Category Archives: Main Dish

Stuffed Hamburgers


1 1/2 cups sliced onions (about 3 medium)
8 oz. button or crimini mushrooms, sliced (3 cups)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp snipped fresh parsley
2 1/2 lb. 85% lean ground beef
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
16 slices apple wood smoked bacon (optional)
8 slices Swiss, provolone, and/or Colby and Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)
8 Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted
Tomato slices (optional)

1. In very large skillet cook onions and mushrooms in hot oil over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated, and onions and mushrooms are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley; set aside to cool slightly.

2. In very large mixing bowl mix beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper until just combined (do not over mix). Shape mixture into 16 (3 1/2-inch-diameter) patties. Spoon filling onto half of patties to 1/2-inch of edge. Top with remaining patties; pinch to seal. If using, lay 2 bacon slices over each stuffed patty in crisscross pattern, tucking ends under.

3. For charcoal grill, arrange preheated coals around drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place patties over drip pan on grill rack. Cover and grill 25 to 30 minutes or until done (160°F). (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect grilling. Grill as above.)
Top with cheese. Cover; cook 1 to 2 minutes more or until cheese melts.

4. Transfer burgers to serving platter. Serve on buns with tomato slices.

Serves 8

Best Mini Burgers


1 lb ground sirloin
1/4 lb ground chuck
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
nonstick cooking spray
Accompaniments: mini sized hamburger buns or dinner rolls, lettuce, tomato and red onion slices

1. Heat outdoor grill or grill pan.
2. Gently mix ground meats and Worcestershire sauce in medium bowl with a fork until blended. Shape meat into eight patties about 1 in. thick.
Sprinkle both sides of patties with salt and pepper.
3. Coat burgers with nonstick spray. Grill, turning once, 8 to 10 minutes until instant-eady thermometer inserted from side to middle registers 160°F.
Serve on mini sized buns with lettuce, sliced tomato and red onion.

Serves 4

Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

Several quarts of water

8 cups fresh spinach leaves, stemmed (1 pound)
Vegetable oil spray, if needed
15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup low-sodium salsa
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
6 6-inch corn tortillas or nonfat or low-fat flour tortillas
1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat sour cream
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons lime juice
4 ounces shredded nonfat or low-fat Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
2 Italian plum tomatoes, diced
2 green onions (green and white parts), thinly sliced

In a large pot, bring water to a boil over high heat.
While water heats, thoroughly rinse spinach. Add spinach to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well in a colander. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a large spoon. (Discard water or save for vegetable stock.)
Preheat oven to 3500 F. If using a casserole dish, spray it with vegetable oil spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine spinach, black beans, salsa, cumin, and chili powder.
Spoon 1/4 of the mixture down the middle of one tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling (jelly-roll style). Place tortilla seam side down in a shallow nonstick baking pan or prepared casserole dish. Repeat process with remaining tortillas.
Bake enchiladas, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sour cream and lime juice. Remove enchiladas from oven and spread sour cream mixture evenly over enchiladas. Top with cheese, tomatoes, and green onions and bake for 5 minutes.
Cook�s Tip: This dish freezes so well that you might want to make a batch to keep on hand for unexpected guests or evenings when you just don�t want to cook. After rolling the enchiladas, place them in a container and cover tightly with foil or put them in an airtight plastic freezer bag. Increase baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
You can substitute a 10-ounce package of no-salt-added frozen spinach for the fresh spinach. Cook according to package directions, omitting salt and oil, then continue with the recipe.

Serves 6

Southern Fried Chicken Paula Deen’s Recipe

2 lbs cut-up chicken

Sauce mixture

4 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot sauce (I use Louisiana Hot Sauce, Tabasco might be hotter)

Seasoning blend

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Dredging mixture

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat peanut oil in a large deep pot to 350°F (do not fill more than half full–you don’t want a hot-oil spill-over accident!).
For sauce mixture: in a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the water.
Add hot sauce and whisk together well.
Pour this mixture into a large plastic zip-top bag.
For seasoning mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
For dredging mixture: In a another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel.
Cut breast pieces in half across ribs.
Sprinkle chicken generously on both sides with seasoning blend.
Drop a few chicken pieces of chicken into bag of sauce mixture and squish around to coat thoroughly.
One piece at a time, roll chicken in flour mixture and drop into hot oil.
Don’t crowd chicken pieces–I cook about half the chicken at a time.
Fry chicken until brown and crisp.
Drain on paper toweling.
Dark meat will take about 14 minutes, white meat about 10 minutes.
Remember smaller pieces cook faster than the larger ones.
You can check for doneness by piercing to the bone in the thickest part with a fork.
If the juices run clear, it is done.

8 Servings

Potato Surimi Casserole

1 package au gratin potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 eggs, large
1 8 oz. can corn, creamed
1/2 pound Surimi seafood, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 scallion tops, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 450. Prepare potatoes in 8x8x2″ baking dish. follow package directions for milk and butter. Bake for only 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in bowl, combine eggs, corn, surimi, flour, scallions, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Pour over potatoes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake until set, 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into 6 squares.

6 Servings