Turkey Burgers

I've never worked with ground turkey before; usually I make burgers with ground beef. I think I'll be using turkey from now on because it's substantial and tasty without being overpowering or heavy.






Turkey Burgers:

1 ½ lb ground turkey
1 large button mushroom (or 2-3 small ones), diced
1/3 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
½ cup panko or regular bread crumbs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together, form into large, slightly flat patties (meat will shrink and puff up when cooking). In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, heat ½ tablespoon oil or spray with Pam and cook until browned on both sides, about 5-6 minutes.

Makes 4-5 patties.

--Jirafa

Turkey and Orzo Soup

My roommate came home with a huge bag of leftover turkey, courtesy of his mother, saying something about making soup. I immediately volunteered to make it, having had a box of orzo and dreams of deliciousness stewing in my mind for weeks.



Let’s just say it was just what we needed on a chilly December evening. We had a bowl (or two) of this delicious soup and ran off to put up the Christmas tree and decorate the windows of our apartment. Then spent an hour trying to ward the cats from our tree. Would say more but there’s a 9-page term paper on Robinsonades waiting for me to write it.



Turkey and Orzo Soup

2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups shredded turkey meat
6 cups chicken stock (or leftover turkey stock if you made it!)
1 cup orzo pasta, cooked
1 cup pasta water
1 tsp basil
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook celery, carrots, onions, and garlic for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, turkey, basil, bay leaves, cooked orzo, and pasta water. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium heat for a half hour.

Devour.

--Jirafa