Spinach and Olive Turkey Burgers

Beef Up Your Turkey Burgers...

Sometimes you just feel like eating a nice juicy burger, right? Well, I know I do. Although I very rarely do. I stopped eating beef regularly many years ago, so when I crave a burger, I go TURKEY. The only problem is that it lacks the flavor that beef has, so it needs to be "beefed up" a little. :)

I usually just add some grill seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper and it good to go, but I was feeling a little gourmet the other day and decided to go all out and add some other healthy goodies.
How can you go wrong with fresh baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, garlic, and cheese?
Judging by these burgers... YOU CAN'T!

Spinach and Olive Turkey Burgers
by Mixed Salad Annie

1 1/3 pounds ground turkey
3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
1/4 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, cut in small dice
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
6 multi-grain english muffins, lightly toasted

Cover a baking sheet with non-stick foil or spray foil lined sheet with cooking spray. Heat broiler on low and adjust oven rack to top.

Blend together turkey, spinach, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, cheese and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Do not over mix. Form mixture into 6 equal size patties, free form or with a burger form.

Broil burgers about 5 minutes on first side and about 4 minutes on second. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register at 170º F.) Transfer burgers to muffins and top with extra spinach leaves if desired. Top with ketchup or mayonnaise.

Chicken, Olives and Artichokes - Hunter Style

When I decided to make this dish, I was thinking of a chicken cacciatore that I used to get from a local supermarket. They would make it with big chunks of white breast meat, all the colors of bell peppers and lots of whole garlic cloves. It was delicious. Since I was making this for my mom, I decided to leave out the peppers because they don't agree with her.

Because we both love artichokes and olives, I decided to sub them for the peppers. As a matter of fact, my mom makes a chicken and artichoke dish very similar to this, only without the sauce. Since I had a jar of sauce that needed to be used, I whipped this up. It is really good over pasta or you could eat it as is, with a big piece of Italian bread for mopping up the sauce.


Chicken, Olives and Artichokes - Hunter Style
by Mixed Salad Annie Serves 4

3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into about 1 1/2" chunks
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 jar of black olives, drained and rinsed
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and halved
12 cloves of garlic, (very large ones halved)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 jar marinara sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 sprigs rosemary

Add the flour, garlic powder and paprika to a large ziplock bag. Season the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper and add them to the flour in the bag. Shake the chicken to coat all the pieces. Remove from bag and shake off excess flour and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of oil and rosemary sprigs on low heat in large dutch oven or large deep skillet for about 5 minutes. Add the olives and artichokes cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan with a slotted spoon to a bowl and add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Turn the heat up to medium/high and add chicken pieces.

Brown the chicken on all sides and de-glaze the pan with the wine. When the wine evaporates, add the chicken broth and sauce. Add the artichoke mixture back to the pan and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and simmer slowly for about 20-25 minutes. Remove and disgard the rosemary sprigs. Serve over pasta or with Italian bread.

Drunken Chicken with Olives over Polenta Squares

Things have been kind of crazy lately in my little world. Between working and moving my mom into her new apartment, I haven't had much time to cook lately. I've been eating out more often lately and taking home leftovers (which I love by the way), so I don't have many recipes to post or talk about.

Of course, I'm not complaining about eating out, I love it. My sister and I took my mom out for dinner on Mother's Day and I had a really great dinner. It was a chicken and pasta entree with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini and snipped green onions, in a garlic and wine sauce. Ooh la la. It was delicious.

Speaking of chicken in a wine sauce... I did make this drunken chicken with olives over polenta squares a few months back and never posted it. The recipe was inspired by Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia. It was very tasty and I really have to make this again (someday when I can think straight again!). Happy Cooking to all of you!!

Drunken Chicken with Olives over Polenta Squares

1/2 cup pitted green olives, quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
1 teaspoon salt
Coarse black pepper to taste
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Zest and juice of 2 large lemons
3 bone-in chicken breasts, cut in half
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Coarsely chop together the garlic, thyme and rosemary and place in a large zip lock bag.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, zest and lemon juice. Add the chicken pieces, zip up bag and shake the bag making sure the marinade covers all of the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade. Set marinade aside and pat chicken dry with thick layer of paper towels. Add the flour to a medium sized paper or plasic bag. Add the chicken and shake until it is evenly coated. Shake off excess flour.

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or sauté pan large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Brown the pieces well on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Add the wine and raise the heat to high. Cook for a minute or two. Add the olives and reserved marinade. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometor until it reaches at least 165 degrees. Serve the chicken over polenta, potatoes or pasta and top with the olives and pan juices.

Polenta Squares

2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup quick-cooking polenta

Bring the water, 1 tablespoon butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until the polenta thickens, about 5 minutes. Pour the polenta into a greased 9 by 9-inch baking pan, spreading so that it is 1/3-inch thick. Cover and let stand at room temperature until set, about 15 minutes.

Green Bean and Red Roasted Pepper Salad

Great for a crowd!

As I mentioned in my last post, I had a luau a 2 weekends ago and I made quite a few things to bring with me. This was one of them. You really can't go wrong with green beans. I think most people like them and with the addition of black olives, red roasted peppers and a great basil red wine vinaigrette, it was a hit.

Disposable aluminum pans like the one in the photo are really great for stuff like this. They even come with plastic covers to fit. You can even cook in them too!

P.S. Don't forget to save yourself a small plate before packing it up to go or you may not even get to try it!

Green Bean and Red Roasted Pepper Salad

2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed, ends trimmed and snapped in half
2 cans black olives, sliced in half lengthwise
1 - 15 oz. jar red roasted peppers, sliced in thin strips

Basil Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1 1/2 cups fresh basil, stems removed
1/2 cup fresh parsley, stems removed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth; set aside.
Steam green beans for about 5-7 minutes or until crisp tender. Plunge in ice water to stop cooking; drain and place in large bowl. Add the olives, peppers and vinaigrette; stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least one hour to let all the flavors blend. Serve at room temperature.
Best if made a day ahead.

Spinach, Roasted Fennel, Olive and Egg Calzone Loaf

Awesome Flavor!

I LOVE SPINACH PIES... Especially ones with roasted fennel and olives... and eggs! Yes EGGS! It may sound weird but let me tell you, it is awesome. The eggs not only give great flavor to this calzone, but also add a great amount of protein to this otherwise protein lacking loaf!
A friend of mine (Joann) actually turned me on to this idea. I guess it is a common addition in Italy, where eggs are added in many unsuspecting dishes.
If you don't like eggs then by all means leave them out, because the roasted fennel and olives, along with the sauteed spinach, would certainly give this loaf enough flavor on their own.

Spinach, Roasted Fennel, Olive and Egg Calzone Loaf

1 Lb. store bought dough
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 fennel bulb, cleaned, cut in half, cored and sliced thin
1/2 jar/can black olives, sliced in half lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
2/3 cup low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup Provolone cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning (garlic blend), plus 1/4 teaspoon for top of calzone
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash, or 2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add the fennel and olives and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 - 55 minutes until fennel is soft and caramelized. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and sauté until soft. Add the spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil, parsley, salt, pepper and seasoning blend and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the mixture to a bowl and add in the fennel olive mixture. Mix well.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll it out to a 12 x 14-inch rectangle. Lift the dough onto a parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheet.

Brush the top of the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the spinach mixture over the dough. Leave about a 1/2 border. Add the egg slices and cheeses, covering the entire area evenly. Roll the long side of the dough up like a jelly roll. Pinch the seam and the 2 ends to seal, making sure the seam is on the bottom.Brush the top with the egg wash or milk and sprinkle with the seasoning blend. Slice several small slits in the top of the dough for the steam to vent.

Place in the 400°F oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes and cut on a diagonal for best presentation.