Grilled turkey burgers with cheddar and smoky aioli

We made these for dinner tonight after the kids' ball practice.  I had a maybe-1.3 lb pack of ground turkey breast meat and another equal-sized pack of extra-lean ground beef, and I used both of them, knowing Rob would have 2 burgers, I would have something more than one, and maybe Alex would have more than one.  It made 9 decent-sized burgers, and they weren't bad!  I used reduced-fat mayo and turkey breast (never seen dark-meat turkey at our grocer's).  They were relatively moist, held together well, and the flavors of the cheese and roasted peppers and onions complemented the aioli well!  Be sure to follow the directions for putting a small dent in the center of the burger to prevent shrinking, especially if you're using bigger buns!

Grilled Turkey Burgers with Cheddar and Smoky Aioli


Bon Appétit
August 2009
A simple Moroccan-spiced aioli is mixed in with the ground turkey to keep the burgers moist and give them tons of flavor. Smoked paprika is available in the spice aisle of most supermarkets.

Yield: Makes 4

Active Time: Prep: 40 min

Total Time: Total: 40 min

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 pound ground dark-meat turkey

4 1/3 -inch-thick red onion slices

1 large or 2 small red bell peppers, quartered

4 slices white cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese

4 sesame-seed hamburger buns

Arugula

Pickle wedges

Corn chips

Toast cumin seeds and coriander seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, shaking skillet often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool. Finely grind toasted seeds in spice grinder or in mortar with pestle. Whisk mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, smoked paprika, garlic, and ground spices in small bowl. Season aioli to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Place turkey in medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons aioli; mix gently. Using damp hands, divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, then form each into scant 3/4-inch thick patty, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Using thumb, make small indentation in center of each burger. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper. Brush onion slices and bell pepper pieces with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill onions and bell peppers until soft and charred, about 4 minutes per side.

Grill turkey burgers 5 minutes. Turn over; grill until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. Top each burger with 1 cheese slice and grill until meat is cooked through and cheese melts, about 1 minute longer. Place 1 turkey burger on each of 4 bun bottoms. Arrange grilled red pepper pieces, then grilled red onion slices over. Top each with dollop of aioli and some arugula. Cover burgers with bun tops and serve with pickle wedges and corn chips.

Microwave brownies

I found this recipe on Myrecipes.com it got my interest.  Brownies in the microwave?  Who new??  They were plenty chocolatey, not all too sweet.  But in a pinch they were wonderful and served with ice cream they were perfect.  And so easy my 10 year old can make them.

Ingredients


1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

Mist an 8-inch, square microwave-safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter and cocoa powder in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until butter is melted, 30 to 90 seconds, depending on power and size of your oven (check it every 15 seconds). Add sugar and whisk to combine. Let mixture cool slightly, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour. Scrape batter into prepared baking dish.

Microwave on high until brownies are just set in center, 4 to 7 minutes, depending on power and size of your oven (after 4 minutes, check batter every 15 seconds). Let brownies cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Cut brownies into 8 squares and serve.

Peanutty baked chicken cutlets

I made this last night even though I *really, really* did not feel like cooking.  I'm so glad I did because it was quite tasty!  Rob gave it two thumbs up, and the kids gobbled it down!  I even forgot to serve the chutney on the side (I had mango chutney in the fridge), but the kids love it as-is!  I added a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the bread crumbs instead of spraying with cooking spray.  It's just a personal preference.  The only complaint I got from Lauren, that it needed some heat.  I might try something simple like adding pepper, but I think she wanted something more complex like cayenne.  I did use Alder-Smoked Moosetard, so maybe next time I'll just try Alaskan Wildfire Moosetard...or maybe I'll just use plain 'ol Dijon!  Either way, it was really good and SUPER quick!

A quick spritz of cooking spray on the cutlets before they hit the hot oven enhances the crispness and color of the crust. Serve with baked sweet potatoes and broccoli spears.



Peanutty Baked Chicken Cutlets
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cutlet and 1 tablespoon chutney)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/3 cup peanuts

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

4 (1/2-inch-thick) chicken breast cutlets (about 1 pound)

Cooking spray

1/4 cup peach chutney

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500°.
2. Combine honey and mustard in a small bowl; stir well. Place peanuts in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Combine peanuts and panko in a shallow bowl.
3. Brush each cutlet with honey mixture; dredge cutlets in panko mixture. Place cutlets on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat cutlets with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 8 minutes or until done. Serve with chutney.

King Pao Chicken

This was really tasty!  However, the kids thought it was too spicy.  I only had a smidge of chili paste left so I subbed about a teaspoon of chili sauce as well...shoulda left it out if I wanted the kiddos to eat it, lol!  So unless you like a burning inferno in your mouth, cut wayyyyy back on the chili paste!  But Rob and I really enjoyed it!  Also, I think I might try it without the cornstarch mixture in the marinade...it only makes the pan that much harder to clean!!!

Kung Pao Chicken


Original Recipe Yield 4 servings



Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks

• 2 tablespoons white wine

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

• 1 ounce hot chile paste

• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

• 4 green onions, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts

• 4 ounces chopped peanuts

Directions

1. To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

2. To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.

3. Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.