Turkey Burger with Portabellos and Blue Cheese

it’s impossible to go all winter without grilling.  there’s just something about it that is irresistible. so when you grill in the winter you want to go all out, and this recipe is perfect. a juicy turkey burger topped with sauted portobello mushrooms, slathered in creamy blue cheese dressing all on a toasted kaiser roll. so find your spatula and get to it…

Turkey Burger with Portobellos and Blue Cheese
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 portabello mushroom, sliced
3 tbs blue cheese dressing
1 tbs chives, chopped
1 kaiser roll, toasted
salt and pepper

heat two saute pans with oil over medium heat. shape the ground turkey into a patty and season with salt and  pepper to taste.  once the pans are hot place the mushrooms in one and the burger in the other.  the mushrooms need to cook for a couple minutes before you season.  let the burger cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until done.  while the burger is cooking mix the chives into the blue cheese.  now time to assemble. place the patty on the bun, top with mushrooms, and spread the top of the bun with the dressing before placing on top.

tips

• if you don’t have enough blue cheese dressing, you can stretch it by adding sour cream.
• if you don’t have chives, try shallots because you’re going for a subtle onion flavor.
• i made this recipe from things i had in my refrigerator.  i challenge you to do the same and see what types of recipes you can come up.

Vegetable Bolognese

by the time i get to friday i want a nice big bowl of pasta, and i’ve been wanting to try giada’s vegetable bolognese …what a match made in heaven.  it’s a nice substitute for a traditional meaty bolognese, and all the veggies kept the dish very light.  the following recipe is my version, and when i say “my version” i just left out some ingredients that i didn’t have on hand.

Pasta with Vegetable Bolognese
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped dried oregano leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 ounces cremini mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 pound short cut pasta
1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated

cook the pasta according to package instructions. drain and add to sauce when pasta and sauce are ready.

place the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor. pulse the vegetables until finely chopped but still chunky. place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. add the chopped vegetables, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. add the fresh mushrooms, and tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. add the red wine, cook for 3 minutes. add mascarpone cheese and stir just until the cheese is incorporated. toss with Parmesan and serve.

tips:

• when it says to chop the carrots, onions, bell pepper, and celery just do rough chop (big pieces).  that way you’re leaving most work for the food processor, but you’ll help it along.
• you already should know how i feel about parmesan. (see tips for penne a la carbonara)
• short cut pasta means: rigatoni, campanelle, farfalle, penne, etc
• want to bulk it up even more?  add some ground meat.
• most times fresh herbs are best, except for oregano.  fresh oregano is very strong and can be quite over powering.  so in this instance i say use dried.
• cremini mushrooms are also known as “baby bellas”  or baby portobello mushrooms.  don’t have them?  substitute button mushrooms.
• complete the meal with a simple side salad.
• the original: giada’s rigatoni with vegetable bolognese
• need more help?  email me at avavmail@gmail.com

P.S. hopefully soon i’ll have my camera back and i’ll put up pics.  it’s easier to make anything once you know what it’s suppose to look like.

Take Two on Fajitas

i hate leftovers.  no let me rephrase that, i hate eating the same thing twice in a row.  if i have leftover chicken i’ll make quesadillas, chicken pot pie, soup, etc.  i will not eat the chicken in the same way i did the first time.  chicken is the easiest protein to change into a different dish.  but what do you do with steak?  last night i made steak sandwiches on a baguette roll with a blue cheese, sour cream, and maynnaise spread (another ina garten recipe).  that was pretty good, but my favorite thing to do with left over steak is to make steak faijita pasta.  it’s a recipe that i refer to as my rachael ray special because i combined two of my favorites (steak and faijitas) like she commonly does (buffalo chicken calzones anyone?).  all favorites aren’t primed to be put together, like bacon and peanut butter, but most are worth a try.

Steak Faijita Pasta
1 serving of pasta, recommended farfalle (bow tie)
1 serving of leftover steak, sliced thin into bite size pieces
1 tbs oil
1/4 c green bell pepper, sliced
2 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c onion, sliced
1/4 c corn
a few shakes of taco seasoning
reserved pasta water
1/4 c monterray jack cheese

cook the pasta according to package instructions.  while the pasta cooking heat the oil in a saute pan (choose one big enough for all the veggies and pasta combined).  once the oil starts to smoke/ripple add the peppers, mushrooms and onions and season the veggies with salt and pepper.  once the veggies have started to soften, 5 minutes, add the corn then add the taco seasoning and a laddle full of the pasta water.  once the pasta has finished cooking, add the pasta to the veggies and toss together.  finally top the pasta with some monterray jack cheese.

tips:

• most pasta works, but lean towards ones that say “rigate” on the box.  this means it has lines that will allow the sauce to stick to the pasta.  or in my case i just love farfalle, so that’s what i used.
• any colored sweet pepper would work.  they give slightly different flavors (red being the most sweet).
• the directions call for pasta water because, once the pasta starts to cook it releases starches.  we’re using those same starches to thicken the pasta sauce. so don’t use tap water!