Mr. Prof designer home

It's been awhile since we've had beef burgers but as soon as I saw these Onion Ring Topped BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers over at Lauren's Latest I had to put them on the menu. SP is a big onion ring fan and he also enjoys BBQ sauce on his burger.

I forgot to buy a slicing tomato at the supermarket so I opted to leave off the lettuce and tomato. Big mistake. These burgers were good, don't get me wrong, but I was missing something green. A side salad or something to cut the richness of the beef and onion rings. I've also decided I don't like pieces of onion in my burgers since they don't have a chance to fully cook on the grill.

Once again I was blown away by an Alexia product. We've been enjoying their shoestring fries for some time now but the onion rings were a new purchase. Delicious and crispy in the oven - you can't beat that.

Onion Ring Topped BBQ Bacon Cheeseburgers
Slightly modified from Lauren’s Latest

1 13.5 oz. package frozen onion rings, such as Alexia brand
4 slices thick cut bacon
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup BBQ sauce + more for the burgers
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 slices cheese
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, etc.

Cook onion rings according to package directions. While those are in the oven, cook your bacon to desired doneness and drain on paper towels.

For the burger patties, in a small bowl, stir ground beef, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper together until combined. Divide into two equal patties. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and cook patties on medium heat for approximately 7 minutes per side. Alternatively you can use a grill. In the last few minutes of cooking add the cheese and melt.

To assemble burgers, place cooked patty onto hamburger buns and top with more BBQ sauce, cooked bacon, onion rings and any other desired toppings. Serve immediately with any remaining onion rings and/or fries.

I had two more Black Bean Burgers in the freezer and wanted an easy, no-fuss dinner for the end of the week. I had seen this Avocado Basil Cream on How Sweet It Is so I thought I'd give it a whirl.


Please forgive the photos. I thought I'd try my hand at those staging shots so many bloggers do with the ingredients and the finished product. I even edited both of these photos in PicMonkey, although I doubt you can tell. My photography is a work in progress, that's for sure.

Anyway, on to the cream. It was delicious but I did modify it a bit. I've been burned before by avocado creams that have way too much sour cream, so much that you can't taste the avocado anymore. I was worried that this recipe had too much and since I was only using half an avocado to begin with I decreased the sour cream substantially. I also added lemon juice because I felt it needed a little something to brighten and lighten it up. It was delicious paired with the black bean burgers.

A funny story - Baby Girl insists on helping me in the kitchen these days (not that I'm complaining, I love it) and I also want her to taste and smell the ingredients. I offered her avocado, which she declined, but as soon as I opened the sour cream she asked for a taste. I ended up spoon feeding her at least 1 tablespoon of sour cream before I cut her off. First lemons and now sour cream? The kid is weird.

Avocado Basil Cream
Modified from How Sweet It Is

1 tablespoon sour cream
1 avocado, chopped
10 medium basil leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Add sour cream, avocado, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor, blending to combine. Once somewhat smooth, add lemon juice, blending a bit and then tasting. Keep tasting and seasoning until you're happy.

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone is having a safe, happy and delicious holiday. As we celebrate our nation's independence, many of us will be grilling burgers with friends and family. Who doesn't love a good burger or sandwich? I don't know many people. I also love sandwiches, especially when they're simple to put together. They can make an excellent weekday meal and the options are endless.

Kate made a Roasted Tomato, Mozzarella and Arugula Sandwich, which packed a ton of flavor for minimal effort:


Nicole has a new favorite burger, these Chicken Marsala Burgers:


Jenna thought her Bombay Sloppy Joes were a great introduction to Indian flavors:


Heather loved the crispy, light flavors in her Graceland Eggplant Sandwiches


Cara, a newcomer to the swaps, loves burgers but rarely makes them at home. These Cream Cheese and Poblano Stuffed Turkey Burgers were moist and flavorful:


Melissa loves burgers but her husband isn't a fan so she made her Teriyaki Turkey Burgers for lunch:


Christine's Pulled Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches exceeded her expectations:


Nichole wasn't sold on her Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers, but was happy she tried them:


Lishie enjoyed her Grilled Honey Orange Chicken Sandwiches made with oranges instead of the original tangerines:


Dawn received a simple grilled burger recipe for the swap so she turned it into Sliders and learned that less is definitely more when it comes to burgers:


Coleen was excited to try her Island Burgers with Pineapple-Lime Salsa, which she absolutely loved:


Katie's Pork Sandwiches were so flavorful they didn't even need the slaw in the original recipe:


Jen, another swap newcomer, loves Greek flavors so her Greek Turkey Burgers were a huge hit:


Swap newcomer Stefanie loved her Cuban Burgers:


Jaida's Spicy Pepper Jack Burgers were right up her alley:


Nicole really enjoyed the complex flavors of her Southwest Turkey Meatball Subs with Creamy Cilantro Sauce:


My Balsamic Caprese Panini was messy but so delicious:


Jey's Horseradish Havarti Burgers were a great summer treat:


Kristina ended up making the chicken for her Buffalo Chicken Wraps in the crockpot to save time:


Ashley modified her recipe into Grilled Shrimp Po'Boys, a great twist to the traditional fried shrimp:


Jenni's Prosciutto TBM Sandwich was simple but delicious:


Ammie had some minor mishaps with her Crockpot Pulled Pork, but it all came out delicious in the end:

I'll admit it, I never understood vegetarian burgers. In my mind, a burger is made from meat, not vegetables, which is why I was completely shocked when I took a bite of these Black Bean Burgers and loved them. Absolutely loved them. I made these for SP, who is trying to eat less meat per doctor's orders, to keep in the freezer for easy cooking. He had wanted to buy some premade burgers at the supermarket, but at $4 for 4 burgers I knew I could make them cheaper at home, not to mention no preservatives.

As they were cooking in the pan the smell was making my stomach growl, but I still didn't think I'd like them. We split one with dinner to make sure they were tasty, and wouldn't you know it I was a little bummed that I only got half a burger. Even Baby Girl liked these, which was a nice surprise. Since the mixture is a bit too wet for the grill these need to cook in a pan with just a touch of oil. After they cooked I let them cool before placing them on a baking sheet and sticking them in the freezer for an hour or so to firm up.


After they froze a bit I wrapped each patty individually and placed them in a freezer bag. I cooked the patty we split in the microwave for about 90 seconds before serving on a bun with a little mayo. SP liked his with just the mayo but I think some additional veggies like lettuce and tomato would work well, maybe even some slices of onion. However you choose to serve it, you can't beat the flavor. I loved everything about these burgers, especially the price. I estimate these cost less than $3 to make (6 burgers), plus I know exactly what ingredients I used. Win-win.

Black Bean Burgers
As Seen On Annie's Eats
Yield: 6 burgers

3/4 cup panko
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 shallot, minced

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the panko, Italian seasoning and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and mix with a fork to blend. Add the mixture to the skillet and toast the panko, stirring frequently, until light golden brown. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place 2 1/2 cups of the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or a fork until mostly smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, 1 tablespoon of the oil, cumin, salt and cayenne. Whisk to blend. Add the egg mixture, toasted panko, the remaining 1/2 cup beans, bell pepper, cilantro and shallot to the bowl with the mashed beans. Stir together until evenly combined.

Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions, about 1/2 cup each. Lightly pack into 1-inch thick patties. (At this point the patties can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay half of the patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate, tent with foil, and repeat with the remaining oil and bean patties. Serve warm.

To freeze - Place a sheet of wax paper on a large baking sheet. Put burgers, with about 2 inches between them, on the baking sheet, then place baking sheet in the freezer for an hour or until patties are frozen. Wrap each patty individually in wax paper or freezer paper and place into a freezer bag.

Want to see what other BBQ recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the BBQ Recipe Swap Roundup

I love burgers. I love caprese (tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil). But I had never combined the two until I got my recipe for the BBQ recipe swap. The theme was something made on the grill or taken to a BBQ and I lucked out with Coleen's Basil Burgers. As soon as I saw the ingredients I knew this would be an excellent recipe to turn into a Caprese Burger.


The original recipe called for dried basil, but since SP got me a gorgeous basil plant I subbed fresh. I also cut the recipe in half because it was just the two of us eating the burgers. I got 3 good-size burgers from the 1lb of ground beef, which I subbed for the meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal) since we had a lot of ground beef in the freezer. In addition to the fresh mozzarella, which was optional in the original recipe, I added a smear of mayo, a thick slice of fresh tomato and some basil leaves.


This was one crazy delicious burger. I'm kicking myself for not realizing sooner how well caprese and burgers go together. Since we eat a lot of caprese salad during the summer months I plan to make these burgers frequently. SP had been a little nervous about the addition of Worcestershire, basil and garlic powder (he's a burger purist and likes salt and pepper only), but he cleaned his plate in no time flat and deemed this a great variation. Thanks for an amazing recipe, Coleen!

Caprese Burgers
Adapted from Does Not Cook Well With Others
Makes 3 burgers

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
Hamburger rolls, toasted
Sliced mozzarella cheese
Mayo, for serving
Sliced tomato, for serving
Leaves of fresh basil

Gently combine ground beef, Worcestershire, basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 portions. Grill over high heat about 6 minutes, turning once, or until desired doneness. Place a slice of cheese on each burger and allow to melt. Serve on rolls with mayo, sliced tomato and fresh basil.

I can't remember the last time I made a burger. It must have been sometime over the summer. And as much as I love a good beef burger, I've come to realize that I'm a big fan of chicken or turkey burgers. The mild flavor of poultry makes it so much easier to add whatever flavors you like. This is a new phenomenon for me but I'm embracing it in these days of attempted weight loss.

I recently discovered How Sweet It Is and boy am I glad I did. She's got some truly delicious-sounding recipes that I'm dying to make. When I saw her post about these Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo I had to take her advice and add them to my weekly menu.


Head over to Jessica's blog for some drool-inducing photos. Mine are ehh, as usual. But don't let that deter you from making these immediately. I prepped the burgers in the morning before work and the smell alone was intoxicating. As far as I'm concerned you really can't go wrong with garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce and sesame. Add the delicious Spicy Limo Mayo and you've got one hell of a burger. Try these soon. You won't be disappointed.

Asian Turkey Burgers
How Sweet It Is

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions, thinly chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 burger buns
Lettuce and sliced tomato for serving

Combine all ingredients (except buns) in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined – do not overmix. Form turkey into 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a skillet (in my case – a cast iron grill pan) over medium-high heat (or preheat your grill) and once hot, add burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side.

Toast buns if desired, then top burgers with mayo and serve.

Spicy Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more if desired)
Zest of half of a lime
Juice of half a lime

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and combined.

I love a good burger so when I saw this recipe for Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Onion and Bacon Jam over at Cassie Craves I had to put it on the menu.





Unfortunately (sorry Cassie!) this one just didn't work for us. As much as I love caramelized onions and bacon, the flavors were too mellow when piled on top of the burger. I'm thinking it would be better to keep the bacon whole so it didn't get lost amongst the onions. I also felt like something was missing (and not just the cheese, which I forgot to put on the burgers we ate for dinner but remembered to add to the leftovers I ate the next day for lunch). I can't put my finger on what it was, though. It's a beautiful burger with great ingredients so I'll keep trying to make it perfect.



Cheeseburgers with Caramelized Onion and Bacon Jam

Slightly Modified from Cassie Craves



1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

6 slices bacon

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large white onion, chopped (2 cups)

1 1/3 pounds ground beef chuck

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

4 slices American cheese

4 rolls, split and toasted

Dill pickle coins



In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper.



Add bacon to a large skillet and cook to desired crispness. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings from skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.



While the onions are cooking, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 patties. Cook to desired doneness in a skillet or on the grill. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, top each patty with a cheese slice.



Place each patty on a roll bottom, then top with some of the onion and bacon jam, the ketchup-mayo sauce, pickles and a roll top.

Delicious. That about sums up my feelings on this amazing burger.


If you were to judge a recipe by the number of ingredients, these Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo shouldn't be as nearly good as they are. But man, are they good. I seriously considered having two for dinner the night I made these, they were that good.

Once again, I ground my own chicken. If you have chicken breasts and a food processor there's no reason to buy ground chicken, in my opinion. I really enjoyed being able to pick the rosemary from my herb garden. That's one of the reasons it's taken me so long to make these. I've had the recipe printed for ages, ever since I saw Giada make them on her show, but I hate paying upwards of $3 for rosemary at the supermarket.

Make these soon. They'll be making another appearance on our table for sure.

Chicken Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo
Giada De Laurentiis

Mayonnaise:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 clove garlic, minced

Burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls or burger buns
1 cup arugula, divided

For the mayonnaise: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, and rosemary; set aside.

For the burgers: Preheat a gas or charcoal grill or place a grill pan over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, add the ground chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 of the mayonnaise mixture. Using clean hands, gently combine the ingredients and form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels and let rest for a few minutes.

Brush the cut side of each roll with 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Toast until golden brown.

To assemble the burgers: Spread a dollop of the remaining mayonnaise mixture on the tops and bottoms of the toasted buns. Place the chicken burgers on the bottom halves of the buns. Top each with 1/4 cup of arugula and finish with the top half of the bun.

These Smashed Sliders are another recipe from the most recent issue of Food Network Magazine. When I saw the photo of the burgers in the magazine I thought they looked just like a McDonald's hamburger with the ketchup, mustard, pickles and onion. I couldn't wait to see if these would be a healthier, tastier option.


They didn't disappoint. After my first bite I looked at SP and we both said, "These taste just like a McDonald's hamburger, only better." And they couldn't have been easier to make. Since I only made 12 burgers I was able to cook them all in one pan along with the onions. Prep time is minimal and cooking time is even less. I can't wait to make these again, only next time I'm adding cheese.



Smashed Sliders
Food Network Magazine

2 1/4 pounds 90% lean ground beef (such as sirloin)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
36 slider buns, split
Dill pickle slices, ketchup and mustard, for topping

Form the meat into 36 golf ball-size balls. Pulse the onion in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs to the skillet and smash them very flat with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the onion over the patties. Cook 1 minute, then flip and smash the burgers with the spatula again. Cook 1 more minute; place both halves of the buns on top of the patties to steam for the last few seconds of cooking.

Serve the burgers on the buns topped with pickles, ketchup and mustard.

I had some pesto leftover from the Chicken with Pesto Mushroom Cream Sauce so I used it to top this week's burger:


... along with sliced tomato and shredded Mexican cheese. Delish!

I told you the creamy red pepper sauce from my recent grilled chicken sandwich would be making a reappearance soon. I made a new batch for my burger, which I also topped with lettuce and thick slices of tomato.


Gorgeous. And delicious.

Anyone who has read this blog recently knows of my love for burgers and sandwiches. Heck, I even switched from Pizza Friday to Burger Friday for the spring and summer. The theme for this week's cooking board recipe swap was born of this love.

Jaida was thrilled to get my recipe for the Ultimate Sriracha Burger, and for good reason - these are delicious:


Melissa made waist-friendly Zucchini Turkey Burgers:


The Cooking Nurse ground her own chicken for Chicken Taco Burgers:



The Cookaholic Wife experimented with her recipe and came up with Reuban Burgers, which were a huge hit:


Christine's recipe for Croque Monsieurs came all the way from France:


Caitlin's recipe made meatloaf into a burger with BBQ Cheddar Burgers with Caramelized Onions:


Jey made a Mango Habañero Chicken Sandwich:


My Grilled Chicken Sandwich recipe was elevated beyond ordinary by an addictively delicious creamy red pepper sauce:


Jill had to adapt her recipe for Lamb "Burgers" with Indian Spiced Eggplant "Buns" since she's currently living in France:


Kate recipe was for no-fuss French Dip Sandwiches that were on the table in minutes:


Melissa had another crockpot meal, Italian Beef Sandwiches, that not only smelled delicious but tasted great:

I'm loving Burger Fridays. Burgers are just so versatile. The inspiration for this guacamole burger came from leftover guacamole and taco fixings from Cinco de Mayo.


It was a serious mouthful, but delicious.

With the warm weather coming I decided I wasn't thrilled with the idea of cranking my oven to 550 degrees for an hour or more to make pizza for Pizza Fridays. We weren't huge fans of grilled pizza, but I wanted something that was as versatile as pizza. Enter the burger. Not only are there thousands of toppings for burgers, you can switch up the meat as well. Perfect.


My first Burger Friday burger was a BBQ Bacon Burger. I always keep the burger meat simple - just a little salt and pepper - and let the toppings dictate the flavors. I mixed BBQ sauce and mayo together to slather on the bun, cooked some bacon and had SP melt slices of sharp cheddar cheese on my burger during the last few minutes of cooking. Everything was layered on a toasted bun and dinner was served.