Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo

I can't remember the last time I made a burger. It must have been sometime over the summer. And as much as I love a good beef burger, I've come to realize that I'm a big fan of chicken or turkey burgers. The mild flavor of poultry makes it so much easier to add whatever flavors you like. This is a new phenomenon for me but I'm embracing it in these days of attempted weight loss.

I recently discovered How Sweet It Is and boy am I glad I did. She's got some truly delicious-sounding recipes that I'm dying to make. When I saw her post about these Asian Turkey Burgers with Spicy Lime Mayo I had to take her advice and add them to my weekly menu.


Head over to Jessica's blog for some drool-inducing photos. Mine are ehh, as usual. But don't let that deter you from making these immediately. I prepped the burgers in the morning before work and the smell alone was intoxicating. As far as I'm concerned you really can't go wrong with garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce and sesame. Add the delicious Spicy Limo Mayo and you've got one hell of a burger. Try these soon. You won't be disappointed.

Asian Turkey Burgers
How Sweet It Is

1 pound ground turkey breast
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3 green onions, thinly chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
4 burger buns
Lettuce and sliced tomato for serving

Combine all ingredients (except buns) in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined – do not overmix. Form turkey into 4 patties about 1/2 inch thick. Heat a skillet (in my case – a cast iron grill pan) over medium-high heat (or preheat your grill) and once hot, add burgers. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side.

Toast buns if desired, then top burgers with mayo and serve.

Spicy Lime Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or more if desired)
Zest of half of a lime
Juice of half a lime

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth and combined.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches

I had planned to make these Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, but between sandwiches and soup we used it all up. I didn't want to miss out on these sandwiches so I bought deli turkey, which was just fine.


These are definitely a knife-and-fork sandwich, which disappointed SP. He was hoping for a traditional sandwich. Next time I'll use less ingredients per sandwich and maybe cook them panini-style. I'm also thinking about adding bacon (thanks for the idea, Cassie) and switching the avocado slices to guacamole or an avocado spread for easier eating. No matter how you assemble them, these are truly delicious.

Southwestern Ranch Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches
Cassie Craves

6 slices sandwich bread
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 to 1 pound turkey, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 ripe avocados, sliced
Juice of 1 lime

Toast bread in toaster or under the broiler. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, combine ranch dressing mix, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in mayonnaise and sour cream.

Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place bread on baking sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on each slice. Top with sliced turkey and 1 more tablespoon of the sauce. Top with cheese and tomatoes.

Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Top each sandwich with sliced avocado and a spritz of lime juice.

Thanksgiving Day

Happy Turkey Day! Yes, I know this post is a little late but things are hectic around here, as you can imagine. This year we decided to keep things very low-key. We still went to my parent's house, but SP did some of the cooking (veggie sides and dessert) and my mom did the turkey and the rest of the sides. It was a great time and Baby Girl slept through the whole meal, allowing everyone to enjoy a hot meal together.

Here's the turkey, fresh from the oven:


And here it is after my stepdad worked his carving magic:


Glorious, fluffy mashed potatoes:


SP made the stuffing, with a little help from me:


...with a hint of apple from apple cider. Delish! He also made green bean casserole:


Yes, it had cream of mushroom soup, but the beans were fresh. Cranberry sauce:


Glazed carrots:


... were the surprise hit of the year. It was a simple recipe using brown sugar, sherry and baby carrots and butter. Plenty of gravy made from the turkey drippings:


The table all laid out:


My plate with lots of everything.


I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. Next year maybe Baby Girl will be helping out in the kitchen.