Go Get Stuffed Burgers

Happppppy New Year to ME! I'm ringing it in with ridiculously delicious stuffed cheeseburgers. Be jealous!

I've chosen the Mushroom and Onion Get Stuffed burgers, but I've listed a crud-ton of options for you.

Mushroom and Onion Get Stuffed Burger (also known as the French Get Stuffed Burger):

2 lbs ground meat (I like turkey...as always)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c milk
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground garlic
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c dry bread crumbs
1 large sweet onion
16 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 tbs light margarine
2 tsp red wine vinegar (or balsamic, or apple cider)
1/2 tsp salt
3 oz fat free cream cheese, cut in 1/2 oz cubes
More Worcestershire sauce
6 slices Swiss cheese (or Provolone)
6 hamburger buns (and spring for the good kind!), toasted (it makes a difference. I promise.)
additional toppings as desired

1. In a large mixing bowl combine egg, milk, Worcestershire (yeah, I just love typing it), garlic, pepper, and bread crumbs. Add meat and mix well with hands. Set aside, covered, in fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. For filling: Melt margarine in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and salt, stirring to coat. Arrange onions in single layer with spatula. Reduce heat to medium-low, just enough to keep onions sizzling. Stirring every 5 min, cook onions until light golden brown (you're carmelizing these babies -- thank me later). Add mushrooms and vinegar. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have reduced in size and become soft. Remove from heat.

3. Spray large jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Divide meat in half. Divide each half into six equal portions. Form each portion into a patty (12 patties), leaving a tiny smidge in the bowl for "repairs" (you'll get to that later). Arrange six patties on jelly roll pan. Press thumb into center of each of these patties (but NOT all the way down to the pan) to form a hollow (like a pinch pot! Yaaaaay for 4th grade art class).

4. Place a cream cheese cube in each thumb-print-hollow. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of mushroom-onion filling on top of each cream cheese cube. Be sure to keep filling away from edges of burger patty and not to overfill (or underfill hee hee).

5. For each burger, place one of the remaining 6 patties on top and press edges to seal. Smooth out any "cracks" with your fingers, and place additional meat in thin areas if necessary (now you know why you left out some meat when you made the patties). "Baste" each patty with a small amount of Worcestershire sauce.

6. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Baste with Worcestershire sauce (again!!!!). Bake an additional 10 minutes. Broil 6-8 inches from heat 5 or so minutes. Top with cheese slice and broil an additional minute or so, just until cheese melts.

Serve on toasted buns with additional mushroom-onion filling and desired condiments, trappings, and decorations of choice.

Ohhhh yeah...you can grill these, too -- just make sure and baste with Worcestershire (you could totally play a drinking game with this recipe -- take a shot every time I type "Worcestershire." So much fun...Worcestershire). Worcestershire.

Variations:

Mexican Get Stuffed Burger:

Substitute cumin for the garlic powder when making the meat
Substitute cayenne pepper sauce for the Worcestershire throughout recipe
Saute the onions over medium-high heat just until translucent (no carmelization for YOU)
Substitute 4 cans diced green chiles for the mushrooms (or if you're daring, go for jalapenos)
Top with salsa or taco sauce, and Pepper-Jack or Colby-Jack (or just Monterey Jack)

Italian Get Stuffed Burger:

Substitute Italian dressing for the Worcestershire throughout the recipe
Saute the onions over medium-high heat just until translucent (no carmelization for YOU)
Substitute 15 oz diced tomatoes for the mushrooms
Substitute Mozzarella cheese for the cream cheese
Top with marinara sauce, provolone (or more mozzarella)


American Get Stuffed Burger:

Saute the onions over medium-high heat just until translucent (no carmelization for YOU)
Substitute diced crisp bacon for the mushrooms (or add it in addition to -- why not????)
Substitute cheddar or American for the cream cheese
Top with cheddar or American

Other stuff you can do to Get Stuffed:

Substitute any other cheese for the cream cheese. Great choices include feta, bleu cheese, or even Velveeta.

If you can put it on top of a burger, you can probably put it inside (except maybe pickles and lettuce...hmmmm). Pepperoni, black beans, olives, onion straws, sauerkraut (only don't invite me to dinner if you use that one).

Play around with meat mix-ins. Spices, sauces, even flavored breadcrumbs (or use cornmeal or crushed tortilla chips).

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

The other night I was really craving some chicken Parmesan, but the thought of dredging chicken in egg and bread crumbs, frying it, saucing it, and baking it just seemed...well...a bit much for the lazy holiday vacation season. Then it hit me: turn it in to a baked pasta dish! Same delicious flavors, less work (and less mess...we all know how much I hate dishes).

Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake

16 oz rotini pasta
8 oz fat free sour cream
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 bag frozen *crispy* chicken strips, thawed (the crispy coating is what makes it tatse like traditional chicken parmesan)
2 jars Bartoli Organic Olive oil, basil, and garlic tomato sauce (or whatever kind you like, but trust me -- this one's goooood)
8 oz shredded Italian cheese blend

1. Boil pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to cooking-sprayed 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Mix in sour cream, Parmesan, and garlic powder.

2. Meanwhile, cut thawed chicken strips into bite size pieces and arrange on baking sheet. Bake at 425 10-15 minutes, until crisp. Arrange chicken on top of pasta.

3. Pour sauce over chicken and pasta. Top with shredded cheese.

4. Bake at 375 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Meat Lover's Casserole

They did it again. I asked, "What're we having for dinner?" and everyone yelled something totally unrelated to anything anyone else screamed at me. "Pizza!" "Macaroni and cheese!" "Breakfast!"

So *I* did it again...I combined their ideas and Meat Lover's Casserole was born. Rotini for Dancing Queen's mac obsession, pizza sauce for Gamer Boy's tomato-pie penchant, and sausage to satisfy Little Buddy's "breakfast" need (okay, okay -- so Italian sausage isn't really breakfast fare, but I couldn't very well pour syrup and eggs into this thing, now could I?). The result? An empty baking dish!

Meat Lover's Casserole

16 oz rotini pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
12 oz Canadian bacon, cut into eights
1 lb bulk Italian sausage (I use turkey)
8 oz pepperoni slices, quartered
1/2 c diced onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano leaves
15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 jars pizza sauce
8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
Optional: 2 cans of sliced black olives, drained

1. Spray 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cooked pasta into dish, and top with Canadian bacon slices.

2. In heavy 4 quart sauce pan brown sausage, pepperoni, onion, garlic, pepper, oregano, and diced tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned and juices run clear. Pour over pasta and Canadian Bacon.

3. Stir in pizza sauce unti thoroughly combined. Sprinkle cheese over pasta and meat. If desired, top with black olive slices.

4. Bake at 350 degrees 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to sit 5-10 minutes before serving.