Blue Cheese Stuffed Turkey and Bacon Burger

Warm weather is approaching, perhaps here for those not in the sweet state of UT.  This means it is time for some grilling. Nothing says warm weather like a tasty blue bacon burger.  Substitute turkey and you have a healthier take on an American classic. 

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumb
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp grill seasoning
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup fat free plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
8 slices bacon cooked till crispy
Your favorite burger toppings

Start by mixing in a bowl the Turkey, egg, breadcrumb, oil, seasonings, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.  Combine with your hands until all Incorporated.  The oil is crucial as the turkey will dry out so be sure to mix well.  Make the mixture into 8 equal portions.

 Separate out half of the blue cheese into a small bowl.  Add the yogurt, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper and mix together.  Place in the fridge for as long as possible so the flavors meld.

Using your equal parts of meat, make 8 patties.  Take some of the remaining blue cheese, and place it in the middle of one of the patties.  Top with another patty and seal the edges so the cheese doesn't leak out.  Season the stuffed patties on both sides with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes per side.  This is poultry so you need to cook it all the way through.  It should feel firm to the touch with no give, or with a meat thermometer check that it is 175 in the middle of the burger (not the cheese).

Top the burgers with the bacon, your favorite toppings, and spread some of the dressing on the bun.  Substitute whole wheat buns for additional healthy options.  This was a real treat, and some what guilt free.  We hope you enjoy.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

I am so blessed to have such great friends. They all have such amazing traditions that they do with their families. One of my friends, Jill, is a mom to 5 adorable kids (who my kids are lucky enough to be friends with). She is absolutely amazing. She is always doing such fun things with her kids. Sometimes I wish I were a part of her family:) This recipe comes from her.  It would be a perfect meal before your kids go off trick or treating. Or you can make it any time this week (or even in November if you can still find pumpkins)! I promise, you will want to make it though!   

Ingredients:


1 medium pumpkin, remove top and clean insides out
1 1/2- 2 lbs of ground beef 1 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 c. cooked rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup1/2 cup chopped or sliced mushrooms (omit if you aren't a mushroom fan)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons soy sauce

salt and pepper 

Brown hamburger. In another pot, cook rice (white or brown) as directed on package. Chop and saute celery, onion, and green onion. Once tender combine vegetables with hamburger, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, mushrooms, brown sugar, soy and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Put mixture inside the pumpkin, replace lid. Place on baking sheet and into a 400 degree oven. Bake until pumpkin is tender (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Scoop out to serve, scraping sides of pumpkin to get the cooked pumpkin in the mixture. It is so good it melts in your mouth!

Blue Bacon Stuffed Burger

This was actually a pantry clearer.  We had some left over Blue Cheese, and we always have bacon.  Put them together and you got it.  A pocket of perfection.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
1/2 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning (or any grill seasoning)
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1 egg

1/3 cup crumpled blue cheese

4-5 strips of bacon cooked crispy

Your favorite burger toppings

In a large bowl mix the beef, liquid smoke, egg, bread crumb, and spices.  Once combined, separate into 4 equal parts, then split those parts in half.  Make them into patties, leaving one with a dimple in the middle and a little fatter around the edges.  Take a portion (1 tbsp or so) of the blue cheese and place it into the dimple.  Take a piece of bacon and cut into 2 pieces.  Put the halved bacon on top of the cheese.  Take the other half of the beef, form into a patty, and place on top of the bacon.  Seal the edges together so there is no open space.

Grill on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes per side.  Let stand for 5 minutes and serve.  Use your favorite toppings to make it complete.  You will have a delicious surprise in the middle of your burger for all to enjoy.

Burger Italiano

    This was just an Italian inspired burger.  You know, one of those types where you had some Italian ingredients in the fridge, and burgers were on the menu.  The good thing is, these were so cheesy, and fresh that we are making it a regular in our house.  Buon Appetito!!

Makes 4 Burgers
Ingredients:
1lb hamburger meat
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tblsp basil
1 tblsp oregano
4 slices mozzarella cheese
4 slices pancetta cooked till crispy (regular bacon works as well)
Pesto
All your burger fixings
Hamburger buns

Start by mixing the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, olive oil, basil, oregano and the Parmesan in a bowl.  Once all incorporated, separate the mixture into four separate and equal portions.   Separate those portions into two equal patties.  Put the mozzarella and the bacon in-between the two smaller patties, and form a seal around the edge so that they won't leak out.  Cook on the grill until firm, 4-5 minutes per side, and serve on a toasted bun with Pesto, and your favorite fixings.  You can see our pesto recipe, or use some store bought.   Ideal condiments are mayo, pesto, and Roma tomatoes.  This is actually so good, the Italians wish they had come up with it..... or at least I tell myself that.  Cin Cin!!

Teriyaki Burgers

I love a good burger. I am sure most of us do. We love to try them all different ways. The pinapple and swiss cheese on this burger is all that is needed to make it perfect. Enjoy!

Serves 5

Ingredients

1 pound hamburger

1 egg

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

salt and pepper

bacon

pineapple slices

swiss cheese

In large bowl combine hamburger, egg, bread crumbs, teriyaki, onion powder and salt and pepper. Shape into hamburger patties. Cook on grill for 6-8 minutes per side. While that is cooking, fry up your bacon. Also, feel free to grill up your pineapple. Top with swiss cheese and enjoy.

   

Meatball Subs

So my husband loves meatball subs...me not so much. OK, really I hadn't ever tried them, but I HATE soggy bread, so I was a little weary. But I made these...and they were absolutely perfect.

Tip: Put a little olive oil on the bread and toast it before adding your meatballs...it helps to prevent soggy bread!

1 lb sausage

1 lb hamburger

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 crushed garlic clove

2 eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper

Mix together meats, seasonings, eggs and bread crumbs. Then make good sized meatballs. Bake in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, start warming up your favorite marinara sauce on the stove top. When the meatballs are done, put them in the sauce and let them simmer for about 20 more minutes.

Serve on toasted bread with a little bit of provolone cheese. Enjoy!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

This is a classic Italian dish. I am not going to lie-it tastes better when it comes from the home of the Zarrelli's in Napoli, Italy. But until we can go back, this will do!

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 lb ground beef

1 egg

1 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, until completely incorporated (use your hands, but don't smash meat between fingers).

In a pan preheat 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil on medium high heat. Roll the meat mixture into golf ball sized balls and brown in Olive Oil until all sides are brown. Remove from heat and strain on paper towel.

For the Sauce:

To the oil and meat drippings add 1 clove minced garlic and one half of an onion chopped. Cook until onion is translucent. Make sure to not burn the garlic. Add two cans of crushed tomatoes, and 1 can of tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, and put meatballs back in the sauce. Reduce heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

While simmering, follow directions on your spaghetti pasta box, and serve with sauce and meatballs, top with Parmesan cheese.

*hint* For perfect al dente pasta, remove pasta from water 1 minute shy of what instructions on pasta box gives. Add pasta to the hot marinara sauce and let stand for another minute before serving, so the sauce finishes cooking the pasta.

5 Bean Soup

This soup reminds me that Fall is here! It warms up your insides and is SO good! This recipe is so easy, besides browning the hamburger all you do is dump stuff together!

1 lb hamburger

1/2 onion chopped

Brown hamburger with the onion.

Then in a big soup pot add (juices and all)...

1 can Kidney Beans

1 can Black Beans

1 can Pinto Beans

1 can Great Northern Beans

1 can Ranch Style Beans

2 cans diced tomatoes

1/2 cup brown sugar

Let simmer for about an hour.

Mozzarella Stuffed Muffaletta Burger

As fall camp for our beloved Utes is underway, this burger reminds me and was inspired by our trip to the Sugar Bowl last year in New Orleans. Go Utes and go burger!

Ingredients:

Burger;

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup spinach finely chopped

1 egg

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil and dried oregano

2 tbsp olive oil

4 to 5 slices of provolone and mozzarella cheeses

4 to 5 slices of crispy bacon, or prosciutto

Olive Salad (relish);

1/4 cup chopped up green olives (with or without pimento)

5 sun dried tomatoes chopped

1/4 cup chopped pepperoncini (banana peppers)

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small clove minced garlic

Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl, and let the flavors mingle for 20 minutes or so. Serve cold on the top of your burger.

Combine all of the burger ingredients into a bowl, and mix until incorporated. Don't over mix, but just until the meat and spices are combined. Measure out four equal parts. Split those parts into halves, and make a patty. Create a rim around the edges of the meat, and place the a mozzarella slice inside. Place other half of the meat on top and seal the meat so the cheese doesn't leak out. Grill your burger to your liking and top with the provolone, bacon or prosciutto and whatever toppings you like on your burgers. You can finish off with the olive salad like they have on those delicious muffalettas. This was a new creation today, and it was spectacular.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 egg

3/4 cup uncooked rice

1/4 of a onion-chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup of saltine cracker crumbs

1 lb ground beef

Mix all together and make golf ball sized meatballs. Place in 9 x 13 baking dish.

Combine the following ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 cup water

2 cans tomato soup

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper

Pour over meatballs. Cover and bake at 350 for about 1 hour. Serve with rice.

Best Burger

This burger is soooo good! I like to call it the best burger as it is a combination of everything I like best on a burger!!

Ingredients:

1 package of ground beef (remember leaner is drier, so fat is good in a the burger world)

3 tbsp of brown sugar

3 tbsp ketchup

1/2 red onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tbsp grill seasoning (McCormick has a very good hamburger grill seasoning)

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp hot sauce

Bacon

Toppings:

Sliced Cheddar Cheese

Bacon (Fried Crispy)

Onion (Yellow sliced into rings)

1 Egg

1/4 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 qt Vegatable Oil (or other good frying oil)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, until all incorporated evenly throughout the beef. Be sure not to over mix the meet. (Don't mash it through your fingers, but use your hands to toss the meat like you would a salad). Divide the meet into even portions according to how many you want to make. (4 big burgers, or medium burgers, etc)

Grill on medium high heat for 8 minutes per side. Once burgers are cooked, place a slice of Cheddar Cheese and close grill with the heat off for another minute or until cheese is melted. Place bacon and onion rings on the burger and serve with desired toppings. Serve with steak fries, or chips or whatever you think makes your burger best.

Onion Rings:

Super easy, to make just slice a yellow onion into rings.

Combine Egg and milk into shallow bowl.

Bread the onions by dusting them with flour, then dipping them in an egg wash and then dipping them back into the flour until completely covered. Drop them into preheated oil, and be sure to maintain temperature as constant as possible. Fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, remove and let drain on paper towel.

Queso

Ok, so this is one of my favorite things to make. It is super meaty and so yummy. Perfect game food!

1 lb sausage

1 lb hamburger

browned together

1 32 oz box of Velveeta

3 cans of Rotel tomatoes

Melt Velveeta on stove top, then add Rotel and meat. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes before serving!

Spinach Burgers

We love these burgers, and make them year round...we don't put them on a bun, but I am sure they taste good that way too!

Tip: When making burgers, the best meat to buy would be 85/15 for the best flavor!

1 lb ground beef

1 cup fresh chopped spinach

1 cup mexican cheese

1/2 cup oats

1 egg

1/4 of onion chopped

Mix together and add

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoons Montreal Steak Seasoning

Salt and pepper

Happy Grilling!