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Archive for the ‘Meat’ Category

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Posted in Chicken, Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Pizza, tagged , , , on June 11, 2013 | 2 Comments »

BBQ Chicken Pizza by Kristine's Kitchen

I’ve mentioned before that we make pizza at home about every other week. It’s much healthier (especially with whole wheat crust) and more budget-friendly than ordering out. We’ve gotten pretty good at putting together a homemade pizza around here, and it really doesn’t take long at all. Last time, I happened to have some BBQ sauce and Gouda cheese in the fridge that needed using up, as well as leftover grilled chicken from the previous night’s dinner. While I hadn’t had it on the meal plan, I think this BBQ chicken pizza was meant to be!

If you haven’t tried making your own pizza crust yet, don’t be intimidated by the thought of it. It is so easy! I use my stand mixer and the dough comes together in about 10 minutes. One recipe yields two balls of pizza dough, so you can use one and freeze the other for next time. Here are a few of my other favorite ways to top a homemade pizza:

Pear, Gorgonzola, and Walnut Pizza

Pizza with Portobellos, Spinach, and Goat Cheese

Spinoccoli Pizza

Greek Pizza

Pizza with Pesto and Tomatoes

BBQ Chicken Pizza by Kristine's Kitchen

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 ball white or whole wheat pizza dough
  • About ¾ cup BBQ sauce, divided
  • 4 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
  • 2 oz. grated Gouda cheese
  • 1 cup cooked chicken, sliced into bite-size pieces
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • Sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven with a pizza stone inside to 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
  2. Roll out the pizza dough to a 12-14 inch round and place on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet (for easy transfer to the baking stone).
  3. Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the crust. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
  4. Place the chicken in a small bowl and toss with about ¼ cup of the BBQ sauce. Evenly distribute the chicken pieces over the pizza, and then the red onion. Sprinkle the Gouda cheese evenly over the top.
  5. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper to the baking stone in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the cheese and crust begin to brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with sliced green onions or fresh cilantro, slice, and serve.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen.

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Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken

Posted in Chicken, Main Dish, Salads, tagged , , , , on May 30, 2013 | 2 Comments »

Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken~Kristine's Kitchen

Looking for healthy lunch ideas that will also keep your tastebuds happy? Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken is a great option. I made this for dinner one night and the leftovers were perfect to pack and take with me for lunches at work over the next few days. I added chicken to the salad to make it more substantial since I planned on serving it as a main dish. You can leave it out if you prefer a vegetarian meal. The quinoa itself is high in protein, which helps to fill you up and keep your energy level going strong for the next few hours.

I love how this salad keeps it simple. There aren’t too many ingredients or complicated steps, so that the flavors of each component can shine through. The grapes and celery provide a nice crunch to balance out the quinoa, and the orange dressing complements the salad really well. I will be making this again, and soon.

Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken

Printable Recipe

Makes 6 main dish servings

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
  • 2 cups red grape halves
  • 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
  • 1 tsp. orange zest
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ tbsp. honey
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, grapes, and celery.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Add chicken to the bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
  3. Serve cold.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Rachel Cooks.

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Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

Posted in Main Dish, Meat, Pork, tagged , , , , , on February 21, 2013 | 1 Comment »

chili-rubbed pork tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a dish that I always seem to forget about, but then when I do remember to include it in my meal plan and discover a delicious recipe like this one, I wonder how I can forget about this great protein option. This version includes a spicy rub and a sweet-spicy glaze, and it is very much a keeper.

Not only is this pork full of flavor, it is also easy enough to prepare on a weeknight. You do have to plan ahead, as it requires at least 2 hours of marinating time with the spice rub, but other than that it comes together really easily.

This meal was a big hit with the kids too- I just removed a little of the outer meat with the spice rub before serving it to them so it wouldn’t be overly spicy. Julia loved the apricot glaze, and I couldn’t believe how much pork she ate on the two nights I served this for dinner. William is learning how to eat finger foods, and he seemed to enjoy his tiny bites of pork, too. He’s slowly reaching the stage where he can eat whatever it is we’re having for dinner, and I can’t wait until we’re fully there. Dinner preparations will be so much easier (although I’m sure I’ll still be cutting food into tiny bite-sized pieces for quite some time!).

This chili-rubbed pork with apricot glaze would be a wonderful meal to serve to company. It’s tasty enough to impress, but also easy enough that you won’t have to spend all day in the kitchen. Serve it with a vegetable and either mashed potatoes or brown rice, and enjoy!

Chili-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 (1-pound each) pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat

For the Spice Rub:

  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper

For the Apricot Glaze:

  • 1 cup apricot jam
  • 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
  • Juice of 1 medium lime

Directions:

  1. Combine the spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub over the pork tenderloins. Lightly spray a foil-lined 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the tenderloins in the dish, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
  2. Prior to cooking the pork, melt the apricot jam in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining glaze ingredients. Place half of the glaze in a serving bowl and set aside to serve with the pork tenderloins later.
  3. Roasting Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the pork tenderloins in the foil-lined pan for 15 minutes. Brush with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Bake for 15 more minutes. Again, brush with glaze. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the pork reaches 160 degrees F. Remove the pork from the oven, tent with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
  4. Grilling Instructions: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the pork tenderloins for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees F. When approximately 4 minutes of cooking time remains, brush pork with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the pork tenderloins and brush glaze on the other side. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pork from the grill, tent with foil, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
  5. Serve the sliced pork with the reserved apricot glaze.

Source: Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

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Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

Posted in Main Dish, Meat, Pork, tagged , , on February 5, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

This recipe has been in my binder of favorite recipes for years, and I’ve made it countless times. In fact, when I went to look up the recipe recently, I was sure I had shared it on the blog, but was surprised to discover I had not. So sorry for causing you to miss out on this meal, until now.

I love pork tenderloin because it’s easy to prepare, and it always turns out moist and flavorful. To make this honey hoisin version, you marinate the pork in a sweet-savory mixture of hoisin sauce, honey, green onions, and garlic. Only half an hour of marinating time is required, which is great if you’re like me and tend to forget to plan ahead for those sorts of things. Next, the pork is quickly browned in a skillet and then tranferred to the oven to finish cooking. If you have an oven-safe skillet, you can do the browning and baking all in one pan and save yourself some dish washing.

There are a number of ways that I like to round out this meal. It goes great with either mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, or even brown rice. For a vegetable side dish, I’ve served the pork with a green salad, broccoli, or green beans. Pretty much anything goes, and the leftovers are delicious, too!

Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

Printable Recipe

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. sliced green onions
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. hot water
  • 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Combine soy sauce, hoisin, honey, green onions, garlic, and hot water in a small bowl. Pour ¼ cup of the honey mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag; reserve remaining honey mixture. Add pork to the bag; seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning the bag occasionally.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Remove the pork from the bag and discard the marinade. Place the pork in the skillet and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pork to a baking dish and brush on 1 tablespoon of the reserved honey mixture. Bake for 20-35 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F.
  3. Remove the pork from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Cut across the grain into thin slices. Serve drizzled with the remaining honey mixture.

Source: Slightly adapted from Cooking Light, October 2005.

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Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Sandwiches, Turkey, tagged , , , , on January 21, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Sloppy joes are a great easy weeknight meal, and even though I have a favorite recipe for them, I can only eat them so often. There are so many other great recipes to try, plus we try not to eat too much beef in our house because it’s not the healthiest of the protein options out there. Which is why I’m so excited about these Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro. Since these are made with red onion, ginger, hoisin, cilantro, and lime juice, they have a completely different (and delicious!) flavor profile than traditional sloppy joes. And, since they’re made with turkey rather than beef, I can feel good about serving them to my family on a regular basis.

I know at first glance, you might wonder if the flavors in this recipe really do combine into a tasty sloppy joe. Let me assure you, they do! I was a bit skeptical, and had my sister not made this recipe first and recommended it, I may not have tried it myself. I’m so glad I did give it a try, and I’ll definitely be making these again.

Turkey Sloppy Joes with Hoisin and Cilantro

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced and then mashed to a paste with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 8oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns, preferably whole wheat, toasted

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the turkey and cook, stirring and breaking it up into small pieces, until it no longer looks raw, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the tomato sauce and hoisin to the skillet, and stir to combine with the turkey mixture. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Taste and add more lime juice if desired. Serve in the toasted buns.

Source: Slightly adapted from Fine Cooking, Feb./March 2013

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Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Turkey, tagged , , , on January 14, 2013 | 1 Comment »

asian turkey meatballs with lime sesame dipping sauce

Sometimes I shy away from making meatballs because I worry that it will take too much time out of an already busy day. Whenever I actually make them, though, I realize that they don’t take much time at all, especially if you bake them rather than cooking them in a skillet. I’ve found that cooking meatballs on the stove is a messy effort, and I usually end up with some of them sticking to the pan and breaking apart. When I just pop them in the oven, they still brown up nicely and I’m left with much less mess. So now when a recipe calls for browning meatballs on the stove, I skip that step and cook them in the oven (unless of course there is a really awesome reason for browning in a skillet, like when you’re going to make a delicious pasta sauce from the browned bits and pan drippings).

Here we have a recipe for meatballs that are not only very tasty, but easy enough that I would make them on a weeknight. They are made with ground turkey, so you can feel good about serving them to your family. I like to turn these into a healthy, balanced meal by serving them with some brown rice and steamed fresh vegetables. A lime sesame sauce is drizzled over the top of the meatballs and rice, adding another pop of flavor. Meatballs with an Asian flair? Yes, please!

Asian Turkey Meatballs with Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 meatballs (about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

  • 1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
  • 1/4 cup panko crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil

For the sauce:

  • 4 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp. water
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh scallion

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
  2. To make the meatballs, place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl, mixing with your hands until well combined. Shape about 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball, and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  3. To make the dipping sauce, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, and water in a small bowl. Add chopped scallions.
  4. Serve meatballs over rice with a drizzle of the lime sesame sauce on top.

Source: The Culinary Couple, adapted from Skinnytaste.

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Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crumble Topping

Posted in Chicken, Main Dish, Meat, tagged , , on January 7, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

chicken pot pie with biscuit crumble topping

A few weekends ago we enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon at home. The kids took their naps, then we played and I spent some time in the kitchen making this chicken pot pie. It can be hard to find the time to cook more involved recipes like this one, but sometimes on the weekend it’s worth the time and effort to make a special meal that will provide plenty of leftovers for the coming week.

This chicken pot pie is a warm, comforting dish that will warm you up on a cold evening. The biscuit crumble topping has a little kick from cayenne and black pepper, and it adds a great spice to go with the chicken and vegetable filling. I’ve made a few different versions of chicken pot pie, and this is most certainly the best. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again, when I’m in need of a little kitchen therapy time and a delicious, warm dinner.

Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuit Crumble Topping

Printable Recipe

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, sliced about 1/4-inch thick
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas

For the topping:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used 1/4 tsp., and you could definitely taste the spice, but it wasn’t overwhelming)
  • 6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. half and half or heavy whipping cream

Directions:

  1. To make the filling, bring the chicken and broth to a simmer in a covered Dutch oven. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a large bowl and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Pour the broth into a liquid measuring cup and reserve. Place an oven rack in the upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Prepare the topping by combining the flour, baking powder, salt, and peppers in a large bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to work in the butter until the butter pieces are the size of small peas. Use a fork to stir in the Parmesan and then the cream until just combined. (The dough will be shaggy.) Crumble the dough into irregularly shaped 1/2 to 3/4-inch pieces onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and just starting to brown, 10-13 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, carrots, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5-7 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the shredded chicken and set aside.
  4. Heat the remaining tbsp. of oil in the Dutch oven set over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and soy sauce. Increase the heat to medium high, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated, the mushrooms are well browned, and brown bits begin to form on the sides of the pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to the bowl with the chicken and vegetables; set aside.
  5. Melt the butter in the Dutch oven set over medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice. Add the chicken mixture and peas to the pan and stir to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste as needed.
  6. Pour the chicken mixture into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the filling. Place the pot pie onto a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling hot and top is well browned, about 12-15 minutes.

Make-Ahead Note: The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated in the baking dish. The baked crumble topping can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. Bake the refrigerated filling for 30-35 minutes, add the crumble topping, and continue to bake for about 15 more minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is browned.

Source: slightly adapted from The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook.

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Honey Sesame Chicken {Slow Cooker}

Posted in Chicken, Main Dish, Meat, Slow Cooker, tagged , , , on November 26, 2012 | 1 Comment »

The busy holiday season is beginning, and it’s sure to bring plenty of fun activities as well as extra long to do lists. At this time of year, I want to spend my kitchen time baking holiday cookies, rather than cooking involved dinners. Using my slow cooker helps me to do just that. I can spend a few minutes prepping dinner earlier in the day, and then my evening cooking is so much easier.

I’ve made this honey sesame chicken twice now, and adapted it a bit the second time around to achieve even better results. The first time I used chicken thighs, and the second chicken breasts. It worked out both ways, but do be sure to trim off any fat that may be on the chicken thighs before cooking.

Served with brown rice and a green salad, this honey sesame chicken is a balanced and flavorful meal.

Honey Sesame Chicken {Slow Cooker}

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 4 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  • 3 scallions, chopped
  • Cooked brown or white rice, for serving

Directions:

  1. Place chicken in slow cooker and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours.
  3. Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce in slow cooker. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to slow cooker. Stir to combine with sauce. Cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened.
  5. To serve, place cooked rice on each plate and top with chicken. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking

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Asian Beef and Broccoli {Slow Cooker}

Posted in Beef, Main Dish, Slow Cooker, tagged , , on October 2, 2012 | 1 Comment »

I’m always on the lookout for great slow cooker recipes, especially lately. Things have been busy around here, which you might have guessed if you pay attention to the frequency of my blog posts. Slow cooker recipes are so convenient because I can get dinner started in the morning, and then have less to do during the early evening hour when things always get busy and kids tend to want more attention.

We enjoyed this beef and broccoli dish, and will be making it again soon. I liked the Asian-inspired flavors and the combo of beef, broccoli, and cashews. Plus, when you serve this over brown rice you have a complete meal. If you have time you can add in a green salad, but if you don’t, you’re still getting a serving of veggies from the broccoli.

Asian Beef and Broccoli {Slow Cooker}

Printable Recipe

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup orange juice, divided
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 1/2 lbs. boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen broccoli flowerets
  • 1 tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp. orange marmalade (I substituted apricot preserves)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews
  • Cooked brown rice, for serving

Directions:

  1. In a bowl, mix 3 tbsp. orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Add beef and soy sauce mixture; stir. Cover; cook on low heat 6 hours.
  2. Just before beef is done, microwave broccoli, covered, on high 4 minutes. Drain any liquid. Transfer beef to a large bowl and shred. Add the broccoli, cover and set aside.
  3. Place a small fine-mesh sieve over a small saucepan. Pour juices from the slow cooker into the pan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tbsp. water. Add to the saucepan. Cook on medium and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon orange juice, marmalade or preserves, and pepper to taste.
  4. Add about half of the sauce and the cashews to the beef and broccoli. Toss to coat. Serve over brown rice with remaining sauce.

Source: adapted from Parents Magazine, September 2012

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Turkey Burgers

Posted in Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Dish, Meat, Sandwiches, Turkey, tagged , , on August 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

I’m really, really going to miss this warm summer weather when it’s gray, cold, and dreary outside. Today Julia, William, and I spent most of the morning outside in our backyard. We blew bubbles, which is still one of Julia’s favorite activities. Sometimes I wonder how she doesn’t pass out from blowing so many bubbles without a rest! Then Julia rode her tricycle around and around as William watched. He loves to be outside, and I totally agree when the weather is as perfect as it was this morning.  I feel so lucky to be able to work part-time, so that I can enjoy days like today at home with my two little kiddos.

Turkey burgers are a staple meal in our house, either grilled outdoors when the weather’s nice, or on the grill pan in the winter. When I need dinner to be especially quick and easy, I buy the premade turkey burger patties at the grocery store. If I have a few extra minutes to spare, though, I make my own patties using this recipe. While it does take a little more time and effort, the results are well worth it.

The turkey gets plenty of flavor from sauteed onions and garlic, plus some chopped parsley. My favorite way to top these burgers is with bbq sauce, red onion, lettuce, and tomato. Oh, and cheese of course! I generally like cheddar but Swiss is also good with bbq sauce.

One year ago:  Sweet and Sour Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Turkey Burgers

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1.25 lbs. ground turkey
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper

For serving:

  • 4 burger buns
  • Cheese slices
  • Lettuce
  • Tomato slices
  • Sliced red onion
  • BBQ sauce or condiments of your choice

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Saute onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat to cool.
  2. Place the turkey in a large bowl. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well combined. Form the meat into four equal sized patties.
  3. Grill over medium heat until cooked through. During the last two minutes of cooking, top each burger with a slice of cheese. Slice each bun in half and toast the insides. Serve burgers on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and BBQ sauce.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen

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