rainbow turkey burgers.

This is simply the best turkey burger you will ever eat.  It's also two meals, one prep.  And a rainbow of healthy veggies are hidden within for your non-veggie kid (or husband, in my case.)  Genius.  If I do say so myself.


Rainbow Burgers/Meatballs (heavily adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe a long time ago)
4-5 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 orange bell pepper, chopped
3/4 sweet yellow onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
5 baby bella mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 pounds ground turkey
swirl or two of olive oil


Put all ingredients including the olive oil in a large bowl and mix well (preferably) by hand.   Flatten the meat so that it is "even" in the bowl.  Then score the meat down the middle.  Put half of the meat mixture in another container with a lid and store in the refrigerator for meal #2.


Meal #1 ~The Burgers
Score the rest of the meat in half and then quarters.  Take each section and form into patties.  Saute in  olive oil over medium heat about 5 minutes per side until cooked through.  Serve with all the yummy burger fixin's.


Cook's notes:
1.  I chop all the vegetables finely as I don't like to bite into a chuck of onion and neither do my kids.
2.  Any mushrooms will do.
3.  I usually leave out the cayenne if I'm making these for kids, and double it if I making it for just adults.
4.  You can change up the herb you use.  I have a love affair with fresh basil so I often use that in addition to the parsley.
5.  I use one pound of dark meat and one pound of white meat turkey.
6.  If you like cheese burgers add a slice during the last minute of cooking.  (I add two.  Spicy jack is great on these.)
7.  You can barbeque these, but they tend to stick to the grill so I generally do them in a saute or grill pan.  I'm not the bbq girl. (That's Sparky's job.)  Anyone have any tips to keep the meat from sticking?


Meal #2 ~The Meatballs
Leftover Rainbow Burger Meat
Rao's Marinara Sauce (the best and actually worth the stiff price) or homemade
Box of your favorite pasta cooked al dente
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Chopped basil


Form 1-2 inch meatballs out of the rest of the meat mixture.  (Seriously, I hate that term "meat mixture."  What else can I call it?)  I use a small melon baller to keep things somewhat uniform.  Place meatballs on a cookie sheet completely lined with foil (to make clean-up easy.)  Broil for about 15 minutes or until almost cooked through and browned.  I flip after 10 minutes.  Place in your favorite marinara sauce in a saute pan and finish cooking in sauce.  (This adds flavor to the sauce as well.)  Serve over pasta of your choice, sprinkle with parmesan and basil. 

***** 

I snapped away on my monster Canon but (shockingly) I was unhappy with most, actually, all of the photographs of our delicious meals.  So instead of showing you one of the disappointing photos, I thought I'd show you this epically successful one.

This one too.

P.S. Please check this schedule and wander over for more shared yumminess from some lovely ladies.