Jalapeno Feta Bison Burger

Printable Recipe

Feta for salt, Jalapeño for heat, Bison because it's so good to eat! The flavor of beef with significantly less fat and calories and just a bit more protein, bison makes the perfect burger. I began switching beef for bison in the past year or so and no one in my household knew until I told them.  If you haven't tried it yet, here's a delicious introduction:

To one pound of ground sirloin bison, add 1/2 cup feta crumbles, and 1/4 cup chopped jalapeño and turn just a few times until mixed.

Season with several liberal shakes of Garlic Powder, also (NOT garlic salt).  Shape gently into burger patties, touching as little as possible until meat just holds together. Don't get to mashing or balling it up and pounding it flat or you'll encourage the meat proteins to clamor together and turn against you. That means tough burgers, chef, and no one wants to see that happen. 

Now, to the grill. Or the non-stick skillet over medium heat. Or the pre-heated George Foreman. I chose the later today because I'm hungry and 4 minutes does it on the GF since both sides of the burger cook at once. 

Toast up some buttery French bread slices while the bison is sizzling away.

For dressing up this burger I wanted a little cool creamy avocado to balance the jalapeño's heat and rather than ketchup or mayo I chose a homemade thousand island, which is almost ketchup and mayo, just a notch better. Several layers of crispy lettuce and we're complete.   

SummerSoiree is on at the Food Network blogsite! We're all blogging together about Burgers today, but stay tuned each week for fresh ideas from your finds at the Farmer's Market or delicious dishes for picnics and parties all summer long! And check these out:

Weelicious: Mexican Chicken Sliders
Devour: 5 Sizzling Burgers
Virtually Homemade: Grilled Greek Turkey Burger
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Green Chile and Bacon Burgers
Red or Green: Grilled Marinated Eggplant Burgers (Spicy)
The Heritage Cook: Juicy Turkey Burgers for Every Cookout
Taste With The Eyes: Chicken Burger Caesar Club Sandwich
Cooking With Elise: Super Smashed Burgers
Domesticate Me: Bacon and Smoked Cheddar Cheeseburger Sliders with Jalapeno Relish
Swing Eats: Shrimp Burgers with Sriracha Aioli on Bibb Lettuce
Dishin & Dishes: Grill Basket Stuffed Slider Burgers
FN Dish: 5 Ways to Bring on the Burgers

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pasta with Crunchy Roasted Black Beans

(Printable Recipe)

Straight from the Pantry: Dinner in 30 minutes. That's right, even if your fridge went out and you hadn't a single fresh veg or meat protein on hand, you could put together this dish entirely from the pantry without resorting to a creamed soup casserole. As I undertook the challenge to do a clean-out-the-pantry dish, I also decided to clean out the spice/herb pantry by making a special seasoning I love, though it turns out a little different each time, and in the end I made a second pasta dish with it. So, today you're getting not one, but TWO bonus recipes, you lucky foodies! And a peak inside my obsessively packed fold-out pantry cabinet that is the secret joy of my kitchen. Get ready. Here it is:

Closed and Tidy

But...Open Sesame:

Whoa! Could you get a little more stuff in there?

Why yes I could:

That's right, one more layer hiding out in the back.
Because all the shelves are movable I use almost every square inch of this thing.

So, here's where we're going to start. Traveling to the northeast region of my pantry, home of vegetables, beans, fruits, soups, sauces, canned tuna and chicken, we'll collect our stash.

We'll get to the other pantry regions shortly, but for the moment let's get some pasta cooking. Doesn't matter too much what kind you choose, just grab that box you've had sitting around for pasta salad or bought because the shapes were fun. I bought this one because I couldn't resist the name "piccolini." 

Everything you'll need.

Start the pasta water and set the oven to 400 for the beans. Drain the black beans (or experiment with others such as red or garbanzo, if that's what you've got). Rinse and drain well, spread on a towel, and pat dry before moving to a bowl. Toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil and pinch or two of salt. Spread them on a parchment lined sheet pan and slip them in the oven; timer set for 20 minutes. The result will be a crunchy, salty snack that also makes an unexpected topping sprinkled over pasta or tacos or salad or you-name-it. I love beans but limit them since they're so carb-loaded.  I find that even a few of these as a garnish are enough to satisfy.

I collect flavored oils and used this flaming hot Harissa Oil for my Black Beans. ChaChaCha.

While those are roasting, toss in the pasta to boil with a chicken bouillon cube added for flavor, and pop open the cans of chipotle-in-adobo and the artichoke hearts. Quarter those hearts if they aren't already. And if yours are packed in oil instead of water, rinse them really well in hot water. Regardless of how they're packed, squeeze out as much water as you can before tossing them in a medium hot skillet drizzled with olive oil. Salt and pepper them and toss for just 5 minutes or so to sizzle and brown a bit. 

Halt! Achtung! If you want to control the heat, the next step is important! Before you rough chop 3 or 4 chipotles, slice them open and scrape away the seeds and lingering adobo sauce. If you love the heat, ignore this warning and chop away, seeds and all, as you'll notice I did but a few people at the table cried a little.

Toss in the peppers and about of tablespoon of concentrated tomato paste. If you don't keep this stuff on hand, it's time to pick up a tube. It's sweeter than canned, lasts for ages, and is so concentrated that just a little adds a lot of flavor. (Throw it in the fridge after opening.) Next, drain a can of white chicken chunks and toss those in if you so desire. This Kirkland brand from Costco is excellent, tender, flaky good. With chicken this could serve as a main dish, without it's a perfect side dish.

Mix and stir to heat through.

By now your pasta should be ready. Ladle about a half cup of pasta water into the above mix and stir to blend. Lastly, add a few cups of drained pasta and toss. Another cup or so of pasta may be needed, but judge the balance of ingredients first to be sure you really need it. About now that bean timer should be buzzing and the pan should look like a bean bomb has detonated.

Not a mistake.

I think these crunch up even more as they cool. Spinkle a few on top of each serving of Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pasta and save the rest for snacking or pass the bowl around the table and let everyone add their own.

Now to that bonus I promised! Whether or not you're a spice/herb hoarder like me, you'll love this method of making a fantastic custom blend out of aging herbs before they're too old to use. (If they've lost their scent, trash them, flavor's gone too.) I regularly work my way through the collective bottles in the southwest region of my pantry (door) and scoop out a tsp or so of each. If a bottle has only a few teaspoons left, I go ahead and use it all except for really strong cumin or curry.

This is about half the total stash. And it's layered two deep. yes, i heart herbs.

On this particular sunny day, here is what I ended up using for my special blend:

(Printable Custom Spice Blend Recipe)

Did I mention I'm a salt hoarder too? Ugh, it's the truth. I love different flavored salt for sprinkling on fish or meat to finish them or to add to a delicate sauce. Or just lick.

A few of the dozen or so salts in my kitchen. 

Back to the herb blend! I haven't forgotten. We're going to turn that mishmash into a fine powder in the spice grinder aka coffee-grinder-reserved-only-for-spices. I am having a heyday with hyphens this afternoon.

Herb and Spice Blend before grinding. Smells delicious.

Herb and Spice Blend after grinding. Smells FABULICOUS!

I save empty spice bottles for just such an occasion and slap on my homemade label.

And now for our final dish. I used the extra pasta not needed for the first dish to make a wonderful side dish for another day. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil to shimmering and spoon in a few tablespoons of this herb blend, stirring just a minute or so to warm. When the scent has really intensified as the flavors open up with the heat, add 2-3 cups of pasta and toss well to coat. 

2-3 Tbs Olive Oil + 2-3 Tbs Herb Blend

Keep stirring a few minutes until fragrance intensifies then add pasta.

Voila! CustomBlend Herby Pasta.

This week is the beginning of Sensational Spring Sides at the Food Network blog, the FN Dish. Here are lots of delicious ideas from my fellow bloggers around the country!


Feed Me Phoebe: Artichoke Hummus
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Red or Green: Sea Bass with Spicy Asian Ginger Sauce
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Quinoa Citrus Mango Avocado Black Bean Salad
The Heritage Cook: Chile Tortilla Soup
Cooking With Elise: Glorious Greek Salad Dressing
Devour: Clean Out the Pantry Night
Weelicious: Greek Nachos
Virtually Homemade: Garlic Rosemary Pizza Crust Bites
Domesticate Me: Fiesta Baked Eggs with Farro and Black Beans
Taste With The Eyes: Mom's Vintage Potato Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Rice and Beans Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Salmon and Brown Rice Casserole (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: Pantry Clean-Out Sides

Italian Roast Beef-Smoked Almond Creamy Cheesy Sliders

Printable Recipe

Spicy Italian Roast Beef layered with creamy, nutty cheese on a just-sweet-enough mini bun. You'll make these to take for a party, a pitch-in, a luncheon (do people have luncheon anymore?). And you'll keep making them for yourself...midnight snack, Saturday lunch, Sunday brunch, oh, anything at all. They're a bit hard to resist. And quick and easy. You've practically got the recipe already, but here's a visual:

Open the 12 pack of Hawaiian rolls and do not separate into individual pieces. Steady them with your palm in the middle of the whole thing and use a long serrated knife to cut them horizontally into a top and bottom. Open them up like a big bread clamshell. On the underside of the top half slather on a goodly layer of Miracle Whip. As much as I love mayonnaise, the real thing, I believe this sandwich needs the tangy goodness of MW to make it just right. 

Now, for the other half o' the bread layer on all of this: 8 oz cream cheese, 2-4 oz blue cheese, handful of smoked almonds. 

Rough chop those almonds with a big sturdy knife. I mean just lay a handful on a chopping block and chop through a few times to at least halve them. Chunkier is better here. NOTE: Everything will mix together better and spread nicely if you give the cream cheese just 10-20 seconds in the microwave till barely warm and very soft.  

Now, layer your very thinly sliced pound of Italian roast beef over all and close that breadclam right up. It's easiest to cut through everything with the long serrated knife just before you arrange on the platter. These will fit nicely back into the "tray" and bag they came in to transport for your event. And they hold quite well for 2-3 days in the fridge!  Incidentally, I find Italian roast beef in the bigger groceries or from my butcher who carries Boar's Head which is my favorite brand. Any Italian roast beef greatly trumps plain old roast beef; so much more flavorful. If you're really tired, go ahead and make this with whatever you've got. It will definitely still be irresistible.

 

THE SHOPPING LIST

12 Hawaiian Rolls

1 lb Italian Roast Beef

8 oz Cream Cheese

2-4 oz Blue Cheese

1/2 cup Smoked Almonds

Miracle Whip

This week at the Food Network's Comfort Food Feast we're blogging about Sliders of all sorts for Superbowl weekend.  Check out these other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends:

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Gluten-Free Maryland Crab Cake Sliders
The Heritage Cook: Italian Sliders with Fried Polenta and Marinara Sauce
Feed Me Phoebe: Thai Chicken Sliders with Sriracha Mayo
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Shredded Beef Sliders
Haute Apple Pie: Easy Pan Cheeseburger Sliders
Devour: Pick Your Slider Stuffing for Super Bowl
Dishin & Dishes: Philly Cheesesteak Sliders
Blue Apron Blog: 5 Tricks to a Great Slider
Weelicious: Mexican Chicken Sliders
Taste With The Eyes: Classic Chicago-Style Polish Sausage Sliders
Virtually Homemade: Meatball Sliders
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Buffalo Sliders with Bacon & Cheddar
Red or Green: Buffalo Chicken Sliders with Bacon & Celery
The Sensitive Epicure: Arepas — The Ultimate Gluten-Free Slider with South American Flair
Domesticate Me: Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Meatball Sliders
FN Dish: Super Sliders

             

Chicken Tetrazzini

(Printable Recipe)

Creamy and rich, this is a special occasion dish and if you're going to do it...do it right. Skip the recipes that call for canned cream soup and take the little bit of extra time to make a really good cream sauce. It's not rocket science, y'all - I can show you how to make it come out right.

For starters, I brown the vegetables to develop I nice rich flavor layer (fond) in the pan so the cream sauce will taste fantastic. (Before we start, put on a big pan of water to boil for the pasta.) In a wide skillet, starting with 8 oz of mushrooms, drizzle a tablespoon or so of oil and melt in 1-2 tbs of butter, then layer the mushrooms with a little space in between or they'll steam instead of brown. First they'll soak up all the fat like a sponge and the pan will look quite dry. Be patient and leave them alone. As they start to brown they'll release all that fat along with their own liquid and really get a beautiful golden brown and that's when you flip them so the other side repeats the process.

While they're cooking, thin slice one really big sweet onion and a red bell pepper. I like to use a mandolin for speed and uniformly thin slices. Move the mushrooms to a plate and add a little more oil to cook the onion and peppers.

I also like to use the mandolin for paper thin garlic slices. Slice up 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (watch your fingers! just toss the little garlic nibs that are left over). When the onion/pepper mix is slightly browned push it to one side and add just a drizzle of oil to quickly toss the garlic in. It will cook very quickly so keep it moving for a minute or so and you're done. Empty the pan again.

Have ready: 2/3 C Flour, 1/4 C Sherry, 2 C Warm Milk, 4 C Broth

Now is the time to throw the pasta, about 1/2 pound spaghetti, in that water you put on a few minutes ago which should be boiling by now. And back to our sauce - melt about 5 Tbs of Butter over medium/med low heat until it foams. Quickly sprinkle in the flour and rapidly whisk together. It will thicken very quickly and within about about a minute the floury smell should turn to a nice nutty scent which means it's time for the liquid.

Keeping it moving, gradually pour in the milk and don't worry if it doesn't look smooth. Just keep whisking steadily. It won't take long for the sauce to smooth out from this:

To this:

Now add the sherry and broth and whisk smooth. Let it bubble gently for 8 or 10 minutes to thicken a bit, but lower the heat if it really starts to boil. You just need a gentle bubble so it doesn't scorch.
Finally, add the cooked pasta and all vegetables into the sauce along with 1-1/2 cups parmesan cheese and stir together well. Add salt and pepper to taste now.  I'm using a heavy dutch oven that can go straight into the oven, but you may turn this all into a large casserole dish if you prefer.
[I have not listed it here, but the original chef's recipe from the early 1900's for Chicken Tetrazzini included almonds. Feel free to add some, I have never included them but they would only improve the dish and I think I've just talked myself into adding them next time.]

Top with another 1/2 cup of Parm and move to the 350 oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

Serve with plain crunchy french bread and a side of green salad with vinaigrette to balance all this rich and creamy deliciousness. And if you'd like to kick up the flavor element even more, click that broth link above and make your own super-tasty homemade that beats the canned kind all to bits.

This week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast we're blogging about Comforting Casseroles.  Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. 

The Heritage Cook: Tex-Mex Arroz con Pollo (Gluten-Free)
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Cheesy Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Dishin & Dishes: Black Bean Enchilada Pie
Weelicious: Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Dishing with Divya: Chicken Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Taste With The Eyes: Paella Rice with Baby Octopus & Meyer Lemon
Blue Apron: 11 Super Casserole Recipes for a Super Bowl Feast
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pork Chop Casserole with Crimini Mushrooms
Red or Green: Stacked Cheese Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Chicken and Rice Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Domesticate Me: Mushroom, White Bean and Brown Rice Casserole with Bacon and Gruyere
FN Dish: The New Age of Casseroles

Best Holiday Dressing

(Printable Recipe)

My mom always said, "If you don't have celery and sage, don't make dressing." This has plenty of both and proves her point. I've made this more times than I can count and it's always been a favorite at Christmas and Thanksgiving feasts. Both bready ingredients are easily made on the spot (or even several days ahead since stale bread works wonderfully in a dressing). And both are "cheater" breads although if you'd prefer to make from scratch, have at it. I toast your virtuous nature.

Here I have baked one can of southern style biscuits and two boxes of Jiffy cornbread. I prefer Jiffy because a sweet cornbread enhances the natural sweetness of the pecans and balances beautifully with the savory sage and vegetables. Crumble both into a large baking dish at least 9x13. I've used one size larger, please don't ask me to go measure it.

Add a large onion and 2 or 3 ribs of celery, chopped. 

And be liberal with that sage. I mean throw in 3 or 4 palms full. If it doesn't smell fragrant, stop now and go buy a new bottle. I realize a whole year can slip by without breaking out the sage and it bottled herbs just don't live forever.

I've added a heaping cupful of whole pecans and most of a stick of butter cut into small pieces and scattered over the top. Lastly, pour on a full quart of chicken stock. It should be very wet, almost swimming in the stock. Add more until you can see liquid within 1/4 inch of the top of the dry ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or even an hour, until the top is browned and slightly crunchy but the inside is moist. The final dressing will be loaded with flavors, herb fragrant, and nutty delicious!

Fall Fest finishes out this week with these other delicious ideas for Holiday   sides. But check back in two weeks as we begin to blog together for Comfort Food Feast.   Have a wonderful holiday season!

Feed Me Phoebe: Stir-Fried Collard Greens with Ginger and Jalapeno

The Heritage Cook: Sweet & Lightly Spicy Corn Pudding
The Lemon Bowl: Sweet Potato and Corn Hash
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Clean Eating Holiday Side Dish Recipes
Weelicious: Cranberry Apple Chutney
Dishing: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey and Spices
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Cranberry-Pistachio Pilaf
Taste with the Eyes: Fresh Green Beans, Mexican-Style
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Italian Green Beans with Tomatoes and Pesto
Red or Green? Green Chile Pork Stew (v2) and Tamales 
Virtually Homemade: Cheese Ravioli with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Pomegranate
Domesticate Me: Farro Risotto with Prosciutto, Parmesan and Brussels Sprouts
The Sensitive Epicure: Butter Dipped Radishes with Sea Salt
FN Dish: No-Brainer Holiday Sides