Lions and Tigers and Brussels Sprouts...Oh My!

Tonight was not a Giada night, however, I still had to eat and I much prefer to cook than buy something. Since I didn't have a recipe to follow tonight, I let my creativity take over! Pictured above is a Turkey Burger (it's kind of hidden, I know) and some Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Yum, yum, and more yum.

For starters, I preheated the oven to 450 degrees. As it heated, I chopped the Brussels sprouts. Side note: for those that think they don't like Brussels sprouts, 1) you've probably never tried them or 2) you've never tried them like this. Once again, I take no credit for this idea, it was all my mother. When you roast Brussels sprouts at a high temperature, they caramelize on the outside and lose their cabbage-like flavor. They become really nutty and crisp and you really have to take my word for it. Even my father that doesn't like Brussels sprouts prepared the conventional way loves these. Anyhow, I halved them each and took off most of their outer layers since those get a little wilted from being in the fridge. I then placed them all cut-side down on a cooking sheet sprayed with EVOO and sprinkled them with salt and pepper.

As those cooked, I prepared my turkey burger. I've never made these before and had to look up how long they need to be cooked because, as Rachael Ray says, no one wants a rare poultry burger. From what I read, they need to be cooked about three to four minutes on each side. Of course, had I not been on the phone the entire time I was cooking, I probably could have timed this, but my sister and I had much to discuss from the VMAs to Irish dancing. I didn't want to just make the burger out of ground turkey meat, so I decided to add a wedge of Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow cheese. I also added a splash of balsamic vinegar to keep the burger moist. For some extra flavor, I added some oregano.

I combined the whole mixture with my hands (for some reason I love mixing raw meat dishes by hand. It's so much easier. It was one of my favorite things about making meatballs) and formed it into a patty. I then cooked it in a heated pan that had been sprayed with EVOO and seasoned with salt and pepper. As this cooked, I took the Brussels sprouts out to flip them and let the other side cook up a bit. I was a little paranoid about the burger being cooked through all the way, so I probably cooked it more than necessary on each side. It was a bit dark, but I figured I would rather have a dry, well-done burger than one that was pink in the middle.

Once this was all finished, I headed back down to my room (with ease other than almost losing my phone while I was still on it) and assembled the dish. I used a Multigrain Arnold's sandwich thin for my burger (for those doing the Weight Watchers point system, I HIGHLY recommend these. They are one point each!) and then halved two cherry tomatoes to add to the burger. These are the reason my burger is hidden in the picture, they made it a bit of a big bite. Guy Fieri would be proud. And let me tell you, this dish was money.

I don't know how I do it, but I once again cooked the meat perfectly. It wasn't dry in the least and was cooked all the way through. The cheese made the texture very smooth and the oregano really stood out among the other flavors. My Brussels sprouts were roasted to perfection as well and I had more than anyone probably ever should (but I needed to use them before they went bad, and they're Brussels sprouts, they're good for you). Overall, another successful night of food :)

When Life Hands You Lemons...

...make Lemon Spaghetti! Or lemonade. But I promise that the former will be exponentially more delicious. Tonight was recipe number three out of Everyday Italian and if you haven't figured it out by now, it was Lemon Spaghetti. It is the first recipe from Chapter Three which is Everyday Pasta, Polenta, and Risotto (side note: I really like my approach to this book. It's nice to have each chapter introduced slowly, don't you think?). The first section of this chapter is once again, Fresh From the Pantry, so the recipes are fairly simple.

This recipe was incredibly simple and I highly suggest that you give it a try. That being said, I did make some modifications to it in order to make it a bit healthier (I'm sure Giada won't mind. She doesn't understand what it's like being over a size 2). The first thing the recipe asks you to do is make the sauce. It serves four, and calls for 2/3 cup of EVOO, 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of lemon juice, and salt and pepper (though those are measured in almost all recipes, I usually just do it to taste). For those who don't know, I am a Weight Watchers point counter and have certain point values that I find acceptable for each meal. When I entered this one into the recipe builder, I decided that 14 points for a serving just wasn't going to fly with me. Therefore, I made some changes for my single serving dish.

First, instead of using that much EVOO, I used just one tablespoon. Since it called for the same amount of cheese, I also used just one tablespoon of that. I didn't actually measure out the lemon juice for it (it has a point value of zero as it is), but the recipe said either 1/2 cup or the fresh juice of two lemons. I bought one lemon and squeezed it to death and that was fine. You then whisk it all together.

Next, I cooked up one cup of angel hair pasta. The recipe calls for dried spaghetti, but that wasn't as readily available to me and I had a little over a cup of angel hair left in the box. I really don't think it matters, though I do love dried pasta. After cooking the pasta, you need to reserve one cup of the water if you're making the full 4 servings. Seeing as I only made one, I saved 1/4 cup.

Once the pasta was drained, I put it on a plate, added my water (I didn't even use the whole 1/4 cup. It's just to keep the pasta moist), then added the sauce. I also sprayed some fat-free olive oil spray on top of this just to give it more of the olive oil taste without the olive oil guilt. On top of that, you add some fresh chopped basil (or dried if you're on my budget) and some grated lemon zest (...or not. I don't have a grater and something tells me that trying to finely chop a lemon peel will NOT have the same effect).

Here is my explanation for the picture. Just as I was sitting down to take the picture and eat this delicious meal, my phone rang. It was Katie and she was at the door so I had to run downstairs to let her in. As we walked back to my room I started telling her a story and as we sat down in my room I began eating without thinking about the purpose of the meal. Just as I had about two bites left, I remembered that I hadn't taken a picture and I simply could NOT let this blog be posted without one (I like to have proof that this all actually happens). I quickly took one between bites and there you have it!

My next cooking day is Friday when I take on Grilled Shrimp (dun dun dun...). Let's hope this turns out better than the tuna. I'm sure I will have some updates in between cause a girl's gotta eat!