With the summer season fast approaching, so also are all the wonderful things that make summer such an enjoyable time of year. Soaring temperatures, the sweet smell of fresh cut grass, the freshness of outside after a rainfall, rumbling thunder, going to the lake, Sunday afternoon drives in the country, and of course…BBQ!!!
There's nothing quite like a good BBQ on a warm summer's eve. Steak, shrimp, burgers, veggies, you name it! Well, burgers were on our mind one night, but of course, not your normal, run of the mill burgers. We were having some friends over and Hayden suggested we BBQ burgers. No problem, I thought, I can get some ground beef and whip up some glorious patties and we will be good to go. But he had other ideas. After perusing the new Home at Home magazine, he found a couple burger ideas he thought we should try. Normally I'm game for trying new things, but that's when it's just us. Cooking something for the first time, for company? Now that's nerve wracking, to say the least. But nevertheless, I decided to go along with it, roll up my sleeves and put my best foot forward. The results….phenomenal! So much so, that I'm now blogging about it and am going to share the recipe of two delicious burgers so you, too, can enjoy these mouth watering, tasty treats!
I do apologize, however, as I have no pictures to show along with the recipe. :( The day proved to be a frightfully busy one, I was running behind on my prep for the evening, and I just barely got our meal in order as it was (and that was still forgetting several things too :P), never mind thinking about taking pictures of my creations. I also didn't have absolute faith in what I was attempting either, so no documentation of a disaster helps to erase that a disaster ever happened. However, this was no disaster by any means, but a beautiful discovery that tantalized the taste buds and infused the nostrils with an aroma close to heaven.
For all you seafood lovers out there, this first burger is for you! It's a Tandoori Salmon burger. I can hear your lip-smacking already.
It would be best, and WAY easier if you got salmon with the skin already removed. This, I didn't have, therefore had to attempt to cut the meat off the skin myself. This proved much more difficult then one would think and the result was severely mutilated salmon meat. Good thing it was going in the blender. I also didn't have the proper amount of salmon the recipe called for, so I attempted to adjust the other ingredients to compensate. It seemed to work well. But here is the recipe as shown in the Home at Home magazine.
Tandoori Salmon Burger:
serves 6
1 1/2 lbs. fresh salmon, skin removed
1/2 cup bread crumbs (as a healthier option, I used oatmeal instead of bread crumbs.)
1/4 cup prepared tandoori paste or sauce
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
dash hot sauce (this is optional and as I have SPM (severe pansy mouth :D) I skipped this part)
- Place coarsely diced salmon in a food processor with the bread crumbs (or oatmeal) and pulse lightly. ( I used my magic bullet and let me tell you, the result was NOT the same. I suggest a blender over a magic bullet if you don't own a food processor)
- Add the remaining ingredients and pulse lightly
- Shape the burgers into 6 patties and chill until ready to grill
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the burgers for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked all the way through.
- Serve the burgers on buns and top with sliced cucumbers and peaches, and yogurt or ranch dressing.
I omitted the cucumbers and peaches as I have a personal vendetta against cucumbers and I prefer my peaches in a dessert rather of on my burger. That's just my own personal preference, but try away if you are intrigued. I bought a dill ranch dressing for the burgers and it was delicious as dill and salmon go hand in hand.
The next burger caused less trepidation for me as I prepared it, but had ingredients I'd never worked with before, so a learning curve still. Regardless, the burger turned out beautifully :)
Tuscan Turkey Burger:
serves 6
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 bread crumbs (again I used oatmeal)
1 large egg
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped (I had never cooked with these before, but there was nothing difficult about it. I just followed the directions on the pkg and blanched them before chopping them up.)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated (I didn't have any block Parmesan left, so I used powdered)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
6 ciabatta or focaccia buns
3 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup roasted peppers, sliced (we didn't use any peppers for our burgers)
condiments of your choosing
- Stir the turkey with the bread crumbs (or oatmeal) and egg to blend, then add the remaining ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
- Shape the meat into 6 patties and chill until ready to grill
- Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the burgers for 8-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked all the way through.
- Serve the burgers on ciabatta or focaccia buns, (or on whatever buns you have around :)), topped with arugula and roasted peppers, and your choice of condiments.
As something different and special, I recommend trying these tasty burgers this summer. They're sure to be a hit with family and friends.
Enjoy the warm weather, late night fires, smores, and all the other wonderful aspects this season has to offer.
Happy eating!
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
The Mommy Diaries: Part II, To Sleep or Not To Sleep
There are many changes that occur when a baby enters your life. The hardest change, I've found, is definitely the sleep factor. Learning to cope with continuous sleep deprivation is one of the hardest learning curves one encounters as a new parent. Sure there's poopy diapers, baby puke, even times of ceaseless crying, however, if you've ever taken on the role of "babysitter", you've most likely encountered any, if not all, of these sides that come with a baby. The one thing babysitting doesn't prepare you for are the 2am feeds, the 4am crying for no reason, the 5am feeds, the 6:30am diaper changes etc. Your whole world changes when you suddenly lose those solid 8 hrs of sleep you once took for granted. When someone says "I slept like a baby", they obviously have never had a baby. Cause babies wake up ALL THE TIME! To sleep like a baby must mean you had a horrible sleep. :)
I look back over the past 5 months of being a mom, and am impressed with how one adapts to life's changes. I remember a time in my life when I needed at LEAST 8 hours of sleep to even function on a semi-awake level, and that was accompanied with a beautiful, delicious, strong coffee. Now I rejoice if I get a couple 3 hour stretches of uninterrupted sleep. Anything more then that, and I'm just spoiled! Now pair that with a baby who is sensitive to caffeine, and you have a mother who sleeps on average about 6 hours a night, in two or three stints, so never fully hitting that so needed REM sleep, then starts the day without any legal stimulants. It's no wonder we moms have dark circles under our eyes, have no desire to go for that run we've been meaning to for the last 3 months, that our house is in shambles, that it's mac and cheese for supper and we sleep when baby sleeps. There's been times when I've often wondered if I should be driving, how I would survive the day, would life ever get better? Would I ever sleep again? Indeed the body is a miraculous wonder and as the days progress one becomes accustomed to the new sleeping patterns thrust upon you. Where I once needed those solid 8 hours, I now feel like a new woman if I get those two 3-4 hour stretches. I have energy and can smile. If there's no other proof on earth that there is a God in Heaven, then this is it.
One other thing I've discovered is that God really uses those sleepless nights to bring out the hidden things of the heart to deal with them. Who knew intense frustration and anger could reside hidden inside me. But let me tell you, at 3am, when you're tired out of your mind, half asleep, trying to sooth a crying baby who is inconsolable and won't go back to sleep, that frustration and anger creeps forth from it's lair ready to pounce. I believe that's why God made babies cute. Because one small smile from them, and all anger dissipates and fades to nothing. You find yourself kissing their little forehead and whispering "I love you". Although, even then, it's still maddening when your baby finally falls asleep, you lay them down, and as soon as your head hits the pillow….they wake up. And this cycle continues for an hour or so.
In the early stages of a babies life, there is a great chance that they will have their days and nights mixed up. This is annoying as you are extra tired those first few weeks after having gone through labour and all you want to do is sleep for the next year. There is one old wives tale that I was told and in my desperation for sleep and willingness to try anything, decided "why not!" You swaddle your baby, hold them so their feet are towards you and their head is away from you. Then at midnight you slowly rotate them once, counter-clockwise. It's supposed to "re-set" them, like you would re-set a compass. Well, I kid you not, I tried it with Lalaith and from that night on we had no more problems with her day and night mix up. She still woke up through the night to eat and what not, but she always slept at night and was more awake during the day. It sounds crazy but I say, don't knock it till you try it. :)
A baby will change their sleeping habits so quickly, you really never know what to expect. One night they'll sleep 7 hours straight and you think, "yes! I've arrived!" Only to have them wake up every hour the following night. They finally get into a sleep routine, and then they start teething and all goes awry. They start napping better and go down with ease, then one day they start fighting you every time you try to put them to sleep. One can try this or that to train and create routine, but all-in-all, those darn cute babies keep you on your toes.
To sleep or not to sleep: That really is the question….every single night
till next time
I look back over the past 5 months of being a mom, and am impressed with how one adapts to life's changes. I remember a time in my life when I needed at LEAST 8 hours of sleep to even function on a semi-awake level, and that was accompanied with a beautiful, delicious, strong coffee. Now I rejoice if I get a couple 3 hour stretches of uninterrupted sleep. Anything more then that, and I'm just spoiled! Now pair that with a baby who is sensitive to caffeine, and you have a mother who sleeps on average about 6 hours a night, in two or three stints, so never fully hitting that so needed REM sleep, then starts the day without any legal stimulants. It's no wonder we moms have dark circles under our eyes, have no desire to go for that run we've been meaning to for the last 3 months, that our house is in shambles, that it's mac and cheese for supper and we sleep when baby sleeps. There's been times when I've often wondered if I should be driving, how I would survive the day, would life ever get better? Would I ever sleep again? Indeed the body is a miraculous wonder and as the days progress one becomes accustomed to the new sleeping patterns thrust upon you. Where I once needed those solid 8 hours, I now feel like a new woman if I get those two 3-4 hour stretches. I have energy and can smile. If there's no other proof on earth that there is a God in Heaven, then this is it.
One other thing I've discovered is that God really uses those sleepless nights to bring out the hidden things of the heart to deal with them. Who knew intense frustration and anger could reside hidden inside me. But let me tell you, at 3am, when you're tired out of your mind, half asleep, trying to sooth a crying baby who is inconsolable and won't go back to sleep, that frustration and anger creeps forth from it's lair ready to pounce. I believe that's why God made babies cute. Because one small smile from them, and all anger dissipates and fades to nothing. You find yourself kissing their little forehead and whispering "I love you". Although, even then, it's still maddening when your baby finally falls asleep, you lay them down, and as soon as your head hits the pillow….they wake up. And this cycle continues for an hour or so.
In the early stages of a babies life, there is a great chance that they will have their days and nights mixed up. This is annoying as you are extra tired those first few weeks after having gone through labour and all you want to do is sleep for the next year. There is one old wives tale that I was told and in my desperation for sleep and willingness to try anything, decided "why not!" You swaddle your baby, hold them so their feet are towards you and their head is away from you. Then at midnight you slowly rotate them once, counter-clockwise. It's supposed to "re-set" them, like you would re-set a compass. Well, I kid you not, I tried it with Lalaith and from that night on we had no more problems with her day and night mix up. She still woke up through the night to eat and what not, but she always slept at night and was more awake during the day. It sounds crazy but I say, don't knock it till you try it. :)
A baby will change their sleeping habits so quickly, you really never know what to expect. One night they'll sleep 7 hours straight and you think, "yes! I've arrived!" Only to have them wake up every hour the following night. They finally get into a sleep routine, and then they start teething and all goes awry. They start napping better and go down with ease, then one day they start fighting you every time you try to put them to sleep. One can try this or that to train and create routine, but all-in-all, those darn cute babies keep you on your toes.
To sleep or not to sleep: That really is the question….every single night
till next time
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