I've always been comfortable straying from the recipe directions if there's an ingredient I don't think we will like, or an addition that sounds good. And the more I cook, the more I realize how much more "off recipe" I go. Many times, they just become mere suggestions or directional tools.
No where is that philosophy more evident than in a couple of items on our menu for this week. First came the Italian Grilled Cheese. My version included store-bought pesto (Buitoni), fresh tomatoes from the veggie stand, mozzarella, and Italian bread. I loved the pesto on the grilled cheese. So good. It would be terrific to add the pesto to a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich too.
I also did a little improvising with these Sweet and Sassy Turkey Burgers. I started with lean ground turkey and added the maple syrup, rubbed sage, pepper, and dried cranberries. I also decided to chop up raw (regular not turkey) bacon. The fat of the bacon seemed like a good plan since the turkey was so lean. I left out the sausage since we haven't really enjoyed turkey sausage in the past. We didn't miss it. As prepped the burgers and let the flavors get together in the fridge for an hour or so. Before grilling, I added a little sprinkle of Lawry's.
For the topping, I didn't have the cranberry topping, so I improvised with some dried cranberries, grape jelly, lemon juice, and mayo. I wanted the sweetness of the cranberry sauce, but not too sweet, thus the lemon juice. It worked out great! I finished with the mozzarella as suggested in the recipe (but provolone would totally rock, too).
These burgers are delicious. The bacon added to the turkey makes them so good. The sweet flavor of the cranberry also balances out the burgers beautifully. Next time, I'll throw some onion rounds on the grill at the same time, because I bet they would be a delicious addition.
No where is that philosophy more evident than in a couple of items on our menu for this week. First came the Italian Grilled Cheese. My version included store-bought pesto (Buitoni), fresh tomatoes from the veggie stand, mozzarella, and Italian bread. I loved the pesto on the grilled cheese. So good. It would be terrific to add the pesto to a grilled turkey and cheese sandwich too.
I also did a little improvising with these Sweet and Sassy Turkey Burgers. I started with lean ground turkey and added the maple syrup, rubbed sage, pepper, and dried cranberries. I also decided to chop up raw (regular not turkey) bacon. The fat of the bacon seemed like a good plan since the turkey was so lean. I left out the sausage since we haven't really enjoyed turkey sausage in the past. We didn't miss it. As prepped the burgers and let the flavors get together in the fridge for an hour or so. Before grilling, I added a little sprinkle of Lawry's.
For the topping, I didn't have the cranberry topping, so I improvised with some dried cranberries, grape jelly, lemon juice, and mayo. I wanted the sweetness of the cranberry sauce, but not too sweet, thus the lemon juice. It worked out great! I finished with the mozzarella as suggested in the recipe (but provolone would totally rock, too).
These burgers are delicious. The bacon added to the turkey makes them so good. The sweet flavor of the cranberry also balances out the burgers beautifully. Next time, I'll throw some onion rounds on the grill at the same time, because I bet they would be a delicious addition.
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