I am in a total dinner rut. It’s pathetic.
I have a total first world problem in that I am bored every night by what I serve my family for dinner. It’s been so gross and humid here in the Boston area that turning on the stove is an exercise in self hatred. Basically, if you can grill it, we have. But it’s always the same things – chicken, steak, salmon, turkey burgers. When it’s too hot to eat, tuna fish. The thought of dinner has become completely unappetizing because it’s always the same things.
My mom made a version of these for me once and I’ve seized on the idea. How can you turn something you eat EVERY week – sometimes more than once – into a meal you’re happy to see again? Answer: rethink it.
Your boring burger can become exciting again. Your bland turkey burger can have flavor. It’s super easy. Add stuff to it before you cook it.
The key to keeping these moist and keeping all the ingredients together is a dash of lime juice. You can use fresh squeezed, but I used all my limes for vodka and beer this week so I’m using bottled.
Out of the Rut Turkey Burgers
- 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 small can diced green chiles (like the Ortega or Old El Paso kind in the taco aisle)
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
- lime juice (a couple shakes from the bottle, no more than a teaspoon)
- 1-2 tsp chili powder
- 1-2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Obviously, use fresh ginger and garlic if you’re so inclined. I was not inclined because I am lazy like that today.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients. Honestly, I don’t understand people who don’t mix ground meat with their hands. People who stir it (Sandra Lee, the so called Semi Homemade demon who makes me irritated as all hell, I am looking at you) can’t possibly incorporate it as well as if they’d just used their hands. You’ll get a much better consistency and distribution of the filling if you mix with your hands.
Form into patties (I got 4 good sized ones and 1 small one). Fry up in a skillet until cooked through.
Kristin's Kitchen Blog 