The Most Perfect Burger and Homemade Fries

Since we have been eating out less I have been experimenting more in the kitchen again and it has actually been so fun to get back in the cooking groove. There was a very important Georgia football game last weekend and we decided to make some homemade burgers and fries for the big event. The burgers were SOOO amazing! The kids have brought it up repeatedly since we had them, so I decided I better save the recipe forever! The fries were pretty good, but we have some additionally experimenting to do to get them perfect so I will keep updating this post as we figure it out! (the idea of the rack was great because you don't have to flip them, but I think I used a little too much oil)

The burger recipe is from Genius Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 egg
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1 lb medium ground beef

Directions:
Lightly oil grill& heat BBQ to medium.
Whisk egg in a bowl& add next 6 ingredients.
Crumble in beef & using your hands or a fork, gently mix together.
Handle the meat as little as possible – the more you work it, the tougher it gets.
Gently shape (don’t firmly press) mixture into burgers about ¾ inch thick.
Using your thumb, make a shallow depression in the centre of each burger to prevent puffing up during cooking.
Place burgers on the grill, close lid& BBQ until NO LONGER PINK INSIDE, turning once, about 6 – 8 minutes per side.
An instant read thermometer should read 160F.

The fries recipe came from 101 Cooking for Two
Ingredients:
2 russet potatoesmedium
coarse salt, cajun seasoning, garlic
1 tablespoon oil

Directions:
Start with a couple of medium russet potatoes. That will make four servings. Preheat oven to 425.
Peel potatoes if desired. Cut your fries.
Place in cold water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Rinse the fries with cold water and place on a towel and dry reasonably well.
Dry the bowl and put fries back in and mix with about a tablespoon of oil.
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a rack. Spray with PAM.
Spread the fries on a prepared rack. Give a light sprinkle of coarse salt. Bake until golden brown. About 30 minutes.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Mayo

I have been trying new recipes again and have been trying to incorporate more meatless and veggie filled dinners into our menu. I have had some misses (chicken sausage stuffed zucchini, seemed promising but flopped), but also some winners. These black bean burgers from Skinnytaste were AWESOME!!! I am planning to make up another batch this week to keep frozen for lunches. I didn't even make the mayo; the burgers were SO flavorful that I loved them with just avocado on top (and I didn't use a bun for mine either). Definitely give them a try!!! (I will say the kids did not love them...at all)

Ingredients:
For the Spicy Chipotle Mayo:
3 1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1 tbsp canned chipotle in adobo sauce
For the Black Bean Burgers:
16 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped scallions
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 jumbo egg
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 cup quick oats (I used gluten-free oats)
4 whole wheat 100 calorie buns (Martin's)*
1 small hass avocado, sliced thin

Directions:
Combine mayonnaise and chipotle, set aside.
Dry the beans well after washing, extra moisture keeps the burgers from sticking. In a medium bowl, mash beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, cilantro, onion, and garlic, then add oats, then eggs and spices. Then stir into mashed beans.
Divide mixture into four patties (using slightly oiled hands helps) and place them onto a flat surface covered with wax paper. (If it's too wet, chill the mixture 30 minutes in the refrigerator or add another tablespoon of oats)
Freeze at least 2 hours before cooking or keep frozen until ready to cook.
Heat a lightly sprayed skillet to medium heat and cook frozen burgers about 7 minutes on each side.
If grilling, preheat grill over medium heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil; grill 7-8 minutes on each side or you can bake in the oven at 375° on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

Servings: 4 • Size: 1 burger w/ mayo bun + avocado • Calories: 362.6 • Fat: 14.0 g • Protein: 18.1 g • Carb: 50 g • Fiber: 15.1 g • Sugar: 7.1 g Sodium: 786.4 mg (without salt)

Southwest Turkey Burgers (Freezer Meal)

These were really good. I think I would like them even better going a little lighter on the spices. The girls (and Mike) just thought it was great we were having burgers for dinner :-). We still have more patties left in our freezer too, which was an added bonus. I made Veggie Packets to eat with them (which I loved)!

(1 recipe, makes 6 patties)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1/4 c. salsa
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 t. salt
- 1 t. paprika
- 1/2 t. cumin
- 1/2 t. chili powder
- 1/2 t. black pepper
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 c. bread crumbs

On Hand:
-6 Hamburger Buns

Assembly Directions:
-Combine all ingredients. Shape into appropriate number of patties for the number of recipes you are making.

Freezing Directions:
-Press patties flat. Stack between sheets of freezer paper. Four stacks of five patties will generally fit into a 1-gallon freezer bag. Place patty stacks in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze.

Serving Directions:
-Thaw in refrigerator or microwave. Patties can be cooked in a non-stick frying pan or on the grill. Cook until no longer pink in the center.

Southwest Brown Rice & Black Bean Burgers

I'm stealing yet another recipe from Taste Buds :-)...AnneMarie keeps posting yummy gluten-free food that I just have to try (not to mention this is meatless and I needed one for the week)! These were SO good! While I was just mixing all the ingredients together I knew we had a winner because it already smelled delicious. Addie devoured hers! We served them with sour cream and salsa on top, tortilla chips, and a green salad.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups brown rice, cooked
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1-3 tablespoons minced jalapeno or green chilies, (canned is fine)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup flour/rice flour
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- cheese to top

Directions:
- Mix rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic, onion, cilantro, chilies, salsa, and egg white in large bowl. Mixture will be very moist.
- Add flour, using only enough so that you can shape the mixture into patties. Dust the outside of the patties lightly with flour.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and warm. Add patties and cook until nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Sprinkle with cheese, reduce heat to low and cover with lid to melt cheese.