My Favorite Summer Burgers

I am not a huge beef eater. I eat it on occasion, but I prefer to keep it out of my diet. During the summer I buy a lot of ground turkey to make burgers. Last summer I made them for my sister-in-law and her husband, not realizing they were typically beef eaters. 

My sister-in-law bit into the burger and immediately loved it. She said she was going to make turkey burgers from now on instead of beef. I have three go-to recipes I use. The first is my typical Italian-style burger which is my family favorite. The second is a recipe I found in Food and Wine magazine which I have been using lately (it's actually a recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow). It makes a pretty amazing burger. You can view the recipe here:

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/barbecue-glazed-turkey-burgers

Lastly, being a huge fan of Mexican food, I do a Mexican burger which my husband truly enjoys. 

Italian-Style Turkey Burger

1 pound of ground turkey (I usually get the 94:6 percent meat to fat ratio)
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 egg
1tsp cracked pepper
1/2 pinch salt
1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

Chop peppers into small bite size pieces (sometimes I use the food processor when I am in a rush).
Chop garlic into small peices (the smaller the garlic the more taste).
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix by hand.
Make patties by hand and place on a large cookie sheet.
Grill and enjoy with slices of fresh mozzerella, a large tomato slice and fresh chopped basil on an Italian bun.

Mexican Turkey Burger

1 pound of ground turkey
1 can of sliced jalapeno
1tsp cumin
1tsp black crushed pepper
1/2 pinch of salt
Several slices of monterey jack cheese

Chop jalapeno into small pieces.
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl by hand.
Make smaller thin patties by hand and place on cookie sheet.
Take one patty, place a slice of monterey jack cheese on top.
Place another pattie on top and press sides together to make a seal.
Grill and enjoy with fresh salsa, hatch chillies, hot sauce, and guacamole on a fresh brioche bun.

Crack open a bottle of prosecco and have a mini vacation in your backyard with these burgers! Have a lovely week!