Saturday, February 19, 2011

Booorgger Week

In honor of my boy Fabio (who sadly went home on Top Chef), I cooked up some Boorgers this week.  This week was BOOORGER WEEK. Do you know what I am talking about?  If you don't, please watch the following video.  Even if you do, you should watch Fabio say Boorger again, it's just too amazing for words... Check out around 5:45 when Fabio says Burger or Boorger. Then again around 6:50.  Sooo hysterical!
So anyway, I made 3 burgers this week that are definitely not your typical burgers... instead they are fun and different Vegetable burgers.  The first I made was a butternut squash boorger.  I saw this recipe on Liz Runs DC and I was intrigued. Mine were a little mushy but tasted really great with lots of flavor!
(Apparently I like orange food- I served this with extra squash, pretzels and some leftover curried sweet potatoes)
Butternut Squash Burgers

Ingredients:
3 cups cubed butternut squash
One 15 oz. can of chickpeas
⅓ cup of whole wheat flour
¼ cup of crumbled goat cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400*.  Toss butternut squash and beans with oil, maple syrup and salt. Roast until browned, about 20-25 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes.  Place into food processor and blend until there are no longer large chunks of squash. Mix in flour.  Then goat cheese.  Season with another pinch of salt, pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes.
 Preheat a skillet or an indoor grill pan on medium-high heat. 
Cook for about 5 minutes per side or until browned. Serve with some more goat cheese on the bun and enjoy! I also added leftover sweet potato curry mash.
I loved the flavor of these burgers but they didn't have the texture I was looking for.  Maybe I should have cooked them a bit longer...

Now moving on to another veggie burger that you all must try. I made Greek Spinach and Feta Burgers from my favorite food blogger- Baked Bree.
Greek Spinach & Feta Burger
Ingredients:
1/4 olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 cup herb stuffing mix (Pepperridge Farm)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
salt and pepper

to assemble the burgers:
4 buns
Store bought tzatziki sauce

1 small red onion sliced thinly
1 large tomato sliced

1 cucumber, sliced in half
extra feta crumbles

red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper.  Coat the stuffing mix with the olive oil and herbs.  Add the eggs, feta, and spinach.  Shape into 4 patties. Heat a pan to medium high heat, spray the pan with cooking spray and cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side.  
The outside should get crispy and brown.  Add the Greek Spinach Feta burgers to a toasted bun.  Add the tzatziki sauce.  Then put the tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and red onions in a bowl.  Add in a bit of red wine vinegar and olive oil and mix up everything. Add the cucumber mixture to the top of the burger and serve alongside the burger.  Enjoy!


The other boorger I made was another Baked Bree recipe: Black Bean Sliders. I'm starting to think Bree must be a genuis.  Everything I've made off her site has been spectacular- whether it has meat or vegetarian.  She is seriously impressive!
Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can black beans (reserve some of the liquid)
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon taco seasoning (I used chili seasoning- all I had)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup corn (I used frozen corn)
1/4 cup cilantro 

2 Tablespoons olive oil for cooking
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine everything except the corn and black beans.  Mix well. Add the black beans and corn.  Mash with a fork until still chunky.  If the black bean mixture is too dry, add the reserved black bean liquid a little at a time until it is like a thick paste.  Let the mixture rest in the fridge for a few minutes.  Shape into small patties and let sit in the fridge for 15 minutes. Heat a large pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil.  
Cook the burgers for 5 minutes on each side.  The burgers will be nice and brown on the outside. Then top the burgers on toasted buns, salsa, cheese and avocado or guac.
Speaking of amazing vegetables, I wanted to mention my CSA Page that I created a few weeks ago.  Currently, several local farms are having registration for Summer CSAs.  I am so excited to join my CSA through Silverbrook Farms again.  Want some reasons to join: look here.


Have you joined a CSA? What's your favorite veggie burger? Or excuse me... booorger.... : )

16 comments:

  1. I want to try ALL of these! Each looks deliscious!!

    I haven't joined a CSA, but someone in my book club mentioned we have "Bountiful Baskets" that offers produce for $16 a laundry basket!

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  2. I love veggie burgers and black bean burgers are my favorite! Yours looks so good! I should make a batch for lunches rather than wasting my money on the frozen stuff.

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  3. I really want to join a CSA, but haven't yet. I'm scared that the produce will go to waste. Do you ever find that happening?

    I like the way that Dr. Praeger's taste but they always fall apart. And I know they have a million random ingredients, but I do like Morningstar Farms Garden Burgers. I like the type of veggie burger that is heavy on the vegetables, not the ones that are trying to taste like meat, like Boca.

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  4. OMG, Lizzy, those look so good! Thanks for the great ideas. An bahahahahaha I love Fabio and his boorgers...so sad he's gone!

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  5. wow! amazing. I cannot wait to try these! why do you have to have such great recipes!! :)

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  6. I can't stop drooling over the rolls!

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  7. Cannot go wrong with butternut squash and goat cheese! Wow, those look tasty.

    P.S. The whole time I was watching the Sesame Street Top Chef, I couldn't help thinking that it would have been even more hysterical if Fabio had still been on for that episode!

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  8. the greek burger looks so good! I want to make those! yum. I like how you paired them with a greek salad too.

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  9. YUMMM! These look soooo yummy; especially the spinach and feta burger. I LOVE greek food and spinach... and EVERY kind of cheese, so this is my "Boorger" made in heaven! :-) Can't wait to try it. And your presentation makes them look even more yummy!

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  10. Fee-Nom-Enal looking.

    I'm always looking for ways to improve my black bean burgers and may have found it through this recipe.

    The spinach/feta looks to ridiculously good as well.

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  11. I am seriously bookmarking this page! All of these recipes look amazing! I've actually been wanting to try the butternut squash burgers since I saw them on Liz's blog. And I have a butternut squash on the counter just waiting to become a burger :) I also need to mix up my typical black bean burger recipe, and I think this is just the one to try.

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  12. I haven't gotten into Top Chef this season but I usually love that show. All 3 of the veggie burgers look awesome - so creative! Usually frozen veggie burgers are my last-minute meal of choice, so I always forget that they are so much better homemade and with creative ingredients! I love the idea of just throwing everything in the food processor and forming patties. Hope you had a great weekend, Lizzy!

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  13. wow! These all look so amazing! Yummy, using all my favorite ingredients like that!

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  14. You Boogers look amazing. I am glad i wasn't the only one who laughed so hard at fabio through the entire ep. I will miss that man, though not as much as De. ;)

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  15. I think my husband would be pumped if I did a whole week of Booogers! Haha! These all sounds really good, and so different! I actually haven't had a burger in a long time, but I heard once that Houston's has an amzing veggie burger so I'd love to try it out!

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  16. Love these burgers! The Greek one especially looks good!

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