipes to add to my collection

Apple Maple Turkey Burgers with Maple-Dijon Sauce

borrowed from The Food Network

Ingredients

For Maple-Dijon Sauce:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup

For Burgers:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast
• 1/4 cup real bacon bits
• 1/2 cup chunky applesauce
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Hamburger Buns
• Hamburger condiments

Directions

Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.

For Maple-Dijon Sauce: In a small bowl, stir to combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup; set aside.

For Turkey Burgers: In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients for burgers. Wet hands to prevent sticking and shape into 4 patties.

Place burgers on hot oiled grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side or until done.

Serve on buns with traditional burger condiments and a dollop of maple-Dijon sauce.

Note - Indoor: Prepare burgers as directed. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot add burgers and cook 5 to 7 minutes per side or until done.

VERDICT

These had a really different, unique flavor. I really liked them for something different. They were very juicy and I really liked the sauce....A LOT! They could have used some lettuce or something to make the picture look better because they dont look so hot, but seriously they are really delicious. The hint of bacon with the hint of apples really comes through.

Feta, Spinach & Sundried Tomato Sliders

I really enjoy tiny burgers. I am sure they would all taste the same regular sized but they are just so cute on their little rolls so when I see a recipe for sliders I need to try them. I was unsure about this combo because I am not a huge fan of anything salty and sundried tomatoes can sometimes be too salty, add that to the feta cheese and I was concerned. But fear not, these flavors blended perfectly. Oh yeah and I also started running this week. Not a huge fan, I prefer cooking to running but I am trying. There is a great program Couch to 5K that slowly gets none-athletic people (like me) who have never run before, able to run a 5K in 9 weeks. It might take me longer then 9 weeks because as a busy mom its hard to fit it into my day since its something I want to do alone for "me" time. But I am trying. Becoming more healthy in 2010 is my goal and so far, 4 months in I think I am doing OK, but I know I can do better. How are you doing on your resolutions for 2010?

Onto the cooking......

Feta Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Burger Sliders

adapted from The Picky Palate

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**I omitted**

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 Cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 Cup sun-dried tomatoes, jarred in olive oil**I used none olive oiled ones***

1/2 Cup fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped

Pinch of Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley

Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise

1 Cup mayonnaise**I used light**

2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes

Baby hamburger buns or dinner rolls, split and warmed**Martins makes a great whole wheat slider bun**

2 Cups fresh baby spinach leaves

Heat oil into a large skillet over medium heat***I used my stove-top grill pan to cook these but you could also cook them in a skillet***.

I put the tomatoes, spinach, feta and seasonings into my mini chopper and pulsed a few times. Place turkey, feta, sun dried tomato, spinach and seasonings into a mixing bowl.

Mix until just combined.

Form 1/4 Cup little patty’s and place onto a cookie sheet**Mine were a little larger because the buns as a little larger then the original recipe**.

Once all are formed, place batches in hot skillet***or on your grill pan***.

Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.

Place mayonnaise, tomatoes and some spinach into the mini chopper, mix to combine. Spread over insides of warm rolls. Layer bottom roll with spinach and the burger. Close with top roll and eat.

Makes about 10 little sliders

VERDICT: I really REALLY liked this burger. Sometimes I dont like turkey burgers because you can actually taste the turkey meat, if that makes sense. I used the 93/7 fat meat and there was zero fat coming out of them but with all the additional ingredients it kept them nice and juicy. They werent the least bit dry and I really am happy I used the grill pan to save the extra calories of pan fry cooking them. I also suggest using the sundried tomatoes that arent in the oil. You can save so many calories if you just look for some of the hidden traps. You could easily make these full sized burgers and I am sure they would be just as delicious...just not as cute as little burgers.

Meatloaf Sliders

I had seen this recipe in a Magazine, then I saw Katie Lee make them on TV and then I couldnt find it. It was haunting me. I needed to try these sliders. Any meal that you can mix, throw in the oven, then eat, is something all busy families need to have in their recipe file. So I finally figured out where I saw them and strangely enough had all the fixings in my house...YAY MOM. Yes I was in a rush to eat my dinner so making the plate look fancy just wasnt in the cards. So instead I hope I make you smile.

Meatloaf Sliders

from Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup grated onion
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 24 slider-size hamburger buns, split***I think I made about 14 in total***

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Mist the rack lightly with cooking spray.

Combine the beef, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, the onion, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the garlic powder in a large bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together.

Shape tablespoonfuls of the meat into small, thin patties, about 2 inches in diameter. Place on the prepared rack on the baking sheet. Brush the patties with the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup and bake about 20 minutes.

VERDICT: These were yummy. Really really easy which is always a nice bonus. I did make them larger then they recommended because I didnt want to eat just a lot of bread. Doug put 2 n each bun. They do shrink up a bit in baking so next time I might make them even larger. The kids ate them too which is a nice surprise since usually meat is the enemy. I would make sure you cover the pan with parchment for easy clean-up. I will make these again for sure.

Black Bean Veggie Burger

I am trying to introduce more non-meat meals into our diet and in my research I came across about a dozen black bean burger recipes. I was thinking that was a great place to start because we love black beans. I compared all the recipes I found and this one stood out because it seemed the easiest. I didnt have time for soaking, and lots of weird ingredients I would never use again. And almost everything I have made from this blog has been some of my favorite new dishes. So if you are looking for something different, or you just want to have a new non-meat meal in your arsenal......

Black Bean Veggie Burgers
borrowed from Dinners for a year and Beyond

makes 6 4-inch burgers or 18 sliders

****WW Points Plus 4 points each****

2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for cooking the burgers
1 cup corn----I used frozen and didnt defrost it
2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped---I omitted because I dont eat the fungus
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 potato, peeled and grated
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed - mash 3/4 of the can and leave the remaining beans whole
salt
pepper
1/2 cup panko

whole wheat buns
mini potato rolls
any burger toppings you like - these would be good with guacamole or chipotle mayo

Directions
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add corn, mushrooms, and scallions.

Cook for about 5 - 7 minutes until softened.

Add garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute.

Add the spinach, carrot, and potato and cook for 4 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove for the heat and add the mashed and whole beans and the panko.

Stir to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Shape into burger or slider sized patties and place on a large platter.
Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and cook burgers until golden brown and crispy on each side.

Serve on a bun, eat it plain, they are great just about any way you would like them.

VERDICT

I fought for the one left over!!! I absolutely loved this burger. It isnt a beef burger but since we are all trying to be healthier this is an awesome way to go. I ate the leftover with diced fresh tomatoes and avocado wrapped inside a tortilla. Now I am curious to try one in a restaurant and see if they can do better, since I am not scared of them anymore. This is going into regular rotation in our house. Loved this meal!!!!

Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf Burger

UGH! I cant believe I got myself a whole weeks worth of dinners behind again. I have a computer that likes to be temperamental, the Yanks have been keeping me up at night and I was prepping for a cocktail party I had for my ladies so that was "research" for the blog and it just happened. I cant wait to post about all those yummy recipes too.

I wont chit chat too much since I need to get through my stack of meals so I can catch up.

Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf Burger

Borrowed from Oct. 2009 Rachel Ray Magazine

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 small mcintosh apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small rib celery, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 pound ground dark-meat turkey
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (about 2/3 palmful)
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
Sliced sharp white cheddar, for topping
1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped chives
4 large sandwich-size sourdough English muffins, split and toasted
4 thin slices red onion
4 leaves red-leaf or red romaine lettuce

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to melt, then add the apple, onion and celery; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, then transfer to a bowl to cool; reserve the skillet. Mix in the turkey, egg, parsley, mustard and poultry seasoning; season with salt and pepper. Form into four 4-inch patties.

2. Wipe out the reserved skillet and add a liberal drizzle of EVOO. Warm over medium-high heat, add the patties and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Top with the cheddar during the last minute.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cranberry sauce, sour cream and chives.

4. Serve the patties on the English muffins with the onion, lettuce and cranberry-sour cream sauce.

VERDICT
I followed this recipe exactly and can I just say this is BY FAR one of my favorite recipes I have ever made. IT WAS AWESOME. Whichever of Rachel Ray’s employees created this recipe, they deserve a raise and a half. The flavor—UHhhhh!!! I wanted to eat this ever night last week. The leftovers were even awesome. You need to eat them on the big English muffin too. I don’t know why but I think a roll would be too much bread. Oh and the cranberry sauce---HOLY COW is it awesome. I seriously don’t know what else to say about this burger but, get yourself to the store and make these tomorrow night. It does seem like a lot of ingredients but it did pull together really quickly once you got all the chopping out of the way. Just typing this is making me want them again so I think Sunday afternoon we will be munching on these for sure!!!!!

OBX Dinner-2009 Entree

When I first made these burgers it was a test run. On vacation we all take responsibility to cook one dinner. This year I was determined to make it simple. I will post the other recipes I made with these burgers in a later post and if you put them all together you will have a really nice spread for a large hungry group. In this picture for my test run I used sour cream and cheddar. When I made them for the family I used Monteray jack and guacamole

Southwestern Turkey Burgers
Bon appetite July 2003

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey –I used a 20 ozs package and it made 5 good sized burgers
1/2 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet)
6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil grill rack. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Combine turkey, crushed chips, 4 tablespoons cilantro, chili powder, salt, cumin, and pepper in large bowl. Using fork, mix together. Form 5 patties, each about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

When I made them the 2nd time I made 20 burgers so I made them into meatballs 1st so I could make them all about the same size. I also laid the 1st batch on foil lined baking sheets and put the cheese on them and broiled them until it melted. This also kept them warm while the 2nd batch was grilling.


Verdict:
These are really tasty. Both times I made them I think I tend to over cook them a bit because raw turkey scares me, especially when I know my Hungry boy Jackson will be eating them. On vacation when I made these I used 2 grill pans instead of an outdoor grill so I could cook 10 burgers at a time and that worked really well. I like that you serve them in a tortilla instead of on a roll. Who needs all that bread and if you can get the good Mission tortillas with the extra grams of fiber its an even healthier burger. Even though I found this recipe for part of a themeish type dinner it will be kept in my repeat file because it was really good, and it was a nice change.

Apple Toffee Dip

Chicken Chicken Chicken and more Chicken AND Apple Toffee Dip-OH MY

If you haven't noticed we eat A LOT of chicken in our house. It is nice to find a different way to eat it, or a different flavor to incorporate.

Today we had a great stroller strides class and then a lovely little party for 2 lovely expecting moms Csilla and Linda. I made a very yummy dip recipe and the best part is you eat it with apples so that eliminates any calories involved. No really, I read that someplace.

So today's entry is a 2 for one. First things First the dip

Apple Toffee Dip

INGREDIENTS

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese,softened *** I used low fat***

3/4 c. toffee bits (ex: Heath bits of brickle bits)

Beat together and chill. Serve with apple wedges

VERDICT

HOLY COW, is this dip good. I could eat it all day....in fact I think I did. It is a great dip with so few ingredients, that takes no time at all. In my book that makes it a winner and the fact that it has zero calories because you eat it with apples makes it even that much better.

ONTO DINNER.........

CHICKEN PESTO BURGER

borrowed from BHG June 2009 although they called it Open Faced Chicken Pesto Burger, I ate it with both sides of the bread because why waste a perfectly good piece of ciambatta bread?

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. uncooked ground chicken or ground turkey ** I used 99% lean ground chicken**
4 Tbsp. purchased basil pesto
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt or salt
2 3-inch pieces ciabatta bread or four 3/4-inch-thick slices rustic Italian bread
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
2 cups fresh basil leaves, arugula, or spring garden mix
8 small tomato slices
Ground black pepper

1. In bowl combine ground chicken, half of the pesto, the Parmesan, garlic, and salt. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick oval patties (to fit bread).
2. Halve ciabatta horizontally. Brush cut side of ciabatta or both sides of Italian bread with olive oil; set aside (reserving any extra oil). **I just popped the rolls into the toaster oven**
3. For a charcoal grill, place patties on greased rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 13 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (165 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling. Top each patty with a mozzarella slice. Cover grill; grill 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Add bread and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until toasted. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.)
***I actually used my indoor grill pan to cook them for 5 minutes on each side on a higher heat. Then I covered them with cheese and put them under the broiler for 3 minutes. They were cooked perfectly***
4. Arrange greens on toasted bread. Top with chicken patties and tomato slices. Stir any remaining olive oil into remaining pesto and drizzle over all. Sprinkle with coarsely ground black pepper. Makes 4 servings.


VERDICT
I thought these were very tasty. They were fast to put together which is nice and they didn't require too many ingredients. I used the leaner chicken because I figured the oily pesto would keep them from drying out and I was correct and I think you probably save a bunch of fat grams that way. As I said earlier I ate them like a burger because the rolls were so good. I think this would be a nice & unexpected addition to regular BBQ food. The presentation makes them look pretty fancy and perfect for company. Jackson even ate a few bites to my shock. I would defintely make these again

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burg

WAHOOOO TURKEY BURGERS!!!!!
So here is the deal. I don't like turkey burgers. I prefer ground beef to ground turkey but in an effort to be healthier I figured I would try to eat more turkey. So I came across this recipe last summer and I loved it. It was on Oprah's Favorite things of Summer so how could I go wrong? If its good enough for Oprah then surely its good enough for me. Well it was true love from the beginning. Its a much more labor intensive way to make a turkey burger but its perfection on a bun. BUT I got lazy. I didnt like the chopping and the sauteing, just thought it wasnt worth the effort. So I tried 3 other recipes that all came highly recommended. And they were OK, but I wasnt so enthused and I would struggle to finish it. UNTIL TONIGHT.......it was like the planets alined again and all was right with the world of turkey burgers. I forgot just how great this burger was until I made them again. So for me no other burger comes close and it will be served exclusively at my home this summer....maybe if you are lucky you will get an invite. Until then, drool over the pictures. I have to say I couldnt grill them outside because it was a monsoon--go figure it was raining. So I did them on my grill pan instead.

Some notes about the recipe. I 1/2 the ingredients as listed because it calls for 4 pound of meat and serves 6. I like thinner & smaller burgers so cutting it in half is still plenty for us for dinner and some leftover.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger
recipe borrowed from Oprah & Donald Trump

Ingredients:
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped *** I have used Dry
1/4 cup Major Grey's Chutney , pureed *** this is located with the Mustard/Ketchup/BBQ Sauce in my grocery store

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.(this step is important to prevent them from falling apart)Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.


VERDICT
So as you can see I love this burger. I could go on and on, but I would love to hear other people's opinions since maybe I just dont like other Turkey Burgers so since I like this one, its the best in my book! And yes those are tater-tots in the background