Mozzarella-Stuffed Bruschetta Turkey Burgers with Sweet Balsamic Glaze

I started the gym again and after the pain I put myself through on that elliptical, I didn't want to just blow it on something super fattening.  I was in the mood for a nice satisfying dinner that was also healthy.  I saw this recipe on foodgawker,  last year and added it to my favorites.  I have been meaning to make it for some time now, and was glad I thought of it last night.   The recipe was easy to make, high in protein, low in carbs and full of fresh veggies.  I think this is going to make a comeback again real soon in my kitchen.

Recipe Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats, serves 6

For the burger:
2.5 lbs. lean ground turkey
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 red onion, grated
1 tsp. olive oil
6 tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by placing the ground turkey into a mixing bowl.  Add the Parmesan cheese, the basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to the bowl.  Next add in the grated garlic, onion and olive oil and combine well.   Form a thin patty and then place one tbsp. of the mozzarella cheese on top of the patty leaving a rim around the edge with no cheese.  Place some more of the burger mixture on top of the patty, covering the cheese and pinching the edges to lock in the cheese.  Place a non-stick skillet (one with a lid) on medium high heat and let the pan get hot.  Place the burgers in the pan and brown well.  Flip the burgers over and allow them to brown on the other side.  These burgers are sort of thick, but you'll have to cook them all the way through since you're using poultry.  An easy way to do this is to place the lid on the pan and bring the heat down to low.  Allow the burgers to cook undisturbed for 10 minutes.

For the brushetta topping:
8 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp. freshly chopped basil
1 tbsp. freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste ( I used lots of freshly grated pepper for this)

While the burgers cook, begin making the topping and balsamic glaze (recipe to follow).  Begin by dicing the tomatoes and adding them to a mixing bowl.  Finely dice the onions and add them to the bowl, along with the grated garlic clove.  Chop the parsley and basil and toss into the bowl.  Next add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and combine everything well.

For the Balsamic Glaze:
1  1/2 cup aged balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1/2 of a  small garlic clove, grated
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and let it simmer on medium heat until it reduces to the consistency of maple syrup.  Assemble the burgers by placing the brushetta topping on top of each burger and then drizzling with the balsamic glaze.  I served this with a garlicky pea puree.

Chicken, Mushroom and Orzo Chowder with Lemon

I made this soup recently when it was stormy and rainy outside.  Something about rainy weather just makes you reach for something warm and comforting and this fit the bill.  It goes really well with a nice piece of crusty garlic bread.  Also, good to know, this soup freezes really well.  If you're going to freeze it, just chop the parsley and spinach and add it to the soup when re-heating.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
5 cloves garlic (grated)
2 carrots
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
5 cups fresh chopped baby spinach
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tbsp. cream
1/8 tsp. cumin
2 whole lemons
1 cup dried orzo (you could sub this with white beans if you're trying to watch the carbs or want to make this gluten free)
lots of freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste

First wash the chicken well and cut it into pieces.  Place the chicken into a stock pot along with the chicken stock, bay leaf and thyme.  Allow the chicken to cook on medium high for 25 minutes.  Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board. Strain the stock and put it back into the stock pot.  While the chicken cools, dice the onion, slice the mushrooms and grate the garlic.  Transfer to a non-stick skillet and saute with a tiny little bit of olive oil ( 1 tsp.). Allow the veggies to cook on medium high heat.  Remove the skin off the chicken and begin shredding into large strips.  Add the spinach to the skillet and saute until it slightly wilts.  Transfer the chicken back into the stockpot along with the ingredients in the skillet.  Stir everything well and begin peeling your carrot.  Cut the carrot into cubes and add to the pot.  Bring the soup up to strong simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes before adding the orzo.   Add in the cumin and pepper. Squeeze the juice of the lemons and stir well. Cook until the orzo is al dente.  Finish off by adding the cream and the chopped parsley.  Remove the bay leaf and the thyme stalk before serving and add a little extra lemon to your bowl if desired.  Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Japanese Cheesecake

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been missing in action for a little while.  I've been cooking, but lately I haven't really made anything quite blog worthy.  Not until this cheesecake at least.  For the sake of 'keeping it real' I am not going to lie.  This thing was such a mission to make.  It wasn't hard at all, but there are a lot of steps and you'll have lots of dirty bowls by the time you're done. But please don't let that deter you. Once you take the first bite,  you'll realize it was totally worth the trouble.  This cheesecake is much lighter than it's American cousin,  creamy and subtly sweet. The texture is almost like a souffle. When you pair it with fresh mango, it's a masterpiece. I made this for mother's day, and although I had a traumatic experience that day,(sliced my finger with a really sharp knife as I was cutting a bell pepper, bled like crazy, and fainted twice- I know what a sissy!) it had the same effect as when you get a lollipop at the Dr.'s office after a shot.  The good news is you won't slice your finger since you don't need any knives to make this!

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
4 tbsp. butter (2 oz.)
3 eggs (separated)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 ½ tbsp. cornstarch
½ cup milk
¼ cup sugar

 Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Next begin separating the egg yolks from the whites and putting them into separate bowls. Put the bowl of egg whites into the freezer until the edges being to freeze. In a large mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese on high speed, until you have a nice creamy, soft texture, scraping the sides of the bowl to break up any lumps. Add the butter to a small saucepan to soften and slightly melt and add the butter to the cream cheese. Blend again for about 3 minutes on high speed. You want to have a fluffy airy mixture. Set this bowl aside.

Next add ¼ cup of sugar to the egg whites and beat until you have a soft meringue. Set aside.

Add the cornstarch, milk, and 1 tbsp. of sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk everything well and place the bowl over a double boiler, stirring consistently until the mixture becomes very thick. Add this mixture to the cream cheese and combine well. You’ll want to scrape the sides of the bowl and the bottom to make sure you’ve incorporated everything well.

Now we’ll begin gently folding in the egg whites, about 1/3 of the mixture at a time.

Line your pan with parchment paper. You’ll want to make sure the parchment comes up about 1” above the pan. Pour the batter into your pan and place in a water bath. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 320°F and bake for another 25 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 40 minutes before removing. Cool the cheesecake and cover the pan with foil. Refrigerate overnight or at least for 4 hours. Slice and serve with some fresh mango.