Category — Main Dishes

Happy Mother’s Day!  In honor of Mother’s Day I’ll be blogging a recipe my Mom inspired!  I’ve mentioned before that I grew up with a (wonderful) Mom who really didn’t do a lot of cooking.  Honestly, I could count on one hand the number of special dishes that my Mom made while I was a kid.  We did eat out a lot, and she was great at opening cans and boxes and the like, but we didn’t have a lot of “home-cooking,” per se.  Not to worry, though, my Mom was really great at other stuff that didn’t include cooking.  Still there are a couple of things I do remember my Mom making.  Today’s recipe is inspired by the hamburgers my Mom made when I was growing up.

When my Mom made these she called them “Surprise Burgers” and she stuffed mushrooms and cheese in the center.  Dad and I both would scarf them down. Obviously, I loved mushrooms even when I was kid. I’ve also seen them referred to as “inside out burgers” in a similar recipe.  Personally, I just call them burgers and put whatever suits me on that day in the middle.

It’s not rocket science, really.  Hamburgers are pretty basic, but what makes them miraculous is when you add the goodies on top.  Now, with this version of a burger, you just put a small amount of whatever you want on top of the burger inside the burger before you cook it.  Cool!

When my Mom made burgers they often swelled up in the middle when she cooked them, and I’ve found that the method you use to put these together actually does matter.  Shaping these properly will help prevent “golf-ball” shaped burgers.  And, Mom?  I’m sorry Dad and I teased you about your hamburgers being golf-ball burgers.  I was such a little shit.  Don’t worry, I’m getting all that sass back in triplicate now.

Also key to this recipe, remember that you can’t put too much stuff in the middle.  Now, I know, you’re thinking “The more the better!  I love bleu cheese, I want to have it oozing out and I don’t really mind a giant sized burger, it will be so goooood when I bite into all that heavenly flavor.”  But.  A little goes a long way for flavor, and you can always pile more of the goodies on top if you feel like there just isn’t quite enough.  The problem with putting too much in the middle is two-fold.  First, it becomes difficult to cook the burgers evenly because they are too fat in the center, or just not a uniform size and shape.  Secondly, they tend to pop open and everything will fall out.  Popping open sort of defeats the entire purpose of an inside-out burger, wouldn’t you agree?  So.  Right.  Just put a little bit of the yummy stuff inside.

And, a random thought . . . here where I live now, in Michigan, people often call either ground beef or hamburgers (the sandwich) “hamburg”. Isn’t that funny? I mean, I thought it was funny. I don’t know why I thought I’d mention that. I guess it’s just one of those things that makes me go “hmm” . . . well, anyhow.

So, here are some of the ideas for the centers of your surprise burgers:

Bleu cheese, or another type of crumbled or shredded cheese
Pickle Relish
Chopped Mushrooms
Crumbled Bacon
Sauteed Onions
Chopped or Roasted Garlic
Bell Peppers
Diced Tomatoes

O.k., I could go on with this endlessly. As you can see, the possibilities are limitless.

Here’s how these work:

Surprise Stuffed Inside Out Burgers

1 1/2 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison (or a blend)
1/4 to 1/2 cup crumbled bacon (if desired)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of assorted “insides”, (such as cheese and veggies) chopped, crumbled, or diced fine
Small butter or cottage cheese tub lid
Parchment or Wax Paper
6 Hamburger Buns and Hamburger toppings

I start out by placing my crumbled bacon directly in the ground meat. I like bacon in or on my burger, and mixing it in with the ground meat allows me to put more stuff in the middle.  Bonus!

Mix ground meat and crumbled bacon (to taste) until the bacon is evenly distributed.

Using clean hands, make twelve 2 ounce balls of hamburger.  I use scales to make my hamburger balls exactly even, but you can eyeball it by dividing into twelve equal portions, if you don’t have scales.  But, if you’re a bit of a control freak like me, feel free to use the scales.

Place one hamburger ball on a piece of parchment (or wax) paper and flatten it slightly with your palm.  Place another piece of parchment paper over the meat and place the plastic lid over the top of the paper.  Push down on the lid with the palm of your hand.  Squish the meat out to the edges of the lid and try not to let it seep out the sides.

Carefully peel the paper off the hamburger.

Place 1 1/2 tablespoons to 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the burger.

Place another hamburger ball over the top of the filling, replace the lid, and push down again.

Use your hand to gently “meld” the sides of the two patties together.

Cook these in a pan or on the grill.  I like to make these on my electric grill, because it does not require turning the burgers.  If you do not use an electric grill, cook these until half done, flip them over and let them finish.  Do not repeatedly flip, flip, flip because they will fall apart.

Serve on buns with your favorite condiments.

These burgers go wonderfully with Maple Chipolte Grilled Corn on the Cob or Roadhouse Home Fries.

So we’ve talked about snacks and we’ve talked about vegetables and we’ve talked about all sorts of things, but I think it’s time we talked about dinner again.  Don’t you?  Actually, I usually try to stay away from giving you guys dinner recipes, because it dawned on me a while back: you probably don’t really need dinner recipes.  If you’re like me, you struggle with ”What else should I make?” rather than “What should I make?”  It’s happened to me many, many times:  I put together a great chicken dish, it’s all done, hot, yummy, and ready, and I’m popping a can of green beans open and nuking them while I set the table because I have no idea what else to make.  That’s why I do my Saturday Sides feature.  It’s why I give you snackies, and bread, and appetizers.  These are the things that continue to baffle us in the kitchen.  And I will continue to give you those recipes.

Still, every once in a while, I make something for dinner and I think “Wow, I gotta tell my readers about this.  This is knock-your-socks-off good!”  Welp, today’s recipe is just that way.  Not only is it unreal how fantastic this tastes, but it makes you look like you’re a kitchen genius when you make it since it looks even more wonderful than it tastes.  The best news of all is, this recipe is easy.  No flambeing, no sautéing, no shimy-shaying.  Heck I went to culinary school and I still prefer to skip the shimy-shay. 

Announcing TKD

So if you’re like me and you’re hoping for something hefty for Mother’s Day (which is in 18.5 days, but who’s counting) use this recipe to continue your quest toward becoming a Kitchen Diva.  I don’t know about you, but I’m really looking forward to restocking my supply of handmade Mother’s Day cards and gifts. (I keep every single one!  They’re so cool.)  I bet Kitchen Divas get the best Mother’s Day presents.  I think I shall start a club and call it the “TKD”, short for The Kitchen Divas.  From here on out, you can look for the TKD stamp of approval on recipes for your family.  Recipes that will raise your dinner exit poll rating.

When I pick a “TKD” recipe I’ll have four basic questions:

Two yes questions:  1.  Does it taste good enough that most* of my family will eat it?  2.  Does it look good?

Two no questions:  1.  Is it hard to make?  2.  Is it horribly bad for me (or my family) i.e., will it raise my cholesterol by more than 10 points in one sitting?

*Yes, I said most.  There’s five of us, and if four people will eat it - then it’s a winner.

So, for today’s recipe let’s see how it measures up.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Skewers

Does it taste good enough that most of my family will eat it?  Oh heck yeah.  Only my non-meat eater won’t eat this, and sometimes she’s even willing to pick the pecans off thereby transferring some chicken residue into her body.

Does is look good?  Yes.  Yup.  ZOMG yes.  These have a very high presentation appeal, which means “I’d even make these for company they look so good!”

Is it hard to make?  No, not too bad.  A few extra steps for the pecan crust and you gotta make some gravy, but it’s completely doable in an hour or less.

Is it horribly bad for me (or my family)?  Well, it’s not fried and it is chicken, so that’s good.  But it is covered in pecans and you dip it in gravy.  It could be a little better for you, but since it’s oven baked and not red meat it works for me.

Looks like this one is a winner.  So, on to the recipe.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Skewers
Adapted from Taste of the South

8 (6 inch) bamboo skewers
4 boneless, skinless chikcen breasts, cut into half
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
Country Gravy

Cut each breast into half vertically.  Insert Skewer through the length of each piece of chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

In a shallow bowl, or pan, stir eggs and milk, mixing well.  Place flour on a large plate and pecans on another large plate.  Dredge each chicken skewer in flour, then roll in egg, then roll in the pecans.

Place each skewer on a greased baking pan.

Bake at 400F degrees for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve with country gravy.

For the gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
fresh cracked black pepper (about 1 teaspoon worked for me)
salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat.

Add flour, stirring well.
Cook until flour turns golden brown, then add milk and pepper.  Stir well to avoid lumps.

Lower heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with salt and keep warm.

For more information on making gravy you can find a cooking lesson here.

Without pictures:

Pecan Crusted Chicken Skewers
Adapted from Taste of the South

8 (6 inch) bamboo skewers
4 boneless, skinless chikcen breasts, cut into half
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
Country Gravy

Cut each breast into half vertically.  Insert Skewer through the length of each piece of chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside.
In a shallow bowl, or pan, stir eggs and milk, mixing well.  Place flour on a large plate and pecans on another large plate.
Dredge each chicken skewer in flour, then roll in egg, then roll in the pecans.
Place each skewer on a greased baking pan.
Bake at 400F degrees for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
Serve with country gravy.

For the gravy:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups milk
fresh cracked black pepper (about 1 teaspoon worked for me)
salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)

In a medium suace pan, melt butter over medium heat.
Add flour, stirring well.
Cook until flour turns golden brown, then add milk and pepper.  Stir well to avoid lumps.
Lower heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.  Season with salt and keep warm.

I want to share with you today another recipe that I came across in Simple and Delicious Magazine.  If you have not bought a copy of this magazine yet, I’m telling you . . . you really need to get one.  Fast.  I haven’t found any duds.  And, with most of the stuff I’ve made, I’ve made very few changes.  They have a lifelong subscriber right here.  [Angie Pangie is not receiving any compensation for telling you this.  And I think that stinks.  Nah, I'm just kidding, folks.]   Seriously though, I just want to pass on to you how excited I am to have found a great resource for recipes.  Of course, if you stick around here long enough, you won’t need to buy the magazine, because I’m going to keep on making this awesome stuff, and then I’m going to keep on telling you all about it.

So, my BFF, Deb, is in Indiana and has been since Easter (the day she returned my lemon extract).  Her Mom is real bad sick and she’s down there taking care of her.  I miss Deb like nobody’s business.  I’m actually getting all misty just thinking about it . . . lord I hate early menopause. 

Well, anyhow, Deb is from Southern Indiana, and she has a twang when she talks.  She says things like “Darlin’” and “Y’all” and she means it.  She is all the time making me uncomfortable, because she does things that make people take notice.  Like complimenting complete strangers on random things; for instance saying to the guy at the movie theater, “Your eyes are beautiful!  You should be an eye glasses model!”  Or, sometimes she’ll just bust out and say something like “Dang it!  My butt itches!” and I just want to keel over dead, cuz it’s embarrassing.  And, sometimes, she’ll touch my straw just to screw with me.  But, a while back I realized something .  .  .  Deb is the most genuine, straight shooting, loving person you’ll ever meet.   She’s the epitome of “Keeping it Real.”  And I love her because she makes me uncomfortable.  And HOLY CRYING I miss her!

Right, so I’m not telling you all of this so as to get you to feel bad for me and my lonesome and menopausal self, but to tell you that I’ve been cooking (whenever I can) for her Hubby and daughter (who are still here in Michigan).  Her Hubby adores shrimp.  And as far as he’s concerned, the spicier the better.  So, when I came across this Confetti Pasta with Shrimp recipe, I knew he’d be happy.  So, I made it and gave half to BFF’s Hub (and we ate the other half!).  And, I was right, he loved it (and so did we!).  So, you should make some, and when you do I want you to think of one random compliment and give it to someone.  For Deb and for her Mom.

P.S.  If you pray, or something like that, Deb and her Mom could really use the prayers.  Oh and send me chocolate, cuz that always makes me feel better.  I don’t need any prayers.  I’m good.  Really.  I’m fine.  Good grief, o.k., I’ve got a tissue now.  Here’s the recipe, y’all. 

 Confetti Pasta with Shrimp
Adapted from Simple and Delicious Magazine
Serves 8

1 (16 ounce) package thin spaghetti, angel hair, or pasta of your choice
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more, to taste)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound (size 50-55) frozen shrimp, peeled, tail removed, deveined
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Start out by thawing your shrimp (if frozen) under cold water in a colander.  Once they are cold, but not frozen you can begin to peel and devein the shrimp.  To devein simply use a small paring knife to make a tiny slit down the inside of the curve, along the black line.

Use your knife to pull out the vein and discard.  It’s yucky!  Once you have peeled and prepared all the shrimp, give them a good rinse and set them aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large (5 quart, approximately) pan, sauté the peppers, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, crushed red pepper, and black pepper in olive oil until vegetables are tender.  We like stuff a little on the spicy side, so I add closer to 3/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.  You can adjust it to your own taste, or leave it out if you’re wimpy (don’t worry, I was like that for many years, but thanks to Prilosec, I’m livin’ it up now)!

Add the shrimp; cook and stir until shrimp are hot, slightly firm, and pink.

Drain pasta; toss with shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.