The "Grand" Tour & a Monday Meal

Happy Monday! (Ok, ok... don't throw anything at me, just trying to be positive!)

So, I thought I'd give you a little glimpse at my kitchen so you'll see that you don't have to have the plush surroundings of the Barefoot Contessa to whip up some tasty treats. You should feel honored... I cleaned up just for you. ;)

Ta-Da!

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Oops! Must've accidentally uploaded from the "In My Dreams" file. Hehe... Here's my REAL kitchen:

Where the magic happens.

 

Oven & such... and yes, that's a mirror on the wall behind. Don't ask.

 

Can you guess which is my favorite appliance?? (Hint: It rhymes with schmitchenaid..)

As you can see, there's nothing too "grand" about the grand tour. It's a little apartment kitchen... but it's OUR little apartment kitchen, and I will treat it with all the love and pampering it deserves until the day we get to upgrade. :)

So, now that the proper introductions have been made, and you've seen what I have to work with... let's get cooking!

Since I'm still working on the blog & a zillion other projects I have going at the moment, I decided that today I'd share a recipe that I came up with last week. Nothing fancy, just a burger. But it's JUST the burger you need to add a little kick to your Monday, I promise.

Steve (the hubby), and I tend to go for turkey burgers rather than the hearty beef variety (I'm kind of a non-cow eater), but I'm sure you could use whatever kind of meat you prefer. My younger sister insists that all we eat is Mexican food (which is not true), but it just so happens that this burger does have a bit of a Mexican twist.

Guadalajara Gobblers*

(Yep, I really did post a picture of a half devoured burger. I was that hungry.)

You'll need:

1 lb ground turkey

Red onion, chopped (I used only about 1/3 cup because that's just what we had left in the fridge)

1/2 can black beans, rinsed & drained

2 chipotles in adobo + reserved sauce (or more if you want your tongue to be on fire)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

sprinkle of salt

Directions:

Preheat grill, heavy bottomed skillet, or cast iron skilled to medium high heat.

1. Combine ground turkey, chopped red onion, 1/2 can rinsed & drained black beans, and spices in a bowl large enough so that you're not kicking yourself when you have beans & raw meat spilling out onto your clean counters.

2. Remove 2 chipotles from can & chop into small pieces. Add to bowl. Drain a bit of adobo (liquid in can) into meat mixture. Combine well.

3. Score meat into 4 equal pieces. Scoop out meat & form into 4 large patties or 8 mini patties (I like the minis, they're just daintier.).

4. Heat a little oil in your pan if using your stovetop, and place burgers in pan or plop those little patties on the grill if you're enjoying the lovely outdoors.

5. Cook about 6-8 minutes on each side (I tend to overcook meat because I'm paranoid, but you know how you like your burger) until meat is well cooked or juices run clear.

Serve on preferred bun with a combo (or none of) the following: Mexican blend cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayo, etc. etc. etc. Sweet potato fries would make a great side... but then again, we eat sweet potato fries with just about every meal... use your discretion.

Since Steve is of the gluten-free persuasion, we ate ours bun-less and with a delicious Chipotle Mayo that I whipped up using about a 1/4 cup of mayo and a few tablespoons of reserved adobo sauce from the chipotles.

Spicy & Fabulous! Enjoy!

*I actually don't know much about Guadalajara, but I liked the alliterative nature of this title. Don't judge, it's not a pleasant quality. :P