Martha's Turkey Burgers

 I actually took a picture of one of our dinners.  Don't I deserve a gold star?

Turkey burgers are one of our dinner standbys.  When everything gets busy, and/or we don't feel like putting a big effort into making something, turkey burgers always work.  I probably have about 4 variations that I use as a standby, and another 10 recipes to try out!  I buy the ground turkey at Costco (it's usually the cheapest), and then transfer it all into freezer bags in one pound increments, which is the perfect amount for Sam and I to have leftovers for lunch the next day. 

Turkey burgers get a pretty bad rap, but it seems like the opinion of them is changing.  Turkey (as well as ground chicken, which I've never used) is a pretty blank slate, so you can really flavor it in whatever way you're leaning.  Will it taste like a hamburger?  No, because it's not beef, and you shouldn't expect it to.  If you do, you'll be disappointed every single time.  Kind of like thinking that a veggie burger is going to taste like a McDonald's Cheeseburger (side note: mmm, cheezburger).  It won't.  Ever.  Even if you fry your veggie burger in bacon fat, which in my opinion defeats the purpose. 

Martha's Turkey Burgers

        From Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

1 lb. ground turkey

0.5 c. grated gruyere or swiss cheese (Swiss is the cheaper option)

4 green onions, thinly sliced

0.3 c. bread crumbs

0.25 c. dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press

Pinch of salt and pepper

4 Hamburger buns 

whatever toppings make you happy; lettuce, pickles, cheese, etc

• Heat a grill or a grill pan (if you are making these inside), medium-high or high, depending on how touchy your grill or stovetop burners are.  In a bowl, gently mix together all ingredients except for hamburger buns, for obvious reasons.  Just mix everything together until combined.  If you overwork the ground turkey, it can change the texture a little bit, and not in a good way.
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.  Make a slight indentation with your thumb in the top of the patties.  This prevents the burger from ending up "domed," which for me, always results in the ketchup sliding to the outer edges of the burger.  
• Lightly oil your grill, or grill pan. (pro tip: don't spray PAM on a hot grill.  This equals fire.  I speak from experience)  Place patties on your cook, cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until well seared, then either reduce heat (on your grill pan) or move the burgers to a cooler part of the grill (usually the perimeter), and cook for another 5-10 minutes per side.  Towards the end, if you want cheese, put it on the burgers, and serve when melted.

Note: light of the earthquake, resulting tsunami in Japan, and now the multitude of failures at the nuclear facility,  I've hesitated to post my inane drivel about my every day life.  Seems a bit inconsequential in the light of things.  I hope that the scientists and engineers at the stricken nuclear facility can get the reactors cooled and under control to avoid further injury to an already crippled nation.