Y U M MMMMMMM

I'm feeling quite culinary this week.

Last night I made one of our favorite recipes, Turkey and Vegetable burgers. Rhett found this recipe last year in England, and we finally got around to making it this spring. So. So. SO. S-O GOOD. They do take a bit of time for prepping, but I find putting on a good Pandora station and dancing whilst chopping veggies is a good way to spend that time (My personal preference: Lady Gaga.  Amazing guilty pleasure).

Rhett and I don't have a grill, so when making these at home, we prepare them on the stovetop.  I've also made them in advance and taken them to BBQs, and I must say, they are just as fantastic, if not more so, on the grill.  Yum.

I paired the turkey burgers with sweet potato fries that Erica taught me how to make. Fresh, simple, and delicious.  I don't have a "formal" recipe for those, so here are the details from what I did last night:

-Peel and cut up 2-3 sweet potatoes into "french fry" shape.
-Toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil
-Sprinkle chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper on the potatoes, until covered to your desire.
-Bake for 20 minutes at 375

* I often broil the fries for about 5 minutes to get some of them a bit crispier .

I got up extra early (for me, this is 7:40 a.m.) to prepare the sauce for tonight's meal, Slow Cooker Chipotle Brown Sugar Chicken   This is another one of our favorite recipes that I found on a lovely blog I read regularly, Can You Stay for Dinner?  I've made it twice before, so I can vouch for its smoky deliciousness. We have eaten it with corn tortillas before, but I find hamburger buns make it a little easier to eat- they soak up all the sauce, which is obviously the star of the recipe.

The smell that fills your house is reason enough to make this recipe. Nevermind the insanely good taste.

Hope you guys enjoy these recipes as much as we do- cheers!

Turkey and Vegetable Burgers (from the New York Times)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup finely diced onion
• ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 large garlic clove, green shoot removed, minced
• 2/3 cup finely grated carrot (1 large carrot)
• 1 ¼ pounds lean ground turkey breast, preferably organic, from humanely raised turkeys
• 1 tablespoon prepared barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Canola oil for the skillet
• Whole grain hamburger buns and condiments of your choice

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the diced red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the grated carrot and cook, stirring, for anther minute or two, until the carrots have softened slightly and the mixture is fragrant. Remove from the heat.

2. In a large bowl, mash the ground turkey with a fork. Add about ¾ teaspoon kosher salt if desired, and mix in the barbecue sauce, ketchup, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add the sautéed vegetables and mix together well. Shape into 6 patties, about ¾-inch thick. Chill for 1 hour if possible to facilitate handling.

3. Heat a nonstick griddle or a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and brush with a small amount of canola oil, or prepare a medium-hot grill. When you can feel the heat when you hold your hand above it, cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side. Serve on whole grain buns, with the condiments of your choice.

Yield: 6 burgers.

Advance preparation: You can make this turkey burger mix, shape into patties and freeze for 2 or 3 months. Thaw as needed. The mix will keep for a day in the refrigerator, but check the use-by date on the package.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Brown Sugar Chicken 

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (1 pepper pulled from a packed can)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
 
Directions:
1. Place chicken in the base of your slow cooker.
2. Puree all remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined and smooth.
3. Pour over chicken breasts and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred using two forks.