Hawaiian Turkey Sliders

My teacher friends are back to commiserating on Facebook and there's not a parking space to be found at Target. That can only mean one thing: The impending end of summer.

Dun, dun, DUUUUUUN!!!

{I kid, teachers. I totally remember that feeling and I mourn the loss of your vacation, too.}

Before you put away the tiki torches and pool floats, let's have just one more backyard cookout, shall we?

I know Fall is ever-popular with its warm flavor profile of cinnamon, root vegetables, and the frenzy-inducing Pumpkin Spice... I love those things just as much as the next gal.

But, there's something to be said for summer's sweet, fresh flavors, too.

When I think of summer, I think of coconut. {Maybe it's the whiff of tanning oil that's perpetually in the air during this time of year.} I think of watermelon, lime, corn, and mango. And then there's pineapple.

Pineapple is quite possibly my favorite summery flavor. Um, hello, Pina Coladas.

It's pretty irresistible cut in into gorgeous rings, blended into icy beverages, or even grilled. {Have you ever grilled pineapple. Run, don't walk, to your grill immediately if you said no. Then bust out the vanilla ice cream and serve it up with a big scoop. Drool.}

So, naturally, I had to include pineapple in this savory "farewell to summer" recipe.

I know I told you pineapple is amazing when it's grilled, but Steve's bicycle is still locked onto the grill in the garage and the key is still nowhere to be found {I'm pretty sure these things only happen to us}, so I went a different route with mine. I made this Pineapple-Onion Relish right on the stove top and, man, is it addictive.

The caramelized pineapple and onion create such a heavenly combination together. Piled on top of a tiny turkey burger nestled in a Hawaiian roll with spicy pepper jack for a kick, there's no better way to pay tribute to sweet summer days.

What flavors scream summertime to you?

Hawaiian Turkey Sliders

Pineapple-Onion Relish

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 a medium onion, diced
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
Dash of salt

1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add onion and pineapple, stirring often.

3. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until onions and pineapple are caramelized. Set aside until ready to assemble sliders.

Burgers

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
3 slices pepper jack cheese, cut into quarters
1 package {12 count} King's Hawaiian Rolls

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. {Or heat grill, if desired.}

2. In a large bowl gently mix together turkey, sesame oil, onion powder, garlic powder, and green onion until well combined. {Try not to overmix.}

3. Form meat into patties. {Should make about 12}

4. Place patties onto hot skillet and and cook for about 5-7 minutes on one side; flip and cook on other side until cooked through and meat is no longer pink.

To assemble sliders:

Place a slice of pepper jack on each warm slider, then top with a spoonful of Pineapple-Onion Relish. Serve on Hawaiian Rolls.

Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups & A Giveaway!

How many of you associate "summer" with "grilling"?

The two things just go together naturally. Like "peanut butter" and "jelly". "Grilled cheese" and "tomato soup". "Nutella" and "spoon". ;)

We love to use our electric grill... but there is concrete evidence that our grill doesn't love us.

Case in point: A few years ago, I was prepping to grill some stuffed portobello burgers while chatting on the phone with a good friend. Multitasking usually isn't a problem for me, it's sort of a way of life. 

As I opened the sliding glass door to step out to the grill -- phone balanced delicately on my shoulder, plate of filled portobellos firmly grasped -- I misjudged the height of the grill's power cord while I stepped over it.  

I imagine that what was observed by anyone watching was a jumbled mass of arms, legs, mushrooms, and plate shards. Like a game of double dutch gone terribly wrong. The {hot} grill came toppling down on top of me!

Luckily, I lived to tell the tale, but that wasn't the last of our grill fiascoes. 

One time, Steve decided to use some cedar planks for grilling during our annual tailgate trip up to our college town. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that when we tailgate, it's a day-long event with multiple courses of food and plenty of beverages. Somehow or another, in the midst of cocktails and friends and {beer fueled} collegiate excitement, it slipped Steve's mind to actually soak the cedar planks before putting them on the grill.

BIG oops.

We ended up with more of a bonfire than a cookout, but thank goodness the only casualties were a dry cedar plank, a few burger patties, and perhaps a stray eyebrow or two.

There haven't been any grill shenanigans in a while... which I attribute to the fact that Steve chained his bike to the grill and accidentally lost the key to the lock. Needless to say, we haven't done any real "grilling" this summer.

I have great news for you: You don't actually have to risk your life to enjoy summer cooking! 

Today, I've got a spectacular summer giveaway brought to you by the kind folks at Tastefully Simple. They let me try out a few of their products, and best of all, they gave me a few summer essentials to share with you!

Their Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce makes such a fantastic addition to a summer menu. You can use it for slathering over grilled meats, spreading over crackers with cheese, mixing into dressings and marinades, or as a dip for just about anything! {Check out my recipe below for Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups and see how I was inspired to use the sauce!}

Speaking of dipping, what summer gathering is complete without chips and dip? Tastefully Simple's Corn, Black Bean Salsa served with Blue Aztec Chips with Blue Corn & Sesame is a major crowd-pleaser. I could barely keep it from Steve long enough to take a picture!

Meat isn't the only thing that tastes great grilled; veggies can also be the star of the show with just a little TLC. TS's Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil punches up the flavor of any dish, but is especially tasty on grilled veggies, mixed into homemade hummus, or straight up with dried herbs served with lightly charred bread. Mmm...

Let's not forget the drinks! As if Tastefully Simple wasn't already generous with the goodies they're sharing, they've also thrown in an Insulated Tub Cooler to make sure your beverages stay frosty while you soak in the sunshine. Bottoms up!

Want to get your hands on these summer goodies? Enter below using the Rafflecopter widget, and you just might be the lucky winner of all these great products! You'll have a head start on your summer cookout... just add sunshine!

Disclosure: Tastefully Simple provided me with the items mentioned above to sample and review. As always, the opinions written here are all my own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Raspberry Jalapeno Chicken Cornbread Cups
Cornbread adapted from Katie's Cucina

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk {I used coconut milk, but you may use whatever you prefer}
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tablespoons honey

1. Prepare a muffin tin by spraying each well with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, applesauce, and honey.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry, whisking until they are just moistened.

5. Fill muffin tins with about 2 tablespoons of batter {you want them to bake up only half way}. I use a heaping cookie scoop-full to measure.

6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until tops just begin to become golden and the sides start to pull away from the tins. You can also insert a toothpick in the center to ensure they are cooked through.

7. Remove from tins and cool slightly on a rack.

For Chicken:

You may grill, oven bake, or pan fry your chicken... it's totally up to you! I used 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt, a light sprinkle of garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and cooked in a skillet on the stove top until a nice crust was formed and the chicken was completely cooked through. 

Once the chicken is cooked using your preferred method, let it rest for about 5 minutes. Place chicken in a bowl and, using a hand mixer {or your actual hands!} shred the chicken. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the Raspberry Jalapeno Sauce, or more to taste.

For Assembly: 

Place a cornbread round on a dish or serving tray. Top with shredded chicken and a dollop of extra sauce. Garnish with a piece of jalapeno {I used pickled from a jar, but you can use fresh if you prefer!}. Insert a decorative toothpick if desired. Continue with remaining cornbread and chicken. Makes 12.

Tin Foil Shrimp Boil!

Has summer arrived where you live?

It's here in South Florida. How do we know when it makes its appearance here in the Sunshine State?

There are a few tell-tale signs:

- The namesake "sunshine" disappears every afternoon like clockwork and is replaced with sudden rainstorms and torrential downpours instead. Magically, they only happen when you're far from cover and forgot your umbrella.

- Your perfectly straightened hair is curly within 3 minutes of stepping out the door.

- All pools within a 10 mile radius are filled to the brim with groups of extremely wound-up children. {And a thin, oily film from sunscreen & tanning oil. BLEH.}

- You can walk in to restaurants that would usually overflowing at other times of the year. Expensive hotels begin to offer ridiculously cheap special rates.

- Walking outside immediately reminds you of a sauna... without the benefit of being able to shed your clothes.

- Jeans = NO.

- The mere suggestion of a potential storm sends people into a tizzy and clears store shelves of bottled water, batteries, and candles in an instant.

Ahh.... Florida summers. ;)

Sure it's hot, and sticky, and you barely want to move without the promise of a cold rum drink being at your desired destination...but we still love it. {Though we can't wait until it's over just as quickly as it's here.}

I love the thought of cookouts and summer gatherings, especially when the recipes are low-effort crowd pleasers like this fun version of an old fashioned Shrimp Boil.

The first time Steve & I ever had anything like a shrimp boil was during college football season when we were tailgating with friends in Louisiana. They had a giant pot cooking with all kinds of seafood goodies. And we were in love with the idea.

We attempted having our own shrimp boil a few years later during one of our tailgates, but found that our equipment was lacking... we were barely able to get a "Shrimp Simmer" let alone a "Shrimp Boil" with our puny grill. Wah, wah, waaaaah.

Had I given it some thought, I would have traded in that giant pot for these convenient little foil packets! I recently made these in the oven at home {I know it's hot, but that's what air conditioning is for folks!}, but you could definitely throw them on the grill just as easily for an outdoor party. The best part is that you can make these ahead and have them ready to go once your guests arrive.

I'm all for anything that makes for less work on a hot summer day... I'm saving my energy for muddling mojitos! ;)

Tin Foil Shrimp Boil

4 small pieces of corn, either fresh or frozen*
4 small red potatoes, quartered
4 pre-cooked all natural chicken sausage links, cut into chunks {I use  Casual Gourmet brand}
32 pieces of uncooked shrimp {peeled if you'd like, but isn't necessary}
Olive Oil
Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 cup white wine {divided} - or beer, or chicken broth as alternative
Lemon Wedges for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In the center of a 12x17 inch piece of foil, place corn, potatoes, sausage pieces, and shrimp.

3. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and liberally sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning.

4. Fold the foil over the contents, then repeat on the other side, lifting and sealing one of the sides tightly. Leave the other side unsealed and pour about 1 tablespoon of white wine into the packet. Seal tightly and place on a sheet pan. Repeat with the other 3 packets.

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Carefully {the steam will be hot!} unfold one packet to check potatoes for doneness.

6. Serve in packets with a lemon wedge.

*I cooked the frozen corn beforehand by boiling until tender.

Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers

I have a thing with storage and organization. A thing that makes me gravitate toward pretty boxes and Rubbermaid containers in stores. A thing that tempts me to give just about everything we own it's own color coded label.

It's a little ridiculous, yes, but it's also quite helpful in keeping things from getting messy and out of order {two adjectives that make me break out in hives}.

When it comes to my cooking, baking, and crafting equipment, I am no different. And the thing is, the more I get into each of those hobbies, the more stuff I accumulate that begs to be sorted and organized.

Normally, it starts out with an item or two stored away in a cabinet or closet, and then gradually the group earns an entire storage "section". {i.e. The Cupcake Section, The Cookie Decorating Section, The Entertaining Section...etc.} If I had my way, I'd have an entire closet or room for each {I fantasize about a craft studio almost daily}, but alas, our cute little townhome has a modest amount of storage to say the least.

Are you still with me or have you dialed the OCD hotline on me yet?

If you're into cooking and baking, you've probably witnessed the phenomenon that occurs with food magazines and cookbooks. They multiply overnight and start taking over small areas of your home when you're not looking. It's true.

Last year, I noticed my collection started growing a little unruly, and I decided to take a few days to sift through the piles, throw out the ones I didn't use, and organize the rest in a way that made sense. I purchased some magazine storage {I heart you, HomeGoods}, and now my magazines are all happily grouped by season.

More recently, I've begun to leaf through each magazine and tag recipes that I want to try as well as the ones that have earned their seal of approval... but that's insane another story for another day.

In browsing the "Summer" section of the library, I came across a recipe for these Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers from Fine Cooking, and I knew I just had to make them sooner than later. I am glad to say that they've earned a place in the "Summer Favorites" category, and whether or not you have an official label or storage container, I think they might earn the same title in your home, too. ;)

Grilled Honey-Glazed Chicken, Peach, & Sweet Potato Skewers
Adapted from Fine Cooking

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 18 bite sized pieces
3 peaches, pitted & cut into 6 wedges each
1 medium sweet potato, cut into 18- 1 inch cubes
1 small onion, cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice {I know this is "Fall"-like but trust me!}

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high. Line a medium sheet pan with foil. Soak 6 wooden skewers in warm water so that they do not burn on the grill. Set aside.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add cubed sweet potato. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until just starting to become tender. Drain and set aside.

Whisk together vinegar, honey, olive oil, pepper, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced to about 1/4 cup {12-14 minutes} and thickened to glaze-like consistency. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, remove skewers from water, and thread chicken, onion, sweet potato, and peaches onto each one. Place on foil lined sheet pan.

Pour half of honey glaze into a small bowl, and set aside. Brush each threaded skewers with remaining honey glaze. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice.

Place skewers onto a preheated grill. Cook for 20-25 minutes {turning kewers mid-way through cook time} or until chicken is cooked through and grill marks can be seen on fruit & vegetables.

Brush hot skewers with remaining glaze {make sure to use a clean brush!}.

Serve hot.

Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips

Our weekends seem to be going by in a blur these days. We've been spending a lot of time running all over the place preparing for Steve's move to his brand new office.

On the positive side, I have his credit card number at my diposal because I am in charge of accessory & furniture shopping. {There's a sale on a stainless steel double oven, you say?? I'm there! In my dreams... } ;)

Because of all this running about, we've been very relaxed about doing chores and running errands for our own space, which means that I finally had to stop the madness and play catch up on deep cleaning and grocery shopping yesterday... After an 8 hour day of scouring about a dozen stores for things like shelving, special brackets & screws, and other items that make me want to fall asleep with my eyes open. {Boy, am I excited about buying the pretty stuff.}

Between the errand running for the office and making sure we don't slip into a Hoarders: Buried Alive level of disorganization at home, we were beat by yesterday afternoon. As in, "let's just eat whatever takes the least amount of effort" tired.

Except, when it comes to food, I always seem to be able to dig deep for a little extra energy and chanel my inner Energizer Bunny. {Why I can't do the same for working out, I'll never know.}

And that's how we wound up with Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips to snack on.

Truth be told, it didn't take that much more effort than any other dish I might've considered making. The extra step of turning on the grill to char the watermelon slices hardly bothered me because I was intrigued by the thought of it. In the end, it was a nice snack to munch on while we vegged out and wound down from a busy weekend.

I love adding fruit to salsa. The sweet/spicy/savory combo that results is perfect for adding an interesting twist to an otherwise standard snack. Adding watermelon, a staple at many summertime gatherings, is a fun way to incorporate an old standby. This recipe would be great for a party, cookout, or even a night in.

We still have some work ahead of us in the next few weeks as we finish up the office, but it's good to know that no matter how exhausted I am at the end of the day, our meal times won't suffer. ;)

How did you spend your weekend? Did you make anything good {tired or not}?

Grilled Watermelon Salsa with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips
Adapted from Fine Cooking

5-6 watermelon slices {1/2 inch thick}, enough to make about 2 cups when cut away from rind
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Sea salt
1/2 a medium shallot, roughly chopped
1/2 a jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 a cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
2 medium roma or plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Zest & juice of 1/2 a lime {zest set aside}
8 corn tortillas

Heat grill {or grill pan} to medium-high heat.

Using a Misto oil sprayer or a brush dipped in olive oil, lightly coat watermelon slices {front and back} with oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cayenne to taste.

Place watermelon slices on grill, about 1-2 minute per side until light grill marks are visible. Remove and set aside to cool.

When watermelon is cool enough to handle, cut flesh from rind and cut into chunks.

In the bowl of a blender or food processor, add grilled watermelon, shallot, jalapeno, cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice.

Pulse until slightly processed and combined, but still chunky.

Pour into a medium bowl and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. {You can eat it right away, too, but the flavors develop when you let them sit and get cold.}

Serve with Spicy Lime Tortilla Chips.


For Tortilla Chips:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a large sheet pan with foil and set aside.

Spray {or brush} front and back of tortillas lightly with olive oil. Cut tortillas into 6 wedges each. Spread out onto sheet pan {try not to stack so each gets crispy}. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.

In a small bowl combine about 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt with about 1 teaspoon lime zest and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Rub together with fingers to infuse salt with lime oils. Set aside.

When tortilla chips are done, remove from oven and sprinkle with spicy lime salt.

Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings

Um, yeah. These wings.

Where do I begin with these wings?

I have a funny relationship with chicken wings. Admittedly, they are not my favorite food. But from time to time, I go through periods of craving nothing but wings until I satisfy the urge to eat them. {Especially during football season.}

Normally, that means one evening of college football, greasy buffalo chicken wings, and beer {because you can't have wings without beer}. And truthfully, I can't eat more than 3 or 4 before calling it quits.

That is so not the case with these Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings.

I sort of surprised myself when I ate 6 of them and could have polished off the rest {though I'm glad I didn't because that may have been overkill}. They are that good.

My husband, who has eaten many a chicken wing in his life, claimed that they were the best wings he's ever eaten. We don't mess around with statements like that in this house. No sir, not when we're talking food.

We love these things so much that 1. I didn't take more than these two pictures of them because I was so anxious to dive in. and 2. We made them for dinner after a 4.5 hour drive back up from Key West. {They've got to be pretty simple if you can throw them together even after a long weekend in the Keys.} And I still didn't get any pictures. Gone too fast.

They are sticky, sweet, and subtly spicy. The perfectly baked meat falls off the bone.{I have never "cleaned" a chicken wing down to the bone in my life because it sort of nauseates me, but seriously, these basically clean themselves.} I licked my fingers, which is completely unlike me and sort of a pet peeve. 

In short, these wings are special.

I love that they are thrown in the oven and baked {which has to make them a little bit healthier, right?}, but I am sure they'd be fantastic on the grill as well.

It's a little early to tell, but these may just become The Official Wing of Football Season. We'll see.

Honey-Coriander Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Adapted from The Disney Chick

1 package chicken wings, prepared* {we used organic ones, because.. why not?}
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Seasoning:
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all spices in a small bowl. Toss together until mixed well. Store leftovers in a ziplock bag.


For the Honey-Coriander Wing Sauce:
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup honey
Juice of half a lime
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Whisk together soy sauce and cornstarch in a small cup to make a slurry. Add remainder of ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat and stir together.

Add soy sauce mixture to saucepan. Mix well.

Cook, stirring often, until bubbling and thickened. Set aside.


For Wings:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. {Or 500, but things might get a bit smoky... I nearly set off the fire alarm the first time I made these.}

Line a large sheet pan with foil.{You may want to lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray since wings tend to stick.}
Drizzle wings with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread wings out on sheet pan, and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of seasoning until all wings are well-seasoned {front & back}.

Bake for about 10 minutes, flip, and continue to bake for about 8-10 minutes until wings are browned and cooked through {internal temp of 165 degrees in meatiest part of wing}.

Remove wings from sheet pan, and place in a large bowl. Pour sauce over wings, and gently toss to coat all wings.

Serve hot... and with lots of napkins!

*Never "prepared" chicken wings? No worries! Visit this great visual tutorial for instructions from Fabulous Foods on how to prep them.

Tex-Mex Three Bean Salad with Grilled Corn & Avocado

Do you ever find yourself making the same mistakes over and over again? For example, trying out new recipes or cooking techniques the day or night before {or of} an event that you are expected to show up with something that didn't look like it took an accidental trip through the garbage disposal?

No? Oh. Might just be me.

No matter how many times I find myself up in the wee hours of the morning re-frosting a cake that went awry or putting a whole new batch of something in the oven, it never does stop me from winging a project I've never tried before out of sheer excitement.. {For the record, most times I do redeem myself... at the buzzer.}

Perhaps it's the adrenaline rush of getting things done last minute. {But, for real, couldn't I just go skydiving or something instead?}

Today was no different. For weeks I've been thinking about what I'd make for the 4th of July barbecue we were invited to. I wanted to bring something fun and creative. Something patriotic. Something different!

So I decided to make Red, White, and Blue Jell-O shots. {I know, very College Days, but this group is a particularly boozy enthusiastic bunch.} Easy enough, right?

Not when you get all fancy and try to use a mold with tiny star shapes that are next to impossible to remove said Jell-O from without an X-acto knife and a whole lot of patience.

I have to say, I was a little smug as I poured them into their little molds. They were turning out perfectly. I even remember thinking to myself, "Maybe I'm becoming so proficient in the kitchen that these mishaps will be a thing of the past."

Wishful thinking.

Let's just say, I figured out how to remove them easily, but then went a little too far and ended up with Jell-O soup all over my kitchen counter.

That being said, I will not be sharing that recipe today. {Maybe tomorrow morning... last minute... just my style.}

 For today, I'm going to give you a recipe that you CAN actually make last minute. It's sort of hard to screw up. It's quite tasty. It won't spoil outside on a hot summer day. I'd say that {and the fact that it didn't explode, burn, or spill} makes it a winner.

Go ahead. Make this tonight, or heck, tomorrow morning. We all need a rush from time to time. ;)

Tex-Mex Three Bean Salad with Grilled Corn & Avocado
Ever so slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 {15 oz.} can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
1 {15 oz.} can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 {15 oz.} can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
1 jalapeno pepper
2 ears of corn, shucked
2-3 roma or plum tomatoes {or about 1 cup cherry tomatoes}, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
2 avocados, peeled & diced
Salt to taste

In a large bowl, place all drained beans. Set aside.

Lightly coat onion slices, ears of corn, and jalapeno pepper with olive oil. On an outdoor grill {or a grill pan or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat}, grill onions, corn, and jalapeno, turning until lightly charred in places, about 6-8 minutes.

{If you are using a cast iron skillet, which is what I used, you may want to scrape the kernels off the cob before cooking to ensure kernel contact with the pan for better charring.}

Remove from grill {or skillet}.

Scrape kernels from corn cobs. Chop onion. Seed and chop jalapeno. Add to bowl with bean mixture. Add tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste. Combine well.

Top with diced avocado.

Works For Me!

Have I mentioned that I am now working two jobs? {One that I like WAY more than the other, but that pesky graduate degree in Education won't release it's grasp on me. I like kids... I just dislike teaching them against their will. :P }

I am lucky enough to be able to work mostly from home for my newer job as a marketing assistant for a fantastic author. Let me tell you, had I known how fabulous working from home can be, I would have insisted on doing so long ago. {Strike that. Fitting a classroom of 30 kids into my eensy weensy living room may have been a tad tricky - and a bit weird & illegal - now that I think about it.}

Aside from the fact that I am getting to write almost all the time {which I adore. Except for when I can't think of a darn thing to say.}, I am also enjoying the benefits of having my home as my workplace. Here are just a few things I've come to appreciate about it:

1. Working in my pj's. {Don't lie. I know you other work-from-homers do it, too.}
2. The fact that having bedhead and no makeup is completely acceptable in this workplace.
3. Typing, emailing, & social networking... from my big, cozy couch.
4. Using Starbucks as my conference room. {Although I could do without smelling like strongly brewed espresso all day afterward.}
5. Spending virtually no money on gas and transportation.
6. Being able to talk to myself and not have people around me think I'm nuts. {Except my husband when he comes home for lunch, but he knew what he was getting into when he put a ring on it.}
7. Setting my own schedule. I'm a creature of habit.
8. Having Food Network on mute in the background while I work. {I have no idea why I enjoy this, but I do.}
9. Being able to have something baking, or rising, or cooling while I'm getting other things done. It's like double productivity.
10. Never forgetting my lunch at home.

Don't worry, I still have to interact in person at my other job, so I won't go all Emily Dickinson on you. :)

Anyway, I realize this has nothing to do with food. I'm gettin' there.



Nestled snuggly in a whole wheat pita pocket. :)

We are finally starting to feel settled in to our new place, which means one thing: I'm back in the kitchen! Last night I made some tasty Greek Spinach & Feta Turkey Burgers with Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce for dinner and they were delish. So good, in fact, that I had the leftovers for lunch today. :) I made them in my cast iron skillet, but you can grill them up or even turn them into meatballs. I've tried them all three ways and they turn out great.

Looks like a turkey burger daisy. Didn't even do that on purpose! :P

I don't have great pictures of them because, when I finally found my camera after our move, the battery was dead... and then I couldn't find the charger. :P But I promise, they taste MUCH better than they look. Give 'em a try!

Greek Spinach & Feta Turkey Burgers
a Kitchen Prep original recipe, although the idea has been done by just about everyone. ;)

You'll Need:

1 lb ground turkey meat
1/2 an onion, diced small
2-3 cloves of garlic, grated with microplane or minced
1/2 bag fresh spinach leaves (you could replace with frozen if you prefer)
3 oz (half a small tub) feta cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (we used Glutino Gluten Free Bread Crumbs)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
Olive oil
Salt to taste

1. Preheat grill or skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium high heat. In a medium saute pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

2. Add onion and cook until translucent and softened. Grate garlic into pan and allow to cook with onions until fragrant, 1-2 minutes). Add fresh spinach leaves and saute until wilted down, 2-3 minutes. Set aside and let cool slightly.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ground turkey, feta cheese, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Add cooled spinach and onion mixture. Combine until all ingredients are well distributed throughout the meat, being careful not to overhandle (makes for tough burgers).

4. Form into patties. {I made 8 smallish ones.}

5. Place patties on grill or in cast iron skillet and cook until thoroughly cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side.

6. Serve on hamburger buns or pitas with yogurt sauce & assorted veggies, or eat them plain like my hubby. :)


Cucumber-Dill Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/3 small cucumber, peeled & diced small
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
Pinch of salt

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with burgers or as a tip for pitas or veggies.