Is there any food more iconic in the U.S. than Burgers? Maybe, maybe not. But it does seem that many of us love burgers, whether cooked on the grill or inside on the stove (or even picked up at any fast food place).
To that end, here are six yummy burgers to help you through the day, including Bistro Onion Burgers and my own Meat and Veggie Burgers. Enjoy!
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
MEAT AND VEGGIE HAMBURGERS
This is one of my variations of the good, ol’ hamburger. One-half diced yellow pepper may be added along with the red and green peppers, if desired.
Ingredients
2 lbs. Ground beef
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1-2 carrots, peeled & cut into rounds 1 small onion, diced
1 package dry onion soup mixDirections
Mix all ingredients together & form into 8 patties. Cook immediately or freeze separately. Serve on hamburger buns.
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
SWEET POTATO AND MUSTARD TURKEY BURGERS
This is from Taste for Life, and begins, “These burgers are moist and juicy and have a savory flavor that comes from a secret ingredient: A hefty amount of mustard. Half a cup may seem like a lot of mustard, but it’s what makes these burgers outstanding. Using grated sweet potato instead of traditional flour or breadcrumbs adds extra fiber and nutrients.”
Prep Time: 40 min prep time; Number of Servings: Makes 4 to 6 burgers
Recipe Source: The Living Kitchen by Tamara Green, BA, CNP and Sarah Grossman, BA, CNP ($28, Appetite, 2018)
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1/2 cup grated yellow onion
1 cup grated peeled sweet potato
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup spinach, finely chopped
1/2 cup gluten-free whole-grain mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use the grating attachment on your food processor and grate onion and sweet potato. You can also do this by hand with a box grater.
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until everything is well combined.
Measure 1/4 to 1/2 cup of burger meat and shape into a patty. Place on baking sheet and repeat.
Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top begins to get slightly golden. You can flip burgers halfway through cooking time if you want even caramelization on both sides.
These burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. You can also make a big batch and keep them in the freezer for 3 to 4 months for a quick meal option.
VEGAN LENTIL BURGERS
This comes from Bunny Erica on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Yield: 8-10 burgers
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 cup dry lentils, well rinsed
2-1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Directions
Boil lentils in the water with the salt for around 45 minutes. Lentils will be soft and most of the water will be gone.
Fry the onions and carrot in the oil until soft, it will take about 5 minutes.
In a bowl mix the cooked ingredients with the pepper, soy sauce, oats and bread crumbs.
While still warm form the mixture into patties, it will make 8-10 burgers.
Burgers can then be shallow fried for 1-2 minutes on each side or baked at 200C for 15 minutes.
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
According to the Family Time site, "Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch."
Prep. time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10
Serves: 6
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls, with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
Author: Campbell's Kitchen Found here.
Showing posts with label Oklahoma Onion Burgers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oklahoma Onion Burgers. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Monday, March 18, 2024
Beef - Double-Post Monday
Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's post deals with beef, and includes Almost White Castle Burgers and Goulash. Enjoy!
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
GOULASH
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024344-goulash.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preparation
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
According to the Family Time site, "Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch."
Prep. time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10
Serves: 6
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls, with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
Author: Campbell's Kitchen Found here.
BEEF CHILI
This yummy chili recipe is from Tyler Florence on The Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cooki Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-chili-recipe-1937323.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, halved
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups shredded white Cheddar, for garnish
2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish
1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish
Ingredients
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary. When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar, chives, and sour cream.
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
REAL LASAGNA SOUP
This is from John Mitzewich, aka Chef John, on AllRecipes. This yumminess begins, " If you love lasagna, but don’t love the time and effort it takes to do all that layering, then this amazing lasagna soup is for you. Unlike many of the other lasagna soup recipes online, this is way more than just some pasta, meat, and cheese sitting in a bowl of thinned out tomato sauce. This is real lasagna in soup form.
"Anyway, I loved how this came out, and I think one of the secrets is baking the pasta to give it more of the taste and texture of an actual baked lasagna noodle. They may not have looked much different in the final product, but I found the texture to be far superior to the standard technique, which is just to heat up some cooked pasta in the finished soup. So I do recommend the extra few minutes of prep, but either way, if you’re in the mood for lasagna, but aren’t into the whole production, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/real-lasagna-soup-recipe-7967799.
Ingredients
Noodles:
8 ounces dry lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
6 ounces bulk Italian sausage, or 1 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 (24 ounce) jar prepared marinara sauce, or 3 cups homemade marinara sauce
4 cups chicken broth
2-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cheese Mixture:
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Garnish:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil and Italian parsley leaves (optional)
Directions
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in lasagna noodles and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just flexible, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer noodles into cold water until cooled; drain very well.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and grease parchment with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Cut noodles in half lengthwise. Arrange noodles in evenly overlapping rows on the prepared baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, and use fingers to rub some butter between the noodles.
Bake noodles in the preheated oven until they are golden, blistered, and are beginning to brown with crispy outside edges. Let cool; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a soup pot, and place over high heat. Add beef and sausage. Use a spatula to break up the meat into small pieces; cook without stirring until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle in its own fat, then continue to cook and stir until meat begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
In a bowl, stir ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese together; set aside.
Increase the heat under soup to medium high; stir in noodle pieces. Cook, stirring, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in the 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.
Serve in bowls with a scoop of cheese mixture, and sprinkle with freshly torn basil and Italian parsley if desired.
Cook’s Note
The pasta does not have to be baked first, and can simply be broken up raw, stirred into the soup, and cooked until tender. Other pasta shapes can be used instead.
More or less chicken broth can be used for a thicker or thinner soup texture.
GOULASH
This is from Lidey Heuck in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this yummy recipe, Lidey wrote, "Hungarian goulash, a stew of paprika-spiced braised meat and vegetables, likely arrived in the United States with a wave of immigrants in the late 1800s. The dish began a game of telephone, slowly evolving into something new entirely. While American-style goulash may not bear much resemblance to its Hungarian namesake, the hearty one-pot dish has endured as an easy and comforting family weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and macaroni, it falls somewhere between a beef chili and a meaty pasta. A sprinkle of Cheddar, stirred in just before serving, thickens the sauce and adds richness. Serve the goulash on its own or with a green vegetable and cornbread on the side."
Time: 50 minutes; Yield: 4 to 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024344-goulash.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper
1 pound ground beef (at least 85-percent lean)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/4 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Preparation
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in the macaroni, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is cooked and the liquid in the pan has thickened considerably, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar. Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve in bowls, topped with fresh parsley. (The goulash will continue to thicken as it sits. If desired, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.)
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
According to the Family Time site, "Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch."
Prep. time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10
Serves: 6
Source: Campbell's® Quick and Easy Cookbook
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls, with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
Author: Campbell's Kitchen Found here.
BEEF CHILI
This yummy chili recipe is from Tyler Florence on The Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cooki Time: 2 hours 15 minutes; Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Level: Intermediate
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/beef-chili-recipe-1937323.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds beef shoulder, cut into large cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 onions, diced
10 garlic cloves, halved
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand
1/2 cup masa harina
3 cups shredded white Cheddar, for garnish
2 bunches chopped chives, for garnish
1 1/2 cups sour cream, for garnish
Ingredients
In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Season the beef shoulder all over with salt and pepper, add it to the pot and brown it. As it's browning stir in the chili powder, coriander, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Lower the temperature under the meat to "toast" the spices. In a food processor puree the onions, garlic, chipotle peppers, jalapeno, tomato paste and sugar and add it to the pot. Increase the heat to medium to steam vegetables a little and sweeten the peppers. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, about 1 quart, and add tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and comes apart with no resistance, about 2 hours. As it cooks down, add more water, if necessary. When done, stir in the masa harina. Take a potato masher and mash the chili so the meat comes apart in shreds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish each serving with the shredded Cheddar, chives, and sour cream.
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Wednesday Recipes
We're half-way through the week, otherwise known as Hump Day. Today's offerings include Oklahoma Onion Burgers and Slow-Cooker Whole Orange Chicken. Enjoy!
CARROT RISOTTO WITH CHILE CRISP
This is from Alexa Weibel in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Alexa wrote, "Simple yet surprising, this pantry risotto is a study in contrasts: Luscious, creamy risotto is topped with caramelized carrots that are roasted with spicy chile crisp while you make the rice. The risotto base — a classic approach using shallots, garlic and white wine — is the foundation for a cheap though lush meal that can be cobbled together with pantry ingredients. This one is subtly sweetened with freshly grated carrots, then topped with a pile of smoky roasted carrots. Don’t underestimate the versatility of chile crisp: This tingly, crunchy condiment can animate any number of rich dishes like risotto, pizza and macaroni and cheese with a robust dose of heat. In recipes, as in life, opposites attract."
Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024086-carrot-risotto-with-chile-crisp. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you should.
Ingredients
2-1/4 pounds carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade chile crisp, plus more for serving
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups/10 ounces arborio rice
2-1/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1-1/4 cups, packed), plus more for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the carrots: If you’ve got a food processor, roughly chop 3/4 pound carrots. Add them to the bowl of your food processor; pulse until they form very small, confetti-like flecks no larger than 1/4-inch big ((you should have about 2 cups); set aside. (You can also coarsely grate the carrots using a box grater.) Slice the remaining 1-1/2 pounds carrots on a sharp diagonal about 1/4-inch thick; transfer to a baking sheet. Toss the sliced carrots with 2 tablespoons chile crisp. (If your chile crisp is predominantly crunchy bits, you can thin it with a little canola or vegetable oil, if needed.) Season the carrots generously with salt and pepper and bake until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Add the stock to a lidded saucepan (any size that will hold it will do); cover and warm over low.
In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the uncooked carrots, shallot, garlic and coriander; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add the wine to the carrot mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Stir the rice into the carrot mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup warmed stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 3 minutes. Repeat 4 more times, adding warm liquid and stirring until absorbed.
Once the rice is tender and creamy and all the stock has been absorbed, add the cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir vigorously to combine until the risotto feels silky, creamy, luxurious. Season the risotto to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide risotto among shallow bowls or plates and top with the roasted carrots. Serve with additional chile crisp, for drizzling on top.
SLOW-COOKER WHOLE ORANGE CHICKEN
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Bird is the word! This easy spin on classic orange chicken is so beautiful, no one will believe it came from your slow cooker."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (12 oz) sweet orange marmalade
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole chicken (3-1/2 to 4-1/2 lb)
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
6 thin slices of orange, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Cooked white rice, if desired
Directions
Spray 5-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix marmalade, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and salt. Add chicken and marmalade mixture to slow cooker, spreading marmalade mixture over chicken, inside and out. Place chicken breast side down; add gingerroot.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken thigh muscle and not touching bone reads at least 165°F (legs should move easily when lifted or twisted). Do not uncover slow cooker before 4 hours.
Remove gingerroot, and discard. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Cut into 8 pieces.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix cornstarch and orange juice; stir into liquid mixture in slow cooker. Cover; cook on High heat setting 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Position oven rack 4 inches from broiling element. Set oven control to broil. Line large rimmed baking pan with foil; carefully transfer chicken, skin side up, to pan. Place orange slices around chicken; brush oranges and chicken with sauce. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until skin is golden brown and crisp; sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with more of the sauce over rice.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Trouble getting every last bit of marmalade out of the jar? Submerge sealed jar in a bowl of very hot water for about 5 minutes.
tip 2
One large navel orange will provide enough orange slices and juice for this recipe. Cut the thin slices from the center, then squeeze 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice from the remaining ends.
COWBOY CAVIAR PASTA SALAD
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "The popular, Texas-inspired cowboy caviar can take the form of dip, garnish, side dish and more, but in this recipe, it becomes a complete meal, and one that’s much better than anything you’d find in the grocer’s deli case. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, and dressed in a light and tangy dressing, it's flavorful, fresh and hearty enough to feed the whole family. And it comes in at a great price, since it can be made with leftover rotisserie chicken and seasonal vegetables—although frozen and canned work well, too! In the summertime, this cold salad is perfect dinner on a sticky night and a guaranteed potluck hit. Even better, it’s easily made ahead. So next time you’re in the kitchen, why not put on a pot of water to boil. With a few minutes of chopping, you can rustle up tonight’s—or tomorrow’s—dinner!"
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Times: 25 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix
3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 slices)
1/2 cup Progresso™ canned black beans or black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked as directed on bag, cooled
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
Directions
Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
In large bowl, stir together seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), cold water, oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, pepper flakes and salt to make dressing.
Add pasta, chicken, bacon, beans, corn, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro and red onion to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
For food safety purposes, frozen corn must be cooked before adding to pasta salad. If you want to skip this step, use canned, cooked or fresh sweet corn.
tip 2
Prep ingredients ahead of time, and refrigerate so everything is ready to throw together when it’s time to eat. If you’ve made your pasta salad ahead, you might need to stir in a few teaspoons of olive oil to moisten the salad before serving.
tip 3
This salad is delicious with either black-eyed peas or black beans—or both.
Tip 4
Turn your leftover rotisserie chicken or other leftover cooked chicken into a new meal with this recipe.
tip 5
No time to cook bacon? Precooked bacon is convenient to use and sold in the meat section of the grocery store.
tip 6
Add chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper for more heat.
Tip 7
In place of diced tomatoes, feel free to substitute halved grape or cherry tomatoes.
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
HONEY-AND-SOY-GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS
This comes from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Kay wrote, "In this simple weeknight recipe, chicken thighs are tossed with a sweet-salty glaze made of honey and soy sauce that caramelizes into a sticky coating as it roasts in the oven. Serve the sliced chicken with bibb lettuce cups for wrapping, or over steamed rice to catch all the juices. Leftovers can be chopped and combined with vegetables for a tasty clean-out-the-fridge fried rice."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019804-honey-and-soy-glazed-chicken-thighs.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (see tip)
5 tablespoons mild honey, such as clover, acacia or orange blossom
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and honey and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. (You'll want to cook attentively for this step, as the syrupy mixture can burn if it cooks too long.) Turn off the heat then whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
On an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add half the glaze and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and toss the chicken to coat. Arrange in an even layer, skin side up, and roast until browned, 15 minutes. Brush the chicken all over with 2 tablespoons of the remaining glaze. Roast until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Drizzle the chicken with the remaining glaze and serve with lemon wedges.
Tips
The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight; just rewarm it in the microwave or stovetop before using.
If gluten is a concern, substitute the soy sauce with low-sodium tamari.
BASIC BAKED SPAGHETTI
This is from Wendy at AllRecipes. It begins, "Easy baked spaghetti made quickly in the oven. Use different cheeses to create your signature dish."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 6 servings; Yield: 1 9X13-inch dish
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18440/basic-baked-spaghetti/.
Ingredients
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir spaghetti sauce into beef. Reduce heat and simmer.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in spaghetti; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
Add spaghetti to meat mixture; mix well. Transfer to a 9x13-inch dish. Top with Cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.
CARROT RISOTTO WITH CHILE CRISP
This is from Alexa Weibel in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Alexa wrote, "Simple yet surprising, this pantry risotto is a study in contrasts: Luscious, creamy risotto is topped with caramelized carrots that are roasted with spicy chile crisp while you make the rice. The risotto base — a classic approach using shallots, garlic and white wine — is the foundation for a cheap though lush meal that can be cobbled together with pantry ingredients. This one is subtly sweetened with freshly grated carrots, then topped with a pile of smoky roasted carrots. Don’t underestimate the versatility of chile crisp: This tingly, crunchy condiment can animate any number of rich dishes like risotto, pizza and macaroni and cheese with a robust dose of heat. In recipes, as in life, opposites attract."
Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024086-carrot-risotto-with-chile-crisp. While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, you should.
Ingredients
2-1/4 pounds carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade chile crisp, plus more for serving
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 cups/10 ounces arborio rice
2-1/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1-1/4 cups, packed), plus more for serving (optional)
Preparation
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the carrots: If you’ve got a food processor, roughly chop 3/4 pound carrots. Add them to the bowl of your food processor; pulse until they form very small, confetti-like flecks no larger than 1/4-inch big ((you should have about 2 cups); set aside. (You can also coarsely grate the carrots using a box grater.) Slice the remaining 1-1/2 pounds carrots on a sharp diagonal about 1/4-inch thick; transfer to a baking sheet. Toss the sliced carrots with 2 tablespoons chile crisp. (If your chile crisp is predominantly crunchy bits, you can thin it with a little canola or vegetable oil, if needed.) Season the carrots generously with salt and pepper and bake until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Add the stock to a lidded saucepan (any size that will hold it will do); cover and warm over low.
In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the uncooked carrots, shallot, garlic and coriander; season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until very fragrant, 2 minutes.
Add the wine to the carrot mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly evaporated, about 3 minutes.
Stir the rice into the carrot mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 1 cup warmed stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost absorbed, about 3 minutes. Repeat 4 more times, adding warm liquid and stirring until absorbed.
Once the rice is tender and creamy and all the stock has been absorbed, add the cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir vigorously to combine until the risotto feels silky, creamy, luxurious. Season the risotto to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide risotto among shallow bowls or plates and top with the roasted carrots. Serve with additional chile crisp, for drizzling on top.
SLOW-COOKER WHOLE ORANGE CHICKEN
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "Bird is the word! This easy spin on classic orange chicken is so beautiful, no one will believe it came from your slow cooker."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Makes 4 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 jar (12 oz) sweet orange marmalade
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole chicken (3-1/2 to 4-1/2 lb)
1-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
6 thin slices of orange, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Cooked white rice, if desired
Directions
Spray 5-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix marmalade, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and salt. Add chicken and marmalade mixture to slow cooker, spreading marmalade mixture over chicken, inside and out. Place chicken breast side down; add gingerroot.
Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours, until instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken thigh muscle and not touching bone reads at least 165°F (legs should move easily when lifted or twisted). Do not uncover slow cooker before 4 hours.
Remove gingerroot, and discard. Transfer chicken to cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Cut into 8 pieces.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix cornstarch and orange juice; stir into liquid mixture in slow cooker. Cover; cook on High heat setting 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Position oven rack 4 inches from broiling element. Set oven control to broil. Line large rimmed baking pan with foil; carefully transfer chicken, skin side up, to pan. Place orange slices around chicken; brush oranges and chicken with sauce. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until skin is golden brown and crisp; sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with more of the sauce over rice.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
Trouble getting every last bit of marmalade out of the jar? Submerge sealed jar in a bowl of very hot water for about 5 minutes.
tip 2
One large navel orange will provide enough orange slices and juice for this recipe. Cut the thin slices from the center, then squeeze 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice from the remaining ends.
COWBOY CAVIAR PASTA SALAD
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "The popular, Texas-inspired cowboy caviar can take the form of dip, garnish, side dish and more, but in this recipe, it becomes a complete meal, and one that’s much better than anything you’d find in the grocer’s deli case. Packed with vegetables, beans and pasta, and dressed in a light and tangy dressing, it's flavorful, fresh and hearty enough to feed the whole family. And it comes in at a great price, since it can be made with leftover rotisserie chicken and seasonal vegetables—although frozen and canned work well, too! In the summertime, this cold salad is perfect dinner on a sticky night and a guaranteed potluck hit. Even better, it’s easily made ahead. So next time you’re in the kitchen, why not put on a pot of water to boil. With a few minutes of chopping, you can rustle up tonight’s—or tomorrow’s—dinner!"
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Times: 25 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix
3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon (5 slices)
1/2 cup Progresso™ canned black beans or black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, cooked as directed on bag, cooled
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
Directions
Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
In large bowl, stir together seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), cold water, oil, lime juice, honey, cumin, pepper flakes and salt to make dressing.
Add pasta, chicken, bacon, beans, corn, bell pepper, tomato, cilantro and red onion to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens
tip 1
For food safety purposes, frozen corn must be cooked before adding to pasta salad. If you want to skip this step, use canned, cooked or fresh sweet corn.
tip 2
Prep ingredients ahead of time, and refrigerate so everything is ready to throw together when it’s time to eat. If you’ve made your pasta salad ahead, you might need to stir in a few teaspoons of olive oil to moisten the salad before serving.
tip 3
This salad is delicious with either black-eyed peas or black beans—or both.
Tip 4
Turn your leftover rotisserie chicken or other leftover cooked chicken into a new meal with this recipe.
tip 5
No time to cook bacon? Precooked bacon is convenient to use and sold in the meat section of the grocery store.
tip 6
Add chopped jalapeño or serrano pepper for more heat.
Tip 7
In place of diced tomatoes, feel free to substitute halved grape or cherry tomatoes.
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
HONEY-AND-SOY-GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS
This comes from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Kay wrote, "In this simple weeknight recipe, chicken thighs are tossed with a sweet-salty glaze made of honey and soy sauce that caramelizes into a sticky coating as it roasts in the oven. Serve the sliced chicken with bibb lettuce cups for wrapping, or over steamed rice to catch all the juices. Leftovers can be chopped and combined with vegetables for a tasty clean-out-the-fridge fried rice."
Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019804-honey-and-soy-glazed-chicken-thighs.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (see tip)
5 tablespoons mild honey, such as clover, acacia or orange blossom
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 small bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and honey and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. (You'll want to cook attentively for this step, as the syrupy mixture can burn if it cooks too long.) Turn off the heat then whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
On an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add half the glaze and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and toss the chicken to coat. Arrange in an even layer, skin side up, and roast until browned, 15 minutes. Brush the chicken all over with 2 tablespoons of the remaining glaze. Roast until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Drizzle the chicken with the remaining glaze and serve with lemon wedges.
Tips
The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight; just rewarm it in the microwave or stovetop before using.
If gluten is a concern, substitute the soy sauce with low-sodium tamari.
BASIC BAKED SPAGHETTI
This is from Wendy at AllRecipes. It begins, "Easy baked spaghetti made quickly in the oven. Use different cheeses to create your signature dish."
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 6 servings; Yield: 1 9X13-inch dish
To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18440/basic-baked-spaghetti/.
Ingredients
3/4 pound lean ground beef
1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly and brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir spaghetti sauce into beef. Reduce heat and simmer.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Stir in spaghetti; cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.
Add spaghetti to meat mixture; mix well. Transfer to a 9x13-inch dish. Top with Cheddar cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
Burgers
Is there anything more iconic, at least in the U.S., than Burgers? Here are six yummy burger recipes to help you through the day, including Bistro Onion Burgers and Almost White Castle Burgers. Enjoy!
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
FAJITA TURKEY BURGER
Makes 5 servings
See the recipe with photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1326.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired
1 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast
1/4 cup salsa, drained
3/4 cup cilantro, divided
2 onions, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Wholly Guacamole classic or spicy dip, if desired
Wholly Guacamole salsa, if desired
5 reduced-calorie hamburger buns, split
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
In small bowl, combine cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika and salt and pepper, if desired.
Mix ground turkey, half of spice mixture, drained salsa, and 1/2 cup cilantro; form into 5 (1/2-inch thick) patties. Lightly spray patties with cooking spray. Place patties in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 17 to 19 minutes, turning occasionally.
Always cook to well done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.
Meanwhile, coat large skillet with cooking spray. Cook onions, bell peppers and remaining spice mixture over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.
To assemble burgers, spread guacamole and salsa, if desired, on buns. Place burgers, cheese and vegetable mixture on buns.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 260; Protein: 29 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 410 mg; Cholesterol: 60 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS
This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”
Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 slices thick cut bacon
2 large hamburger buns, split
1 tablespoon softened butter
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 slices pineapple
2 slices tomato
2 slices of iceberg lettuce
Directions
Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.
While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.
To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.
Footnotes
Cook's Note:
If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.
Tip
Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
This comes from FamilyTime, and starts off, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.” Serves: 6; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 Tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillett over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”
Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.
Ingredients
Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
4 whole wheat English muffins, split
1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices
1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef
2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Pickles, for serving, optional
Directions
Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.
Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.
Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.
Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.
Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.
OKLAHOMA ONION BURGERS
This is from J. Kenji López-Alt in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Homer Davis and his son Ross invented what he called the Depression burger at the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Okla., as a means to add inexpensive bulk to their burgers. Rather than toasting, the buns are steamed in onion-scented vapor. That the technique — cooking the patties smashed-style with a huge amount of thinly shaved onions and steaming the buns — and restaurant remain popular to this day is a testament to the burgers’ deliciousness. If you prefer, you can take the cooking (and the accompanying lingering onion aroma) completely out of the house by heating the skillet or griddle directly over a very hot grill and cooking outdoors (see Tip)."
Time: 15 to 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "The Burger J. Kenji López-Alt Can’t Improve (Only Tweak)", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023331-oklahoma-onion-burgers.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef, preferably 20 to 30 percent fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced as thinly as possible, and on a mandoline for best results (8 to 10 ounces of sliced onion)
4 slices American cheese
4 soft, sturdy hamburger buns, such as King’s Hawaiian rolls
Dill pickle chips and condiments, as desired
Preparation
Step 1:
Divide the beef: Line a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the ground beef into 4 even balls. Working one ball at a time and using your hands, massage the meat until it is cohesive and tacky, about 15 seconds. Next, using clean hands, roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on the baking sheet, with 1 ball in the center of each quadrant. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
Step 2:
Shape the patties: Gently press each ball into a disk-shaped patty about 3 inches wide. Place the patties on a sheet pan or large plate, and season the tops with salt and pepper. Flip the patties, and top each with a large pile of sliced onions — as many as you can balance on top; they should resemble a large haystack. (It is important to not add salt to the onions at this point, as it will draw out excess moisture, which will inhibit searing.)
Step 3:
Heat the skillet or griddle: Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet or griddle (see Tips) over an indoor burner set to high heat or on the grates of a hot outdoor grill for a few minutes until very hot; a drop of water should skitter around the surface. (If you don’t have a pan skillet or griddle big enough, you can cook the burgers in batches.) Place 1 patty of beef in the center of one quadrant of the pan, with the onions on top (do not add any oil).
Step 4:
Smash the burgers: Using a very stiff spatula, press on the onions and beef to form a patty 4-1/2- to 5-inches wide. As you smash, focus on the patty’s edges so that the finished patty is slightly thicker in the center and smashed out as thinly as possible along the edges. Repeat with the remaining patties. Use the spatula to place any stray onions back on top of the burgers. Season the onions lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 5:
Cook the burgers: Allow patties to cook without moving until the edges are dark brown and crusty, 1 to 2 minutes. Holding the spatula upside down (so that the head of the spatula is angled down to increase leverage), scrape the edges of each patty off the pan, working around each patty to ensure that you don’t leave any crispy edges behind. When the edges have all been loosened, turn the spatula back over (so you are holding it the standard way) and flip the patties onion side down. Use the spatula and tongs or a fork to tuck any stray onion slices mostly under the patties.
Step 6:
Steam the cheese and buns: Add a slice of cheese to each patty. Place the top half of each burger bun on top of the cheese, and place the bottom half of each bun on top of the top bun, split-side down. Cover the pan or griddle with a large domed lid, a large overturned saucepan or a clean folded dish towel. (To avoid a fire, make sure the edges of the dish towel do not hang over the skillet or griddle. If cooking on an outdoor grill, just close the lid.) Continue cooking until the onions are browned along the edges and the buns are steamed through, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
Step 7:
To serve, open the cover or lid. Remove the bottom burger bun halves to a serving platter. Add pickles and condiments as desired. (These burgers don’t typically need condiments.) Lift each burger from the skillet with the spatula and transfer to the bottom bun. Serve immediately.
Tips
To add some chargrilled flavor, heat your entire gas or charcoal grill to high heat. (A full chimney of coals spread out under the cooking surface for a standard kettle grill, or all the burners on high for a gas grill.) Next, smash the onion-topped patties on top of a parchment-lined sheet tray in Step 2.
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or griddle directly over one side of the grill until very hot (5 minutes with the lid off, if cooking with coal, or 15 minutes with the lid on, if cooking with gas). When the skillet is hot, brush both the grates over the empty half of the grill and the skillet or griddle with a little neutral cooking oil. Add the onion-topped patties to the grates with a spatula, season with salt and pepper, and let them cook without moving until well charred on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes. When ready to flip, flip them straight into the skillet, onion-side down, and continue cooking exactly as directed in Step 6.
FAJITA TURKEY BURGER
Makes 5 servings
See the recipe with photo here: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1326.shtml
Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired
1 (16-ounce) package Jennie-O Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast
1/4 cup salsa, drained
3/4 cup cilantro, divided
2 onions, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
Wholly Guacamole classic or spicy dip, if desired
Wholly Guacamole salsa, if desired
5 reduced-calorie hamburger buns, split
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
In small bowl, combine cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika and salt and pepper, if desired.
Mix ground turkey, half of spice mixture, drained salsa, and 1/2 cup cilantro; form into 5 (1/2-inch thick) patties. Lightly spray patties with cooking spray. Place patties in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 17 to 19 minutes, turning occasionally.
Always cook to well done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.
Meanwhile, coat large skillet with cooking spray. Cook onions, bell peppers and remaining spice mixture over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.
To assemble burgers, spread guacamole and salsa, if desired, on buns. Place burgers, cheese and vegetable mixture on buns.
Always cook to an internal temperature of 165F.
Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 260; Protein: 29 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 410 mg; Cholesterol: 60 mg; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 23 g
ALMOST WHITE CASTLE HAMBURGERS
This comes from Chef Doozer on the Genius Kitchen site. Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 12
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
24 small square dinner rolls
American cheese (optional)
pickle (optional)
Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Hamburgers: Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch jelly roll pan.
Prick with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).
Cool.
Cut into 24 squares.
Place squares on dinner rolls.
Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls.
Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.
This makes 12 servings of 2 hamburgers each.
ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS
This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”
Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 slices thick cut bacon
2 large hamburger buns, split
1 tablespoon softened butter
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 slices pineapple
2 slices tomato
2 slices of iceberg lettuce
Directions
Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.
While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.
To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.
Footnotes
Cook's Note:
If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.
Tip
Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
BISTRO ONION BURGERS
This comes from FamilyTime, and starts off, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.” Serves: 6; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 envelope (about 1 oz.) dry onion soup & recipe mix
3 Tbsp. water
6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
Directions
Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.
Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillett over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.
JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”
Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.
Ingredients
Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
4 whole wheat English muffins, split
1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices
1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef
2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Pickles, for serving, optional
Directions
Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.
Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.
Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.
Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.
Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.
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