Tex-Mex Turkey Burgers

I was craving both Mexican food and burgers on this beautiful Spring day.  My solution?  A grilled turkey burger with Southwestern seasonings, crispy bacon, homemade guacamole and Cheddar cheese--all on a toasted onion bun.

1 package 85% lean ground turkey (about one pound)
1 tablespoon Threadgill's Meat Seasoning (recipe below)
1 shallot, peeled and minced
4 slices Sargento Reduced-Fat Medium Cheddar Cheese slices
8 slices Oscar Mayer Center Cut Bacon, cooked until crispy
Kim's Guac (recipe below)
4 Cobblestone Mill Toasted Onion buns
Softened butter (for the buns)

In a medium bowl, mix turkey, Meat Seasoning and shallot with your hands.  Form the mixture into four patties.  Grill over medium high heat for about 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

While the patties grill, grab the cheese, cook the bacon and make the guacamole.
---------------------

Kim's Guac

When my brother visits, I have to triple the batch because he'll eat most of it!  This dip is also incredible with freshly made tortilla chips.  Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.  Cut a stack of corn tortillas into quarters with a pizza cutter.  Carefully drop a big handful of the tortillas into the hot oil; stir with a long-handled metal strainer to keep the chips from sticking together while cooking.  Fry until lightly browned.  Drain on paper towels and season with salt.  Repeat until all the tortilla chips are cooked.

1 ripe Haas avocado, peeled and mashed
1/4 cup favorite tomato salsa (I like Herdez Medium.)
1 heaping tablespoon sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 large garlic clove, peeled and grated with a Microplane rasp
Kosher salt, to taste
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
1 pickled jalapeno chile, stem and seeds removed, minced

Mix together.  Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Threadgill's Meat Seasoning

Southern Living 1998 Annual Recipes

Copyright:  Oxmoor House, Inc.

This wonderful seasoning is used on the chicken fried steak at Threadgill's of Austin, TX.  I keep a batch of this stored in a small canning jar with a screw-top lid.  

1/4 cup salt (I use kosher salt.)

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons ground black pepper (I use freshly ground.)

1 tablespoon ground white pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine all ingredients.

----------------

Top the burgers with cheese slices.  Spread butter on the cut sides of the buns and place them, buttered side down, on the grill.  Cook until cheese just melts and buns are lightly toasted.

Place burgers on bun bottoms.  Top each with two slices bacon, guacamole and bun top.

Slow-Cooker Chicken=2 Great Meals

Slow cookers have been around forever for a reason:  You can buy inexpensive ingredients, throw them into the cooker, turn the dial and come home to a savory meal.

What's more, the leftovers are so deeply flavored and versatile.

My most recent slow cooker experiment:  Spain-Meets-Italy Chicken.  The chicken is seasoned with smoked paprika, coriander, oregano and chili flakes, seared in olive oil with onions and wine and slowly simmered in garlic-basil broth and sun-dried tomatoes.  Delicious.


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut up, skin removed
2 tablespoons Williams-Sonoma Potlatch Seasoning
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup dry white wine or Beringer White Zinfandel (to add a little sweetness)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or stock
1/2 cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes (packed in olive oil)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with Potlatch Seasoning on all sides, rubbing it in well.  Add it to the skillet and brown it well.  Using tongs, remove the chicken from the skillet and add it to the slow cooker.

Add the onion to the drippings, reducing the heat if necessary, and cook until the onions are golden.  Add the garlic.  Cook for 1 minute.  Deglaze the pan with the wine.  Season with salt, pepper and basil.  Stir in the broth.  Pour over the chicken.  Scatter the tomatoes over the top.  Cover with the lid and cook the chicken on High for 4-5 hours or on Low for 8 hours.

Excellent accompaniment:  Marcela Valladolid's Foolproof Mexican Rice.  Marcela used frozen peas as a final flourish to her rice.  I used frozen corn instead.  Also, her recipe calls for a medium-grain rice.  My store didn't have it, so I substituted regular long-grain rice.  It worked just fine.

Next day's delight:  Chicken Tortilla Soup.

The leftover chicken and Mexican rice form the base of one amazing (and easy!) soup.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
Kosher salt, to taste
2 cups cubed leftover Spain-Meets-Italy Chicken (and any remaining onions and tomatoes from the pot)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 can (14.5 oz.) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained. (Canned tomatoes with green chiles may be substituted.  Add oregano and cumin to taste.)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups leftover Foolproof Mexican rice
1 quart chicken stock or broth (Stock is better!)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 can (15.5 oz.) Goya Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips and shredded cheese, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add onions and bell pepper.  Cook for five minutes.  Add the salt and garlic.  Cook for 2 minutes longer.  Stir in the chicken, corn and tomatoes.  Heat through.  Deglaze with the wine.  Add the rice, stock, water, seasoning, herbs and beans.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Garnish and serve.  Thick, hearty and flavorful!

Southwestern Chicken and Potato Bake

One of my favorite weekend breakfast items is Southwest Style Hash Browns by Simply Potatoes.  They are H.O.T. and addictive.  Great with eggs and toast and delicious in burritos.

A recipe on the bag caught my eye:  Chicken Salsa Verde.  I made it last night for dinner, with my tweaks, and it was great.  If you can take the heat, this one is a winner.

This is how I made it:

1 tablespoon garlic oil

1 package boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about one pound)

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 package Simply Potatoes Southwest Style Hash Browns (in the grocer's refrigerator case by the eggs)

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup Herdez salsa verde (in the Mexican Foods section of your grocery store)

1 cup shredded Mexican Four-Cheese Blend

Chopped green onions and sliced avocado, for garnish

Grease a 12 x8" or 13 x9" casserole dish and set aside.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat up the garlic oil until it sizzles.  Season the chicken with Mrs. Dash and salt on both sides.  Brown the chicken on both sides.

While the  chicken is browning, combine hash browns and sour cream.  Spread into prepared casserole dish.  Top with the chicken.  Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until potatoes are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Pour the salsa verde on top of the chicken only.  Sprinkle the cheese over the entire casserole.  Continue baking, uncovered, for five minutes to melt the cheese.

Garnish and serve.  I only used the green onions last night because, sadly, I neglected to buy an avocado :(

Of course, you can substitute chicken breasts for the thighs and red salsa for the salsa verde.  If you think the Mrs. Dash may be over-the-top spicy, season the chicken with only salt and pepper.  We prefer red salsa in general, so I bought a 7 oz. can of the Herdez salsa verde for this recipe.