Texas Bacon Cheeseburgers

Sometimes you just want a burger.  Last night was one of those nights.  I tweaked this recipe from a Rachael Ray burger recipe.

Texas Bacon Cheeseburgers (yields 4-6 burgers)
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 lb. ground pork

4-6 slices of bacon, cut in half (a slice for each burger)
2-3 slices of bacon, finely chopped

1/2 sm. onion, finely chopped
1 chili, finely chopped*
4 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. oregano

4-6 slices of cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc.)

4-6 spent grain buns

*Use more chilies depending on how much heat you want in your burgers

Preheat oven to 375F.
Take the 1/2 slices of bacon and lay them across a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.  In 375F oven, bake slices of bacon till crisp; about 12-15 minutes. 

Cook the shredded bacon in a skillet till crisp.  Remove bacon to paper towel.  In drippings still in pan, cook the onion, chili and garlic for about 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat.

In a medium bowl, combine ground turkey, ground pork, finely chopped bacon, onion mixture, and spices.  Mix well. 

Make and shape 4-6 even patties.  The number of burgers really depends on how big you want them and of course, how many mouths you're feeding.

I like to bake my burgers, but you could just as easily cook them on the stove top or on a grill.  For the oven method, I lay the patties on a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and cook them for about 20-40 minutes (depending on their size and how well I want the meat cooked) in a 350F oven.  For stove top, heat skillet or griddle or grill over medium-high heat.  Add patties and cook 8-12 minutes, turning once until they have reached desired doneness.  For any method, add slices of cheese the last minute or two of cooking.

Dress your burgers with bacon and veggies.  I like to use a kicked up ketchup.  To make a kicked-up ketchup, in a small saucepan, heat up about 1/2 cup - 1 cup of ketchup (the amount depends on how many of those burgers will have some).  Add about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and cider vinegar, and a dash to a teaspoon full of ground cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you want it).

Enjoy.

Red Hot Red Ale Chili

The temperature has fallen and I find myself longing for a meal that can really warm you up.  What's better than a chili?! 

Red Hot Red Ale Chili (yields 4-6 servings):
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 pork chop, cut into 1" pieces
1 chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
1 c. beer (I used a cinnamon red ale)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1 chili pepper, chopped (if you want less heat, remove ribs and seeds)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne red pepper
1 tbsp. hot sauce (I currently have 3 different ones and used about a tsp of each)
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 c. chicken broth
1 can of beans (I used pinto)
1 carton (18.3 oz) sweet potato tomatillo bisque (you could use a can of regular tomato soup)

Garnish:
-shredded cheese
-sour cream
-ground cayenne red pepper
-cilantro

I used a crockpot for this chili, but you could do it in a stockpot.  I like to brown the meat first even when using a crock pot.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Brown the chunks of chicken and pork. Drain.  Add to crockpot.

To the crockpot, add everything but the bisque and pinto beans.  Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 or until veggies are tender.

Add the bisque and beans, stir to combine.  Continue to heat till everything is warmed through  - about 30 minutes in a crockpot or just 5-10 minutes on the stove top.

Top with shredded cheese and sour cream, sprinkle some ground cayenne red pepper, and garnish with some cilantro.

Enjoy.