Chorizo-Chile Burger

recipe courtesy Better Homes and Gardens

Chorizo-Chile Burger

1 recipe Poblano-Avocado Spread, or purchased avocado spread

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Juice of 1 lime (2 Tbsp.)

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

6 ounces uncooked chorizo sausage

1 1/4 pounds ground beef chuck

6 hamburger buns

Prepare Poblano-Avocado Spread (see below). Cover and refrigerate. For pickled onions, in medium saucepan of boiling water, heat onion slices 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. In second bowl combine cooled onions, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Let stand 30 minutes.

In large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chorizo about 5 minutes, until slightly browned and becoming crisp, breaking up meat with a spatula. Remove from heat. Spread on plate lined with paper towels to cool.

Build charcoal fire or preheat gas grill for direct cooking. In bowl combined cooled chorizo with ground beef. Form into six 3/4-inch thick patties. Indent center of each patty. Grill over medium heat, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, until done (160 degrees F), turning once midway through grilling time. Spread Poblano -Avocado Spread on buns. Layer patties and pickled onions on buns. Makes 6 burgers.

Poblano-Avocado Spread: Char 1 fresh poblano pepper by holding with tongs over gas flame, placing on broiler rack, or baking on foil-lined baking sheet at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes (until skin is blistered and brown). Wrap pepper in foil. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes, until cool enough to handle. 

Slip off blackened skin, twist off stem, and scoop out seeds; discard skin, stem, and seeds. Coarsely chop, then transfer to small bowl. Halve, pit, and peel 1 avocado. Mash half the avocado; add to chopped pepper. Slice remaining avocado half and stir into poblano-avocado in bowl. Stir in 2 Tbsp. lime juice, 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, 1 tsp. mayonnaise, and kosher or sea salt to taste.

*Note:  Pair with grilled sweet potato slices drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Cranberry Bog Turkey Burger with Corn on the Cob with Chive Butter

cranberry sauce

recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Cranberry Bog Turkey Burger with Corn on the Cob with Chive Butter

Bog Burgers:

1 1/3 pounds (the average weight of one package from meat case) ground turkey breast

1 small McIntosh apple, finely chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1 rib celery from heart of the stalk, finely chopped

1 rounded teaspoon poultry seasoning

Salt and pepper

Vegetable oil, for drizzling

4 sandwich size sourdough English muffins

1 cup prepared whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise

8 leaves Bibb lettuce, cleaned

Corn:

4 ears corn, shucked

4 tablespoons butter

20 blades fresh chives, finely chopped

Combine turkey, apple, onion, celery, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a bowl and form into 4 large patties. Preheat a large skillet or a grill pan to medium high heat. Drizzle skillet or brush grill with vegetable oil and cook patties 5 to 6 minutes on each side.

Toast split English muffins. Mix together cranberry sauce and mayonnaise. Spread muffin halves with cran-mayonnaise and pile in burgers and Bibb lettuce. Serve burgers with corn on the cob.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and corn and cook for 5 to 6 minute. Drain ears and spread with butter. Sprinkle ears with a generous coating of chopped chives.  Serves 4.

Blue Cheese Chicken Burger

recipe courtesy Weight Watchers

cooking spray   

1/4 cup barbecue sauce   

1 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste   

  1 pound uncooked extra lean ground chicken breast   

  1/2 cup uncooked scallions, sliced   

  1/4 cup uncooked celery, chopped   

1/4 cup dried plain breadcrumbs   

2 tsp minced garlic   

1/2 tsp table salt   

(4) mixed-grain hamburger rolls   

  2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded   

  1 large fresh tomato, cut into 8 slices   

2 Tbsp blue cheese, crumbled   

Prepare grill rack by coating with nonstick pray and preheat grill to medium-high.

In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce and hot pepper sauce.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce mixture, scallions, celery, breadcrumbs, garlic and salt. Using wet hands (to prevent mixture from sticking), form chicken mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties; brush top of burgers with some remaining barbecue sauce mixture.

Place burgers on grill, sauce side down; brush tops of burgers with remaining sauce. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Lightly toast open-faced buns on grill during last minute of cooking.

To serve, place 4 bun bottoms on each of 4 plates. Top each with 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce, 2 tomato slices, a burger, 1/2 tablespoon of cheese and a bun top (cheese will melt a little from hot burger). Serves 4.  Points Plus Value = 8 points per serving.

Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

recipe courtesy Cooking Light 

Beet and Brown Rice Sliders

16 thin slices sourdough bread

Cooking spray 

1 cup cooked, cooled whole-grain brown rice blend

3/4 cup grated cooked beet (about 1 medium)

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

6 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 large egg 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 (3-ounce) log goat cheese, sliced crosswise into 8 slices

1 cup watercress

Preheat broiler to high.

Cut each bread slice into a 3-inch circle using a round cutter; reserve scraps for another use (such as breadcrumbs or croutons). Lightly coat bread rounds with cooking spray. Arrange bread rounds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°. Place a baking sheet in oven to preheat.

Combine rice and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Combine mustard and egg, stirring well. Add egg mixture to rice mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon 1/3 cup rice mixture into a (2 1/2-inch) round cookie cutter; pack mixture down. Remove mold. Repeat procedure 7 times to form 8 patties.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Carefully add 4 patties to pan; cook 2 minutes. Carefully transfer patties to preheated baking sheet, turning patties over and arranging in a single layer. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 4 patties. Place pan in oven; bake patties at 400° for 9 minutes. Top each patty with 1 cheese slice; bake an additional 1 minute or until cheese is soft and patties are set.

Place 8 toasted bread rounds on a flat surface; top each round with 1 patty. Divide watercress evenly among sliders; top with the remaining toasted bread rounds.  Serves 4 (2 sliders each).

* Note:  I simplified this recipe by using sourdough English muffins and toasting them.

Peppercorn-Blue Cheese Burgers with Tangy Cherry Compote

This is one of my favorite burgers! Simple ingredients and full of flavor!  A must try!

recipe courtesy Better Homes and Gardens

Peppercorn-Blue Cheese Burger with Tangy Cherry Compote

1 1/4 pounds ground beef chuck

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns

6 ounces blue cheese

1 recipe Tangy Cherry Compote (see below)

6 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

6 tbsp. mayonnaise (optional)

In a medium bowl season beef with salt. Form beef into six 3/4-inch thick patties. Spread cracked peppercorns on plate; press one side of each patty into pepper. Indent center of each patty.

Grill patties on rack of covered charcoal or gas grill 10 to 12 minutes, directly over medium heat until done (160 degrees F), turning once midway through. Spread patties with blue cheese; let stand 5 minutes to melt cheese. Serve patties, topped with Tangy Cherry Compote, on buns. Pass remaining compote. Makes 6 burgers.

Tangy Cherry Compote:


In medium saucepan combine 1 lb (3 cups) pitted fresh or frozen tart cherries (thawed and drained), 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup dried cherries, 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, and 1 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, 20 minutes until thickened. Makes 1 1/4 cups.