Palate Pleasing Parsley Burgers

For a long time, I confess, I thought parsley was one of those garnishes only for beautifying a meal, either the side of a plate or on top of some deviled eggs. But recently (a year ago), I was reading about the health benefits of this incredible plant. So I have started adding them to burgers. They don't change the taste of the burger dramatically and add vitamin A, vitamin c, folic acid, all which aide in a healthy immune system.

Then something crazy happened! 

I was chopping up fresh green spinach super fine and I noticed it looked identical to parsley chopped up super fine. Did I tell my family about all the great nutrients I was adding when I started with parsley - nope. Did I tell him when I started adding small amounts of spinach in with the parsley - nope. You can't tell. You can't see a difference in ground meat. Green specks look green specks. Granted you have to be kinda sneaky but after 6 months of doing this... I think the cat is not coming out of this bag - well unless my husband reads my blog. Spinach as an enormous amount of nutritional value - what a great idea this was - all by some happy accident.

Here is my recipe (which gets vitamins, iron, and calcium into your family without even having to coax them to pick up a fork and eat all of their vegetables or finish their milk. Who doesn't love a good burger anyways?!

For 3-4 people you need: 

1 lb ground beef (whatever kind you prefer) 

2 Tbs dried parsley (use fresh if you have it) 

1 Tbs Salt ( I use kosher course salt) 

1 Tbs course black pepper 

1/2 Tbs minced onion ( I use dry just because easier) 

1 cup packed fresh spinach (organic if you have it), very very finely cut 

Steps 1-3 are simple. 

1. Measure out your meat and put it in a bowl. 

2. Dump your seasonings in on top. 

3. Then chop up your spinach and parsley together, if you are using fresh. I usually like to keep the dried parsley container out on the counter while I am chopping the spinach. It reassures them if they happen to pass through the kitchen, that it is the green they see is. (Sneaky right?)  When I say finely cut - go ahead and mutate it - get it as small as possible. Take all your aggression out!  

Step 4 is mixing it all together - take your rings off - its like making meatballs or meatloaf - play with your food! 

Step 5 & 6 - form them into patties and heat up the grill (at least in our house). In Arizona its finally time to grill outside without getting a heat stroke! Yay summer is starting in the middle of most people's fall/early winter :)  

First it looks like this - sure that could all be parsley, why not. 

Then it looks like this

Then You have a happy family eating cheeseburgers AND they have no idea. Go ahead serve them with chips take the veggie pushing night off.... or at least let them think you are! 

From my kitchen to yours

Enjoy

Stephanie

Cheesy Pumpkin Veggie Pasta

To celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday I picked up a yummy pumpkin dish. I actually wasn't sure about this one so I made with my son while my husband was at work - just incase it was flop. It was OUTSTANDING, which why its a new addition to my favorite fall recipes, AND why I wanted to share it with you. Pumpkin is not just for dessert. 

 Pumpkin Veggie Pasta

serves 3 adults

(Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine "Penne-Wise Pumpkin Pasta" October 2007 Page 103)

Step 1 Find all the ingredients 

5oz short pasta (whole wheat if you have it) 

2 Tbs olive oil

1 shallot finely chopped

1/2 Tbs chopped garlic

I carrot chopped (approx 2 oz)

1 stalk of celery chopped (approx 2 oz) 

1 boneless/skinless Chicken breast (approx 9 oz) 

1 cup chicken broth/stock (whatever you have)

8 oz pure canned or homemade pumpkin

1/4 cup half and half organic

1/4 tsp hot sauce

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/16 tsp or a light sprinkle of ground nutmeg

salt to taste ( I used 1/2 tsp course kosher) + salt for pasta water + salt on chicken

pepper to taste ( I used 1/4 tsp) + pepper sprinkled on the chicken

couple handfuls of grated cheddar cheese  

Step 2 Start cooking the boneless/skinless chicken breast in a bit of olive oil (1-2 Tbs) in a small skillet with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper over the top maybe 5 minutes each side. 

Step 3 Chop up the shallot and garlic (unless you do the jar stuff like I do) and drop them into a large skillet with 2 Tbs olive oil.

Step 4: Start boiling water in a pot for the pasta - salt it generously

Step 5: Start sauteing the shallot and garlic for about 5 minutes until everything gets soft. (med-low heat). 

Step 6: Chop celery & carrots and drop them into the large skillet. Cook for another 2-4 minutes. You want them to be tender-crisp. 

Step 7 Stir the half & half or heavy cream, chicken broth, and pumpkin puree into the sauteed veggies  until you get a rich thick yummy sauce. Check on the progress of the chicken in the small skillet.

Step 8 taste and add seasonings to sauce (nutmeg, hot sauce, cinnamon, salt, pepper) and stir again. Taste and adjust any seasonings (salt, pepper, + anything else) 

Step 9 drain pasta water and mix pasta with sauce

Step 10 if chicken is cooked through cut into tiny pieces and add to pasta mixture

Step 11 sprinkle, cover, or douse your pasta & delectable pumpkin sauce with grated Parmesan cheese and 
EAT! 

My son loved this meal & I had seconds

Hope you like it. From my kitchen to yours :) 

Stephanie