Soy, Garlic and Ginger Chicken Burgers = OMG

I tend to be pretty careful doling out the OMG ratings, because if every other recipe was deemed OMG by me, it wouldn’t carry as much weight. That being said, tonight’s dinner is definitely another one to add to the elite few in OMG status.Memorial Day is here, and it seemed only fitting that we do burgers on the grill, right? I was packing up a bunch of cookbooks today and came across Rachael Ray’s 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds cookbook and seeing as she is the Queen of Burgers, I knew she’d have something in there that would speak to me … and she did. Soy, Garlic and Ginger Chicken Burgers.

It’s been a-g-e-s since we had chicken burgers, and this was certainly a perfect way to get back into the groove. This was in the “recipes for 2” section, and I managed to get three regular sized burgers and a little bitty one out of it, so it was on target. I tend to be a salty vs. sweet person, so the addition of soy sauce was a definite plus. Between that, the garlic, ginger and especially cilantro, it made for a very moist, flavorful and healthy burger. In the recipe as written, she includes a Chow Chow topping, but I knew The Husband wouldn’t eat it, so I skipped that. Instead, I warmed up a little bit of peanut butter and mixed it with a smidge of soy sauce, and it truly elevated the burger to OMG status.

For starters, I made another recipe from the book, Chorizo-Stuffed Bread Bites. Simple to make and quite tasty, I think some kind of dipping sauce would make it perfect.

How did you celebrate Memorial Day?

P.S. Don’t forget tomorrow is ARF/5-A-Day – inspire us!

A year ago today… another burger night; this time, Mexican Burgers.
Two years ago today… chicken and potatoes.

Soy, Garlic and Ginger Chicken Burgers
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray’s 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds
2 servings

3/4 pound ground chicken (I used a pound)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger (I used 1-1/2 T of ginger paste)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I skipped because we grilled them)
2 rolls, split and toasted
4 pieces of leaf or Bibb lettuce (I skipped)

Mix the meat with the garlic, ginger, cilantro, tamari, a little salt and lots of black pepper. Form 2 large, inch-thick patties – they’ll hang off the bun! Add the oil to a skillet and get it screaming hot over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook them for 5-6 minutes on each side. When done, place the burgers on the rolls and top with lettuce.

Cate’s note: I made a topping with a little bit of melted peanut butter and soy sauce – delish. I also added about 2 tablespoons of grated manchego to the meat mix.

Chorizo-Stuffed Bread Bites
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray’s 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds
2 servings

7-8 ounces precooked chorizo, finely chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 8-ounce package refrigerated crescent rolls
6 oz manchego cheese, grated
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven according to the directions on the crescent roll package. Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat; add the chorizo and onions and cook, stirring every now and then, for about 4 minutes. (There is no need for any oil as the chorizo will render enough fat to deal with the onions.) Transfer the chorizo mixture to a bowl and add the roasted red peppers; stir to combine.

Unwrap the refrigerated crescent roll dough and separate into triangles. Arrange on a cookie sheet (I sprayed with Pam first). Place about a tablespoon of the chorizo mixture toward the wide end of a triangle and top that with about a tablespoon of the cheese. Roll the filled dough toward the pointed end. Don’t worry if some of the chorizo sneaks out as you’re rolling it. Repeat with remaining filling and dough. Sprinkle the rolls with a little freshly ground black pepper. Bake according to the package directions, anywhere from 11-13 minutes. Remove the bread bites from the oven and let them cool for a minute or two before serving.